Buzz
The Sambor Prei Kuk temple area in Cambodia, dating back to the 16th-17th century, has recently been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, drawing a large number of tourists for exploration.
Travel enthusiasts rush to explore Cambodia's new cultural gem
Foreign visitors to Cambodia often head straight to the Angkor Wat temple complex – one of the world's most famous wonders. However, on July 8, UNESCO added the name Sambor Prei Kuk, also known as the 'temple in the lush forest,' to the list of new heritage sites.
Located 206 km north of the capital Phnom Penh, this area houses numerous temples, including 10 octagonal-shaped ones. UNESCO states that Sambor Prei Kuk is identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the ancient Chenla empire. It was a thriving Khmer civilization in the late 6th and 7th centuries, predating the Khmer empire.
Alongside the Angkor Archaeological Park and the Preah Vihear temple on the Thailand-Cambodia border, this region is recognized as a new World Heritage cultural site.
Tourists started flocking to Sambor Prei Kuk on July 15. A couple even took their wedding photos here.
“This place has been recognized as a world heritage site. I hope the locals benefit greatly from this. We appreciate our ancestors for building and preserving this structure for us until today,” shared temple caretaker Sem Norm, who has been looking after the temple since 1994.
Some hope that tourism will boost the local economy.
“With more and more tourists coming here, locals can increase income by selling souvenirs, and the younger ones can easily learn English,” said tourist Uch Srey Leakhena.
The number of visitors to Cambodia has increased by 5%, reaching 5 million in 2016. It is estimated that around 5.5 million tourists will visit the country this year.
Source: Zing News
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourJuly 20, 2017
