Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Ta Prohm are the most famous temple ruins in Siem Reap province but the lesser well known Baphuon is just as worthy of a visit.

Located in Angkor Thom, not far from the more famous trio, it seems unassuming from the road but it grows more impressive as you approach and even more so when you climb to it’s upper terrace.

There is a reason that Baphuon has less renown. Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Ta Prohm were popularized internationally in early 20th century publications talking of ‘ancient lost cities in the jungle’ – it should be noted that Angkor was never actually lost, the Khmer had abandoned it but never forget where or what it was. Baphuon was excluded from these publications because it had mostly collapsed by the time early European explorers first came to Angkor.

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The reason behind Baphuon’s collapse is that it was built on a bed of sand. It’s correct form is due to colossal restoration efforts that involved disassembling the collapsed temple, reinforcing it’s core and foundation, and then painstakingly reassembling it. The restoration, on what was called “the largest 3D jigsaw puzzle in the world”, took a total of 51 years. It was still ongoing when Crystal and I visited Siem Reap in 2007.

The second and third terrace of Baphoun had signs barring entry to anyone under 12 years old. So I went up alone while Crystal and the girls walked around the grounds.

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There were elevated walkways on the second terrace as well that seemed to be built over pools. I imagined that the pools would fill with water during the rainy season and reflect the sky – presenting an incredible view from the third terrace and central tower. I don’t think my imagining here was accurate, at least I don’t remember finding anything to confirm it, but it was a beautiful thought.

Perspective is a bit lost in the photos but Baphoun is not a squat temple. It is tall and large, which makes the trees towering around it all the more impressive. It’s an incredible view from the top and the trees reaching above the temple are an incredible testament to the power of nature.

In the late 15th century, Baphoun was converted into a Buddhist temple. It’s believed that the west tower had already collapsed by this time so materials from it were used to construct a massive reclining Buddha.