Craig Raskin Photography

After Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm is the most famous temple in Angkor. Unlike the other temples which have undergone extensive renovation, Ta Prohm has been left, as much as possible, to the elements. Of course it requires upkeep to keep the jungle from reclaming the temple, but this work has been kept to a minimum. The temple is famous for the trees growing over it almost everywhere you look. These trees, coupled with the rubble of fallen walls and roofs provides a very different atmosphere than what it encounter elsewhere in the other temples.

Walking through the temple you get a feeling of what it might have been like when it was 'rediscovered' by western explorers. While most tourists focus on the trees and the 'angel' carvings which are almost everywhere, there are small almost secret passages which are almost impossible to find without a guide. Although Preah Khan Temple is my favorite, the mystique of Ta Prohm is undeniable.