Angkor's water system: barays, moats and canals

Wherever you go at Angkor, water is part of the picture: wide moats around temples, long straight canals and enormous rectangular reservoirs called barays. The Khmer reshaped the entire landscape to manage water, and the system is one of the keys to understanding the city's rise and decline.

The barays

Barays are huge artificial reservoirs, enclosed by earth banks rather than dug deep into the ground.

• The East Baray was built in the late 9th century and is now dry, its outline visible as fields and roads. The temple of East Mebon once stood on an island in its centre.
• The West Baray is the largest, around 8 km long and over 2 km wide, and still holds water today. The Western Mebon temple sits on an island in the middle.
• Smaller reservoirs, such as Srah Srang near Banteay Kdei, served temples and royal bathing.

Moats and canals

Major temples, including Angkor Wat and the walled city of Angkor Thom, were surrounded by moats. These had religious meaning, representing the cosmic ocean around Mount Meru, and practical uses, such as stabilising groundwater for the foundations. Canals carried water, linked the barays and helped transport goods and stone.

What were they for?

This is one of the great debates in Southeast Asian archaeology.

• The irrigation view: from the mid-20th century, some scholars argued that the barays fed rice fields, allowing several harvests a year and supporting a huge population.
• The religious and symbolic view: others pointed out that the reservoirs held relatively little water compared with the rains and that there is limited evidence of distribution channels.
• A combined view: recent research, including laser scanning of the landscape, suggests a complex network that managed floods, stored water for the dry season and carried symbolic meaning.

Water and the end of Angkor

Some researchers believe that the water system became harder to maintain over time, as canals silted up and climate swings brought periods of drought and intense monsoons. This may have contributed to the move of the capital south in the 15th century, alongside political and economic changes.

Where to see it

• The West Baray: a popular spot for swimming and picnics, especially at weekends.
• Srah Srang: a peaceful place at sunrise, across the road from Banteay Kdei.
• Neak Pean: a shrine in the middle of a former reservoir, reached by a wooden walkway.
• The Angkor Wat moat: walk around part of it in the early morning to see its scale.