Sambor Prei Kuk

Sambor Prei Kuk belongs to the Pre-Angkorian Chenla Kingdom which ruled Cambodia between the late 6th to the 9th century. The north group of monuments indicate that they existed before this period. The site was later conquered by Chenla King Isanavarman I, who renamed the city as Isanapura after establishing it as his capital. It served as the central royal sanctuary and inhabited more than 20,000 people during his reign.

The King built many administrative buildings, temples and other complexes during this period in Sambor Prei Kuk. The inscriptions found on the site provide details of all his construction works and social life. It was declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1993 and is considered to be one of the oldest archaeological sites in SE Asia.

The monuments of Sambor Prei Kuk are located on the eastern bank of the Tonle Sap lake, close to the Stueng Saen River. They are divided into three groups, and each of them has a square outer wall made of bricks. The buildings of Sambor Prei Kuk have a simple exterior, unlike the Angkor structures with multiple enclosures.

The material used is mainly brick, but sandstone has also been used. The structures are from various periods and hence exhibit different architectural patterns. They are entirely different from Angkor ruins, with the bigger halls and spacious galleries.

There are also more structures within the temples, including Prasats, Shiva Lingams, Yonis, ponds and reservoirs. Among the notable features are octagonal towers and many lion sculptures found very commonly.

A unique characteristic found in these monuments are the Flying Palaces or Flying Temples, which have intricate stone carvings depicting the lives of ordinary people and the King. They are mostly located in these octagonal towers.

• Visit the temple, preferably in the early morning or late afternoon for pleasant weather.
• Carry your passport with you as you are required to show that to get your entry tickets.
• Get an umbrella, good shoes, and enough water with you as the place needs a bit of walking around and climbing in the sun.
• There are not many options for eating and drinking.
• It is better to carry some snacks and water.
• There are no ATMs here, and all transactions are carried out only in cash. Carry sufficient cash while travelling.
• There are also no public toilets near the premises.

• The closest city to reach Sambor Prei Kuk is Kompong Thom.
• There are many minivans and buses available from all major cities like Kep, Kampot, Siem Reap, Kratie and Phnom Penh. It takes between 4 to 6 hours, depending on the city of departure and costs between 20 to 30 USD per person.
• From Kampong Thom, you can reach Sambor Prei Kuk by renting taxis which would cost about 30 USD for a one-way trip that can be shared.
• It takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to reach. You can also get there by renting a motorbike or a Tuk-Tuk, which would cost between 10 to 20 USD per person and takes about an hour.