Countries Information
Kbal Spean or the "River of a Thousand Lingas"
Kbal Spean is a unique place to visit. It is a carved riverbed, set in the jungle, northeast of Angkor. It is commonly referred to in English as the "River of a 1000 Lingas". Lingas and Hindu gods are carved into the riverbed. The water flowing down the river would thus be blessed by the carvings before reaching Angkor.
It is nice to visit this place because it is a welcome change from all the Angkor ruins and a pleasant walk in the jungle. It takes about forty minutes of walking from the entrance (car park) to reach the beautiful carvings and the waterfall. Several years ago there weren’t even any signs, therefore it wasn’t clear where to start your visit. The advantage was that you still had the feeling to discover something new. This has all changed, more and more visitors put this place on their itinerary. There are brand new toilets and signs everywhere and there are more and more restaurants at the parking place. This isn’t necessary a negative development, the future will tell us. More disturbing is that in recent years some of the unique carvings were damaged or stolen.
The waterfall here is best seen at the end of the rainy season. At the top of the falls are numerous carved figures and animals This site has only been opened up to tourism since 1998 and is less crowded than the nearby Phnom Koulen. This Hindu Pilgrimage site predates Angkor Wat by some 200 years; making it one of the most ancient sites in the region.
Kbal Spean is looked after very well. The marked trail is a very attractive route through atmospheric jungle. The path is steep with some well maintained steps. Sounds of birds and wildlife with hundreds of butterflies enhance the visit which is at its best in the rainy season or early in the dry season from May to December. From February the river dries up and the falls become just a trickle.
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