Ba Phnom lies in a rural region of eastern Cambodia and is one of the earliest and most sacred religious sites in Cambodia. A temple here was founded as early as the 5th century and many believe it was the birthplace of Cambodia.
The main attraction at Ba Phnom is the near 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear Chann temple, which was a place of pilgrimage for various kings through the Angkor-era up until 19th century, at which time human sacrifices still taking place at the site.
Inscriptions from the Angkor era indicate the importance of Ba Phnom as each king traveled both here and to Phnom Kulen in order to participate in religious ceremonies to initiate their rule. Sadly there is little to see of the original today as the temple has been largely destroyed and rebuilt in a less than impressive way.
Ba Phnom was also unfortunately one of the locations of Khmer Rouge atrocities in the 1970s, where something like 17,000 people were slaughtered and buried in mass graves. A memorial at Phnom Kamphlok depicts the atrocities.
Getting There
Ba Phnom is not far from Phnom Penh and lies on the Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City, National Road 1. Buses leave Phnom Penh throughout the day and you can be here within the hour. The nearest airport is Phnom Penh’s international airport.
Need to Know
- Nearest Town: 30 km from Prey Veng, the capital city of Prey Veng Province.
- What to do: visit Preah Vihear Chann temple and several small pagodas and the genocide memorial
- Best time to go: during the November through March dry season.
- How long?: A few hours in Ba Phnom is enough time to see the main temple.
- Trivia: Ba Phnom is considered the birthplace of Cambodia.
- Open hours: Standard daylight hours