1 Day Tour: Preah Vihear Temple

1 Day Tour : Preah Vihear Temple

There are few temples on earth that rival Preah Vihear for architectural beauty and setting. Preah Vihear, ‘The Power of the Mountain’, rests on the very edge of the Dangrek Mountains near the Thai border and commands superb views of northern Cambodia. The entrance to the temple is a short distance from the border. A long flight of steps climbs up from the Thai side to an ornate entrance gopura that looks back towards Thailand. Beyond the gopura, a broad, paved causeway leads up to Preah Vihear’s sanctuary, built hard against the sheer sides of the Dangrek Mountains. The altitude and local topography mean Preah Vihear is often swathed in cloud, but this only adds to its aura. 

The temple bears the scars of Cambodia’s troubled past and was damaged again in 2011 during skirmishes linked to the long-running border dispute with Thailand. The temple was handed to Thailand by the French in 1954 and returned to Cambodia in 1962 following an international court ruling. Both countries still claim the territory in the immediate vicinity of the temple. In 2008 Preah Vihear was given World Heritage status by UNESCO.

The surrounding hillsides were heavily mined during the Pol Pot period and the subsequent Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia and it is important not to stray from well-marked paths. However, the temple area itself is perfectly safe and a new road up the mountain on the Cambodian side has significantly improved the quality of access. In addition, the road from Siem Reap to Anlong Veaeng was resurfaced in 2010, dramatically reducing journey times.

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