The Lost City of Mahendraparvata

Sacred Mountain of Phnom Kulen, birthplace of an empire

Illustration of a bamboo stalk with green leaves.

We travel to Phnom Kulen to explore Mahendraparvata, the first capital of the Khmer Empire. Our visit begins at the ‘bat cave,’ a shrine complex, followed by the stone animals of Sra Damrei, including a stone elephant. At Rong Chen, Jayavarman II proclaimed himself Shiva’s earthly incarnation. We continue to Peung Tbal’s rock carvings and riverbed carvings of lingas, Shiva, and Vishnu. Finally, we visit a waterfall to cool off and Wat Preah Ang Thom, where a large reclining Buddha offers stunning jungle views.

A lush rainforest scene with a cascading waterfall flowing over rocks and surrounded by dense green foliage and tree roots.
River with clear water revealing submerged rocks and leaves floating on surface.
An elderly Buddhist monk with glasses, wearing a maroon robe, is sitting cross-legged on the floor inside a cave, holding a brush in his right hand. He is in the process of performing a religious ritual in front of several gold-colored trays and a large bowl filled with white rice. Behind him, there are statues of a seated Buddha, a standing monk, and other religious figures, with colorful paper lanterns hanging on the cave wall.
Close-up of a weathered stone sculpture of a smiling face with painted red lips and a red mark on the forehead, draped in a red cloth.