Preah Pithu
Temples T, U, V, X and Y, ruins of Ancient Angkor Thom
The sight is located within Angkor. To prepare for your visit, read the AsiaExplorers Angkor Travel Guide for useful information. Visitors to Angkor stay at the town of Siem Reap. If you are looking for budget accommodation in Siem Reap, use the Cambodia Budget Accommodation Guide to find a place to stay.
13th Century
by Suryavarman II (reigned 1113-circa 1150) and Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181-1220)
Preah Pithu is a temple complex comprising Temples T, U, V, X and Y located on the right side of the road facing the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King in Angkor Thom. It is not one, but five different ruins that are lumped together and called Preah Pithu, although, in all probability, they were not even designed together, but by different people at different times.
One of the many temples of Preah Pithu
To differentiate the five ruins, archaeologists call them Temple T, Temple U, Temple V, Temple X and Temple Y. Of these, Temple X is Buddhist while the rest are Hindu. These temples are off the beaten path, and are not usually visited in normal itineraries, but they're worth if you have the time. It is a good place to stopover for a picnic away from the usual crowds.
I explored Preah Pithu on a hot afternoon in February. While Chooi Yoke took a rest under the shade, I covered the ruins east of the the Royal Square. From North Khleang, I explored Temple T followed by Temple U, Temple X, then cross over to Temple Y at the north, and finally Temple V, with its grand causeway.
Two of the temples in Preah Pithu are probably built together. Interestingly, they face west, just like Angkor Wat. The temple closest to the Terrace of the Elephants is Temple T, and behind it Temple U. Both are surrounded by the same moat. East of Temple U, and slightly northwards, is Temple X, also surrounded by a moat. North of Temple U is Temple V, without a moat. To the west of Temple V is a causeway which is about 70 meters long. And finally, about 30 meters north of Temple V is Temple Y.
How to go to Preah Pithu
Preah Pithu is located across the road to the east of the Terrace of the Leper King in Angkor Thom. It is one of the less significant ruins, so you may want to leave it out if you are pressed for time.
If you are travelling on a packaged tour, then there is great likelihood that Preah Pithu will not be included. However, if you are travelling independently, then your best option is to hire a tuk tuk. Ask him to wait for you at the food stalls opposite the Baphuon and from there you go and explore the sites. From there, you will see the twelve towers of Prasat Suor Prat on your right, and the Terrace of the Elephants on your left. Walk north, following the main road parallel with the Terrace of the Elephants until you reach the Terrace of the Leper King. Then you will see the cluster of ruins under tall trees on your right. These are Preah Pithu. If you need tuk tuk, you may contact my tuk tuk driver, Mr Han (see contact below) to see if he is available to take you.
Temple U, Preah Pithu.
Gopura Temple U.
Gopura Temple U.
Temple T, Preah Pithu.
Temple T, Preah Pithu.
Temple X, Preah Pithu.
Temple Y, Preah Pithu.
Angkor, Unesco World Heritage Site
AsiaExplorers provides you one of the most detailed documentation on Angkor, Unesco World Heritage Site, for you to explore from the comfort of your desktop.
Siem Reap Travel Guide
If you are visiting Angkor, it's almost definite that you will be staying in a hotel or guesthouse in Siem Reap. You will probably also need to hire a tuk tuk to take you around. Click the thumbnail on the left to view vital details to make your stay in Siem Reap more pleasant.
Before booking a hotel room, make sure you are getting the lowest price for it. Different hotel booking websites offers the same room at different prices. If you stick with one site all the time, you could be paying more for the same room. Now why pay more?
The form below is a Research Engine. It doesn't take bookings. Instead it lets you find the hotel booking website that offers the room you want at the lowest price. You can see and compare what different sites are offering, and then click to choose the one with the best price. Do this, and you're guaranteed to save a whole lot of money on your room reservations!
If you're flying somewhere, use our Flight Checker to compare the rates from different airlines. To use it, enter where you will be flying from, where you will be flying to, your departure date and return date. Select the number of passengers, and then click search.
Our engine will return you a list of possible flights that you can take. You can compare the fare of different airlines for your trip. Click on your selected airline, and we transfer you to the airline website.
AsiaExplorers is researched and written by Timothy Tye. Reasonable care is taken to check and verify the accuracy of the content. AsiaExplorers disclaims responsibility for any inconvenience, mishap, injury or death resulting from following the tips and advice provided directly or indirectly by this website. All pages may be printed out for your own personal, non-commercial use. You may use the information on this website on your blog or website so long as you place a dofollow link back to the page in AsiaExplorers where it appears. Photographs not credited to a third party belong to Timothy Tye and may not be reused in any form unless you are first given permission. Write in to inquire if interested. Third party photographs are governed by their respective licenses. To contact Tim, write to the following email address:
