All access paths (the Thai side is closed as of 2020) join together at the bottom of the slope (lower end of the adjacent map), and from here the only way is up.
- The fun starts with 162 stone steps (#1), a fairly steep climb that will get you warmed up nicely. Your reward is a short set of stairs decorated with nagas and Gopura I (#3), a solitary pavilion with a fluttering Cambodian flag.
- A 500-metre gently climbing avenue leads up to Gopura II (#6), another smallish pavilion, and a large boray (water cistern, #4) to the left.
- Yet another avenue (somewhat shorter this time) leads to, yes, Gopura III (#9), but also the first courtyard of the temple and the first point where visitors to Angkor Wat will start feeling a sense of deja vu. Make a detour to the left side of the gopura to see relics of a more modern era, in the form of a rusting artillery gun and a few bunkers.
- A short causeway decorated with nagas leads to the inevitable Gopura IV (#14) and behind it the second courtyard. On the other side of the courtyard is Gopura V aka the Galleries (#17), and beyond it the Main Sanctuary (#18), the centrepiece of the site which now houses a miniature Buddhist temple.
- What makes the effort worthwhile lies just outside, so sneak out the left side to find yourself at Pei Ta Da Cliff, with a sheer 500-metre drop and a jaw-dropping vista of the Cambodian jungles below. To contemplate the view without getting sunstroke, locate the crevice that leads into a little cavern of sorts, with shade provided by the tip of the cliff overhead and, some barbed wire to spoil your pictures (and stop you from falling off).
There are several other minor sights in the area, accessible only from the Thai side:
- Pha Moh I-Daeng, clearly signposted from the parking lot and only a few hundred metres up the hill, is the present Thai border and the new home of the flagpole that previously fluttered on Pei Ta Da. There are more stunning views of Cambodian jungle here, including a side view of Preah Vihear, although seen from afar the buildings blend surprisingly well into the hillside. The cliff has an interesting bas relief of three figures whose identities are still unknown. The carving is the oldest in Thailand. It seems to date from the 10th century when Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer empire, and Khmer craftsmen probably practiced here first before the real carving at Preah Vihear Sanctuary. A walkway gives easy access to the bas relief which is on an overhanging part of the cliff. On the Thai side there is also a visitor centre with models and pictures of the temple complex.
- Double Stupas. Two sandstone stupas, or "chedi", cubes with round tops are west of Mor E-Dang Cliff. The stupas houses things that reflected prosperity during the period.
- Don Tuan Khmer Ruins. Built during the 10th-11th century, the Khmer ruins in Ban Phume Sarol are 300 m from the Thailand-Cambodia border. A legend says a lady, Nang Nom Yai, stayed here on her way to visit a king. To get there, use Hwy 2243, and turn onto a small road at km91 and continue for 4 km.
- Sra Trao or Huay Trao. The stream runs through rock plain at the foot of Mount Preah Vihear, before running through a subterranean tunnel strengthened by rock walls. It is assumed that such low land is a baray or reservoir. The stream and surroundings are now well maintained and filled with water.
- Namtok and Tham Khun Sri. The three-tier waterfall, above the cave, is west of Sra Trao close to the trail to Phreah Vihear. Khun Sri Cave is gigantic and believed to be once the accommodation of Khun Sri, a nobleman who controlled rock cutting at Sra Trao for constructing the Preah Vihear Sanctuary.
- Huay Kanoon Dam. 25 km from the park headquarters, the dam and its reservoir offers nice scenery for picnics or camping.
