After exploring Baphuon, I walked further north. There is a number of interesting archaeological sites in this area, and it definitely is worth exploring. One just has to bring a hat, as it is getting hot after all, as it's already mid-day.
North of Baphuon is another temple ruin, Phimeanakas Temple. It is not in the best condition, however, as it is overgrown with weeds, and not properly restored. I didn't think it was worth getting close, and so I just passed by. But east of it is the Terrace of the Elephants. It is a viewing platform, designed to view the returning victorious army of the kingdom.
I suppose it's obvious why this is called the Terrace of the Elephants. There's plenty of intricate stone carvings, and yes, they feature elephants. This terrace is actually attached to the Phimeanakas Temple, yet unlike the temple, the terrace is in a much better condition.
I then crossed the road to explore the Prasat Suor Prat, a series of twelve towers lined up from north to south. I learned that until now, archaeologists don't actually know what their original function was. In any case, I started from the south and went north, passing by the ruins of the various towers along the way.
Then there are the Khleangs - buildings of an unknown purpose, standing right by the towers. I also briefly checked them out.
Finally, I crossed the street again, in order to visit the Terrace of the Leper King. This place is fantastic, and has full of stone carvings lining the walls of a narrow labyrinth-like structure. Some archaeologists think this terrace has been used as a royal cremation site.
After exploring these places, it was time to take a break. It was getting massively hot already, so it's time for a siesta. I hailed another tuktuk which took me back to my villa.
