Vietnam/Cambodia Day 12: Banteay Srei

Monday, February 16, 2026

Today, our last full day of the tour, began with a morning excursion to Banteay Srei, a temple at the far end of the Angkor complex, that is noted for its pink sandstone. It also has carvings that are more detailed and complex than most we have seen at other temples.

On the way back, we stopped at the Satcha Handicraft Center, a handcraft incubation center in Siem Reap that featured wood and stone carving, painting, and other crafts. We were able to see the artisans at work and the tools with which they did their work. There was a small shop where we could buy some of their items as well. Many handcraft skills were lost as a result of the Khmer Rouge massacre, and centers like this are preserving and encouraging those skills.

Lunch was on our own, so Kenna and I decided to have lunch “by the pool” behind the Raffles. It was a hot, sunny day, so we ended up eating in the shade of a tree a short distance away. Aside from some insects nibbling at Kenna’s feet, we had a pleasant lunch.

In the afternoon, we had a few options, including a visit to the Angkor National Museum or on a photo tour with Cookie. I opted to stay behind and rest; by this point in the tour, I was exhausted and needed to rest my right leg, which was sore from yesterday’s Angkor Wat excursion. Kenna opted for the museum, which she found quite worthwhile.

The evening featured our farewell cocktail reception and dinner, located close to where Kenna and I had lunch. Dinner was in a semi-secluded area nearby, with more luminarias to guide us to the right place and another excellent tasting menu.

This article is part of a series about our recent trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. To see the introductory article in the series, click here.