Cambodia - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 458

At the nearby Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.accb-
cambodia.org ; donation US$3;

tours 1pm Mon-Sat) , trafficked animals are nursed back to

health.

Phnom Kulen
(admission US$20) The most sacred mountain in Cambodia, Phnom Kulen (487m) is where
Jayavarman II proclaimed himself a devaraja (god-king) in AD 802, giving birth to Cam-
bodia. It's a popular place of pilgrimage during weekends and festivals; the views it af-
fords are absolutely tremendous.
At no point during a visit to Phnom Kulen should you leave well-trodden paths, as there
may be landmines in the area.
Phnom Kulen is 50km from Siem Reap and 15km from Banteay Srei. The road toll is
US$20 per foreign visitor; none of this goes towards preserving the site. It is possible to
buy a cheaper entrance ticket to Phnom Kulen for US$12 from the City Angkor Hotel in
Siem Reap.

MOUNTAIN

Beng Mealea
(admission US$5) Built by Suryavarman II to the same floor plan as Angkor Wat, Beng
Mealea is the Titanic of temples, utterly subsumed by jungle. Nature has well and truly
run riot here. Jumbled stones lie like forgotten jewels swathed in lichen, and the galleries
are strangled by ivy and vines.
Beng Mealea is about 65km northeast of Siem Reap on a sealed toll road.

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

HINDU TEMPLE

Koh Ker
(admission US$10) Abandoned to the forests of Preah Vihear Province to the north, Koh Ker,
capital of the Angkorian empire from AD 928 to AD 944, is now within day-trip distance
of Siem Reap. Most visitors start at Prasat Krahom , where impressive stone carvings grace
lintels, doorposts and slender window columns. The principal monument is Mayan-look-
ing Prasat Thom , a 55m-wide, 40m-high sandstone-faced pyramid whose seven tiers offer
spectacular views across the forest. However, access to the top of Prasat Thom is currently
prohibited for safety reasons.
The area around Koh Ker was heavily mined during the war, but by 2008 most mines
had been cleared. However, considering what's at stake, it's best to err on the side of cau-
tion. Do not stray from previously trodden paths or wander off into the forest.
Koh Ker is 127km northeast of Siem Reap (car hire around US$90, 2½ hours).