Nang Rong Travel Guide

 Willettsworld Says:  Just over the road from the entrance to Prasat Muang Tam is this information centre which also doubles up as a small museum with some wonderfully carved lintels found at the site plus a model of how Muang Tam would have looked like in its heyday. 

 Willettsworld Says:  The libraries used to store sacred texts and religious manuscripts. They may have also contained sacred images. 

 Willettsworld Says:  There were five towers constructed on laterite bases forming two rows. The main tower was the largest and in the middle of the four minor towers. It represented Mount Meru, the centre of the universe. Unfortunately it collapsed due to the great weight of the structure. It... 

 Willettsworld Says:  The courtyard is situated between the outer wall and the gallery. There are four large L-shaped ponds which follow the shape of the outer wall. Each pond has a 5-headed serpent (naga) which forms a rail around the ponds. 

 Willettsworld Says:  The gallery is a long narrow corridor shaped building that surrounds the main towers and library. In the middle of each gallery wall is a door which is cross-shaped. 

 Willettsworld Says:  The outer wall and archways are made of rectangular laterite blocks topped with finials. Doors were situated in the middle of each outer wall and were made from carved sandstone. There are eight lotus petals engraved on the floors of the doorways which represent the plan of... 

 Willettsworld Says:  Situated around 7km to the south of Phnom Rung, the Angkorian site of Muang Tam is a very worthwhile spot to visit and explore - especially given its proximity to the far grander Phnom Rung.Built under the command of the Khmer Jayavarman V in the late 10th and early 11th... 

 Willettsworld Says:  Before reaching the principal tower, there was the outer gallery but its remains are lines of columns. It is assumed that it was a wooden gallery with a tile roof. 

 Willettsworld Says:  To the southwest of the principal tower is a minor sanctuary or Prang Noi. Inside there is a sandstone altar for holding a sacred image. Its pediment in the east depicts Krishna lifting a mountain among floral motifs. 

 Willettsworld Says:  Two Bannalais lie to the southeast and northeast of the principal tower. The buildings are rectangular and have only one entrance. They were built in the last period, around the 13th century, and used as a library for holy scriptures. 

 Willettsworld Says:  The principal tower was constructed from pink sandstone and has a square plan. Double porches were built in the north, south and west. To the east is a rectangular room called the Mandapa (or antechamber) which is connected to the tower by an annex. It is believed that the... 

 Willettsworld Says:  To the northeast of the principal tower are the remains of two brick sanctuaries which were built around the 10th century, making them the oldest structures at Phnom Rung. 

 Willettsworld Says:  The inner galleries were built as the wall around the principal tower. The galleries are long, narrow rectangular rooms divided into cells. The inner galleries have arched gateways on all four sides. The outer walls of the galleries were carved as false windows. The pediment... 

 Willettsworld Says:  The second naga bridge has the same cruciform plan as the first one but is smaller. The central area of the bridge was carved with eight petalled lotus motifs. 

 Willettsworld Says:  I think this place is called Porridge and it's along the main highway 24. It's a Thai BBQ place where you order a set meal of different types of meats and livers that come with glass noodles, greens and cabbage for 120 baht. You then cook everything on a BBQ on your table... 

 Willettsworld Says:  I had wanted to hire a bike from the guesthouse I stayed at called the Honey Inn (see my accommodation tip) but another couple got it before me. So I ended up walking to the bus station with an Israeli couple I met over breakfast and we started negotiating with a taxi driver...