Thala Boravit Ruins

Now little more than a dusty riverside village, Thala Boravit (also spelled Tala Boriwat) was an important trading town during the Chenla period in the 7th century CE. It sat on the river route linking the ancient city of Champasak and the holy temple of Wat Phu, in modern-day Laos, with the southern part of the Chenla Empire centred on Sambor Prei Kuk.

The main draw is the ruins of Prasat Preah Ko, the “Temple of the Sacred Bull”. The name is something of a misnomer: the largely ruined brick temple retains a nearly intact statue of Nandin, the bull that served as the mount of the god Shiva, and its true name may be Prasat Preah Srey, though neither the signs nor local opinion agree.

Reached by a short boat ride from Stung Treng, Thala Boravit makes a relaxed one-to-two-hour trip. Wandering the dusty streets it is hard to picture the town in its former glory, but visitors pass a number of interesting shophouses on the way to the Chenla-era Prasat Preah Ko and the more modern Wat Tala Boriwat.

Thala Boravit is generally accessed from provincial towns near Phnom Penh or Siem Reap depending on the exact location; travel usually requires a combination of paved and unpaved roads. Hiring a local driver or joining a regional tour is recommended for reliable transport.

• If visiting the ruin, hire a local Angkorian guide to explain iconography and local folklore.
• Combine the site with nearby provincial attractions to make regional travel more efficient.
• Respect active religious spaces: some carvings and precincts may still host offerings and cannot be photographed closely.