Phnom Kulen National Park

Phnom Kulen National Park's Absolute Essentials

Phnom Kulen National Park is the site where King Jayavarman II declared independence from Java in 802 AD, marking the birth of the Khmer Empire. This sacred plateau features the 'River of a Thousand Lingas,' where 11th-century Hindu carvings line the riverbed of Kbal Spean. The park contains the 16th-century Preah Ong Thom pagoda with its massive reclining Buddha, alongside remote 9th-century brick temples and life-sized sandstone monoliths like the Sras Dam Rey elephant statue.