PREAH VIHEAR: During October, Koh Ker Temple welcomed over 20,000 visitors, eager to see Cambodia’s most recently inscribed World Heritage Site.

According to the National Authority report on the statistics of tourists visiting Preah Vihear and Koh Ker temples in October 2023, Koh Ker Temple received a total of 21,245 domestic tourists.

Meanwhile, Preah Vihear Temple welcomed 6,224 domestic visitors and 650 foreign tourists. In the past, Preah Vihear has significantly outperformed Koh Ker’s numbers as it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008. Since being inscribed on the list in September, however, the numbers of visitors to nearby Koh Ker have skyrocketed.

The Koh Ker Temple complex predates Preah Vihear and served as a capital of the Khmer Empire in the 10th century. It is home to an unparalleled seven-tiered pyramid which probable served as a state temple.

Preah Vihear is known for its magnificent vistas from a clifftop in the Dangrek Mountains, which form a natural border with Thailand. The temple was fashioned as a home for the gods and contains a number of remaining structures, including two libraries.