Spean Toap (Oddar Meanchey)

Also known as Spean Tip, or Spean Top. It is the longest ancient bridge in the Khmer Empire featuring 28 arches and measures 150 m long and 14.5 m wide. It is a major feature of the north-western ancient Royal Road to Phimai that connected Angkor to the remote outpost of the Khmer Empire in what is present-day Thailand.

It still features remnants of its beautiful decorated balustrade and naga end caps that would have been such a sight for the traveler or pilgrim back almost 1000 years ago. There would have been no doubt in their mind that they were entering a great empire and the land of the gods.

The modern sealed bitumen road diverts around the eastern side of the site while the ancient road with its series of bridges including Spean Memay and Spean Tbong is preserved for visitors. Mentioning the nearby bridge to the south, Spean Memay, on one side at least there appears to be a linear line of laterite indicating maybe the two bridges were connected by some supplementary structure.

During the wet season (as pictured) not a lot of the grand tall arches will be visible but come dry season they will be in full sight. The local authorities have done some great work here, recently restoring sections of the bridge and clearing shrubs making it a very nice place to visit. There is also a nice shaded area for picnicking here, toilets, and just a 500m to the northeast is Prohm Kel Temple (also best visited in the dry season) and the two nearby bridges mentioned earlier. Getting here is easy with good bitumen roads all the way from major cities such as Siem Reap.

Photos

November 2021 with a full head of water

Spean Toap in late December 2021, dry

2023 and 2024 revisits

Rodney Charles LHuillier

Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap. Rodney Charles L'Huillier has spent over seven years in Cambodia and is the author of Ancient Cambodia (2024) and Essential Siem Reap (2017, 2019). Contact via [email protected] - more..