Prasat Ta Prum, Cambodia Travel Journals & Blogs

Traveler Southeast Asia Summer 2023
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- Jul 19, 2023, 8:00am
- ☁️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 59 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.434892, 103.88929713°26’6” N 103°53’21” E
Day 17
Ta Prohm
July 19, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Shadow-splattered Ta Prohm is the ultimate Indiana Jones backdrop. Widespread root systems hold the crumbling towers and walls in a tight stranglehold. If Angkor Wat is a testament to the genius of the ancient Khmer, this temple is a reminder of the equally impressive power and fertility of the jungle. There is something almost poetic about the life cycle of this time-honored ruin: first mankind subjugated nature to build the temple in a comparatively short time, now nature is reclaiming the man-made-slowly but steadily.
Ta Prom was built 1186 and initially served as a Buddist temple.Read more
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Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
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- Jul 16, 2023
- ☁️ 32 °C
- Altitude: 51 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.435, 103.88999913°26’6” N 103°53’24” E
Day 3
Ta Prohm by Matt
July 16, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
If a temple is abandoned in the jungle the plants reclaim the site and erode the ancient stone work. At Ta Prohm huge trees have rooted amongst the buildings, becoming part of the temple, constantly changing its shape.

It's a perfect mix of man-made and nature, the massive trunks and their roots twisting into the walls of the temple. An extremely photographic place, it has also featured in Tomb Raider. I thought it was used in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, but that is a myth. In any case, the area would have been too dangerous in 1984 as there was still a civil war raging after the collapse of the Kymer Rouge.Read more
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Traveler Kambodscha
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- Mar 24, 2024, 12:37pm
- ⛅ 36 °C
- Altitude: 60 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.43494, 103.88946213°26’6” N 103°53’22” E
Day 2
Ta Prohm "Tomb Raider" Tempel
March 24 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 36 °C
Er heißt auch Hollywood Tempel, weil hier Lara Crofts Tomb Raider gedreht wurde. Die Bäume wachsen zwischen und um die Mauern herum, so dass die Wurzeln schon große Teile des Tempels zum Einsturz gebracht haben.

Eine neue Erfahrung sind auch die ständigen 35-37 Grad im Schatten (!), und abends die "kühleren" 28 Grad. Sowas von unerträglich, man ist 24/7 am Schwitzen.Read more
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Traveler Südostasien 2023
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- Jun 17, 2023
- ☁️ 32 °C
- Altitude: 59 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.435006, 103.88927213°26’6” N 103°53’21” E
Day 37
Ta Prohm
June 17, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Ta Prohm erlangte durch den Film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider internationale Berühmtheit und hat jetzt nach Angkor Wat und Bayon wahrscheinlich die meisten Besucher*innen.
Die Anlage wurde Ende des 12. bis Anfang des 13. Jh. im gleichen Stil wie Bayon gebaut und hieß ursprünglich Rajavihara (königliches Kloster) Jayavarman VII gab das buddhistische Kloster in Auftrag, das er als Zentrum der Lehre seiner Mutter weihte. Fast 80 000 Menschen sollten den Tempel besuchen oder hier leben, inklusive 2700 Beamte und 615 Tänzer.
Weil der Tempel ohne Mörtel gebaut wurde, haben, nachdem er aufgegeben wurde, Bäume zwischen den lockeren Steinen Halt gefunden und die Ruinen langsam eingenommen. Ta Prohm ist seit 1992 auf der Liste der UNESCO Weltkulturerbe-Stätten.
Auf der Rückfahrt zum Hotel sind wir so richtig in den Monsunregen gekommen. Wir hatten ja ein Dach über dem Kopf, aber der arme Fahrer war am Ende triefend nass. Zum Glück ist das bei der Hitze nicht ganz so schlimm, aber angenehm war die Fahrt bei dem starken Regen sicher nicht.Read more
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Traveler Süd Ost Asien
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- Apr 18, 2023, 12:30pm
- ⛅ 35 °C
- Altitude: 59 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.434892, 103.88929713°26’6” N 103°53’21” E
Day 8
Angkor Wat - weitere Tempel
April 18, 2023 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 35 °C
1. Bild: Pre Rup
Alle weiteren: Ta Prohm

“The temple is referred to as the "Tomb Raider Temple" or the "Angelina Jolie Temple" due to its depiction in the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001).

The temple was built without mortar and, after it was abandoned, trees took root in the loosened stones. The trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of the most popular temples with visitors to the area. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1992.”

WikipediaRead more
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Southeast Asia
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- Dec 25, 2022, 11:59am
- 🌙 21 °C
- Altitude: 194 ft
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.434892, 103.88929713°26’6” N 103°53’21” E
Day 69
Ta Prohm
December 25, 2022 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C
After leaving Angkor Thom, we went to the temple of Ta Prohm, which is very popular with tourists, partly because it was featured in the movie Tomb Raider. The ruins are half-consumed by the encroaching trees.

Ta Prohm was constructed by Jayavarman VII around 1186, as a Buddhist monastery dedicated to the goddess Prajnaparamita. The monastery accommodated twelve thousand people, who lived and worked within its grounds, while a further eighty thousand were employed locally to service and maintain the complex.Read more
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Traveler Vietnam/Cambodia
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- Nov 15, 2022
- ⛅ 31 °C
- Altitude: 60 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.434946, 103.88955813°26’6” N 103°53’22” E
Day 15
Our last day in Cambodia
November 15, 2022 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
We started the day with a visit to the Jungle Temple, Ta Prohm. When it was discovered, it was overgrown to the point where some of the trees could no longer be removed without compromising the structures. I personally found it to be the most beautiful and interesting of the temples we visited, with the huge tree roots entwined around the stones.
Next we visited Banteay Srei temple, built of red sandstone with many intact carvings.
Our final stop was the Cambodian Landmine Museum, where we learned about the efforts of the government and various NGO's to clear the incredible number of landmines and unexploded shells that litter the country and maim adults and children. The musicians playing outside of both temples were all seriously injured by landmines. Our guide, Bill Morse, an American from California, has been working with the founder of the museum for the past 20 years, and has been instrumental in getting US government funding for their mine clearing operations.Read more
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Traveler Singapore, Angkor, & Helsinki
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- Sep 29, 2022, 3:45pm
- 🌧 27 °C
- Altitude: 60 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.434903, 103.88935113°26’6” N 103°53’22” E
Day 13
Small Circuit: Ta Phrom
September 29, 2022 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C
Our next destination is also one of Angkor's most iconic sights. Popularized by the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie, Ta Phrom is a rubble strewn temple best known for the giant ficus trees that have taken root in the temple. Indeed, the giant roots that wound their way into the stones make for a stark contrast between nature and human construction. I wandered around transfixed at the sights. As I made my way around the temple, Leftfield's Song of Life - a track that was played in the movie at the Ta Phrom scene - got stuck in my head.

While I was a Ta Phrom, I looked around in vain for the Dinosaur of Ta Phrom, an Atlas Obscura listing that claims that there is a carving of a stegosaurus-like creature in the walls of the temple. Rather frustratingly, the listing isn't very specific on where exactly the carving is located. I did not find it despite my best efforts.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ta-prohm

https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/…Read more
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Traveler Thailand
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- Feb 6, 2024
- ⛅ 34 °C
- Altitude: 60 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.434946, 103.88955813°26’6” N 103°53’22” E
Day 70–74
Ta Prohm Tempel
February 6 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C
Ta Prohm ist einer der schönsten Tempel von Angkor, da man ihn nicht restauriert und dem Urwald seinen Freiraum gibt. Hier gibt es eingestürzte Mauern, riesige Baumwurzeln, die sich um das Mauerwerk schlingen und von herabfallenden Steinen versperrte Gänge. Er wird meist "Tomb Raider Tempel" oder ",Dschungeltempel" genannt. Als Filmkulisse dienten u.a. auch der Bayon Tempel mit den Steingesichtern und Angkor Wat.Read more
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Traveler Vietnam
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- Mar 6, 2024, 4:38pm
- ☀️ 37 °C
- Altitude: 56 m
- Cambodia Siem Reap Phum Don Taôk Prasat Ta Prum 13.434983, 103.88973113°26’6” N 103°53’23” E
Day 25
Ta Prohm Temple
March 6 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C
Best temple ever, will need two entries for this one. This is a temple that the jungle has overtaken the structures and it is something to see.

Background research: Ta Prohm is another significant temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, the same ruler who constructed Angkor Thom and the Bayon Temple. Ta Prohm is renowned for its unique and captivating atmosphere, featuring a harmonious blend of ancient temple ruins intertwined with enormous trees with their roots intertwined through the stone structures.

The historical and cultural importance of Ta Prohm lies in its ability to showcase the untamed forces of nature, where the power of nature and the centuries-old structures coexist in a captivating and mesmerizing way. The temple has been left largely in its original state, with minimal conservation efforts undertaken to preserve the integrity of the site. The sprawling tree roots, draped over walls and entangled with carved stones, give Ta Prohm a mystical and romantic allure, making it one of the most photographed and popular temples in the Angkor complex.

The preservation approach of Ta Prohm reveals the ongoing battle between the forces of nature and human craftsmanship. It showcases the passage of time and the inevitability of decay, highlighting the impermanence of human achievements. The temple stands as a reminder of the transient nature of civilizations and how nature ultimately reclaims its dominance.

In terms of its connection to present-day movie sets, Ta Prohm gained global recognition after it was featured in the 2001 Hollywood blockbuster film "Tomb Raider," starring Angelina Jolie as the adventurous archaeologist Lara Croft. The temple's evocative and mystical atmosphere perfectly suited the film's storyline, and its appearance in such a popular movie further elevated its international reputation.

Ever since its appearance in "Tomb Raider," Ta Prohm has become a sought-after destination for filmmakers and travelers alike. Its enchanting ambiance and unique aesthetics continue to attract film crews who seek to capture the temple's otherworldly beauty. The temple has since been featured in numerous documentaries, travel shows, and even more movies, cementing its place as a cinematic icon.

Overall, Ta Prohm's cultural significance lies in its ability to showcase the relationship between mankind and nature, while also attracting visitors with its ethereal beauty and providing a glimpse into the grandeur of the ancient Khmer Empire.Read more
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