Wat Ek Phnom Temple

Address: Wat Ek Phnom, Battambang province, Cambodia

Admission: Small local donation or modest entrance fee may apply

Wat Ek Phnom is a ruined Khmer temple complex near Battambang in northwestern Cambodia, consisting of late 11th-century style stone structures alongside a large modern Buddha statue. The site combines archaeological ruins with contemporary religious practice.

Visitors can view remaining lintels and carved stonework at the ruined temple complex and the nearby modern shrine area where a large Buddha statue has been erected. The ruins are modest in scale compared with major Angkor monuments but are accessible by road and attract local visitors and tourists interested in regional Khmer architecture.

The temple dates from the Angkorian period and has survived in a partly ruined state; in recent decades a modern Buddhist shrine has been added close to the ruins and the site functions both as an archaeological point of interest and an active religious place.

Situated in Battambang province close to main roads north of the provincial capital, the site lies in lowland agricultural country and is readily reached by vehicle.

• Modern statue and visibility: A large modern Buddha statue sits near the ruined Khmer temple and is visible from the adjacent road, making the site easy to find.

Wat Ek Phnom is reachable by road from Battambang town (about 15-30 minutes by tuk-tuk or motorbike depending on exact location). Local transport options include tuk-tuk hires and motorbike taxis; ask locally for the simplest route.

• Visit the small modern reclining Buddha nearby for photographs and to see how locals use the site.
• Combine Wat Ek Phnom with a trip to Phnom Sampeau for a longer archaeological day in the Battambang area.
• Bring insect repellent - the temple area has shady parts where mosquitoes gather.

About 15km northwest of Battambang, Wat Ek Phnom is one of the province’s most visited temple complexes. The grounds hold both a modern Buddhist temple and an Angkor-era Hindu temple, along with several ponds and a large seated Buddha, and are popular with locals who picnic here on weekends and holidays, especially at Khmer New Year in mid-April, when there are bands, games, and food stalls.

The modern Wat, built in 1999, replaced a succession of earlier temples said to date back some 700 years. Behind it stands the laterite and sandstone Hindu temple, dating to the 11th century, possibly 1027, during the reign of Suryavarman I. Though largely in ruins, it preserves inscriptions on one of the doorways and some carved lintels, including a Churning of the Sea of Milk.

To enter the older temple, visitors must climb through a window or one of several crumbling doorways, which adds to the sense of adventure. Time and war have taken their toll, with damage attributable to both Siamese invaders and the Khmer Rouge; curiously, although thought to honour Shiva, the temple is oriented westward, whereas most Shiva temples face east.