Thinking of going to Ta Prohm temple with your family, these tips may come in useful for you. If your kids love adventure stories, Angkor Wat and its temples are great to experience it in real life.

If Ta Prohm temple looks familiar to you, then you may have been a Tomb Raider movie fan! This amazing structure overrun by roots of the trees is where Lara Croft appeared in the movie. This is probably one of the most memorable temples in the entire Angkor Wat Archeological Park because it is left pretty “unrestored”.

History of Ta Prohm Temple

Ta Prohm Temple was a monastery – one of King Jayavarman VII’s 1st major temple projects from the 12th to 13th century, which was dedicated to his mother. It is estimated that this vast, 600-room structure and the surrounding area once had a population of over 70,000 people. The temple was home to high priests, monks, assistants, dancers and labourers. It controlled a great wealth of jewels and gold, as well as an estimated 3,000 nearby villages.

The temple contains a maze of courtyards and galleries, and it is well worth spending some time to explore its many dark corridors. Some walls and doorways of the ancient buildings have been left overgrown and gripped by huge trees and other foliage. Flocks of parrots in the trees add to the atmosphere and give you the feeling of discovering a temple lost in the jungle. With this image in mind, it’s not hard to imagine what the French naturalist Henri Mouhot must have felt when he ‘discovered’ the temple in 1860.

6 tips for family with kids before you go Ta Prohm temple in Siem Reap

🌳 Ta Prohm is especially serene and beautiful in the early morning. It is also less crowded then. It’s been some years since I was there. The opening could be 5am or 7:30am; double-check with the locals before going. 

🌳 Bring a torch (flashlight) as some parts may be rather dark.

🌳Some areas of the temple are impassable and others are accessible only by narrow dark passages. Follow the route and landmarks indicted or to stay with a guide to avoid getting lost.

🌳Angkor has a Visitor Code of Conduct; shoulders and knees must be covered up. Without respectful clothing, you will not be allowed to enter the temple sites.

🌳 Due to all the trees and vegetation around the temple, we recommend applying plenty of bug repellent.

🌳Bring water – Siem Reap is humid and hot all year round. Though some parts are in the shade, the heat will make you thirsty.