Northwestern Cambodia - Cambodia - page 520

Im Sokhom Travel Agency ( Click here ) rents bicycles (US$1 a day) and motorbikes
(US$5 a day).

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Around Kompong Thom

Sambor Prei Kuk

Cambodia's most impressive group of pre-Angkorian monuments, Sambor Prei Kuk
( www.samborpreikuk.com ; admission US$3) encompasses more than 100 mainly brick temples
scattered through the forest, among them some of the oldest structures in the country. Ori-
ginally called Isanapura, it was the capital of Upper Chenla during the reign of the
early-7th-century King Isanavarman and continued to serve as an important learning
centre during the Angkorian era.
The main temple area consists of three complexes, each enclosed by the remains of two
concentric walls. Their basic layout - a central tower surrounded by shrines, ponds and
gates - may have served as an inspiration for the architects of Angkor five centuries later.
Many of the original statues are now in the National Museum ( Click here ) in Phnom
Penh.
In the early 1970s, Sambor Prei Kuk was bombed by US aircraft in support of the Lon
Nol government's doomed fight against the Khmer Rouge. Some of the craters, ominously
close to the temples, can still be seen. The area's last mines were cleared in 2008.
Forested and shady, Sambor Prei Kuk today has a serene and soothing atmosphere, and
the sandy paths make for a pleasant stroll. It's well worth hiring a guide from the local
community through Isanborei to show you around (half/full day US$6/10).
The f acilities here are in line for a massive upgrade as the temple shoots for Unesco
World Heritage status. At the new entrance, near the bridge about a 500m walk from the
main ruins, is a giant handicrafts market with kramas , baskets and other products made by
local villagers.

Sights

Prasat Sambor

TEMPLE