Staircase access to Preah Vihear

Construction has begun on a 3,000-metre staircase up to Preah Vihear, aimed at adventure oriented tourists. Sounds all well and good on paper, but I wonder if a 3km uphill climb is all that attractive…

Staircase planned for Preah Vihear
Phnom Penh Post, 21 October 2009

Officials in Preah Vihear province have hired workers to construct a 3,000-metre staircase to make Preah Vihear temple more accessible to tourists.

Om Phirom, chief of the Preah Vihear Heritage Police, said work on the staircase – which runs adjacent to a stone staircase he described as “ancient” but unusable – had begun two weeks ago, adding that he expected it to be finished before the end of the year.

“We will have this wooden staircase along the old one for tourists to walk up to Preah Vihear temple,” he said. “It is for tourists to enjoy the temple.”

He added: “Tourists, especially foreign tourists, like to do adventure travel, so they will be excited to walk by the ancient staircase.”