Sambor Prei Kuk (North Group / Prasat Sambor)
ប្រាសាទសំបូរព្រៃគុក
The ruins of Isanapura, the capital of Zhenla, predating Angkor by several centuries. Listed as a World Heritage Site in 2017, more than a hundred brick towers are scattered through the forest.
Sambor Prei Kuk was the capital of Isanapura under King Isanavarman I of the 7th-century Zhenla kingdom. The site is divided into three main temple groups, north, central, and south, with more than a hundred brick shrines. The North Group centers on the main shrine, Prasat Sambor, surrounded by several octagonal brick towers. Its outer walls feature “flying palace” reliefs, a decorative motif unique to this site. The forest paths are flat, and you can walk or rent a bicycle between the three groups. Seeing everything takes about half a day. Foreign visitors pay an entrance fee of about US$10, and a local guide's tip is extra. It is about 35 kilometers from Kampong Thom town, roughly 50 minutes by tuk-tuk or motorbike.
Opening hours
Approx. 07:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Prasat Tao (Lion Temple, Central Group)
- Prasat Yeay Poeun (South Group)
- Isanborei Community Homestay & Cycling
- Kampong Thom Provincial Museum
- Stung Sen Riverside
- Phnom Santuk
- Santuk Silk Farm
- Prasat Andet