It's worth setting your alarm and leave early. Situated atop a 52 meter high cliff in the Dongrek Mountains forming the natural border between Cambodia and Thailand is Preah Vihear temple, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 7th, 2008. Subject to controversial ownership issues over time this temple officially belongs to Cambodia. Its location is 150km north of Siem Reap and it will take approximately 3 hours to get there. You will drive through picturesque countryside which becomes less and less populated the further north you go. This temple is a unique architectural complex of series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases on 800 meter long axis. It is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture and well preserved mainly due to its remote location.