West Baray is the largest man-made body of water at Angkor . Visitors can hire a boat to take them to the
island in the middle where West Mebon temple
once stood. Today, only traces of it remain. But the island is a pleasant spot
for a picnic or just walking around when water level is low. Alternatively, visitor
can also go for a refreshing swim.
As the temple in the middle is in the same style as Baphuon,
the baray was probably constructed in the 11th century. The east dyke leads to
Ba Kheng temple. Some historian believed that the West
Baray could have been a mooring place for the royal barges as well
as a reservoir and a place for breeding fish.
The West Baray is a vast
man-made lake, surrounded by an earthen levee which forms a dyke. According to
legend, the young daughter of a ruler of Angkor was grabbled by an enormous
crocodile, which made a large opening in the south dyke of the West Baray that can still be seen today. The crocodile
was capture and killed. The princess, still living in its stomach, was rescued.
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