Phnom Bayang is located in Por Rorng village, Preah Bat Choan Chum commune, Kirivong district, about 43 kilometers south of Takeo provincial town or about 121 kilometers south of Phnom Penh. From Phnom Penh, take National Road 2 via Bati, Sam Rong, Daun Keo and Trang districts.

Bayang temple was built between AD 615 and 635 by King Pavavarman II on the top of Phnom Bayong, a 313-meterhigh mountain. Its diameter is 13 meters by 9 meters and it is 12 meters high. Constructed of laterite, brick and other stones, it is heavily damaged. Pieces of the temple litter the
ground; the roof has collapsed, and the laterite rampart has been damaged.Bayang temple is a historical site that attracts both foreigners and Cambodians doing research about their ancestors. The road to the mountain, however, is old and difficult to access in the thick forest. The temple is reachable by climbing 390 steps. In addition to Bayang, there are four other temples on the mountain-Preah Kor temple, North Kanang temple, East Kanang temple and Kampoul Kanang temple. All are for Brahman worship and contain a Silva lingam.

Visitors to the site will come to understand how Cambodian history and culture was influenced by the outside world. Because without access to the mountain, however, the only people who will visit the site are researchers studying Cambodian history.In Kirivong District, there is a stream, Pha Oak, which flows 1,000 meters from its source to where people congregate to swim or bathe. The stream is 6 meters wide during the rainy season and 2 meters wide during the dry season. The sound of the water falling from the mountaintop is almost musical, and the scenery is beautiful.

The four outer or side temples are named Preah Kor temple, north Kanang temple, east Kanang temple and Kampoul Kanang temple.

In the old times there was probably a decent approach, a small road up to the peak. All the debris around speaks for that there was more construction, paved walkways, more steps, yards and probably encircling walls for the five monuments.

Phnom Bayang Temple was built in the reign of king Pavavarman II. It's far not that spectacular than the grand sights around Siem Reap, but the architecture is clearly related. It seems to me also, that there is a similarity to the medieval hindu monuments of central Java, namely Candi Bima (Dieng Plateau) and Prambanan.

Phnom Bayang is centuries older than the other mentioned monuments, and much, much smaller in size. It's built mostly with bricks; the stairways are built in laterite, as parts of the outer remains of what ever it was. Phnom Bayang temple has a size of 13m length, 9m width and a height of 12m. The building now appears in a pretty poor shape. The roof has collapsed, and the outer walls lost all of their former shape. However, considered it's age and the fact that there certainly happened little, if any, conservation work on it, it's still in a remarkable good shape. A closer look at it's outer walls reveal the remains of parts of former ornamentics. There is a head and a whole human to see, another spot shows a blooming flower as bedecking these old temple buildings so often. At the lower part of the towerlike main monument there are the remains of larger frescos with formerly sophisticated arrangements to see; one can only guess what it showed in the old days. Nevertheless, after all what I saw I would consider the buildings and the reliefs of high artistic and craftmanship quality - particularly the main temple.

Inside the main monument is the unavoidable shrine with many idols of the hindu and buddhist world placed. The sharp smell of bat's excrements gives a hint to some of the temples's inhabitants.

Around the temple tower are bushes and trees growing. Supposedly the jungle was cleared in the Chenla time. Where the sight is free, the peak grants a majectic view over this part of the Mekong River Delta to the east and to the forested hills respectively mountains to the western side.

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