The most mysterious places in Indochina (P2)

Indochina has many amazing mysterious places waiting to be discovered. From jungle-swallowed temples to centuries-old abandoned buildings, there are a number of destinations shrouded in mystery that both delight and frighten visitors to explore.
Kbal Spaan, Cambodia

Kbal Spean is an ancient historical archaeological site deep in the jungle, at the edge of the sacred Kulen mountain. Mount Kulen is an important pilgrimage site for Cambodians, about 50 km northeast of Siem Reap. The Kbal Spean is essentially a small river that flows from the top of Mount Kulen down to the fields surrounding the Angkor plain below. The river is a veritable treasure with an uncountable number of lingas (the symbol of the Hindu God Shiva) carved into the riverbed and surrounding rocks, giving it the name “River of a Thousand Lingas” “. The original carvings were made in the late 10th century, early 11th century. Who made them? Nobody know! But they are said to have been commissioned by the Khmer kings. Locals believe that this blessing is a way to keep their land fertile. Bokor Hill, Cambodia Bokor Hill is located atop the remote Damrei mountain in Preah Monivong National Park, about 37km west of the town of Kampot in southern Cambodia. It was built by the French in 1921 as a mountain retreat to escape the sweltering heat of Phnom Penh. It took only 9 months to complete the resort, but a total of 900 people, most of them Cambodian workers, died during construction. Bokor Hill Station was completed in 1925, welcoming the French and Cambodians of the upper class to relax. During its lifetime, it was known for its lavishness and grandeur. Besides the lavish Bokor Palace hotel and casino, there is also a post office, shops, churches and royal apartments. Fifteen years later, in 1940, due to local uprisings by the Khmer Issarak (an anti-French and anti-colonial movement), the colonists left Bokor Hill. In 1962, a casino was built inside the new hotel, several other buildings were also added. In 1972, Bokor Hill station was once again abandoned when the Khmer Rouge captured the area. By now, it has become very dilapidated and locals say the place is “full of ghosts”. Abbot Ayutthaya Buddha, Thailand Thái Before Bangkok, Ayutthaya thrived from the 14th to the 18th centuries – as one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world. After the Myanmar army attack in 1767, Ayutthaya became an abandoned place. They burned the city and destroyed the temples, destroyed sacred statues, destroyed Buddha statues. Unfortunately, the city was never rebuilt or resettled. All that remains are crumbling brick walls, hundreds of abandoned temples and countless headless Buddha statues. A Buddha’s head miraculously “survived”. It is the Buddha on the roots of a tree at Wat Mahathat, also one of the most iconic Buddha statues in Thailand. No one knows for sure how the Buddha’s head got caught in the roots of a tree. One theory is that the head was buried in the ground during times of conflict and was slowly raised by tree roots over the years. Kyaiktiyo Golden Rock, Myanmar Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda is found atop Mount Kyaiktiyo in a small town in Mon State, Myanmar. This is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Myanmar. What caught everyone’s attention was the huge golden rock that perched dangerously on the edge of a cliff with more than half of its surface tilted to the outdoors. The rock defied gravity and it looked like it was about to roll down the hill. Pilgrims have flocked to the site for decades. Over the years, the sacred stone has been inlaid with many layers of gold leaf by the devotees to show their respect to accumulate virtue and purify the soul. The Lost City of Mrauk U, Myanmar Mrauk U is a quaint little town in Rakhine State, near the Bangladesh border. It served as the capital of Mrauk U Kingdom from 1430 to 1785. At the time, Mrauk U was an important, wealthy trading city, attracting merchants from the Middle East, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France and other Asian countries. After the First English War, the kingdom collapsed and the center of commerce was moved to the coastal ports of Sittwe. The Mrauk U of today has been frozen in time with limited accessibility. Forgotten by outsiders, Mrauk U became a “missing city”. Travel to Mrauk U, you will have a trip back in time. Life moves very slowly. Simple houses, small wooden huts scattered throughout the countryside. The main means of transportation are wooden bullock carts, old-fashioned tractors, bicycles and buggies. Similar to Bagan, Mrauk U has a large collection of some 700 ancient temples and pagodas built during the reigns of 49 Arakan kings. Although the site is not as big or majestic as Bagan, it has its own charm. Ancient jungle-covered ruins make a great backdrop for photos, especially at sunrise when the morning mist adds a mystical effect. Temples aren’t the only attraction in Mrauk U. The village offers a chance to explore past life and connect with the local culture. Unlike Bagan, the military government forced people living around the old temples to move to other places, in Mrauk U, people still live and do agriculture here.