Phnom Chhnork Cave Temple

Phnom Chhnork is a sacred limestone cave temple located about 8 kilometers from Kampot town, reached by climbing a steep stairway of 203 steps carved into the hillside. Inside the cave's soaring natural cavern, a small 5th-century brick temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva stands remarkably intact, making it one of the oldest surviving pre-Angkorian brick structures in Cambodia. The cave walls are decorated with Buddhist shrines added in more recent centuries, creating a layered spiritual history spanning over 1,500 years. Dramatic stalactites and stalagmites frame the ancient temple, and natural light filtering through a crack in the cave roof creates an atmospheric glow. Local children often serve as informal guides and demonstrate the cave's natural acoustics with striking clarity.