Phnom Chhnork

Phnom Chhnork is a limestone outcrop rising from paddy fields north of Kampot, and inside it a chamber holds a small brick temple of the seventh century, from the Funan or early Chenla period, built where a natural shaft in the rock lets a column of daylight fall onto it. The shrine is modest, a few metres high, but its age and setting make it one of the oldest structures in the country still standing where it was built. Stalactites in the chamber have been given names and stories by the children who guide visitors through, which is the local arrangement. Steps climb to the cave mouth and a torch helps inside. It is a short trip from Kampot by tuk-tuk or bicycle through the fields.

What you actually see

• The brick shrine - a seventh-century temple standing inside the cave.
• The light shaft - daylight falling through a natural chimney onto it.
• Stalactite formations - named and explained by the village guides.
• The paddy approach - the outcrop rising from flat rice country.

When to go

November to March for the tracks; the fields flood in the rains and the approach is muddy. The light shaft works best in the middle of the day when the sun is high.

Honest expectations

Children guide visitors and expect payment, which some find uncomfortable. The cave is dark, wet and slippery and a torch is needed. The shrine is small. Steps up to the entrance are steep and uneven.

Nearby

Kampot lies south; Phnom Kampong Trach is east toward Kep.