Temples of the Forest

Explore Angkor in the company of Mr. Thon Varathana, a Cambodian art researcher and cultural interpreter who offers a more insightful way of seeing the temples. With a focus on Khmer sculpture, bas-reliefs and visual storytelling, he helps bring meaning to the details that are so easy to overlook.

A light, chef-prepared breakfast is served along the way before continuing to Ta Nei, a quieter, lesser-visited temple where there’s often the chance to explore without the crowds. It feels more relaxed and a little more atmospheric, with time to take it in properly.

The experience continues at Ta Keo, known as the “mountain with bronze peaks”. Its five-tiered pyramid structure is striking, and climbing it gives a real sense of the scale and ambition behind Angkor’s design.

Throughout, Mr. Varathana’s approach is easy and engaging. His work centres on reading the temples through their carvings — how stories, symbolism and artistic details reflect belief, ritual and everyday life. It shifts the experience from simply visiting the temples to properly understanding them.