Most visitors to Siem Reap never make it to Roluos. These are some of the oldest temples in Cambodia, built two to three centuries before Angkor Wat, and on a quiet morning you can have them almost entirely to yourself. No queues, no tour buses, no crowds. Just ancient brick towers, resident monks, and the sound of the countryside.
Roluos, 13 kilometres east of Siem Reap along National Road 6, was once the site of Hariharalaya, the first great capital of the Khmer Empire. The temples here predate Angkor Wat by roughly 250 years and represent the earliest surviving examples of classical Khmer architecture. Many of the design ideas that would later define Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Ta Prohm were first worked out here, in brick, on a quieter stretch of the Cambodian plains.
The three main temples are Bakong, Preah Ko, and Lolei. A fourth, Prei Monti, is smaller and rarely visited.
Bakong
Bakong is one of the most underrated temples in the entire Angkor complex. Visitors who make the trip here frequently say it surpassed their expectations and, for some, surpassed Bayon. You can climb to the top. It is nearly empty. And the scale, a five-tiered sandstone pyramid rising above a wide moat, surprises almost everyone who sees it for the first time.
Built by King Indravarman I and consecrated in 881 CE, Bakong is the first great pyramid temple built in sandstone by the Khmer and the direct architectural forerunner of Angkor Wat. It was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and designed as an earthly representation of Mount Meru. The upper levels give wide views across the flat Cambodian countryside and the surrounding moat. A working Buddhist monastery sits within the temple grounds. Come early and you may find monks going about their morning routines among the ancient stones.
Preah Ko
Built in 879 CE by Indravarman I as a funerary temple dedicated to his ancestors and to the founder of the dynasty, Jayavarman II. Six brick towers in two rows, decorated with carved sandstone lintels and doorframes that remain among the finest examples of early Khmer decorative art. Stone figures of sacred bulls, the Nandi, stand in front of the three front towers, giving the temple its name, which means Sacred Bull. Allow 30 to 45 minutes here.
Lolei
The smallest and least dramatic of the three main temples, built by King Yasovarman I in 893 CE on an artificial island in the centre of a large reservoir that has since dried up. Four brick towers with carved sandstone inscriptions and lintels. A working monastery operates on site. Lolei is worth a short visit but if time is tight it can be skipped without significant loss. Bakong and Preah Ko are the priorities.
Practical Information
The Roluos Group is included in the Angkor Pass. No separate ticket required. Passes cannot be purchased at Roluos itself so buy yours at the official Angkor Enterprise ticket office before you go.
The temples are approximately 13 kilometres east of central Siem Reap along National Road 6, around 25 to 30 minutes by tuk-tuk. The road is sealed and direct but carries heavy traffic. Cycling is possible but not recommended for most visitors due to the traffic.
A half day is sufficient to cover all three main temples comfortably. The group is often combined with Beng Mealea or a floating village visit for a full day out. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm.
Go early. The temples are at their best in the morning light and the heat along the open road intensifies quickly.
