Wat Phnom Tralouk

Located about 7km west of Kralanh and 3km south of the NR6, atop a small mountain, sits a beautiful small pagoda. It houses a collection of ancient remnants including a statue pedestal and two linga pedestal, one including a linga. Another shelter contains a small fragment of a crudely carved seated figure. I remember reading … Read more

Wat Purthivorn (Srei Santhor)

Also recorded as Wat Ampil, it is located near the east bank of the Mekong River in lower Kampong Cham Province, just southeast of Wat Svay Sach. It is also one of the older pagodas in the area and noting the sandstone pieces gathered around the side of the pagoda, it may have a heritage … Read more

Wat Preah Vihear Leu 

Located at the southern foothill of Phnom Oudong, the monastery features a pagoda with a grand staircase leading to the road that circles the area. The site featured a small neak ta shelter containing a collection of ancient sandstone remnants.

Ancient Longvek Citadel Wall and Moat

Surrounding the ancient 16th-17th capital at Longvek is an earthen wall and moat easily visible from the present-day village road that intersects it. The wall would have been several meters high and several meters wide in its heyday with the soil likely coming from the excavation of the several-meter-wide moat that fronted it. During the … Read more

Tuol Lok Ta Chhnout Krahorm

Remnants of Buddhist Terrace from the 16th-17th century Longvek era. The site was locked on our previous visits to the area in 2021, Aug 2023 and Feb 2024, there is a phone number to call, but we didn’t want to put any to the hassle. The site’s original sema stones can still be seen in … Read more

Laang Spean Pre-historic Archeological Site

Located around 40km southwest of Battambang, Laang Spean is an ancient pre-historic site located in a scenic natural cave atop a small limestone mountain. It’s a fascinating site that, with archeological research that dates back to the 70’s, resumed in contemporary times and is ongoing. It has been occupied by humans for over 60,000 years. … Read more

Kampong Cham Provincial Museum

In central Kampong Cham, on the east side of the river and just south of the night market is the Department of Culture and Fine Arts(Khmer: មន្ទីរ​វប្បធម៌​និង​វិចិត្រសិល្បៈ) where they have a small storeroom packed with ancient remnants and artifacts discovered in the province. Whilst the collection is small, like many of the regional museums, the … Read more

Wat Amporvanoram (Srei Santhor)

Located near the east bank of the Mekong River in lower Kampong Cham Province, it’s also recorded as Wat Svay Sach Phnom. It is one of the older pagodas in Cambodia and features some wonderful traditional art and decorative features. The pagoda was recently restored and usually is never open, luck would be with us … Read more

Wat Prek Liv (Kampong Cham)

A contemporary monastery and pagoda located on the west bank of the Mekong River in lower Kampong Cham Province. Stored by the sala chan (dining hall) are two ornately carved wooden pediments from an older pagoda or monastery building. Update: after posting on social media we received some feedback from Bhikkhu Chan Kim Heang, who … Read more

Wat Rok Ar (Kampong Cham)

An older pagoda located on the west bank of the Mekong River in lower Kampong Cham Province, also recorded as Wat Rokar. On our last visit, Aug 2023, a new pagoda is under construction. Hopefully, the old pagoda will be preserved as it features some unique art and character, an example of which is the … Read more

Wat Kampong Luong (Kandal)

Located on the west bank of the Tonle Sap River and east of the RN5 in Kampong Luong Village, Kandal, Wat Kampong Luong is a contemporary monastery and pagoda and, an important heritage site. The pagoda features very beautiful murals and decorative features, the site also houses an array of Buddhist statuary, I believe it … Read more

King Ang Duong Shrine

Located just north of the RN5 in Kampong Luong Village, Kandal, the shrine features a golden statue of King Ang Duong (reign 1848–1860). He held his capital at Oudong with the palace at what is now Wat Veang Chas and his stupa sits among the many atop Oudong Mountain. He was the son of his … Read more

Wat Prang (Oudong)

Located to the northwest of Oudong Mountain and just north of Wat Veang Chas, Wat Prang features a grand stupa/chedi that dates to the era of King Ang Duong who reigned for two periods between 1848 and 1860. It was restored in 1905 by King Sisowath (reign 1904-1927) with relics also reportedly deposited at that … Read more

Wat Veang Chas

The old Royal Palace during the time of King Ang Duong who reigned for two periods between 1848-1860. The old vihara (pagoda) was rebuilt in the late 1990s with support from PM Hun Sen along with additional recent refurbishments. The grounds are quite large, quite pleasant, and surrounded by a vast expanse of water on … Read more

Wat Tep Pranam

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located north of Oudong Mountain in Kandal Province. The site has a notable heritage in the post-Angkorian era. Historical Images

Wat Prah En Tep

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located within the large expanse of the ancient capital of Longvek. It features some remains from the Post-Angkorian era. The site has its heritage in the era of King Ang Chan.

Ta Srei

Remains of a Buddhist Terrace from the Post-Angkorian era. In recent times some contemporary shrines have been added while the sites retain several sandstone (?) sema stones. Some of the sema *may* be reproductions, while one appears to be an original featuring a decorative band around its base and a decorated flange that would have … Read more

Tuol Bayok (Longvek)

Also known as Toul Reachea, it is located about 1km east of Wat Tralaeng Kaeng. It is a Buddhist Terrace/vihara dating back to the Post-Angkorian era of the 15th-19th century and perhaps more precisely around the 16th-17th century of the Longvek-Oudong eras. Along with many other heritage sites, it sits within the ancient moated citadel … Read more

Wat Yukunthor

Located on the bank of the Tonle Sap Lake in Baribour District of Kampong Chhnang, Wat Yukunthor is one of the older pagodas in the area. It’s been restored in recent times.

Wat Chantmony

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located just south of the RN5 near the Kampong Chhnang/Pursat border. It features older style sema that may have belong to an earlier iteration of what we see today.

Wat Ang Po (Battambang)

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located around 6km west of Battambang city. Immediately west of the pagoda is an interesting development that appears at first sight to be the trace of an old banteay, perhaps similar to Kampaeng Stoeng Preah Srok just west of Siem Reap along the ancient road. Or it could just be a … Read more

Wat Chambok Rangsei

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located near the Kampong Chhnang and Pursat border.

Kampong Luong Floating Village

Located in Pursat Province on the waters of the Tonle Sap Lake, Kampong Luong is another of Cambodia’s unique floating villages where the community lives their life in a water-centric world. The area features a large community that is part land-based with houses on stilts and the larger community in floating homes, making a living … Read more

Wat Phnom Borvong

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located atop Phnom Borvong, about 12 km south of Pursat. The mountaintop features several attractions, all related to the pagoda. On there north side there is a monastery and pagoda with several buildings in development including a meditation area. Just south of that is a grand Chedi. A little to the … Read more

Wat Phnom Baktra

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located 15 km south of Pursat. It has recently been renewed and is quite pretty with a beautiful location on the mountainside.

Wat Sbov Rik

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located 25 km south of Pursat. It is one of the older pagodas in the area and features notable pediments along with murals on its inner walls.

Wat Keo Vichey  

Contemporary monastery and pagoda located 7km north of Pursat city. On our visit in Aug 2023 there is a massively tall construction underway behind the pagoda, let’s wait to see what it becomes.

Wat Banteay Dei 

Located in central Pursat city, it’s an older pagoda retaining its original inner murals, decorative pediments, and features. I am not sure of its exact foundation date, perhaps what we see dates to around the mid-1900s. The pagoda also features a beautifully decorated balan (pedestal for the Buddha) and outside, an equally beautifully decorated stupa. … Read more

Koh Sampov Meas Pursat

Located in central Pursat city, Koh Sampov Meas is a boat-shaped man-made island in the middle of the Pursat River. It features several shrines and a tree-lines facade making it a nice place to relax by the water. At one end is the Preah Ang Chao Sen temple. So legend has it, in days gone by … Read more