Wat Bo (Wat Po Veal)

Wat Bo (Wat Po Veal) tickets and tours: which one to book

There is no ticket for Wat Bo. It is an active monastery on the east bank of the Siem Reap River, and visitors can walk in during daylight, take off their shoes at the steps of the main hall and look at the murals for free. A donation box sits inside the hall, and a small offering is appreciated by the monks who look after the building. Most travellers reach it on foot or by tuk-tuk from Pub Street and the Old Market, which are about ten minutes' walk away across the river. The other way to see it is on a guided half-day tour of Siem Reap's lesser-visited sights.

These usually link Wat Bo with the APOPO visitor centre, where trained rats are used to find landmines, with the memorial at Wat Thmei that commemorates the victims of the Khmer Rouge, and with Wat Preah Enkosei, a modern monastery built around tenth-century brick towers. Transport by tuk-tuk or car, a guide and the small entry fee at APOPO are normally included. Such a tour is worth considering if you have already seen Angkor and want context on Cambodia's recent history, since a guide can read the murals for you. The Angkor pass is not needed for any of these places, which lie inside the town. The page lists any GetYourGuide tours whose route passes the temple.

Visiting Wat Bo (Wat Po Veal): what to see and how to behave

Wat Bo is one of the oldest monasteries in Siem Reap town, dating back to the eighteenth century, and its main hall, the vihara, holds the finest set of nineteenth-century wall paintings in the province. They were painted in the later part of that century, when the town was still under Siamese rule, and they show scenes from the Reamker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana, with battling armies, monkey warriors and palaces. What makes them so absorbing is the everyday detail painted into the margins. Look for figures in Chinese dress playing cards and smoking pipes, for European men in hats and uniforms, and for ordinary village scenes of boats, markets and houses on stilts.

Together they give a rare picture of Cambodian life before the colonial era had fully taken hold. The paintings are fragile and faded in places, so do not touch the walls and avoid flash photography. Around the hall the compound is typical of a Khmer pagoda: stupas holding family ashes, a newer ordination hall, the monks' quarters and shady trees where young novices study. Monks are often happy to talk, especially those practising English, but women should not touch a monk or hand him something directly. Cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes before entering the vihara and sit with your feet tucked away from the altar. The temple is on Wat Bo Road on the east side of the river, a short walk from the Royal Gardens.

Wat Bo (Wat Po Veal): opening hours, ceremonies and the best time to go

The compound is open from early morning until early evening, and the vihara is usually unlocked during the day; if it is closed, ask one of the monks. Mid-morning and late afternoon give the best light inside the hall, and the hour after 4 pm is pleasantly quiet, with chanting from the monks' quarters. The dry season, from November to March, is the most comfortable time to visit Siem Reap, with April and May very hot and the rainy season running from June to October.

Two festivals change the mood completely: Khmer New Year in mid-April, when the pagodas fill with families, sand stupas and water throwing, and Pchum Ben in September or October, a fortnight devoted to the ancestors, when people bring food to the monks before dawn. Both are good times to see the temple in use, provided you stay in the background. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. Wat Bo is an easy addition to a rest day between Angkor visits, combined with a stroll along the river, Wat Preah Prom Rath near the Old Market and an evening at the night market.