Phu Singh (ภูสิงห์)

Thai. ‘Lion Mountain’. Name of a mountain in Beung Kahn. Its main attraction is a group of three, bare, elongated, rocks, surrounded by green forest, that —especially when seen from above— are reminiscent of a pod of whales and are hence also nicknamed Hin Sahm Wahn, i.e. the ‘Three Whales Rocks’ (fig.). The main mountain also has a significant grass field known as Lahn Tham Phu Singh (ลานธรรมภูสิงห์), i.e. ‘Phu Singh's Dharma Yard’, which features some bulky rocks of which one resembles a reclining lion, and which stands at the origin of the mountain's name. At the tail end is a small cavity which is used by monks to sit and meditate. In front of the large rocks is a gilded Buddha image named Luang Pho Phra Singh, which is seated in the bhumisparsa pose and accompanied by two disciples. On the way up is another rock similar to the Three Whales Rocks that offer a magnificent viewpoint over the area and the Mekhong River. The summits of these rocks are rounded and no balustrades have been put up, in order to maintain their natural beauty. Hence a maximum number of no more than 50 people are allowed to visit the rock at any given time, while some dotted lines painted in yellow indicate how close to the rounded edges one can go safely before it becomes a slippery slope. Besides this, are also a number of other interesting rock formations, such as pratu Phu Singh (ประตูภูสิงห์), i.e. ‘Lion Mountain's Gateway’; Hin Chang (หินช้าง), ‘Elephant Rock’, which resembles an elephant; Hua Jai Singh (หัวใจสิงห์), i.e. ‘Heart of the Lion Rock’, and a viewpoint named Sang Roi Bo (สร้างร้อยบ่อ), i.e. ‘To Create a Hundred Puddles’, which consists of a bare rock surface with countless natural depressions formed by erosion. 回