A list of ancient sites and temples, with map, located on and around the Phnom Kulen Mountain range. Local guides are a must for sites in this area.
See here for sites on the actual Phnom Kulen mountain. For visiting sites on Phnom Kulen you will need to purchase a ticket (available at City Hotel or mountain entrance) and enlist the services of a local guide via Analong Thom CBTC.
Located west of Anlong Thom village and north of the main road, Peam Kre features two partially standing brick temples. They are aligned on a north-south axis and open to the east. One of the shrines rose up on a seemingly pyramidal base of decent proportions while the other sat a little lower making for … Read more
Located on the north side of Phnom Kulen and south of the village of Kronhoung, at the foot of the mountain slope, it’s a spectacular rock monolith that tapers in at the bottom creating a rock shelter. This natural shelter has in ancient times been put to good use, featuring quite a well-executed rock carving … Read more
Located north of Wat Svay Leu and at the foothills of Phnom Kulen, Peung Komnou features stunning rock carvings. There are actually several separate carvings to see here on a group of rock monoliths. The trail leading to the site is suitable for moto/bike/hike although a vehicle could certainly make it part ways there. The … Read more
Located atop Phnom Kulen, it’s also known as Poeng Maha Eisei, or Pueng Aysey/Ey Sey along with other variants. Naming aside, it’s a small but incredibly scenic and atmospheric spot featuring rock carvings, ponds, and a small cell carved into a large rock with an opening that is framed and flanked by two deity carvings. … Read more
Located on the north side of Phnom Kulen and south of the village of Kronhoung, there are numerous rock monoliths, many of which taper in at the bottom creating a natural shelter, it’s a fascinating place. This particular monolith appears to have been a hermit/ascetics lair, featuring several carvings and remnants of walls formed of … Read more
Also recorded as Poeng Ta Roet, it’s a long alcove in the mountainside below Wat Chas featuring an inscription and carvings dating to the 10th/11th century. The figures include a group of figures commonly known as the Nine Deities seated atop their mounts (Vahana) beside which are two standing deities. One of the standing deities … Read more
Located atop Phnom Kulen and southwest of the village of Anlong Thom, it’s also recorded as Poeng Tbal. A fascinating scenic site with natural rock massifs featuring ancient carvings all sitting at the edge of a natural gulley that is believed to have been developed into a reservoir during ancient times. The groups of rock … Read more
Also known as Kom Nob Temple (ប្រាសាទ ភ្នំកំណប់), it’s located atop a small mountain of the same name, Phnom Hap, that lies to the southwest of Phnom Kulen and south of Kbal Spean. At the base of the mountain, on its northeastern side, a Buddhist monastery (wat) provides access to the trail leading up to … Read more
Located around 2km northwest of Beng Mealea Temple on the foothills of Phnom Kulen, is a very unique piece of ancient infrastructure. Around 2020, a local discovered a large sandstone head of a Makara (part lion/part sea creature from Hindu mythology). Recently the site has been excavated and restored revealing it was actually part of … Read more
The waterfall features two levels and is a popular spot atop the mountain. The first level is located after the River of 1000 Lingas and is around 4-5 meters tall. The second and most spectacular level is around 20 meters tall. You reach the second level by following the road along the northern side of … Read more
Also known as Prasat Phnom Preah Tevakh, the ancient temple is located atop the low mountain with one tall tower built atop a stepped laterite base which also appears as it may have once led to stairs down the mountain on its easter side. The tower is constructed mostly of laterite although a lot of … Read more
Also known as “Amazing Cliff”, located atop Kulen Mountain it’s an easy-to-reach site offering impressive views across the canyon below in between the mountain ranges. It is reached off the main road across the top of the mountain where there is a small parking bay and foot trail leading to the site. Around 150 m … Read more
Unknown. Site has recently been cleared but remains unnamed. It sits atop a large raised mound where scattered laterite, brick and sandstone rubble, and several decayed pedestals can be seen including a pedestal with an octagonal center.
The site is located southwest of Anlong Thom village, atop Phnom Kulen, along the trail that leads to Rong Chen Temple. Only the base of a brick temple remains to be seen. Notable for the width of its walls, the site is also flanked by a natural rock monolith.
A ruinous brick temple that sits atop an elongated laterite base. Originally it was believed to have had three towers but only one remains partially standing today. Nearby are the scenic and spectacular rock carvings of Peung Moha Ey Say. In front of the site, there is a large exposed section of natural bedrock that … Read more
A ruinous but fascinating site that was once three brick temples with a library building. The temples are raised higher than normal with ascending staircases and traces of ornate carvings can be seen to indicate this would have been a very special and ornate temple site. They are all collapsed, but the base structures are … Read more
Built partway up the side of the scenic Kulen mountain, Ta Ong (or Prasat Tadong) was originally a group of three ancient brick temples, today one tower remains mostly standing. The tower features ornate lintels carved into the brickwork, reminiscent of 7th-century style, and a series of false floors almost appearing as temples stacked atop … Read more
Located atop Phnom Kulen, and often referred to as the Reclining Buddha, Preah Ang Thom (Khmer: ព្រះអង្គធំ) is an 8 meters (26 ft) tall statue of the reclining Buddha reaching nirvana. The statue is carved into a huge natural sandstone boulder to which a modern staircase has been added along with a shelter over the … Read more
Also known as Wat Phnom Bei, it’s located at the foothill of Phnom Kulen and to the northwest of Beng Mealea temple and features a contemporary pagoda located atop a natural rise with spectacular views across the massif of Kulen and the surrounding plains and hills. On an adjacent rise, an arrangement of rocks forming … Read more
Located north of Kulen Mountain in the commune of Kantout, the moated 10th-century temple site features the remains of three temples, “library” building, enclosed by a laterite wall with eastern gopura. Three inscriptions were registered from the site. The site is reasonably easy to reach (12/22) with a farm trail leading off the dirt road … Read more
Along a stretch of the riverbed for around 500 m there are carvings of linga, several big and small yoni, and a large carving of Vishnu. Along the walls of the riverbed, a small carving is also seen in the bedrock. At the very southern end or the beginning of the carvings, there is also … Read more
Prasat Rong Chen, or Rong Chen Temple, sits atop Kulen Mountain (Phnom Kulen) located around 60-70km north of Siem Reap and about 2 km southwest of the village of Anlong Thom. It is a fascinating and historically important site dating to the 9th century that is anecdotally touted as where the Khmer King Jayavarman II … Read more
Located on the grounds of the contemporary monastery, Wat Run, Prasat Run are the remains of a small brick temple square, only part of the base remains to be seen with entry steps showing an opening to the east. A large basin in the north immediately west is a contemporary pagoda featuring beautiful Khmer Buddhist … Read more
Sema Peam Kre is a very unique site in the context of the early Angkor located atop Kulen mountain near to and believed to be contemporaneous to the Banteay (Royal Palace) of Mahendraparvata around the 8-9th century. It is a very early Buddhist site featuring upright large carved stone slabs (sema stones) arranged to demarcate … Read more
Very small laterite bridge located northeast of Wat Svay Leu. It features corbelled arches. By eye, it is around 4-5 m wide and 6 m or so long with three visible arches. Across the top, it has deep ruts that one assumes are from usage in recent times. It also has sandstone plinths that are … Read more
Located atop Phnom Kulen, about 5.5 km southwest of the village of Anlong Thom, Srah Damrei is a group of large animal monoliths carved from the naturally formed sandstone. They include an elephant, two lions, and an unknown figure (some call it a frog), which are all fronted by a bull (Nandin) carved in the … Read more
Prasat Svay Leu is an interesting site for many reasons. It is located on the contemporary monastery grounds and features an outer walled enclosure with an entrance on the east opening to a small courtyard with “library” buildings followed by another entrance gopura and walled enclosure occupied by the central shrine that has been replaced/covered … Read more
Located in Svay Leu on the farming plains below Kulen Mountain, Prasat Ta Iem (on Google Maps as Prasat Ta Tiep and other notes as Sre Yem) features an outer moat, laterite walled enclosure with an entrance on the east leading to a single brick tower. The site is also recorded as Srae Yem and … Read more
Also recorded under many names inc. Trapeang Phtol and Chankiry Temple, its is the partially standing remains of a large temple site that featured enclosure wall with gopura with a square central shrine. The site is quite interesting, for several reasons including featuring a mixed of brick, sandstone and laterite in its construction and also … Read more
