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Make tracks for Koh Ker. Another two and a bit hours of bone rattling roads. I doze off occasionally, but am shaken awake by the car bouncing through pot holes. Give up, and watch the countryside whizz past. Terrain has changed from dry baked dust, to dry scrub land. Neat, rectangular huts on stilts are set in one row, either side of the road. The houses are concrete, with tile roofs. They are tiny, but some have had extra rooms added on as the family has come into more money. These were built by the government, for the military families in the area. “One house per family, with a small plot of land”, Devid explains.
Arrive at the ticket office. Another big shiny toilet block. The facilities for tourists and traveling groups are impressive. Beyond what I had expected. Collect tickets, turn right and head down the road. The bitumen falls away and the road changes to a corrugated, red dirt track through the scrubby jungle. Pull up near some restaurants and stalls selling the usual tourist knick-knacks – pants, scarves and fresh coconuts. The sun is beginning to sink into a deep orange, slowly disappearing behind the trees.
Koh Ker is still lost to the jungle. We pick through the temple complex on a boardwalk for the most part; Koh Ker is not under renovation but wooden frames have been built to help slow the deterioration of the structures. In some parts, the covered walkways have toppled to one side, the enormous sandstone pillars lying like fallen dominoes. Carvings of apsara dancers peer out from the moss-covered stonework, some missing facial features and others as perfect as the day they were struck. We leave the galleries and walkway, and the man-made mountain rises before us. Breathtaking.
It looks more Mayan than it does Khmer. Seven levels, terraced with enormous stone blocks. Someone is posing for a photo on the top, their small silhouette cast by the sinking sun. Sandstone blocks that have long since tumbled from the structure rest in the grass, like a toddler’s building blocks. Stairs lead straight up the middle, unsteady and uneven. We aren’t able to use these anymore, but instead make our way to a wooden staircase on the northern side of the building. So. Many. Steps.
But so worth it. The view from the top stretches across the jungle, for as far as the afternoon smoke haze will allow. The jungle is a patchwork of greens and yellows, and the occasional Khmer temple top peeking out. Cicadas buzz at an ear piercing decibel, cool breeze swirls across the top. In the middle, there is a hole that seemingly has no bottom. Its purpose is still unknown. Locals have dropped coconuts down the hole, which showed up in the Siem Reap River. There are rumors that someone has entered the hole to attempt to find out, but never resurfaced and was never found. I vote we stay away from the edge of the hole. A few locals have made the climb and have spread out a picnic for themselves. This is a popular place to see sunset, according to Devid. I don’t doubt it.
Time to head back to Siem Reap. We have considerable distance to travel, and the roads aren’t exactly “nighttime friendly”. First, a stop at Neang Khmaw – the Temple of the Black Lady. Built out of black sandstone, not burnished by fire. It is striking and well-preserved. We take a moment to walk around the outside, but the mosquitoes almost carry us away. I’m busy swearing and slapping at the bugs (dengue and malaria is a risk in this region) when Devid points out the sun. “Cat… please look”. Against a paintbox sky of pink, blue and purple, the sun has turned an impressive shade of red-orange, and is framed perfectly by the jungle. Its a pretty spectacular end to what’s been a pretty spectacular day.
Things to note:
- Moderate level of fitness required to tackle the stairs at Preah Vihear and Koh Ker. They are big, some are uneven and there’s a lot of them. Take it easy!
- Mozzies are hectic in the jungle at Koh Ker. You are gonna need some industrial-strength bug spray.
- Sunsets are epic. Consider packing a picnic.
You can find more of my diary entries on Cambodia under “Thoughts”.
