River of a Thousand LingasSiem Reap Province, Cambodia
There’s something in the water. It’s eerie but don’t be afraid. Known as the River of a Thousand Lingas, Kbal Spean is a carved riverbed featuring thousands of elaborate 1000-year-old etchings, mostly phallic symbols of fertility known as lingas or lingams.
![](https://www.getlostmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/GL45-CAMBODIA-SS-KBAL_SPEAN_RIVER-CREDIT-eric_yeargan-2-1500x900.jpg)
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The Angkorian-era site is set deep in the jungle about 50 kilometres northeast of Siem Reap and also features carvings of animals and Hindu deities, which can be found above a small waterfall. To access the site, hire a tuk-tuk or motorbike from Siem Reap, then hike the steep two-kilometre walking track that winds through the jungle and past unique rock formations to the riverbed.
Entry to Kbal Spean is covered by the Angkor Pass, which costs US$20 for a day.
Tourism Cambodia
tourismcambodia.com