Go Global Today
  • GoGlobalToday
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Global Destinations
    • 13 Tips in Choosing Unique Vacation Destinations
    • Southeast Asia >
      • Tips for a Meaningful Travel to Vietnam >
        • 13 Interesting Places Not to Miss in Vietnam
        • 11 Fabulous Things to Buy in Vietnam
        • Hanoi: The Rising Dragon >
          • 14 Interesting Things to Do in Hanoi
          • Discovering Hanoi's Hidden Secrets
          • Where to Shop in Hanoi
          • Pho Sach: Book Street in Hanoi
          • Downtown Park in Hanoi
          • Ta Hien and Ma May: Food Streets in Hanoi
          • Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi
          • Temple of Literature in Hanoi
          • The Citadel in Hanoi
          • Tea at Dinh Co Vu Temple
          • The Street Vendors of Hanoi
          • Where to Eat in Hanoi >
            • Cha Ca La Vong in Hanoi
            • Behind the Green Curtain
            • Mau Dich So 37 Restaurant: A Trip into Hanoi's Past
            • Mau Dich So 37 Restaurant Pictures
          • Hanoi Street Food: A Truly Tasty Experience
          • Vietnamese Women's Museum
          • Museum of Ethnology: A Peek at Vietnam's 54 Ethnic Groups
          • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures 1 >
            • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures
          • Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi >
            • More Pictures of Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi
          • Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam
          • One Pillar Pagoda
          • Pilgrimage to the Perfume Pagoda
        • Halong Bay, Vietnam
        • Dong Ho: Folk Painting Village in Vietnam
        • Indigo: Saving Vietnam"s Traditional Handicraft
        • Phu Vinh: BambooCraft Village in Vietnam
        • Ho Chi Minh Trail
        • Hue: The Ancient Imperial Capital of Vietnam
        • 9 Ways to Enjoy Hoi An in VietNam
        • My Son: The Centre of Cham Culture
        • Ninh Binh: A Must Do Day Trip from Hanoi
        • TET: Lunar New Year in Hanoi >
          • New Year with Vietnamese Friends
      • Why Visit Cambodia >
        • The Best of Cambodia >
          • The Royal Palace of Cambodia
          • Apsara: Cambodia's Traditional Dance
          • Tonle Sap: Cambodia's Environment Hotspot
          • The Ancient Secrets of Preah Vihear
          • The Water Festival of Cambodia >
            • The Cambodia Water Festival in Pictures
          • Khmer New Year 2016 Pictures
          • Ikat Weaving in Preah Brokorng Cambodia
          • Pich Mkot Temple: An Oasis Outside of Phnom Penh
        • 13 Fabulous Items to Buy in Cambodia
        • Where to Shop in Phnom Penh >
          • The Streets of Phnom Penh
          • 6 Most Popular Traditional Markets in Phnom Penh Cambodia
        • Siem Reap, Cambodia: Things to Do Other than Visiting the Temples of Angkor >
          • Ta Prohm Temple
          • Angkor Temples in Cambodia
          • Beng Mealea: Cambodia's Jungle Temple
          • Traditional Silk Making in Angkor
        • Cool Things to Do in Mondulkiri Cambodia
        • Things to Know Before Visiting Ratanakiri in Cambodia
        • 10 Fascinating Places to Visit in Takeo, Cambodia >
          • Tonle Bati: Scenic Lake in Cambodia
        • The Unique Taste of Cambodia
        • Cambodia: A Unique Adventure
      • 11 Top Must Do in Myanmar
      • Singapore: The Chameleon of Asia
      • Cool Things to do in Luang Prabang Laos
      • The Mighty Mekong
      • Cruising the Chao Phraya
      • Puerto Princesa, Palawan
      • The Best of Ilocos Norte, Philippines
      • The Best of Ilocos Sur, Philippines
    • Top Holiday Destinations for the New Year >
      • San Xavier del Bac Mission
      • St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery
    • Europe >
      • Why Visit Spain >
        • Top Places to Visit in Spain
        • Top Food to Enjoy in Spain
        • The Blacksmith of Talavera
        • Toledo Spain: 10 Points of Interest
        • The Alhambra in Granada Spain
        • The Holy Mountain of Montserrat
        • Olympic Park iBarcelona
        • Joan Miro Museum in Barcelona
        • Trujillo: Cradle of the Conquistadors
        • Why Visit Badajoz Spain
      • Best Cities to Visit in Portugal >
        • 8 Interesting Neighbourhoods of Lisbon
        • Top 11 Points of Interest in Porto Portugal
        • Elvas: Portugal's Garrison Town
        • Bussaco: A Palace and a Historic Battle
        • Obidos: Treasure of the Queens
        • The Shrine of Fatima
        • Convent of Christ and Castle of the Templars in Tomar, Portugal
      • 10 Best Places to Visit in Croatia >
        • 10 Top Things to Do in Dubrovnik
        • The Palace of Diocletian in Split
        • Salona: The Ancient Capital of Dalmatia
        • 8 Best Places to Visit in Istria, Croatia
      • Fun Things to Do in a Day in Kotor Montenegro
      • Why is Italy a Premier Destination? >
        • Cool Things to Do in Venice
        • Erice, Sicily
        • Assissi: A Visit to the Franciscan Roots
        • The Ancient Roman Port of Ostia Antica
        • Pompeii: A World Frozen in Time
      • Perouges: The Medieval Village in France
      • Avenches: The Ancient Roman Capital in Switzerland
      • Gruyere: A Postcard Pretty Medieval Town in Switzerland
    • South Africa >
      • Franschhoek: The French Corner in South Africa
      • Cape Agulhas: The Southernmost Point of Africa
      • Tulbagh: A Less Obvious Destination in the Western Cape
      • The Penguins of Boulder Beach
      • Mandela, Yet Another Reason to Visit South Africa
      • The Swallow: A Tale of the Great Trek
    • Canada >
      • A Fall Visit to the McMichael Museum
      • Port Carling: The Hub of Muskoka
      • Muskoka: Quintessentially Canadian
      • Autumn in Muskoka
      • The Historic Town of Huntsville Ontario
      • Georgian Bay: Paradise of 30,000 Islands
    • South Asia >
      • Sri Lanka: Garden of the Gods
      • Boudanath
      • Thangka Painting
      • The Durbar Square of Kathmandu
    • Other Destinations >
      • Istanbul >
        • The Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia
        • Ephesus: The Biblical City of the Aegean
      • The Bund in Shanghai
      • A Fascinating Trip to A Berber Village
  • Global Travel
    • 7 Tips to Make Your Travel More Fun >
      • 8 Ways to Prepare for Airline Travel
      • 5 Tips for a Most Satisfying Travel
      • 10 Great Ways to Upgrade Bucket List Tourism into Technicolor Memories
      • 7 Tips for Foodie Travel
      • 11 Reasons Why You Don't Wait Till You Retire to Travel
      • When A Guided Vacation is Better
      • 15 Tips to Whisk Through Airport Security
      • Travel As A Marinade, Not A Spritzer
      • 8 Tips on How to Make Group Travel Fun
      • 7 Ways to Restore Your Well Being After a Long Flight
      • How to Choose Travel Insurance
      • Road Travel: Top 5 Ways to Engage Kids
      • Solo Travel – Is it For You?
      • Travel: A Unique Experience in Life
      • 10 Best Insights into Travel
      • Stories of Bargaining in Asia
    • What You Bring to Your Travel
    • Rural Tourism and Why You Need to Try It >
      • Top Possibilities of Rural Tourism
      • 7 Benefits of Rural Tourism
    • The Charm of Alleyways
    • 5 Effective Steps to Travel Packing
  • Global Careers
    • The Obsession with Success
    • Fun in Leadership
    • Do You Have a Blueprint for Success? >
      • 8 Steps to Becoming More Persuasive
      • Why Making Conscious Decisions is Key to Personal Development
      • 7 Key Steps to Personal Success
      • 7 Sure Steps to a Successful Career
      • 9 Sure Steps to Your Dream Job
      • What to Do When You Are in a Wrong Career
      • 7 Steps to Build Your Cope with Change Muscles
      • 10 Winning Attitudes for a Successful Career Kick-Start
      • 6 Ways to Make Risk Taking Easier
      • The First Thing You Do When You Find Yourself in a Hole
      • Key Steps to Becoming a Good Mentor
      • 5 Key Steps to Top Performance
      • 7 Sure Steps to Coaching Success
      • 7 Key Benefits of Finding a Career Coach
      • 13 Tips for Effective Training
    • Ever Dreamed of Working in Other Countries? >
      • 10 Steps to a Successful International Assignment
      • 7 Things Successful International Consultants Do
      • 8 Reasons Why International Consultants Fail
      • 10 Challenges to Working Internationally
      • 7 Benefits of Working Internationally
      • 9 Steps to International Consulting Success
    • 11 Steps Towards Successfully Working for Yourself >
      • Why I Work for Myself and Why You Can Too
      • Self Employment: It Ain’t All Roses
    • Global Business >
      • Expanding Your Business into the Global Market
      • Positioning Your Business in the Global Market
      • The Global Market Has Changed-Have You? >
        • Asia Shaping the World Economy
        • Mr. Ka is Asia
        • Tips to Doing Business in Myanmar
        • Entrepreneurship in Asia
      • 9 Steps to Success in the Global Market
      • Bureaucracies: Worldwide Garrottes?
      • Mobile: Today's Global Platform
      • 7 Key Steps to Grow your Small Business >
        • Adding Value in Your Business: The In-Between Step
        • 5 Winning Characteristics of Employees You Keep in your Small Business
        • 8 Steps to Build a Stronger Customer Base
  • Global Lifestyle
    • How Do We Expand our Global Circles and Make them More Inclusive?
    • Too Much Information
    • 9 Ways of Enjoying Being Offline
    • Healthy Eating Is Meant to Be Fun >
      • 7 Simple Steps to Limit Food Waste
      • Why Eat Bitter Melon
      • Urban Foraging
    • 5 Ways of Managing Stress
    • 8 Sign Posts in Finding Your Sense of Purpose
    • The Joy of Feeding Birds
    • 9 Simple Ways of Making Someone Happy
    • What To Do When You're Discouraged
    • 7 Easy Steps to a Happy Life
    • A Fan of Fans
    • The Silence of the Moment
    • The Poaching of Rhino Horns
    • Football Gets its Critical Mass in Southeast Asia >
      • Badminton: The Game of Empire
    • Journey Across Beliefs
    • Managing your Digital Footprint

Beng Mealea: Cambodia's Jungle Temple


What makes Beng Mealea a must see when you go to Cambodia?
Beng Mealea
Beng Mealea's Ruins. Source: aesta1
I have been to Siem Reap in Cambodia several times but this was my first chance to see Beng Mealea.

​This so-called jungle temple turned out to be spectacular not just to me but to my Cambodian companions whose awe in what they saw was twinned with a very visible pride for this priceless heritage.
Beng Mealea
Local Villager Working in the Temple. Source: aesta1
Luckily for us, one of our companions started a conversation with a local temple guard who shared with us the story of his own growing up in the village.

About 30 to 40 families lived there and all of them knew of the temple but they never ventured close for fear of snakes, land mines and spirits. Some brought offerings but not really inside.
​These days, the snakes may still be peeking out but at least the land mines are gone. 

Here's a video by Sou Davy of a portion of the Temple.
The public was only allowed to Beng Mealea in 2005. But it wasn't long until the tourist tide flooded in. But it really reached stardom when the film, Two Brothers, chose this location. The film featured two tiger cub brothers who had been separated and were then reunited after an amazing adventure.
Carvings show Vishnu, Shiva and Buddha. Also, the apsaras and the Churning of the Milk lake. The scenes are smaller than those depicted in Angkor.
Beng Mealea Carvings
Carvings in Beng Mealea. Source: aesta1
According to the villagers, this largely uncleared Temple, crafted in the 11th or 12th century, was located on a lake. Some said it was built as a burial place. Not much is known about Beng Mealea so up to now, it is cloaked in mystery.
Much of it, though, will continue to remain in mystery, forever buried in its ruins.
More on Cambodia:
  • Siem Reap, Cambodia: Things to Do Other than Visiting the Temples of Angkor
  • Ta Phrom Temple
  • Apsara: Cambodia's Traditional Dance   
  • 10 Fascinating Places to Visit in Takeo, Cambodia
  • Tonle Bati: A Scenic Lake in Takeo Cambodia
  • GoGlobalToday
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Global Destinations
    • 13 Tips in Choosing Unique Vacation Destinations
    • Southeast Asia >
      • Tips for a Meaningful Travel to Vietnam >
        • 13 Interesting Places Not to Miss in Vietnam
        • 11 Fabulous Things to Buy in Vietnam
        • Hanoi: The Rising Dragon >
          • 14 Interesting Things to Do in Hanoi
          • Discovering Hanoi's Hidden Secrets
          • Where to Shop in Hanoi
          • Pho Sach: Book Street in Hanoi
          • Downtown Park in Hanoi
          • Ta Hien and Ma May: Food Streets in Hanoi
          • Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi
          • Temple of Literature in Hanoi
          • The Citadel in Hanoi
          • Tea at Dinh Co Vu Temple
          • The Street Vendors of Hanoi
          • Where to Eat in Hanoi >
            • Cha Ca La Vong in Hanoi
            • Behind the Green Curtain
            • Mau Dich So 37 Restaurant: A Trip into Hanoi's Past
            • Mau Dich So 37 Restaurant Pictures
          • Hanoi Street Food: A Truly Tasty Experience
          • Vietnamese Women's Museum
          • Museum of Ethnology: A Peek at Vietnam's 54 Ethnic Groups
          • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures 1 >
            • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures
          • Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi >
            • More Pictures of Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi
          • Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam
          • One Pillar Pagoda
          • Pilgrimage to the Perfume Pagoda
        • Halong Bay, Vietnam
        • Dong Ho: Folk Painting Village in Vietnam
        • Indigo: Saving Vietnam"s Traditional Handicraft
        • Phu Vinh: BambooCraft Village in Vietnam
        • Ho Chi Minh Trail
        • Hue: The Ancient Imperial Capital of Vietnam
        • 9 Ways to Enjoy Hoi An in VietNam
        • My Son: The Centre of Cham Culture
        • Ninh Binh: A Must Do Day Trip from Hanoi
        • TET: Lunar New Year in Hanoi >
          • New Year with Vietnamese Friends
      • Why Visit Cambodia >
        • The Best of Cambodia >
          • The Royal Palace of Cambodia
          • Apsara: Cambodia's Traditional Dance
          • Tonle Sap: Cambodia's Environment Hotspot
          • The Ancient Secrets of Preah Vihear
          • The Water Festival of Cambodia >
            • The Cambodia Water Festival in Pictures
          • Khmer New Year 2016 Pictures
          • Ikat Weaving in Preah Brokorng Cambodia
          • Pich Mkot Temple: An Oasis Outside of Phnom Penh
        • 13 Fabulous Items to Buy in Cambodia
        • Where to Shop in Phnom Penh >
          • The Streets of Phnom Penh
          • 6 Most Popular Traditional Markets in Phnom Penh Cambodia
        • Siem Reap, Cambodia: Things to Do Other than Visiting the Temples of Angkor >
          • Ta Prohm Temple
          • Angkor Temples in Cambodia
          • Beng Mealea: Cambodia's Jungle Temple
          • Traditional Silk Making in Angkor
        • Cool Things to Do in Mondulkiri Cambodia
        • Things to Know Before Visiting Ratanakiri in Cambodia
        • 10 Fascinating Places to Visit in Takeo, Cambodia >
          • Tonle Bati: Scenic Lake in Cambodia
        • The Unique Taste of Cambodia
        • Cambodia: A Unique Adventure
      • 11 Top Must Do in Myanmar
      • Singapore: The Chameleon of Asia
      • Cool Things to do in Luang Prabang Laos
      • The Mighty Mekong
      • Cruising the Chao Phraya
      • Puerto Princesa, Palawan
      • The Best of Ilocos Norte, Philippines
      • The Best of Ilocos Sur, Philippines
    • Top Holiday Destinations for the New Year >
      • San Xavier del Bac Mission
      • St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery
    • Europe >
      • Why Visit Spain >
        • Top Places to Visit in Spain
        • Top Food to Enjoy in Spain
        • The Blacksmith of Talavera
        • Toledo Spain: 10 Points of Interest
        • The Alhambra in Granada Spain
        • The Holy Mountain of Montserrat
        • Olympic Park iBarcelona
        • Joan Miro Museum in Barcelona
        • Trujillo: Cradle of the Conquistadors
        • Why Visit Badajoz Spain
      • Best Cities to Visit in Portugal >
        • 8 Interesting Neighbourhoods of Lisbon
        • Top 11 Points of Interest in Porto Portugal
        • Elvas: Portugal's Garrison Town
        • Bussaco: A Palace and a Historic Battle
        • Obidos: Treasure of the Queens
        • The Shrine of Fatima
        • Convent of Christ and Castle of the Templars in Tomar, Portugal
      • 10 Best Places to Visit in Croatia >
        • 10 Top Things to Do in Dubrovnik
        • The Palace of Diocletian in Split
        • Salona: The Ancient Capital of Dalmatia
        • 8 Best Places to Visit in Istria, Croatia
      • Fun Things to Do in a Day in Kotor Montenegro
      • Why is Italy a Premier Destination? >
        • Cool Things to Do in Venice
        • Erice, Sicily
        • Assissi: A Visit to the Franciscan Roots
        • The Ancient Roman Port of Ostia Antica
        • Pompeii: A World Frozen in Time
      • Perouges: The Medieval Village in France
      • Avenches: The Ancient Roman Capital in Switzerland
      • Gruyere: A Postcard Pretty Medieval Town in Switzerland
    • South Africa >
      • Franschhoek: The French Corner in South Africa
      • Cape Agulhas: The Southernmost Point of Africa
      • Tulbagh: A Less Obvious Destination in the Western Cape
      • The Penguins of Boulder Beach
      • Mandela, Yet Another Reason to Visit South Africa
      • The Swallow: A Tale of the Great Trek
    • Canada >
      • A Fall Visit to the McMichael Museum
      • Port Carling: The Hub of Muskoka
      • Muskoka: Quintessentially Canadian
      • Autumn in Muskoka
      • The Historic Town of Huntsville Ontario
      • Georgian Bay: Paradise of 30,000 Islands
    • South Asia >
      • Sri Lanka: Garden of the Gods
      • Boudanath
      • Thangka Painting
      • The Durbar Square of Kathmandu
    • Other Destinations >
      • Istanbul >
        • The Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia
        • Ephesus: The Biblical City of the Aegean
      • The Bund in Shanghai
      • A Fascinating Trip to A Berber Village
  • Global Travel
    • 7 Tips to Make Your Travel More Fun >
      • 8 Ways to Prepare for Airline Travel
      • 5 Tips for a Most Satisfying Travel
      • 10 Great Ways to Upgrade Bucket List Tourism into Technicolor Memories
      • 7 Tips for Foodie Travel
      • 11 Reasons Why You Don't Wait Till You Retire to Travel
      • When A Guided Vacation is Better
      • 15 Tips to Whisk Through Airport Security
      • Travel As A Marinade, Not A Spritzer
      • 8 Tips on How to Make Group Travel Fun
      • 7 Ways to Restore Your Well Being After a Long Flight
      • How to Choose Travel Insurance
      • Road Travel: Top 5 Ways to Engage Kids
      • Solo Travel – Is it For You?
      • Travel: A Unique Experience in Life
      • 10 Best Insights into Travel
      • Stories of Bargaining in Asia
    • What You Bring to Your Travel
    • Rural Tourism and Why You Need to Try It >
      • Top Possibilities of Rural Tourism
      • 7 Benefits of Rural Tourism
    • The Charm of Alleyways
    • 5 Effective Steps to Travel Packing
  • Global Careers
    • The Obsession with Success
    • Fun in Leadership
    • Do You Have a Blueprint for Success? >
      • 8 Steps to Becoming More Persuasive
      • Why Making Conscious Decisions is Key to Personal Development
      • 7 Key Steps to Personal Success
      • 7 Sure Steps to a Successful Career
      • 9 Sure Steps to Your Dream Job
      • What to Do When You Are in a Wrong Career
      • 7 Steps to Build Your Cope with Change Muscles
      • 10 Winning Attitudes for a Successful Career Kick-Start
      • 6 Ways to Make Risk Taking Easier
      • The First Thing You Do When You Find Yourself in a Hole
      • Key Steps to Becoming a Good Mentor
      • 5 Key Steps to Top Performance
      • 7 Sure Steps to Coaching Success
      • 7 Key Benefits of Finding a Career Coach
      • 13 Tips for Effective Training
    • Ever Dreamed of Working in Other Countries? >
      • 10 Steps to a Successful International Assignment
      • 7 Things Successful International Consultants Do
      • 8 Reasons Why International Consultants Fail
      • 10 Challenges to Working Internationally
      • 7 Benefits of Working Internationally
      • 9 Steps to International Consulting Success
    • 11 Steps Towards Successfully Working for Yourself >
      • Why I Work for Myself and Why You Can Too
      • Self Employment: It Ain’t All Roses
    • Global Business >
      • Expanding Your Business into the Global Market
      • Positioning Your Business in the Global Market
      • The Global Market Has Changed-Have You? >
        • Asia Shaping the World Economy
        • Mr. Ka is Asia
        • Tips to Doing Business in Myanmar
        • Entrepreneurship in Asia
      • 9 Steps to Success in the Global Market
      • Bureaucracies: Worldwide Garrottes?
      • Mobile: Today's Global Platform
      • 7 Key Steps to Grow your Small Business >
        • Adding Value in Your Business: The In-Between Step
        • 5 Winning Characteristics of Employees You Keep in your Small Business
        • 8 Steps to Build a Stronger Customer Base
  • Global Lifestyle
    • How Do We Expand our Global Circles and Make them More Inclusive?
    • Too Much Information
    • 9 Ways of Enjoying Being Offline
    • Healthy Eating Is Meant to Be Fun >
      • 7 Simple Steps to Limit Food Waste
      • Why Eat Bitter Melon
      • Urban Foraging
    • 5 Ways of Managing Stress
    • 8 Sign Posts in Finding Your Sense of Purpose
    • The Joy of Feeding Birds
    • 9 Simple Ways of Making Someone Happy
    • What To Do When You're Discouraged
    • 7 Easy Steps to a Happy Life
    • A Fan of Fans
    • The Silence of the Moment
    • The Poaching of Rhino Horns
    • Football Gets its Critical Mass in Southeast Asia >
      • Badminton: The Game of Empire
    • Journey Across Beliefs
    • Managing your Digital Footprint