Bayon Temple: Timings, History, & best time to visit

Visiting Angkor’s biggest and oldest temples is the best way to spend our holiday if you are a traveller or travel enthusiast. This Biggest Temple, the Bayon Temple, has great architecture that attracts travellers who love to visit temples. You can read the following article if you want the details like the timings, the best time to visit, its history, etc.

Bayon Temple:

The oldest Bayon Temple is in the heart of Angkor City, which lies west of Angkor Wat in the Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. This historical Temple was built between the late 12th century and early 13th century. The Temple is a famous temple that the Angkor Empire built, and it is known as the first Buddhist Temple there.

Even though it is a temple, from afar, it looks like the greatest achievement of the architects and shows great architecture. As you get closer to the Temple, you will be attracted by its mystical architecture and details. The beautiful part of the Temple is the carvings of the smiling faces, which add texture to the Temple.

History of the Temple:

The history of this Temple says that the kings ruled the Khmer Empire in a series from the 9th century to the 15th century. Every royal King from this empire built their royal centre in Angkor Park, where King Jayavarman III ordered the building of the Angkor Thom. Then, he planned to build the Bayon Temple in the Angkor Thom in the early 12th to late 13th century.

This Temple is dedicated to Mahayana Buddhism, which was the attraction of King Jayavarman III‘s ruling time. Even though they built this Temple, the King used it as their royal personal mausoleum. Later, the Khmer Empire slowly adapted to the Hindu traditions, where the Temple was also altered based on the culture.

At first, the Temple was named Jayagiri, but it was changed to Temple during French rule. This name is given because the Bayon trees surround the temple area, and there is a belief that Buddha was enlightened under the Bayon Tree.

The Architecture of the Temple:

In Cambodia, the architecture of the Bayon Temple is slightly different from that of Angkor Wat and other temples. This is because this TTemple was firstly dedicated to Lord Buddha and has architecture representing the Buddhist culture.

Due to many alterations because of the Hindu adaption, this Temple has many visible changes. After the downfall of the Khmer Empire, the bonnet made this Temple overshadow the jungle.

From a distance, this Temple may look like a lush green forest filled with forests and plants. But as we go inside, you can see the architecture with the smiling face architecture, large pillars, and many more.

Bayon Temple Timings:

The timings of the Bayon Temple are necessary when you plan to visit. They are,

Day	Timings
Monday	7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday	7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday	7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday	7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday	7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday	7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday	7:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Bayon Temple entry ticket price:

When you plan to visit the Temple, you must remember that there is no special entrance fee for this Temple. The entrance fee is with the entry ticket to Angkor Park.

• One day- $37
• Three days- $62
• Seven days- $72

Best time to visit:

There is no such thing as the best time to visit this Temple because it looks beautiful anytime. The visit to the Bayon Temple is included in the Angkor Tour because this is one of the most famous tourist places among the ‘Big Three’ tourist spots in Angkor Park. This place is the most crowded in the morning, with many tourists.

So if you want to visit the place freely, go with a local guide mid-afternoon. The visit to the Temple only takes 30 minutes, so it is best to go privately and avoid group visits. With the quiet atmosphere, you can take your best time to complete your tour peacefully.

Other places to visit near Bayon temple:

There are a few places that you must visit if you are visiting the Bayon Temple. Angkor Park tour has different places to visit, so make sure to visit these places in the list below.

• Angkor Wat
• Ta Prohm Temple
• Baphon
• Prasat Preah Khan
• Terrace of the Elephants
• Phnom Bakhenas
• Phimeanakas
• Prasat Ta Keo
• Thommanon

Accommodation:

Visiting the Bayon Temple is mostly on the Angkor Park tour, so you will likely stay there for more than one day. So here is a list of some hotels that you can consider that are affordable and comfortable.

• Palm Village Resort&Spa
• Grand Venus La Residence
• Shining Angkor Hotel
• Green Empire Resort
• Royal Angkor Resort
• Kesya Hotel
• Nita by Vo Hotel
• Anansaya La Mansion

How to reach Bayon Temple?

There are different ways you can reach the Bayon Temple, and the following are the best ways,

By air:

The nearest airport to reach Angkor is the Siem Reap International Airport. After landing there, you can hire a private taxi to reach the place.

By road:

After reaching the nearest airport from any place, you can hire any taxi, tuk tuks, that can drop you off directly at the south gate of Angkor Park. You can also travel here through the bus that directly drops you off.

Tips to follow to have a safe visit to the Bayon Temple:

The following are the helpful tips that you can consider if you are visiting Angkor; they are,

• Visit in the mid-afternoon to avoid the crowd.
• As the place is crowded, keep an eye on your belongings.
• Do not rush; peacefully observe every detail and architecture of the place.
• Consider hiring a local guide. It’s helpful to learn details about the place.

Address:

Address: Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

FAQs: