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Kbal Spean

Angkor | Kulen Hills, Siem Reap, Cambodia
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Ranked #20 of 90 attractions in Siem Reap
Type: Bodies of Water, Waterfalls
Fee: Yes
Recommended length of visit: More than 3 hours
Description: 11th-century relief carvings line the stream beds along this series of waterfalls.
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180 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Phuket, Thailand
Top Contributor
55 reviews 55 reviews
37 attraction reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 June 2013 NEW

This is a very different site to the main temples of Angkor. It's not a temple at all, but rather a carved, sacred river bed. It's a long way from Siem Reap, at least one and a half hours by tuk-tuk, but worth the drive.

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See 11 more reviews by Glenn S for Siem Reap
Sydney, Australia
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
26 helpful votes 26 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 June 2013 NEW

This site is a little far out (about an hour), but not too far on from Banteay Srei which is actually a must see. At Kbal Spean you must walk 1500m and the walk is sign posted every 100m so you know how far you have to go. The walk however is quite easy and for most of it a... More

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See 3 more reviews by arthurs5 for Siem Reap
Cape Town Central, South Africa
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 June 2013 NEW

I really enjoyed my time at kbal Spean, the hike up the mountain through the jungle was great. Seeing huge boulders which seemed to be balancing on one another was incredible. Once at the top the river carvings are a sight - we were not there in rainy season so the waterfall was quite dry but we could still cool... More

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See 4 more reviews by nathaliesweet for Siem Reap
Bangkok
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 June 2013

It's a pleasant enough hike up the hill, but the carvings in the river, and the waterfall are a let-down at anything other than the height of the rainy season. We heard other people arriving saying "is this is?" Really, you need to go when there is enough water to cover the riverbed. This will transform the experience. I don't... More

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Siem Reap, Cambodia
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 June 2013

I like the visit to this area as it's full of nature. Besides enjoying the visit to the Linga and the river flow, I can do a little trek and having some nice shot around. The only issue is that, there is no water from of February till June every year. You might be dismay if you visit the site... More

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See 6 more reviews by AngkorDestinati... T for Siem Reap
Bangkok, Thailand
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
11 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 June 2013

The hundreds of lingas (symbol of Lord Shiva) all over the riverbed were a unique sight! To complete the picture, there was one big yoni. There were also some carvings of Lord Vishnu on stones on the riverbed, which may not be visible during the rainy season. There is a 1.5km walk/trek through the jungle to get there, which is... More

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See 4 more reviews by loveleen817 for Siem Reap
Auckland Region, New Zealand
Top Contributor
59 reviews 59 reviews
34 attraction reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
21 helpful votes 21 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 June 2013

Kbal Spean is worth a visit because it is so different from the others. It's not actually a temple but a series of carvings along the riverbed to a small waterfall. Take a 45-60 minute hike up the mountainside to this remote, spiritual spot and get off the beaten path in Angkor. Not many visitors so you have peace and... More

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See 7 more reviews by filmchick81 for Siem Reap
Burnie, Australia
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
6 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 June 2013

I loved getting away from the crowds and hiking up the very well marked trail to see the waterfall and carvings. While the car park area was a bit of tourist trap, the hike itself left all of that behind. Hired a car for the day to visit Banteay Srei & Kbal Spean.

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See 5 more reviews by TrudyDu for Siem Reap
Hyderabad, India
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 June 2013

The hike up the hill was a little strenuous ( for me not my kids) but the sight of the shiva lingas and other carvings made it worthwhile. The ice cold stream with the waterfall on the way down was refreshing after the hot sweaty walk up hill. The gnarled roots and vines made us feel as if we were... More

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See 2 more reviews by Ganlay for Siem Reap
Ahmedabad
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 May 2013

Dont go here just to look for Sahastraling-shivalings. Its a wonderful excurions and a nice climb. See it more as a small trek in Cambodian jungles - with some views looking straight out of Avatar!

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See 2 more reviews by shyamparekh for Siem Reap

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