Phnom Kulen

ឧទ្យានជាតិភ្នំគូលេន (Phnom Kulen National Park)

The mountain where the Khmer empire began, with a swimming waterfall

⚠ Separate US$20 fee

Hours

Head up early in the morning. Check exact opening hours before you go

Tickets

US$20 for foreigners, not covered by the Angkor Pass (2025 figure; sold through hotels, tour desks or at the mountain). Check on site

Address

Phnom Kulen National Park, about 1.5 hours by car from Siem Reap

In 802 Jayavarman II proclaimed himself god-king on this mountain, and that's taken as the founding moment of the Angkor empire. It's still a holy place for Cambodians and fills with family picnics at weekends. Up top, lingas carved into a riverbed shimmer under the current, and a monastery shelters a reclining Buddha cut straight out of a boulder, reached by a flight of steps. Then the waterfall: water falls in two tiers into a pool where plenty of people swim, and the usual end to the day is a hammock at a food stall and a plate of fried noodles.