Cambodia · KH

Tonle Bati Temple

Tonle Bati Temple, on the shore of a small lake about 30–35 kilometres south of Phnom Penh in Takeo province, is a compact Angkorian sanctuary set in a lively lakeside picnic spot. The temple and its neighbours offer a rare, unhurried look at Khmer religious architecture without the crowds of the great Siem Reap sites, and they remain a place of active worship for local families. What makes the visit rewarding is its layering: a late 12th-century temple built in the Bayon style under King Jayavarman VII, older Hindu associations that stretch back to the Funan era, the nearby ruins of Yeay Peau and the 16th-century Theravada Wat Tonle Bati — all within a short walk of one another, surrounded by bamboo huts, food stalls and the breezes of the lake.