Ta Nei

Ta Nei tickets and tours: which one to book

There is no separate ticket for Ta Nei. Like every temple in the Angkor archaeological park, it is covered by the Angkor pass, sold in one-day, three-day and seven-day versions for USD 37, 62 and 72 at the official ticket centre outside Siem Reap or online through the official seller. The pass carries your photograph and can be checked at any temple, including this one, so carry it with you. Ta Nei is not on the standard tour routes. It lies in the forest just north of Ta Keo, reached by a dirt track off the Small Circuit road, and most organised tours simply drive past.

The usual way to visit is to ask your tuk-tuk driver or private guide to add it to a Small Circuit day; drivers know the way, although some prefer to drop you near Ta Keo and let you walk the last stretch. Cyclists can reach it more easily, and some bicycle and off-the-beaten-track tours of Angkor include it specifically for its quiet. The page lists any GetYourGuide tours whose route passes the temple. If you have only one day at Angkor, Ta Nei is a luxury; if you have three, it is one of the best places to escape the crowds. A guide who knows the forest paths is helpful but not essential.

Visiting Ta Nei: what to see and how to behave

Ta Nei was built in the late twelfth century under King Jayavarman VII, the great Buddhist ruler who also founded Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and the Bayon. It stands near the north-western corner of the East Baray, the vast reservoir that once lay east of Angkor Thom and is now dry. Like Ta Prohm, it is a Buddhist temple that was enlarged in stages, first towards the east and later with gateways on the other sides, and like Ta Prohm it was meant to be surrounded by an outer wall that was probably never finished. The temple is small and compact, and much of its charm lies in its condition. Trees grow among the galleries, moss and lichen cover the sandstone, and the forest presses in on every side, so it feels closer to how the first European visitors found Angkor than the busier temples do.

The core is a central sanctuary inside a galleried enclosure, with a large eastern gateway and smaller ones on the north, west and south; two long, narrow ponds flank the temple, and there is a small library on the south side. Look closely at the carved lintels and pediments, some of which still show fine Buddhist scenes and devatas, the celestial female figures common in temples of this period. Parts of the temple are fragile and fenced off; keep to the paths, do not climb on the fallen blocks, and watch your footing on wet stone. Insect repellent is useful in the forest. Ta Nei lies about 1 km north of Ta Keo by track, roughly 20 to 25 minutes by tuk-tuk from Siem Reap.

Ta Nei: opening hours, ceremonies and the best time to go

Ta Nei follows the usual Angkor park hours, roughly 7.30 am to 5.30 pm every day. Because so few people come, almost any time is quiet, but the early morning is especially atmospheric, with birdsong and soft light in the trees, and the late afternoon is also lovely before the light fades under the canopy. The dry season from November to February is the most comfortable time and the track is easiest to use.

In the rainy season, from June to October, the path can be muddy and slippery, but the moss and greenery are at their most vivid. Mid-April, around Khmer New Year, brings many local visitors to the park. Allow 30 to 45 minutes to wander through the ruins. Combine it with Ta Keo next door, Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei to the south, and the reservoir of Srah Srang, a good spot for sunrise or a rest by the water.