Phnom Chisor Temple: Ascending The Mountain of the Sun God
Phnom Chisor: An Ancient Hilltop Temple in Phnom Penh I love Angkor Wat, just not the large amount of tourist that lingers there, packed together like sardines in a can, where breathing fresh air is a luxury. I prefer to get off the beaten track, to feel more like an ancient explorer, not a tourist. Lucky for me, 50km from Phnom Penh lays a hidden gem from Khmer history, older than Angkor Wat, and relatively unknown to tourists; Phnom Chisor Temple, also known as Sri Suryaparvata or Suyagiri (Mountain of the Sun God) in the Angkorian period. Ascending The Mountain of the Sun God Although it is named Mountain of …
Cambodia Travel Guide: Wat Sampov Pram atop Bokor National Park in Kampot
Wat Sampov Pram atop Preah Monivong Bokor National Park Wat Sampov Pram perches at the very top of Phnom Bokor in Bokor National Park. Like many of our history, Phnom Bokor is as fascinating as it is unfortunate. A major tourist attraction, and the historical site of the dramatic showdown between the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese in 1979, Bokor National Park was sold in its entirety by the Hun Sen’s government to the Sokimex Group for $100m. Now, the hauntingly beautiful 1920 French colonial hill station, often swathed in thick fog, is the home of many large hotels and a casino. The extravagant development project …
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, The Mountain with Ten Thousand Gates
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine: Kyoto’s Number One Attraction: Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine (伏見稲荷大社), is built at the base of Inari Mountain by the Hata family in the seventh century. It is said to be the most famous of several thousand shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto God of rice. In Japan, foxes are thought to be Inari’s messengers, and as a result, there are many fox statues scattered across the shrine grounds. Over the centuries, it established itself as the primary shrine for over 30,000 Inari shrines all over Japan. Now, it is the most visited shrine—during the new years, more …
Beng Mealea: Exploring Angkor’s Most Secluded Temple
Angkor’s most secluded temple: Beng Mealea I love movies like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider where the protagonist explores hidden temples and uninhabited jungles; the anticipation of adventures, hidden treasures awaiting discovery, or even the thoughts or unforeseen dangers, what’s not to love?! So when I heard that Beng Mealea hasn’t gone through the restoration process, other than the clearing of landmines, I had to go. East of the main temple complex and about 40 km through the Cambodian countryside of endless rice paddies, orange dirt roads, palm sugar stalls and stilted bungalow galore, I went to explore Angkor’s most secluded temple. Best time to …