At any time of year, there's a fantastic sense of suspense while walking the promenade until the main shrine and tower appear overhead. Once at the western end of the promenade you reach the first naga bridge which is sided by spectacular five headed nagas. They are still in good condition and are identical to those which are found at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
At the top of the stairs is the gallery which leads into the primary sanctuary. The sanctuary has gallery entrances from the north, south, east and west, all of which display magnificent and intricately carved masonry depicting Hindu legends.
The lintel above the eastern entrance is the most famous thanks both to its detail and storied recent history. After being stolen in the 1960s it resurfaced in a display at the Art Institute of Chicago where it looked like it was going to stay, but thankfully it was eventually returned to its rightful home in 1988 -- only after supporters of the cause had raised over US$200,000 to 'facilitate' its return and had mounted a high profile campaign, the highlight of which was the album released by the band Carabao titled Thap Lang (Lintel). On the cover of the album was a picture of the Statue of Liberty holding the lintel and the song went along the lines of Take back your Michael Jackson, just give us back our Phra Narai!
The central prang, built in a typical Khmer style, has been very well restored and is particularly photogenic in the mornings for those who make the effort to beat the tours and get there early.
Near the site, there is a small museum with some sculpture from the site along with an interesting photographic essay of the restoration and a small selection of literature.
Unlike many ancient Khmer monuments that have been at least partially reclaimed by jungle, the entire Phanom Rung historical park is well kept by locals -- expect to feel like you're in an actual park as opposed to some forgotten site out of an Indiana Jones movie. The grounds are covered in neatly groomed gardens and there are numerous bi-lingual information signs to go with a new visitor centre near the front of the steps.
Admission to the park is 100 baht for foreigners, but 150 baht gets you a combined ticket valid for the nearby site of Muang Tam as well.