LOLEI · ROLUOS GROUP, CAMBODIA
Lolei Temple.
The zenith beam, all to myself.
I first saw Lolei on a tour in April. In August I came back on my own with a bag of incense and a tripod, and had the zenith sunbeam to myself.
ROLUOS GROUP · SIEM REAP
ZENITH: AUGUST 19, 2025
THE SHORT VERSION
What is Lolei Temple?
Lolei’s four brick towers date to 893 AD. It’s part of the Roluos group, and it originally stood on an island in the Indratataka reservoir, which is now dry. It’s a small site with some well-preserved brickwork and few visitors.
I first visited during the April 2025 Angkor zenith passage tour with Luke Caverns and Maya Exploration Center. After doing some research, I thought it would be a good place to see the zenith sunbeam. So I came back by private tuk-tuk on August 19, after Bayon on August 17 and Bakong on August 18.
Is Lolei good for the zenith passage?
Yes, especially if you’re on your own or in a small group. The back right tower has a small opening at the top, one doorway and a dark chamber, and when I arrived to watch the beam I had the place to myself. It was worth coming back.
Lolei at a glance
BUILT
893 AD, four brick towers
WHERE
Roluos group, near Siem Reap. Originally an island in the now-dry Indratataka reservoir
BEST TOWER
Back right: small opening, one doorway, dark inside
MY ZENITH
August 19, 2025. Beam visible for about 25 minutes around noon
CROWDS
Just me, until one other tourist wandered by
BRING
Incense, a lighter and a tripod
The exact zenith day depends on the temple’s latitude.
APRIL / ON THE TOUR
First look.
The tour stopped at Lolei on the same day as the zenith at Bakong, as part of the Roluos group. It was the middle of the afternoon, so no beam, but it was a chance to look at the towers and the brickwork.
Looking up inside one of the towers, I could see the small opening at the top.
LOLEI AND BAKONG ARE BOTH IN THE ROLUOS GROUP, SO THEY’RE EASY TO PAIR UP.
PICKING THE TOWER
Back right
is the one.
Four towers, but only one I’d pick for the beam.
A small opening
The tower at the back right has a small opening at the top. A small hole gives you a tight, bright shaft instead of a wide, faint patch.
One doorway
There’s only one doorway, so it’s pretty dark inside. Like Bakong, one door means less stray light washing out the beam and less wind blowing the smoke away. At the Bayon, with doors everywhere, that’s much harder.
Bring the smoke
I brought incense and a lighter to make the beam easier to see. Without something in the air, the shaft is hard to make out.
The statues in the back
At the back of the chamber, a row of small statues lines the wall. I have no idea who put them there or what they are, but you’ll see them in the beam photos.
AUGUST 19
ABOUT 25 MINUTES OF LIGHT
The zenith
beam at Lolei.
Around noon.
BEFORE NOON / THE INCENSE
Smoke, then light.
As the time got closer, I lit about ten sticks of incense, then added another five to get more smoke going, and waited around.
Suddenly, sunlight broke through the roof opening and shone down one of the side walls. The smoke made the beam clearly visible.
NOON / THE CENTER
Crossing the middle.
The beam moved slowly toward the center of the room. I set up my tripod and took photos as it crossed the middle, the zenith point.
For about a minute it looks straight down, then it starts moving off again.
A TRIPOD MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THAT DARK CHAMBER.
AFTER / GONE
Worth coming back.
Soon after, the beam left the center and was moving off. I heard another tourist nearby and waved him over to see it. He was amazed, and took a bunch of photos.
Then the beam moved off and out of the room, leaving it dim again. About 25 minutes, start to finish.
Suddenly, sunlight broke through the roof opening and shone down one of the side walls.
Alex, techzelle
WATCH
The beam on video.
I filmed the beam at Lolei on August 19. Here it is with the incense smoke going.
LOLEI
The place to myself.
A small site with well-preserved brickwork and few visitors. When I arrived to watch the beam, I had it all to myself.
ON THE WAY OUT
Grooves for giant staples.
On the way out, I noticed a groove in the stonework with a drill hole at each end. It looked like it had held a giant staple to hold two stones together.
Another block nearby had two of them. They reminded me of the I-shaped grooves I’d seen at Angkor Wat, apparently used for the same purpose.
KEEP AN EYE ON THE STONEWORK ON THE WAY OUT.
IF YOU GO
Lolei zenith
tips.
What I’d tell a friend heading to Lolei for the zenith passage.
- Pick the back right tower. Small opening, one doorway, dark inside.
- Bring incense and a lighter. I used about fifteen sticks. The smoke is what makes the beam visible.
- Bring a tripod. It’s dark in there, and you’ll want sharp photos when the beam crosses the center.
- Be there well before noon. The beam was visible for about 25 minutes around noon.
- Go on your own or in a small group. It’s one small chamber. Like Bakong, a handful of people fills it up.
- Make a run of it. I did Bayon on August 17, Bakong on August 18 and Lolei on August 19.
893 AD
when the towers were built
4
brick towers
25 min
of visible beam
15
sticks of incense
Frequently asked QUESTIONS
Lolei temple FAQ.
What is Lolei Temple?
A small temple of four brick towers in the Roluos group near Siem Reap, Cambodia, dating to 893 AD. It originally stood on an island in the Indratataka reservoir, which is now dry.
Can you see the zenith passage at Lolei?
Yes. Around noon on the zenith dates, sunlight comes straight down through the small opening at the top of the tower and into the chamber. I saw it on August 19, 2025.
Which tower at Lolei is best for the zenith beam?
The tower at the back right. It has a small opening at the top, only one doorway, and it’s pretty dark inside.
How long does the zenith beam last at Lolei?
On my visit the beam was visible for about 25 minutes around noon. For about a minute in the middle, it looks straight down.
How do you make the zenith beam visible?
Smoke. I lit about ten sticks of incense, then five more. The smoke showed the whole shaft of light from the opening down to the floor.
Is Lolei crowded?
Not when I went. It’s a small site with few visitors, and I had the place to myself until one other tourist wandered by.
How do you get to Lolei?
I went by private tuk-tuk from Siem Reap. It’s part of the Roluos group, near Bakong.
Lolei, Bakong or Bayon for the zenith passage?
Lolei and Bakong are single-chamber towers with small openings, so they give a cleaner beam and suit people on their own or in small groups. The Bayon has lots of towers, which works better for a group tour.