'City of the dead' in Cambodia

Once the center of power in Cambodia for more than two centuries, Oudong today quietly nestles among the hills. It is home to 16 royal tombs and a series of undiscovered relics.

Visitors can stand on top of Oudong and look out over the surrounding villages. Photo: Sebastian Wasek .

After years of leading tours around Cambodia, tour guide Nao Sok always has one answer when asked, "What is the most underrated destination?"

That is the ancient capital Oudong.

About 35 km from Phnom Penh, Oudong was the capital of Cambodia from 1618 to the mid-1860s. Although the royal court has been gone for more than 150 years, it still holds a special place for the Cambodian royal family.

On the sacred hill complex are a series of stupas, Buddha statues, antiquities and sophisticated religious architecture. The entire area has 16 stupas preserving the remains of Cambodian kings through many periods. CNN calls this place "the city of the dead".

The secret never revealed

The path to the top of the hill with more than 500 steps is filled with colors, from Buddhist flags hanging along the path, people placing offerings of fruit and fresh flowers, to monks in orange robes quietly crossing green rice fields to enter the temple.

During its heyday, Oudong was known as the “city of a thousand pagodas”. On the 93-meter-high hilltop, the most prominent structure is the silver temple shining like lace, with intricate carvings of elephants – symbols of strength and longevity. Inside is a prominent gilded Buddha statue.

Nearby, a stone stupa with tall pillars and four Buddha faces facing the four directions. From afar, they are faintly visible behind the tall trees, creating a feeling of both sacredness and mystery, especially on foggy days.

The hilltop complex at Oudong is home to several ornate Buddhist stupas, as well as sacred relics, sculptures and artifacts. Photo: Travel Cambodia.

Although a popular picnic spot for Phnom Penh residents, Oudong remains relatively unknown to international tourists. Many often pass through the capital to visit Angkor Wat or go to neighboring countries such as Vietnam.

The war left many areas devastated and reconstruction uneven, so Oudong still has values ​​that have not been fully revealed. Unlike the vast Angkor Wat that takes several days to explore , Oudong only takes a few hours to visit.

In 2020, Cambodia nominated Oudong for UNESCO World Heritage listing but it has not been approved.

According to experts, the area includes not only the hill and the monasteries at its foot, but also the neighboring Longvek citadel. All of this creates a large complex with many layers of value.

Golden Temple in the ancient capital of Oudong. Photo: Expedia.

Expectations change thanks to tourism

Tour guide Nao Sok recommends visitors to Oudong early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat and admire the sunrise over the hill complex.

He suggests spending a full day combining a visit to the Vipassana Meditation Center, Oudong Market and a local homestay or restaurant to get a feel for the daily life of Cambodians.

Compared to Angkor Wat, Oudong is much more “rustic”, with no souvenir stalls, shops or vending machines. Admission is free, there are no signs or maps, and phone reception is sometimes spotty.

Tour companies like Asia Desk provide air-conditioned vehicles, English-speaking guides, water and snacks. When entering temples or meditation centers, visitors are required to cover their shoulders and knees.

Cambodia opened the $2 billion Techno International Airport in October. Photo: Reuters, Arch Daily.

British writer Marissa Carruthers, who has lived in Phnom Penh since 2012, often takes friends to Oudong whenever they visit.

One often overlooked tourist attraction, she said, is the memorial to the victims of the Khmer Rouge, which killed at least 1.7 million Cambodians in the late 1970s.

Although it is a different colour from the ornate stupas, Carruthers said the site "should be visited to pay respect to the painful past".

"Coming to Oudong is a chance to see a part of Cambodia's history without being jostled, to chat with locals and take great photos," she said.

Previously, the Cambodian government said it would boost investment in tourism infrastructure to attract international visitors, including adding large-scale cultural heritage sites.

Phnom Penh's new $2 billion international airport opened earlier this year, part of a multi-year strategy to bring tourists to the little-known southern provinces.

Source: https://znews.vn/thanh-pho-nguoi-chet-o-campuchia-post1606384.html