Prasat Preah Vihear (ព្រះវិហារ) is a Khmer (Cambodian) temple crowning a 525-m cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains in Cambodia, across the border from Si Saket and Kantharalak in northeastern Thailand. It is also the name of the surrounding province.
Preah Vihear is perched on a hilltop with a commanding view of its surroundings. Predating Angkor Wat by 100 years, the history of the temple and fortress is somewhat unclear, but it is known to be dedicated to the god Shiva and thought to have been constructed in the reign of Suryavarman I (1002-50), with further significant additions by Suryavarman II (1113-50). Unlike most Khmer temples, the temple is constructed on a long north-south axis, instead of the usual rectangular plan facing east.
Though at the edge of a cliff whose top mostly belongs to present-day Thailand, and for some years occupied by that country, the temple was nonetheless claimed by Cambodia on the basis of a map prepared during French colonial times. In 1959 Cambodia brought the dispute to the International Court of Justice, which in 1962 ruled that, because Thailand had for years accepted this map, Cambodia had sovereignty over Preah Vihear. Soon afterwards Cambodia was plunged into civil war. The temple remained open to the public from Thailand (although unreachable from Cambodia) until 1975, when it was occupied by the Khmer Rouge, whose rusting artillery guns still litter the area. It was re-opened from the Thai side in 1998, and in 2003 Cambodia completed the construction of a long-awaited access road allowing Cambodians to visit the temple. In 2008, after a contentious nomination process, the temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Thai and Cambodian paths join together at the bottom of the slope (lower end of the adjacent map), and from here the only way is up.
- The fun starts with 162 stone steps (#1), a fairly steep climb that will get you warmed up nicely. Your reward is a short set of stairs decorated with nagas and Gopura I (#3), a solitary pavilion with a fluttering Cambodian flag.
- A 500-metre gently climbing avenue leads up to Gopura II (#6), another smallish pavilion, and a large boray (water cistern, #4) to the left.
- Yet another avenue (somewhat shorter this time) leads to, yes, Gopura III (#9), but also the first courtyard of the temple and the first point where visitors to Angkor Wat will start feeling a sense of deja vu. Make a detour to the left side of the gopura to see relics of a more modern era, in the form of a rusting artillery gun and a few bunkers.
- A short causeway decorated with nagas leads to the inevitable Gopura IV (#14) and behind it the second courtyard. On the other side of the courtyard is Gopura V aka the Galleries (#17), and beyond it the Main Sanctuary (#18), the centrepiece of the site which now houses a miniature Buddhist temple.
- What makes the effort worthwhile lies just outside, so sneak out the left side to find yourself at Pei Ta Da Cliff, with a sheer 500-metre drop and a jaw-dropping vista of the Cambodian jungles below. To contemplate the view without getting sunstroke, locate the crevice that leads into a little cavern of sorts, with shade provided by the tip of the cliff overhead and, some barbed wire to spoil your pictures (and stop you from falling off).
There are several other minor sights in the area, accessible only from the Thai side:
- Pha Moh I-Daeng, clearly signposted from the parking lot and only a few hundred metres up the hill, is the present Thai border and the new home of the flagpole that previously fluttered on Pei Ta Da. There are more stunning views of Cambodian jungle here, including a side view of Preah Vihear, although seen from afar the buildings blend surprisingly well into the hillside. The cliff has an interesting bas relief of three figures whose identities are still unknown. The carving is the oldest in Thailand. It seems to date from the 10th century when Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer empire, and Khmer craftsmen probably practiced here first before the real carving at Preah Vihear Sanctuary. A walkway gives easy access to the bas relief which is on an overhanging part of the cliff. On the Thai side there is also a visitor centre with models and pictures of the temple complex.
- Double Stupas. Two sandstone stupas, or "chedi", cubes with round tops are west of Mor E-Dang Cliff. The stupas houses things that reflected prosperity during the period.
- Don Tuan Khmer Ruins. Built during the 10th-11th century, the Khmer ruins in Ban Phume Sarol are 300 m from the Thailand-Cambodia border. A legend says a lady, Nang Nom Yai, stayed here on her way to visit a king. To get there, use Hwy 2243, and turn onto a small road at km91 and continue for 4 km.
- Sra Trao or Huay Trao. The stream runs through rock plain at the foot of Mount Preah Vihear, before running through a subterranean tunnel strengthened by rock walls. It is assumed that such low land is a baray or reservoir. The stream and surroundings are now well maintained and filled with water.
- Namtok and Tham Khun Sri. The three-tier waterfall, above the cave, is west of Sra Trao close to the trail to Phreah Vihear. Khun Sri Cave is gigantic and believed to be once the accommodation of Khun Sri, a nobleman who controlled rock cutting at Sra Trao for constructing the Preah Vihear Sanctuary.
- Huay Kanoon Dam. 25 km from the park headquarters, the dam and its reservoir offers nice scenery for picnics or camping.
The fun starts with 162 stone steps (#1), a fairly steep climb that will get you warmed up nicely. Your reward is a short set of stairs decorated with nagas and Gopura I (#3), a solitary pavilion with a fluttering Cambodian flag.
A 500-metre gently climbing avenue leads up to Gopura II (#6), another smallish pavilion, and a large boray (water cistern, #4) to the left.
Yet another avenue (somewhat shorter this time) leads to, yes, Gopura III (#9), but also the first courtyard of the temple and the first point where visitors to [[Angkor Wat]] will start feeling a sense of deja vu. Make a detour to the left side of the gopura to see relics of a more modern era, in the form of a rusting artillery gun and a few bunkers.
A short causeway decorated with nagas leads to the inevitable Gopura IV (#14) and behind it the second courtyard. On the other side of the courtyard is Gopura V aka the Galleries (#17), and beyond it the Main Sanctuary (#18), the centrepiece of the site which now houses a miniature Buddhist temple.
What makes the effort worthwhile lies just outside, so sneak out the left side to find yourself at Pei Ta Da Cliff, with a sheer 500-metre drop and a jaw-dropping vista of the Cambodian jungles below. To contemplate the view without getting sunstroke, locate the crevice that leads into a little cavern of sorts, with shade provided by the tip of the cliff overhead and, some barbed wire to spoil your pictures (and stop you from falling off).
Pha Moh I-Daeng, clearly signposted from the parking lot and only a few hundred metres up the hill, is the present Thai border and the new home of the flagpole that previously fluttered on Pei Ta Da. There are more stunning views of Cambodian jungle here, including a side view of Preah Vihear, although seen from afar the buildings blend surprisingly well into the hillside. The cliff has an interesting bas relief of three figures whose identities are still unknown. The carving is the oldest in Thailand. It seems to date from the 10th century when Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer empire, and Khmer craftsmen probably practiced here first before the real carving at Preah Vihear Sanctuary. A walkway gives easy access to the bas relief which is on an overhanging part of the cliff. On the Thai side there is also a visitor centre with models and pictures of the temple complex.
Double Stupas. Two sandstone stupas, or "chedi", cubes with round tops are west of Mor E-Dang Cliff. The stupas houses things that reflected prosperity during the period.
Don Tuan Khmer Ruins. Built during the 10th-11th century, the Khmer ruins in Ban Phume Sarol are 300 m from the Thailand-Cambodia border. A legend says a lady, Nang Nom Yai, stayed here on her way to visit a king. To get there, use Hwy 2243, and turn onto a small road at km91 and continue for 4 km.
Sra Trao or Huay Trao. The stream runs through rock plain at the foot of Mount Preah Vihear, before running through a subterranean tunnel strengthened by rock walls. It is assumed that such low land is a baray or reservoir. The stream and surroundings are now well maintained and filled with water.
Namtok and Tham Khun Sri. The three-tier waterfall, above the cave, is west of Sra Trao close to the trail to Phreah Vihear. Khun Sri Cave is gigantic and believed to be once the accommodation of Khun Sri, a nobleman who controlled rock cutting at Sra Trao for constructing the Preah Vihear Sanctuary.
Huay Kanoon Dam. 25 km from the park headquarters, the dam and its reservoir offers nice scenery for picnics or camping.
There are ramshackle assemblages of shacks at both the Thai parking lot and the Cambodian base of the hill, as well as all the way along the path up the hill in the temple area itself. These sell not only the expected T-shirts, postcards, and cans of Pepsi, but also premium cognac and cigarettes by the carton as well. It's tax-free shopping for Thais. As foreign visitors are few, expected to be besieged by little boys and girls shouting "hello" and hawking postcards, but they usually take the hint after a couple of "bye-byes".
Places to eat are rarer on the ground than drink stalls, although there are some pretty basic grill stalls towards the end of the Thai parking lot shopping shacks.
For more selection and a semblance of hygiene, there are a number of roadside restaurants on the Thai side before the park entrance, along the road from Kanthara.
Cambodia: The nearby town of Sra Ehm (20 km) provides few options for food, but quality is reasonable. Most rice restaurants are loosely based around the main roundabout. There is a boutique hotel that can be reached from both road 2965 and 62 and has both a Western menu and English-speaking staff.
Drink stalls are ubiquitous along the trail.
Preah Vihear is the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, and several soldiers on both sides were killed in clashes in 2008, 2009 & 2011. In Nov 2013 the UN's International Court of Justice ruled that the temple area and most of the disputed land were sovereign Cambodian territory. Thai officials pledged to abide by the ruling.
Land mines remain a real danger in the area, although the temple itself and the access paths have been painstakingly cleared by the HALO Trust. Stay on the beaten path, don't venture into any vegetation which has not been cleared recently, and heed the red warning signs, painted rocks and strings marking the limits of the demined area.
The cliffs are steep and no provisions are made to protect you from your carelessness. Keep a very close eye on children.
- In Si Saket Province on the Thai side of the border, the Temple of a Million Bottles (Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew - more commonly known as Wat Lan Khuad) near Khun Han is a worthwhile detour.
Anlong Veng to the west. Beng Melea to the south.
In Si Saket Province on the Thai side of the border, the Temple of a Million Bottles (Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew - more commonly known as Wat Lan Khuad) near Khun Han is a worthwhile detour.