Ta Som

Ta Som tickets and tours: which one to book

Ta Som has no ticket of its own: entry is covered by the Angkor pass, which is required for all the temples of the archaeological park and costs USD 37 for one day, USD 62 for three days or USD 72 for seven. Buy it at the official ticket centre on the way out of Siem Reap or online from the official seller, and carry it with you, as it is checked at the temple entrances. Ta Som lies on the Grand Circuit, the longer loop that continues north and east from Angkor Thom past Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Mebon and Pre Rup.

Most visitors see it on a second or third day, either with a tuk-tuk hired for the day, which is the cheapest and most flexible option, or on a private or small-group tour with a car and licensed guide, usually with hotel pick-up and the pass paid separately. Grand Circuit tours commonly end with sunset at Pre Rup, and some begin with sunrise at Angkor Wat. Cycling the Grand Circuit is possible but makes a long, hot day. The page lists any GetYourGuide tours whose route passes the temple. Ta Som is small and easy to understand on your own; a guide adds most if you are covering the whole Grand Circuit in one day and want the story of Jayavarman VII's temples told together.

Visiting Ta Som: what to see and how to behave

Ta Som was built at the end of the twelfth century by Jayavarman VII, the Buddhist king who also raised Angkor Thom and the Bayon, and was dedicated to his father, Dharanindravarman II. It is a single-level temple, small in scale, and in many ways a miniature version of the king's larger foundations such as Preah Khan and Ta Prohm. The plan is simple: a moat and three laterite enclosure walls surround a central cruciform sanctuary with porches on each side, four corner pavilions and two small libraries beside the eastern path. The walls are pierced by cross-shaped gateways topped with towers carved with four serene faces in the style of the Bayon, the most memorable feature of the temple.

Inside the galleries look for finely carved devatas, the female guardian figures, many still in good condition. The best-known sight is at the far eastern end. A sacred fig tree has grown over the outer east gateway, its roots wrapped around the stones and running down to the ground, so that one of the face towers is half swallowed by the tree. Most tuk-tuks drop visitors at the western entrance, so walk right through the temple to reach it. Much of the temple was left unrestored, and since 1998 the World Monuments Fund has worked with the APSARA Authority to stabilise the fragile structures and open access from all four sides without stripping away the vegetation. Dress modestly, keep off the fallen blocks and the propped areas, and do not climb on the roots. Ta Som is just east of Neak Pean, about 40 minutes by tuk-tuk from Siem Reap.

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

Ta Som is open daily during the usual park hours, roughly 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. The Grand Circuit is quieter than the Small Circuit, but tour groups tend to bunch up here in the late morning; early morning, ideally as part of a loop run in reverse, or the middle of the afternoon is calmer. The fig-covered gateway faces east, so morning light is best for photographs of it. November to February, the cool dry season, is the most comfortable time to visit.

March to May is very hot, and from June to October the rains bring afternoon storms but also lush scenery and thinner crowds. Khmer New Year in mid-April fills the park with Cambodian families. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. Combine it with Preah Khan and the island shrine of Neak Pean to the west, then East Mebon to the south and sunset from the terraces of Pre Rup.