Where it sits
Takeo lies south of Phnom Penh towards the Vietnamese border, a flat province of rice fields and canals that floods extensively in the wet season. Some of those canals are not modern: the Funan-era network around Angkor Borei is among the oldest hydraulic engineering in South-East Asia.
Angkor Borei and Phnom Da
Angkor Borei is thought to have been a major centre — possibly a capital — of Funan, the polity that preceded the Khmer empire, active from around the first century. A small but excellent museum in the town holds finds from the site.
Phnom Da, a short distance away, carries a sixth-century brick and laterite sanctuary on a hill above the floodplain. The sculpture found here defines an entire early style of Khmer art, and the best pieces are now in Phnom Penh’s National Museum.
In the wet season Angkor Borei is reached by boat from Takeo town, which is much the better way to arrive.
Phnom Chisor and Tonle Bati
Phnom Chisor is an eleventh-century temple on a hill about 400 steps up, with a long view across the plain and — on a clear day — towards the Vietnamese border.
Tonle Bati, closer to Phnom Penh, holds Ta Prohm temple, a compact and well-preserved twelfth-century sanctuary, and the small Yeay Peau temple beside it. It is a popular weekend picnic spot for families from the capital.
Practicalities
Takeo is an easy day trip from Phnom Penh, around two hours by road, and Tonle Bati and Phnom Chisor are usually combined into a single outing.