An hour and a half north of Siem Reap, the road climbs into a deep green plateau the Khmer call Phnom Kulen, the ‘Mountain of Lychees’. This is where, in 802 CE, King Jayavarman II declared himself a god-king and the Khmer Empire was born. Today it is a national park of waterfalls, river carvings and forest pagodas, and one of the most refreshing day trips you can take from Siem Reap.
The road up and why the early start matters
We leave Siem Reap by 7:30 am. The mountain road is one-way: traffic goes up until 11 am, then comes down until 5 pm. Starting early means cool air, fewer vehicles, and a full morning at the top.
The road winds through cashew and lychee orchards, with views that open up over the plain back toward Angkor.
Preah Ang Thom: the reclining Buddha
Our first stop is Preah Ang Thom, an 8-metre Buddha carved directly into a single sandstone boulder at the top of the mountain. It is the largest reclining Buddha in Cambodia and an active pilgrimage site; expect incense, monks chanting, and families leaving lotus offerings.
Cover your shoulders and knees here; the temple takes its sacredness seriously.
Kbal Spean, the river of 1000 lingas
A short drive away, the Stung Kulen riverbed is carved with hundreds of lingas and reliefs of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva. The carvings are underwater for most of the year, blessing the water that flows down to Angkor and the rice fields below.
Walking the river is gentle: clean rock, shallow pools, dappled light. Bring sandals you do not mind wetting.
The waterfall and a cold swim
The main attraction is the two-tier waterfall. The upper falls are a wide curtain you can stand beside; the lower falls thunder 15 metres into a deep, cold pool where you can - and should - swim.
Changing huts and food stalls line the path down. We bring towels and dry clothes in the vehicle so you can swim properly without worrying about the ride home.
Lunch on the mountain and the way down
Lunch is a slow Khmer plate at a family-run hut above the falls: grilled chicken, fresh mango salad, sticky rice, and the best ice-cold coconut you will have all week.
We start the drive down by 2 pm. On request, we can stop at the Lion Statues in the jungle, a quiet, lesser-known site of 9th-century guardians watching over the forest.
Practical tips from our driver-guides
|
