Influencers visiting Cambodia’s historical Angkor Wat have brought the Temple Run video game to life. While many locals have praised the new trend, others have slammed videos of social media content creators running in sacred spaces. Some have argued that certain footage denigrated the almost 900-year-old sculptures, risking irreparable damage.

Short videos shared on TikTok feature visitors running down narrow stone pathways and vaulting over passageways in historical sites of the Southeastern Asian country.

The new trend typically shows a person taking action in Cambodia’s substantial temples and ruins, overlayed with sounds from the popular Temple Run video game.

Temple Run is a video game franchise of 3D endless running games featuring an explorer being chased by a group of demon monkeys. The characters and themes vary between spin-offs. 

Influencers visiting Cambodia’s historical Angkor Wat have brought the Temple Run video game to life

Image credits: allPhoto Bangkok/Unsplash

Last month, content creator Tim Win went viral for sharing his version of the trend, sharing a clip of himself on TikTok running inside Angkor Wat, which amassed nearly 2 million views.

Similarly, TikToker Chiara Contino received 2.4 million views after following the same trend, posting a video of the same style on the video-sharing app.

Both Tim and Chiara’s videos have been seemingly well-received by Cambodian viewers, as some commented: “Thank you for visiting Cambodia,” “Thank you for promoting Cambodia,” and “Welcome to Cambodia.”

Image credits: Norbert Braun/Unsplash

Nevertheless, Simon Warrack, a conservationist who’s worked for three decades to preserve the nearly millennia-old ruins at Angkor, was reportedly troubled by the potential damage as well as the cultural and religious insensitivities of the trend.

He told Bloomberg on August 22: “You wouldn’t run through St. Peters in Rome or any Western church — so why is it okay to do it in Cambodia?

“It’s not just potential damage to the stones by people bumping into them and falling or knocking things over — which is real — but it’s also damage to the spiritual and cultural value of the temples.”

Many locals have praised the new trend

Image credits: thebarangsteav

@sarah0utside real life temple run #fyp #templerun #angkorwat #angkorwatcambodia ♬ Temple Run 2 (Game Remix) – Josh Abbott

Simon reportedly said he’s spoken to Cambodian counterparts and officials overseeing the complex who share his concerns, stating: “Angkor Wat is still deeply revered by the people.”

“Every stone is considered to contain the spirits of the ancestors,” he added.

However, the authority that oversees the Angkor temple complex hasn’t issued any reprimands to discourage the viral trend, according to Bloomberg.

Some have slammed the videos of social media content creators running in sacred spaces

Image credits: chiaracontino_

Hollywood introduced Angkor Wat to much of the world when the 2001 movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed at the complex’s Angkor Thom temple, as per Bloomberg.

Angkor, which is on the United Nations’ World Heritage List and consists of more than 100 temples, is one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. 

When History Meets TikTok: Angkor Wat Edition #NoCoinsCollected #TempleRunners #CambodiaGoneWild pic.twitter.com/dntL8U7PvZ

— Ottster Gaming (@OttsterG) August 29, 2024

Video credits: OttsterG

As per the American outlet, Angkor’s ruins are a big economic driver for the predominantly rural country. Before the pandemic hit, the 400-acre compound saw a record 6.6 million tourists who brought in more than $80 million in ticket sales. So far this year, the ruins have attracted some 630,000 visitors.

The complex, which includes the famous temples of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, was constructed with blocks of sandstone and has survived war, earthquakes, and forest overgrowth. 

Some have argued that certain footage denigrated the almost 900-year-old sculptures

Image credits: Google Play

Over the years, international conservators have contributed to the ongoing restoration efforts.

“While the trend has temporarily boosted online interest in Angkor, it’s essential to promote safe access, educational visitation, and respect for the local religious, spiritual, and social significance of the sites,” Ginevra Boatto, Cambodia country director of the World Monuments Fund, told Bloomberg.

Hans Leisen, who has headed the German Apsara Conservation Project to preserve sculptures at Angkor Wat for 30 years, told the publication of the TikTok trend: “It’s nonsense. If you’re running through the temple, you won’t see the beauty of the carvings.” 

@unemployedginge Temple Run in real life🐉 Angkor Wat, Cambodia🇰🇭 #travel #travelling #solo #backpacking #fyp #adventure #solotravel #foryoupage #cambodia #seasia #hitchhiking #foryou #templerun ♬ original sound – Apollo_tee2.0

Hans further shared: “And if you fall or stumble, you’ll touch a wall to stabilize yourself and endanger the fragile carvings.”

In Cambodia, the Apsara National Authority, the government agency that oversees the Angkor complex, issued a code of conduct for visitors at least eight years ago that prohibits touching carvings and leaning on temple structures. 

On the other hand, Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, reportedly said that the videos could help bring much-needed tourism to Cambodia, which contributed 18% of the gross domestic product in 2019. 

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Critics said the trend was risking irreparable damage

Image credits: jamparadmall

According to Bloomberg, general tourism in Cambodia is helping to drive the country’s expected economic growth of 5.8% this year.

Seun told the outlet: “As long as they don’t damage the temples and bother other people, it’s okay.” 

He concluded: “Tourism is very important for Cambodia’s economy. When foreign visitors come, they buy things, they spend on hotels and transport. We want to encourage that.”

“Tourists really need to learn some respect,” a reader commented

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