BAD NEWS: the main temples of Angkor Wat have been mostly overrun by hordes of raucous tourists.

GOOD NEWS: There are hundreds more hidden jungle temples in the vicinity of Siem Reap akin to the first discoveries that inspired such awe and wanderlust.

&ldquo;Beng Mealea, an eerie jungle temple that invokes the earlier, less-discovered days of Angkor Wat, gives plenty of hope to the Indiana Jones in all of us.&rdquo; &ndash; <a href="http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20170216-cambodias-hidden-jungle-temple" target="_blank">BBC Travel</a>

If you were lucky enough to have come to <a href="https://thetripguru.com/tour/siem-reap-angkor-main-temples-tour-angkor-wat-phnom-bakheng-sunset-more-full-day">Angkor Wat</a>&nbsp;a decade before, you will recall days of wandering as if lost through the fascinating ruins of the Khmer jungle temples... the long forgotten past weighing on the atmosphere, like a physical presence. If you had gotten your first taste of that thrill, chances are you&rsquo;ll be looking for more. The same goes for those who have yet to hear their own heartbeat in unknown, overgrown archeological ruins: this is the soul of the Cambodian adventure. These days, you just have to venture further out to be rewarded as those who have gone before.

Our first stop is Beng Mealea. The hidden-away site lies around 40km east of Angkor Wat&rsquo;s main temples, accessed only by a country road yet untrodden by tour buses and tuk tuks. A separate admission ticket is paid here, however, only US$5 entrance &ndash; a fraction compared to more than seven times the price for the most popular sites. Your first glimpse of Beng Mealea&rsquo;s central sanctuary will be one on the edge of its surrounding massive moat. The site&rsquo;s forgotten, haunted look will make an impression on you as you clamber over verdant blocks and columns, through seemingly dead-end passages.

After a quick lunch, we will make our way to Koh Ker, former Capital of the Khmer Empire for a brief period over one millennium ago. From 928 to 944 AD, spectacular buildings and immense sculptures were constructed, before being left a thousand years in the jungle. Around 130 km (2.5 hours) north of Siem Reap, Koh Ker is most famous for Prasat Thom, a 40-metre-high sandstone pyramid. Climbing its seven tiers will yield breathtaking views across the forest.

Cambodia

Includes: 2 attractions.

Siem Reap Beng Mealea & Koh Ker Temples Tour – Full Day

BAD NEWS: the main temples of Angkor Wat have been mostly overrun by hordes of raucous tourists.GOOD NEWS: There are hundreds more hidden jungle temples in the vicinity of Siem Reap akin to the fi