Preah Vihear is like nothing else you’ll see in Cambodia because of its fine art and architecture. Our tour will start early in the morning and we will travel about 100km from Siem Reap to Preah Vihear province. It is a mountain temple that was built on the Dangrek mountain range, it is considered a sacred mountain “Meru” – the place for all gods of Hindu.
The purpose of building Preah Vihear was as a dedication to the supreme god Shiva. The construction of Preah Vihea temple took 300 years to be completed -during the reigns of king Yasovarman I, king Suryavarman I and finally king Suryavarman II, the founder of Angkor Wat temple.
There were some conflicts in the past between Cambodia and Thailand about the ownership of the temple. In 1968, the International court of Justice made a declaration on Preah Vihear temple and the surrounding area of the temple that it is owned by Cambodia. The dispute happened again from 2008 to 2011 and led to both sides using armed force. In 2013, ICJ made the final rule over the dispute and declared the temple as belonging to Cambodia and Thai soldiers should leave the area.
Today, the temple is safe to visit, and it became a UNESCO Heritage Site on July 8th 2008. It is highly recommended to visit Preah Vihear because of the stunning view from the top of the mountain and the fine Angkorian art that will bring you a wonderful-memorable moment in your life.
