The Lost Plateau of Phnom Kulen

According to one local legend, during the initiation ceremony of King Jayavarman II, held on the top of Mount Phnom Kulen, one of the greatest Hindu gods, Shiva, appeared to the ruler and gave him a symbol of divine origin and power. Since then, these places have become sacred to the population from here, in fact, it was here that the great Angkor Empire was born.

On the territory of the national park, a river flows, at the bottom of which images of the lingam, a phallic symbol presented to King Shiva, are carved, and then breaks into a twenty-five-meter waterfall, in which you can swim.

It is believed that water, flowing through the lingams, acquires amazing properties, so do not be surprised if you then come to strange visions. In the XIV century, Buddhist monks came here and founded a monastery, operating to this day. One of the main symbols of the monastery is carved on the top of the rock eight-meter image of the Buddha going into nirvana.

Here you can walk through the jungle and see the cells in which hermit monks once lived, lie in a hammock by a murmuring river, and then understand that happiness is in us, you just need to be able to open it!