Short videos of visitors running down narrow stone pathways and vaulting over passageways — often overlayed with sounds from the popular Temple Run video game — have been making the rounds on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms. Some videos have received more than 2 million views and inspire copycat versions daily. Simon Warrack, a conservationist who’s worked for three decades to preserve the nearly millenia-old ruins at Angkor, is troubled by the potential damage as well as the cultural and religious insensitivities being trampled on.
“You wouldn’t run through St. Peters in Rome or any western church — so why is it okay to do it in Cambodia,” said Warrack. “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.
” Warrack said he’s spoken to Cambodian counterparts and officials overseeing the complex who share his concerns. “Angkor Wat is still deeply revered by the people,” he said. “Every stone is considered to contain the spirits of the ancestors.
” The episode highlights the challenge many historic sites face these days to balance increased tourism, sustainability and local life, particularly in a post-Covid world where revenge travel is still a thing. The trend also underscores the sway influencers and social media have in driving tourism. Cambodia isn’t the only destination to see .