Cambodia’s Phnom Bakheng sits atop a hill that rises above the famous Angkor Gardens, and lately, it has become one of the most popular sites to visit within the park. A climb up here will not only let you observe the fascinating Buddhist and Hindu structures of the temple, but it’ll also net you a fantastic view of the majestic Angkor Wat!
The Way There
The Angkor Park is less than 500m away from the south of Angkor Thom, an area teeming with several resorts and hotels. Siem Reap, Cambodia has a host of accommodation options for this area, for example, there’s the FCC Angkor by Avani. You’ll also want to arrive at the path up to Phnom Bakheng to avoid the worst of the crowds and get a good view from the Wat from up high.
The Way Up
Once you reach the foot of the hill that contains the temple, you’ll find a small sandy path that winds its way up the side of the hill – this will take you all the way up to the temple grounds. The path up can be a little strenuous to traverse and there will be plenty of bugs, so remember to bring some bug spray. You might be tempted to take a ride on one of the elephants you’ll find by the hill, but it’s best to avoid this – elephants go through a tremendous amount of abuse in the Thai tourism industry.
The History of the Temple
The Phnom Bakheng was constructed before the Angkor Wat – at least two centuries prior in fact. During this time, historians believe that the Phnom Bakheng was the primary place of worship and reverence in the Angkor region. Many years after its construction, the site was converted to a Buddhist temple and statues of the Buddha sitting and reclining were created, though unfortunately, these are now missing.
The Story of the Structures
The Phnom Bakheng is meant to symbolise the legendary Mount Meru – the home of the mighty Hindu gods. The seven heavens are represented by the seven levels that make up the pyramid of the temple. The site also had 108 towers on its upper levels, these were representative of each day in between the 4 lunar phases.
