Kbal Spean Cambodia Highlights

Kbal Spean really is a work of art in the true sense of the word. First came the part of Mother Nature, creating the series of tributaries at the base of the Kulen mountains within beautiful Cambodia countryside, and then more intricate mastery came from the ancient Khmer craftsmen who created a series of carvings on none other than the bed (and banks depending on season) of a river, stretching over 150 meters. What makes the whole thing more impressive is the fact that this area of water starts at one end with a 'natural bridge' (a sandstone block which crosses the river and has a channel which has been created by the natural erosion caused by the flow of water), and finishes with a small, but beautifully formed waterfall.

The carvings themselves are very intricate, and amazingly have survived the test of time despite their location submerged directly in, or on the banks of the river. Directly on the river bed are a collection of over 1000 lingas arranged in rows, and this gives Kbal Spean its name in Sanskrit, 'River of a Thousand Lingas'.