Phnom Khyang Temple

Located on the north side of a small mountain bearing the same name Phnom Khyong or Khyang Mountain, you can find a staircase leading up to a cave that houses a very ancient brick temple.

A metal staircase leads down into a large cavernous area and straight ahead, take the small steel ladder to the entrance of the temple’s cave. Also quite large and impossibly dark, for decent photos, you’ll need extra lighting while a camera phone light is enough to navigate the area. Sadly, I did not have extra lighting, I did contemplate pulling the headlight and battery out of the motorbike, but more sensibly, I’ll surely return to the site better prepared next time.

Update 08/22: On heading past the site I snuck in quickly to grab some slightly better images with the new camera. I still recommend a large floodlight and a tripod which I’ll make sure to pack next time around.

There is a brick staircase that eases the slope down to the temple which opens to the west, is roughly 4 m aside rising up with two levels decreasing in size and topped with a coronation piece. It has a sandstone doorframe above which is a small arched pediment placed to take advantage of the natural water flow from the stalactite flowing over the coronation and roof of the temple. Inside, it once housed a stalagmite acting as a linga and has niches in the walls perhaps featuring some decorative or symbolic piece that is long gone.

Getting to Phnom Khyang is easy enough via sealed roads, it is located around 140 km from Phnom Penh, about 60 km from Kampot, and 50 km from Kep. Whichever way, you’ll need to get on road 31 and take the road leading west directly to the school and then follow the dirt road around the school and behind to find the parking area and stairs.

Rodney Charles LHuillier

Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap - Contact via [email protected] - more..