The Ancient Art of Khmer Honey: A Morning with the Beekeepers of Angkor

A Sweet Morning in the Forest

We left Siem Reap before the sun cleared the treetops, following a dirt track that wound through rice paddies and into the dry forest north of the temple complex. Our destination: the commune of Banteay Srei, about 30 kilometres from town, where a handful of families still practice the ancient art of wild honey harvesting. The road is bumpy, but the reward is a taste of Cambodia that has almost disappeared.

The forest here is not the dense jungle you might imagine. It is open and dry, with tall dipterocarp trees standing like pillars. The air smells of earth and resin. Our guide, a beekeeper named Prak, pointed to a hollow high in a tree. “That is an old hive,” he said. “The bees have moved on, but you can see the mark of the smoke.”

The Craft of the Wild Harvest

Khmer wild honey is not produced in neat white boxes. It is gathered from the hives of giant honeybees, Apis dorsata, which build their combs on the undersides of high branches. The harvesters, known locally as “tang phlae”, climb the trees using only a rope and a bamboo ladder. They carry a smouldering bundle of leaves to calm the bees. It is a dangerous job, and the skill is passed from father to son.

We watched Prak and his nephew prepare for a climb. They tied a rope around the trunk and then, with surprising speed, shimmied up to a branch about fifteen metres above us. The bees swarmed around them, but the smoke kept them calm. Prak used a long bamboo pole with a curved blade to cut the comb, which he lowered in a basket. The comb was heavy, dripping with golden honey.

Tasting the Forest

The honey we tasted that morning was unlike anything from a supermarket. It was thick, with a complex flavour that changed as it lingered on the tongue. There were notes of wildflowers, but also a deep, almost smoky richness from the bees’ diet of forest blossoms. Prak explained that the honey from this area is especially prized because the bees feed on the flowers of the sra lao tree, which blooms only for a few weeks each year.

We also tried the comb itself, chewing on the waxy cells. The texture was chewy and the honey burst in our mouths. Prak’s wife, Srey, had prepared a simple breakfast for us: rice porridge with a spoonful of honey stirred in, and fresh baguettes with honey and butter. It was the best breakfast we had in Cambodia.

The Beekeepers of Banteay Srei

The harvest is a seasonal affair, usually from November to February, when the forest is dry and the flowers are abundant. The beekeepers of Banteay Srei commune work in small groups, each with their own territory of trees. They sell their honey at the local market in Banteay Srei village, and some of it goes to shops in Siem Reap town. But the supply is small, and the honey is often sold out within days.

We visited the home of one beekeeper, a man named Sok, who had been harvesting honey for over forty years. He showed us his tools: the bamboo pole, the rope, and the smoker made from a tin can. He told us that the number of wild bees has declined in recent years due to deforestation and the use of pesticides in nearby farms. “We try to protect the trees,” he said. “No bees, no honey.”

Getting there

To visit the beekeepers, head north from Siem Reap on the road to Banteay Srei temple. After about 25 kilometres, you will reach the village of Banteay Srei. From there, ask for the commune’s beekeeping group, or better yet, arrange a visit through a local guide in Siem Reap. The last stretch is on a dirt road, so a motorbike or a 4x4 is recommended. The journey takes about an hour. The best time is early morning, before the heat of the day and after the bees have started their foraging.

Good to know

• Seasonality: The honey harvest is best from November to February. Outside this season, you may still find honey, but the hives are less active.
• Safety: Do not approach the hives without an experienced beekeeper. The bees can be aggressive, and the climb is dangerous.
• Buying honey: Ask for honey that is raw and unfiltered. It will be cloudy and may contain bits of comb. This is a sign of quality.
• Respect the craft: The beekeepers are happy to share their knowledge, but they are not a tourist attraction. A small donation or buying a jar of honey is a fair exchange.

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