Phnom Srey & Phnom Pros

What to See at Phnom Srey & Phnom Pros

The Legend

The story goes that the region’s women challenged the men to a mountain-building contest lasting one night: whoever built higher would win the right to receive marriage proposals rather than make them. The women lit a false morning star; the men, believing dawn had come, downed tools early. The women kept building — and their hill, Phnom Srey, stands taller and steeper to this day. The tale remains one of Cambodia’s best-loved folk stories.

Phnom Pros — Man Hill

The lower, flatter hill can be reached by road all the way up. Its summit carries a cluster of pagodas old and new — including a five-towered temple in the style of Banteay Srei — and troops of bold macaques that patrol the grounds looking for handouts.

Phnom Srey — Woman Hill

A stairway of roughly 300 steps climbs the steeper “Woman Hill”. The buildings here are older and quieter, and the summit views over rice country and sugar palms are the better of the two — a fitting monument to the legend’s winners.

How to Get to Phnom Srey & Phnom Pros

The hills are about 7km northwest of Kampong Cham town, just off National Road 7 towards Phnom Penh.

• Tuk-tuk from Kampong Cham: 15–20 minutes; drivers combine the hills with Wat Nokor as a standard half-day
• En route: If travelling between Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham, the hills make an easy roadside stop

Practical Tips

• Watch the monkeys on Phnom Pros — keep food out of sight and bags closed
• Climb Phnom Srey first in the cool of the morning, then take the easy drive up Phnom Pros
• A memorial on the grounds commemorates victims of the Khmer Rouge era, whose killing sites included this area — treat it with quiet respect

Nearby Attractions

• Wat Nokor — the 12th-century temple complex on the edge of town, usually visited on the same trip
• Koh Paen Bamboo Bridge — the seasonal bamboo crossing from the town riverfront
• Wat Hanchey — the 7th-century hilltop sanctuary north along the Mekong