Oudong

Unfortunately, the strategic location of the hills led to the destruction of many historic structures as aerial bombing and intense fighting occurred there during the 1970’s, evidence of which can be seen at the monument near the base of the mountain featuring a tower of human remains: victims of the Khmer Rouge.

In addition to the religious and historical monuments that remain, Oudong is a popular weekend resort area for Cambodians who lounge around in hundreds (perhaps thousands) of hammocks where they are served a variety of inexpensive local food and drink.

Oudong is part of Kampong Spae Province, an area known for its well-preserved traditional villages and mountainous countryside. Foreign visitors are relatively rare, though there are a few resorts and attractions nearby that can make up an interesting day-trip, including a silversmith-village and a couple of unique temples: one-modern-and-extravagant, one-ancient-and-unique. For those looking to get a more intensive local experience without venturing too far from Phnom Penh, home stay arrangements are possible in certain areas near Oudong.

Other nearby Udong attractions include Ampe Phnom a resort area boasting beautiful forests, a river with a suspension bridge, and a hilltop pagoda that hosts seasonal festivals; and the hot springs in the Te Mountains, which can be reached by continuing along the highway away from Phnom Penh.

How to Visit

As you approach Phnom Oudong, the road forks: the main entrance is to the left, on the east side of the larger hill, while a quieter back entrance and a large new temple is to the right.

If you follow the road to the right, it leads to a less crowded approach to the hilltops and passes a modern guilded Buddhist temple beside which lies a massive reservoir of water with a statue of lady Ramsay Sok atop a crocodile in the center; this temple, belonging to the Vipassana Dhura Center of Cambodia is certainly one of the most beautiful in Cambodia. An enormous seated Buddha decorated with mosaic tiles is enshrined in the interior of the hall, surrounded by large murals depicting scenes from the Buddhas life on the walls and ceiling. In the small, two story chapel behind the large temple hall there is a mummified monk who passed away in 2003.

Across from the entrance to the modern temple there is a steep road that leads to the northern approach of Phnom Preah Reach-Trop (Hill of the Royal Fortune). This is not the standard approach to the temple (which is from the East) but it is a quieter path that passes a few pretty cool sights. If you have a driver, you may want to ask him to drop you at the top of the hill and then meet you an hour or so later near the bottom of the eastern stairs (get his phone number if you can ~ or meet him ‘by the hammocks’ and hope for the best!)

As you ascend the hill from the northeast you will pass a number of funerary stupas. These house the remains of royal family members. The largest stupa as you near the top, whose silver spire rises above the others, is the Buddha Stupa, commissioned by King Norodom Sihanouk, and believed to enshrine several Buddha relics, perhaps a tooth and some bones or an eyebrow hair.

If you climbed from the back or the main stair, after ascending some 500 stairs to the Buddha Stupa, you can return down the southeast stairs or follow the trail along the ridge to stupas for the remains of King Srei Soryapor (R.1603-1618) and either Soraypor’s queen or King Ang Duong,(R.1845-1859), one of post-Angkor Cambodia’s greatest kings (somewhat oddly, there seems to be no consensus on this!)

If you choose to continue south, down the ridge to Vihear Preah Ath Roes and then descend from there along an old, uneven laterite-stone stairway, the trail that ends near the east side of the smaller hill: a short walk to the main parking/hammock area.

The first stupa along the stairway down the ridge, is the Bayon-inspired shrine of King Monivong (r. 1927-1941). Below the stupa there are a number of smaller shrines dedicated to a variety of hindu deities and ancestral spirits (neak ta).

These shrines often feature curious figurines of humans, as well as dolls, sacred stones, and other objects, some of which are offerings to the spirits that inhabit the objects. One such shrine is dedicated to a Cambodian general or Buddhist monk (depending on whom you ask) and two are in honor of the brothers Preah Keo and Preah Ko: one man, one bull. Many of the temples that once stood here were destroyed by bombing, including Vihear Preah Ath Roes, the Buddhist temple at the clearing atop the hill, which is currently undergoing restoration.

Construction of Vihear Preah Ath Roes began only in 2008. The last temple to stand here (also once the location of the Royal Palace) was blown up by Khmer Rouge in 1977. There is a large seated Buddha inside the temple is a reconstructed image to replace the one destroyed in the bombing.

From Vihear Preah Ath Roes, there are stairs leading down to the east, after which the trail connects with the road around the base of the hill. Walk to your left and you will return to the main parking area in a few minutes.

If you are having trouble finding your driver, find an empty hammock-shack and order a coconut, some beers, or even a full meal. The number of hammocks and restaurants is astonishing, and if you are here during the week you can only imagine what a crowd the area must draw on weekends and holidays!