Kbal Spean ('Head of the Bridge') is the 'River of a Thousand Lingas' — a stretch of the Stung Kbal Spean river 50 kilometres north of Siem Reap (beyond Banteay Srei) where 11th and 12th-century Khmer craftsmen carved hundreds of Shiva lingams, yoni bases, and scenes from Hindu mythology directly into the sandstone riverbed. The water flowing over the carvings was believed to be sanctified and brought fertility to the rice paddies downstream.
Reaching the site requires a 1.5-kilometre jungle hike uphill from the car park — genuinely steep in sections, with slippery rocks when wet — and is best combined with a Banteay Srei visit on the same day. The carvings are most visible and dramatic when the water level is low (December-April); in the rainy season the details are obscured. The nearby Phnom Kulen waterfall is a good extended-day pairing.
Verified Facts
Kbal Spean is 50 kilometres north of Siem Reap
The carvings date from the 11th and 12th centuries
The site is reached by a 1.5-kilometre jungle hike
Water over the carvings was believed to be sanctified
Get walking directions
Kbal Spean, Banteay Srei District
