Exploring Boeung Mealea - Cambodia

A confusion of piled up stones right in the middle of destructive fury of the forest; situated three hours away from the Siem Reap road and the Victoria hotel, the Boeung Mealea temple was dragged back from the forgotten by French director Jean-Jacques Annaud (Enemy at the Gates, Seven Years in Tibet) who shot several scenes here for his film Two Brothers. To this day no one has even tried or envisaged to repeat the feat. Save help from a few footbridges installed by the film crew, visiting the temple is a question of running around off the beaten track, a spot of rock climbing and Indiana Jones style discovery. The pebbles are slippery, the roots treacherous and the gardens rather nonchalant. This is an ideal visit/exploration/adventure to be recounted in great detail and with much energy under the fans in the local bars.