Udong (also spelled Oudong) was the royal capital of Cambodia for more than 250 years, from the early 17th century until the court moved to Phnom Penh in 1866. Today it is a modest market town about 40km north of the capital, easily reached on a half-day trip and well worth the drive for anyone interested in the country's pre-colonial history.
The reason to come is the long, low hill that rises behind the town, crowned with a string of stupas and shrines that hold the remains of several Cambodian kings. A climb up the stone staircases — over 500 steps in the heat — links a sequence of weathered chedis, ruined Buddha images smashed during the Khmer Rouge years, and viewpoints that look out over rice fields and sugar palms toward the Tonle Sap floodplain. The hill is a genuine pilgrimage site, busy with Cambodian visitors at weekends and festival times rather than foreign tourists.
At the foot of the hill, the Vipassana Dhura meditation centre and a large modern Buddhist complex draw monks and lay practitioners, and there are a few simple noodle and grilled-chicken stalls for lunch. The town itself is unremarkable, but the combination of history, hilltop views, and a steady stream of local worshippers gives Udong an atmosphere quite different from the city you have left behind.
Most people visit on a morning trip from Phnom Penh, often combined with a stop at a nearby silversmithing or silk-weaving village. Bring water, go early to beat the worst of the heat, and dress modestly for the temples on the hill.