Banteay Thom is a lovely temple where the main appeal is its rural setting; It is only reached by sandy trails through rice and bush, where you are likely to seek a farmer, a buggy or anyone on the way. Finding the temple is not so easy, but the reward is an Angkorian temple for yourself.

Cross the west gate of Preah Khan and follow the signs down a trail on the left to the village of Nokor Krao. Once there, park and follow a path for a mile or two until you reach the temple. It is not easy to find but the villagers will guess why you are there and will point you in the right direction if you ask for "Pantek Banteay Tom".

Alternatively, driving or leaving the West Gate of Angkor Thom, turn right onto the main sealed road. There will be a curve and continue straight (north) for about three kilometers. You will need to turn right off the road through a narrow sand trail on foot or bike - a tuk tuk will not get here - which parallels a villager's house. You will need to come across someone and say the name of the temple so they can point the right way; Listing the services of a guide will make things easier.

The temple itself, built during the Jayavarman VII period, is in a rather dilapidated state, but two central towers still survive along with a ruined library, a well-kept eastern gopura, apsaras and tapestries reliefs, and a surrounding covered walkway with some sections of the roof. A couple of good lintels and some sculptures lie on the floor, although you can see evidence of recent looting on this remote site.

Despite its remoteness, bring your temple along because sometimes there is a temple guard on duty - some niche adventure companies have started bringing guests here but in such small numbers and with rarity that you can expect to find them, it is empty. If you are visiting wetter months by bike, there may be very short stretches where the paths are in shallow water and you will need to walk.