Preah Vihear includes elements that were built 1000 years ago, at which time the complex was originally Hindu, dedicated to Shiva, then with the rise of Buddhism it’s morphed into the complex you see today through modifications and additions by numerous kings. To beat the locals and intrepid tourists, who drive in from neighboring towns and provinces and in order to deliver an unforgettable experience Kouprey Adventures have been operating private helicopter flights to Preah Vihear in the morning or late afternoon.
Our journey starts from either Siem Reap or Phnom Penh airport where we have a few options of helicopters, most often we use Helistar and on special request we can arrange larger craft. The scenic flight passes over numerous villages, waterways, pagodas as well as idyllic countryside fields and forest before arriving below the cliffs of the temple complex. For border security reasons we touch down a short drive from the complex at our landing site where we will have delicious refreshments of French coffee, freshly squeezed juice and pastries, we also offer a complete picnic or traditional tea upon our return trip. We then climb into our vehicles, we have options of traditional open top Jeeps, Range Rovers, or local transport before our short but very steep drive up.
Preah Vihear temple is unique to Cambodia due to the diverse and tragic nature of its history, both in ancient times and during recent border conflict. We can therefore provide a local, published scholar who has studied these temples and time periods for decades to share their expertise with you. He will build a vision of the ancient Khmer Empire which once dominated the land all the way to India with their technological advancements, strategic planning and ability to wage (then) modern warfare. As this temple complex is extremely photogenic we’ve also provided professional photographers for both portraits and landscape shooting as well, perhaps even with the traditional Khmer outfits of past kings and queens.
If you found this exclusive experience interesting please also ask us about our Helicopter experiences to the lost temples including a picnic away from the crowds as well as a visit to a temple complex even the locals rarely pass due to the difficulty of traveling there. We’re also delighted to provide updates about the latest travel information in Cambodia including re-opening dates, hotel openings and closures, reopening of attractions and much more, please email us at [email protected] and we look forward to chatting with you soon about our home, Cambodia!
