PROVINCIAL INFORMATION
1/-KAMPONG CHAM With its Mekong River location and relatively close proximity to Phnom Penh and Vietnam, Kampong Cham has always been an important trade and transportation hub. The highway from Phnom Penh is in excellent condition-you can get here in just under two hours by road or by the bullet boats that are a main mode of transportation between towns on the Mekong River. Either way it’s a nice fide, with views of the rural countryside or river area, depending on which way you go. The town itself is quaint and charming with its bustling morning river scene and wide boulevard streets in from the river. There are a few worthwhile attractions nearby and with its location on the way by boat or road to Kratie, Mondulkiri, Rattanakiri and Stung Treng Provinces; it’s a nice jump-off point. Kampong Cham is a mix of the old and the new, with a new temple being built in and around old ruins and the big ferry boats taking people and goods to the other side of the Mekong, right next to the construction of the first bridge ever built here. WHAT’S UP River SceneWith a scenic Mekong River location and a nice river boulevard, the town is a pleasant place to enjoy a stroll, jog, or just to kick back with a cold drink and watch the people swarming the area late afternoons and early evenings.The area near the Mekong Hotel and the boat station is where the action is centered and it’s full of food and drink vendors late in the day.Wat Nokor (Angkor Bahjay)Definitely an interesting mix of the old and the newer Buddhist styles of temples and worth a look. The walls and grounds around the old temple still have some nice sculptures intact from its 11th-century origin. Newer temple structures (mostly sixty to seventy years old) have been built in and around the old structure and it’s actually a fascinating blend. There is also a reclining Buddha in one of the temple out buildings, just west of the main complex.Located on the west end of town, right off from the multi-headed cobra circle. Phnom Bproh & Phnom SrayThese two hilltop temples are on the north side of Highway 7, about 5 km back toward Phnom Penh. Phnom Srey (Woman or Sister Hill) is the higher of the two and has a long stairway leading to the top. The top of Phnom Bproh (Man or Brother Hill) can be reached by road.There are varying legends as to how they were built and named. Believers in the different theories are sure their version is accurate. Anyway, one legend has it that a guy and girl wanted to marry. Khmer custom says that the man must go to the woman’s parents and then to his own to seek permission and blessings. The guy did not want to bother with all of this, which did not please his girlfriend, a traditional girl who decided that she must then be the one to visit both sets of parents to get their blessings.In Khmer society, the husband is supposed to be in the elevated position of the relationship. But when it was decided to build these two sites in the couple’s honor, the guy got the lower hill and the girl was honored with the higher peak, closest to the heavens since she was the one who did things properly while he shirked his duties.These temples are very popular pilgrimage places for locals on holiday. There are good views of the countryside and the Mekong River to the east. Wat Prah Tohm Nah Day Doh A real mouthful for a real fine-looking place. Situated on a river bend on the far south end of town are a couple of temple buildings set amid nicely landscaped grounds. The main temple is about seventy years old and has a hundred-year-old sitting Buddha image and some interesting wall murals, Stupas and monuments, including a four-faced Bayon –style one, are not in short supply. Wat Joy T’mawThis temple is on the opposite end (north) of the river road, overlooking the Mekong. King’s ResidenceIt’s been unused for over three years, and the local government has let the outside building and grounds go in a way that does not show much respect for the monarchy. MARKETS Kampong Cham market has a gaudy look similar to that of the Central Market in Phnom Penh, and it has a complete supply of just about anything that you may need. A night market springs up on the western side in the evening. There are plenty of photo shops and pharmacies on the perimeter roads. GETTING AROUND There isn’t a rental shop in Kampong Cham and the moto drivers for hire are not keen on renting out their bikes. They charge 4,000 riel an hour for taking you around.
COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION The international phone rates are similar to those in Phnom Penh- pricey. CURRENCY EXCHANGE There is a branch office of Pacific Commercial Bank across from the north side of Kampong Cham Market (the main market). You can exchange traveler’s checks here. You will see the familiar glass cases of the moneychangers along the perimeter of the market.
MEDICAL FACILITIES The Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital has Khmer and foreign doctors on staff. RESTAURANTS Apsara Restaurant. Near the Kampong Cham Market. They serve a good breakfast and continue throughout the day. They have some western food and an English menu.Kimstrun Guesthouse & Restaurant. The guesthouse has a small rice dish and noodle soup restaurant. Haoan Restaurant. This place is popular with locals and the Kampong Cham NGO crowd. It looks like a two-story hotel and has some a/c rooms for private dinners, in addition to the main eating area. Good Chinese and Khmer food along with the usual beer girls.Phnom Prosh Hotel & Restaurant. This newer hotel also has a restaurant. Good Chinese, Khmer and a bit of western food. There are also small food and drink stands along the River Parkway. NIGHT SCENE The top spot in town is the nightclub in the Phnom Prosh Hotel, with a live Cambodian band and all the extras you have come to expect in a Khmer nightclub.
ACCOMMODATIONS There is no shortage of choices in Kampong Cham. Cheaper PlacesThese two places are next to the river: Pounleurasemei 2 Guesthouse. Names this long should be illegal. It’s good value at US$ 5 for a fan room and US$ 10 a/c. The rooms have a Western bath and some have a view of the river.Chamnortunle Guesthouse. A shorter name than the neighbor, but not by much. There is a nice second-floor terrace over looking the Mekong Fiver. There are US$ 3 fan rooms on the third floor. The other rooms have a Western bath and TV added. US$ 5 for a fan room and US$ 10 for adding a/c. These next four places are close to the market ad river:7 January Guesthouse. It’s a dive, but at 5,000 riel that’s what you get. It has a share bath and a second-floor terrace. Angkor Thom Guesthouse. Same as the 7 January, US$ 30 on a monthly basis.Chann Chhaya Guesthouse. It’s the same as the others at 5,000 riel.Nava Guesthouse. In the middle of this pack of three others. There are small, clean rooms with a Western bath in each room at US$ 5 a night.Monorom Guesthouse. Newly refurbished, they now have nice rooms with TV, fan, Western bath for US$ 5, adding a/c puts the cost at US$ 10. There is karaoke on the premises and the place always has working girls hanging around making this place fairly lively for Kampong Cham. It’s located behind the Mekong Hotel.Bopharik Guesthouse. It has a nice terrace overlooking the market, Simple fan rooms with Western bath for US$ 5, $ 10 for a/c.Bopear Guesthose. Located one block in from the river, it’s a clean and well-run place. There is also a nice second floor terrace. Western bath and a big fan room go for US$ 4.Sengly Guesthouse. This place has simple rooms with attached bath for US$ 4 w/fan or US$ 10 a/c.Hakly Guesthouse. Unfriendly staff makes this place a bad choice even though the rooms are fairly decent.Kimsrun Guesthouse. A simple place with a small restaurant on the premises. US$ 3 a night. A Notch UpHotel Ponleurasmei. There’s that name again. English-speaking staff with nice but mostly windowless rooms. There is a Western bath, TV, fridge, two twin beds and a fan for US$ 5 or US$ 10 for a/c.Kampong Cham International Resort. Sounds impressive and it’s right next to the river. It’s a newer place and so far they don’t have their act together. The bungalows have h/w shower, TV and Western bath, but at the moment it’s being used as a sort of Karaoke World theme park. Being close to the Mekong Hotel and the pier it may be worth a look to see if they changed back to the original resort concept.Mekong Hotel. Right next to the river and the bullet boat pier. In affords nice views and location, with one downside to that. At 6 am the line of boats starts the hyperactive blowing of air-horns non-stop for half an hour. They don’t understand the concept that they have their schedule posted and when departure time comes, you simply go.Anyway, the rooms are nice and clean and come with a Western bath, TV, a/c and river view for US$ 15, or US$ 13 for the backside hotel rooms. There are also $ 6 fan rooms with no TV.Hotel Mittapheap. Another new addition to the hotel scene. There is a terrace overlooking the boulevard and market area. The staffs speak English and the place has nice rooms with twin beds, TV, a/c and Western bath for US$ 12 a night. It’s quiet alternative.Phnom Prosh Hotel. Last but not least is this newer hotel with a nightclub and restaurant on the premises. The US$ 5 rooms with TV, fridge, Western bath and a fan, and a/c rooms at US$ 12 are good value. The nightclub hours are 8:30 pm to midnight.
COMING & GOING Bullet BoatsThis is a nice option for you travel along the Mekong. Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham takes two hours and costs 10,000 riel. The boats depart just north of the Japanese Bridge on the Phnom Penh side of the river. Kampong Cham to Kratie is a three – hour boat ride and the cost is 15,000 riel.The boats usually do not continue on to Stung Treng as the water level must be very high to enable the boats to clear all of the small islands and clumps in the river between Kratie and Stung Treng The boats usually don’t even go during the rainy season. Bikers: The cost for taking a motorcycle with you by boat for a section of the trip is the same price as for a person. It’s not recommended, though, as the porters who load and unload the boats are a hassle to deal with and if they happen to drop your motorcycle in the river (a real possibility), it’s your loss and not theirs. If you have a motorcycle, ride it. It’s not recommended to combine the two modes of transportation. BusHoh Wat Gentling Bus Company has a/c buses to and from Kampong Cham on a regular schedule every day. Their main bus terminal is near the southwest comer of the Central Market (or New Market) in Phnom Penh. The trip is 5,000 riel. In Kampong Cham, bus arrivals and departures are at the Kampong Cham Market. Please see the Getting Around chapter towards the front of the book for all bus schedules. Share TaxisWith the air-con buses making the trip from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham and doing it more cheaply, there is not much of a reason to take a taxi.A share taxi from Kampong Cham to Kampong Thom is 8,000 riel. The road is good.The share taxi do not go all the way to Kratie at this time, only as far as Snoul, the small town that is the juncture point for the road to Kratie and to Sen Monorom town in Mondulkiri Province. In Snoul there are only sometimes share taxis plying the route to Kratie. If you don’t have your own motorcycle as transportation, your surest bet is to take the bullet boat if you want to go to Kratie from Kampong Cham. Motorcycle Touring Info Phnom penh to Kampong ChamAs mentioned earlier, the highway from Phnom Penh is an excellent condition; you take Highway 6 from Phnom Penh (crossing the Japanese Bridge) and go to Skon stature of children holding a bird. Highway 6 continues on to the left, going to Kampong Thom and Siem Reap. For Kampong Cham, you veer to the right and follow Highway.7. A scenic option to this is to follow the river road on the eastern side of the Mekong River. It takes a bit more time but if you have time it’s worth it. Security is not a problem.Until the new bridge over the Mekong River is finished, you still take the big ferry across if you want to explore the eastern side of the province or continue on to Kratie or Mondulkiri Provinces by motorcycle or vehicle. It’s 200 riel per person and 400 riel for a motorcycle. Kampong Cham to Snoul and Kratie or Sen MonoromThe motorcycle ride from Kampong Cham to Snoul is no a road that’s not great but is doable. Just before you reach Snoul there is a junction in the road with a police box on the right side. Follow the road to the left and you are on the highway to Kratie. You go through the town of Snoul just ahead where there is food and fuel. Back at the junction by the police box just before you get to Snoul, following the curve to the right takes you to Mondulkiri, About 7 km past that curve you come to a four-way junction. Turn left there and you are on the highway to Sen Monorom. Fuel and drinks are available at the four-way, so you can bypass Snoul if you like. From Snoul to Sen Monorom the road is in good condition. It’s only a dirt road but it’s nice and level because it was put in for the logging trucks. The road does get a bit tricky during the rainy season, however, when the clay gets wet and it becomes similar to riding on ice. The scenery is beautiful.
2/-KRATIE Kratie is a sleepy Mekong River town situated on the east bank of the mighty river. It’s very picturesque with sandbars and big islands out front and bends in the river. Unlike in many towns around Cambodia, the war years were fairly kind to the French architecture and the roads, at least in the town itself. There are some nice-looking homes of French and Khmer style scattered about, adding to the pleasant feel of the place.The rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins make their home in the Mekong River, just north of Kratie. With only around fifteen to twenty remaining, they are worth a visit. Whether you are just on a trip seeing the river towns along the Mekong or taking a full circuit trip around the east and northeast, Kratie is a nice place to spend a night or two. WHAT’S UP River SceneKratie has a beautiful river boulevard with dozens of snack and drink stands in the late afternoon and evening, making this a nice spot to chill out and watch the people parading by. There are also a few big concrete decks along the river scene. The river road is a great place for a stroll or jog. Irrawaddy DolphinsAbout fifteen to twenty of these rare freshwater dolphins make their home on a beautiful stretch of the Mekong River near a small set of rapids. They make upward arches, breaking the surface of the water as they swim about the area. They are not jumpers like their sea-faring relatives and are quite a bit shyer as well. They have good reason to be shy towards humans as they have been hunted and killed by fishermen in the past. The hope is that their numbers will slowly increase, as more fishermen in the area are educated about them.They are most active in the early morning hours (around 6 am) and the late afternoon and early evening hours. However, we went during the mid-afternoon heat of the day and had numerous sightings. A local family hires out their small towboat and a son to take you out on the river for a closer look. The charge is 3,500 riel per person. To get there, just follow the road north from the Globe traffic circle for 14 km Turn left at the dolphin picture sign. The family and river are there. Phnom Sambok Temples By heading north from the Globe circle you also reach the hilltop temples of Sambok village. Following the stairway up, you will come to three different levels of shrines, temples and living quarters for the monks. The second level features a reclining Buddha, and the top level a beautiful view of the Mekong River area.Follow the road north of the circle 8,5 km and you will see the hill temple and dirt road leading to it on the right. Wat Preah Vihear (Kratie)Golden lions guard the gates that lead to peaceful and heavily shaded temple grounds. It bears the name of the internationally famous Preah Vihear Temple that straddles the Thai border in the Dangrek Mountains. Sambor TownFor a nice ride through the countryside hugging the Mekong River, you can head north past Phnom Sambok and past the dolphin site. About 24 km from the Globe circle, you come to a fork in the road. The road to the right goes to Stung Treng, but you want to follow the road to the left. This is the better of the two roads and the one that hugs the river to Sambor town, another 11 km away. Stay left at the fork as you near the town and you wind your way to Wat Sambor, located near the river.The front temple is fairly new, with a one hundred-year-old temple just beyond the rear of that temple. The town is pleasant and food, drinks, and fuel are available. As for the ruins shown on the official Cambodia map (south of Sambor), there is nothing left of them any more. Just one good- luck stone is all that the locals saved, putting it in a thatched temple hut a kilometer off the road. Wat Sray Sahn-tah-rah-bohIt’s a big name for a small temple on the river road. MARKETS & SHOPPING The Kratie market is right in the thick of things, just a block from the river. It’s the usual all-purpose variety. There are two small night market areas. One is across the road from the northern side of the market. The other is on the street and just east of the Heng Heng Hotel. There are a couple of photo shops neat the pack of guesthouses just west of the market.
GETTING AROUND Moto-TaxiThe moto-taxi guys charge the standard 4,000 riel per hour to take you around. Add fuel cost if you head out of town. Motorcycle DoctorWe found a very creative mechanic who is good at jerry-rigging needed repairs on big bikes, even though he has little to work with in the way of parts. His shop is located about 100 meters north of the share taxi stand, on the west side of Road 2.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE As in many Cambodian towns, there is no bank in Kratie. The best place to change money is across the street from the western side of the market. MEDICAL FACCILITIES The Kratie Provincial Hospital has Khmer and foreign doctors.
RESTAURANTS Heng Heng Hotel & Restaurant. This place has some very good food and some Western dishes, with an English menu to boot. Some staff speaks English. Apsara Guesthouse & Restaurant. The food is okay and they can make a few Western dishes as well. The manager speaks English.Golden Star Restaurant. It’s a simple place with big ambition. It features decent Khmer food and beer girls, with a small late-night dance venue thrown in as well. Mekong Restaurant. Simple Khmer fare located just in from the 30 December Hotel.30 December Guesthouse & Restaurant. They have an English menu and simple, cheap dishes. NIGHT SCENE The Golden Star Restaurant and the karaoke shops by the night market are about all.
ACCOMMODATIONS Cheaper Places Apsara Guesthouse & Restaurant. These rooms are small, with thin walls and a share bath. The place is kept fairly clean, how ever, and at 7,000 riel for one bed or 10,000 riel for two beds, it’s okay. There is a restaurant on the premises.Mean Guesthouse. Similar to the Apsara with rooms going for 5,000-7,000 riel per night.Hai Heng Guesthouse. It’s close to the Mean Guesthouse. With very low ceilings, a place for vertically challenged people, 10,000 riel per night. Phnom Meas Guesthouse. Soksan Guesthouse, Nyta Guesthouse. These three places are near each other just south of the market. They are all similar, clean, have a bathroom in the room and a fan. They are good value at US$ 3 a night.Star Guesthouse. Nice clean rooms with a Western bath and fan for US$ 4. There is a second-floor terrace overlooking the market and part of the river down the street. The owner’s sons speak English and are helpful sources of information on Kratie.30 December Hotel & Restaurant. Simple large rooms with a share bath. Located across from the river. 10,000 riel.A Notch Up Heng Heng Hotel & Restaurant. Located just across from the fiver, this place has a nice second-floor terrace and rooms with a view. The staffs are very friendly and some speak English. The rooms are nice enough and have a Western bath, TV and fan for US$ 7. The same room with a/c is US$ 12. There is also a good restaurant on the premises.Santepheap Hotel. This is the new place just across the river road from the boat landing. It’s the sister hotel of the Mekong Hotel in Kampong Cham town. It features rooms with a river view, a big Western bath, twin beds, TV and a/c for US$ 15 a night. The fan rooms are US$ 7, but have no TV.
COMING & GOING Bullet Boat There are several alternatives to get to Kratie, the easiest of which is by the bullet boats that ply the Mekong River. If you are coming from Kampong Cham and don’t have a motorcycle, the boat is probably your only option. At the time of this writing, the share taxis were not making the full trip to Kratie; they were only going as far as Snuol. The bullet boat from Phnom Penh departs from the bullet boat company docks located just north of the Japanese Bridge at 7 am. The trip takes just over five hours and costs 25,000 riel.From Kampong Cham to Kratie, the bullet boat takes about three hours and costs 15,000 riel. The boat pier in Kampong Cham is directly in front of the Mekong Hotel.The kratie-Stung Treng bullet boat trip only runs during the rainy season when the water level in the Mekong is sufficient enough to allow the boats to get through the numerous stretches of shallow rapids and various other obstacles on this stretch of the river. As of May 2000 the rainy season was in full swing and the boats were running every other day at a fare of 20,000 riels. The trip upriver to Steng takes around 6-7 hours, with the trip back down to Kratie, going with the current, taking about 4 hours. Motorcycle Touring Info Phnom Penh to KratieIf you are going to Kratie from Phnom Penh, the road to Kampong Cham is excellent, the road from Kampong Cham to the Snoul junction isn’t that great, but it’s definitely doable.The last section taking you to Kratie from Snoul has some huge bomb craters that fill up and look like lakes during the rainy season, but it’s also doable, you’re just going to get wet. Snoul to Mondulkiri If you are heading to Sen Monorom from Kratie, proceed to Snoul and pass through the main town area. You will come to a fork in the road where you stay to the left. Follow this about 7 km and you will come to a four-way junction where you turn left. This newly cut dirt highway takes you to Sen Monorom. The road is nice and level having been cut by logging companies for their trucks. Fuel and food are available in Snoul town and at the four-way junction. Security on these stretches is not a problem. Kratie to Stung Treng The road goes from asphalt to shredded tarmac to dirt. There are scattered bomb craters, but the road is not nearly as bad as some. The trip is 142 km and took four hours during the rainy season. For security, see the word of caution above.
3-/MONDULKIRI This province is chock full of natural beauty, with thickly forested mountains, powerful waterfalls and the lush green rolling hills of the western side. Add to that the communities of hill tribe people who are not affected by mass-tourism, as they are in neighboring Thailand, and you have an area that is very attractive to the adventure traveler.The town of Sen Monorom is the best base camp for travelers who want to explore the surrounding areas. A quiet but beautiful town nestled into the hills; it has a lot of potential to develop into a center for non-intrusive eco-tourism. At present, it’s much undeveloped, which gives you a feeling of going somewhere off the beaten tourist trail. Also interesting is the variety of languages being used: Khmer, hill tribe languages, Vietnamese and Laos. WHAT’S UP Sen MonoromThis is a pleasant little town to walk around and take in its natural beauty. The two small lakes in town are good spots for hanging out and watching the local’s fish and swim. Jump in yourself if the heat of the day has slowed your pace. The Market Life of Hill Tribe People Mornings are the best time of the day to hit the town market and stroll about. This is when many people from the various area hill tribe communities come to the market to sell their wares and purchase supplies. It’s a good environment in which to unobtrusively observe their attire and with their permission; possibly get snapshots of them going about their normal business at the market. Old & New Wat An old wooden temple on the hills at the south end of town i9s being revitalized with the construction of a brand new modes new model next to it. This is where the monks of Sen Monorom teach. Southwest WaterfallsThe waterfall about 5,5 km to the southwest of town is a nice and easily accessible sight. There is a fair-sized pool below the 7,5 meter waterfall that makes a good spot for a swim or picnic. To get there, just follow the map and don’t turn off of that road, as it takes you to a parking circle near the top level of the waterfall. If you don’t have a motorcycle already, hire a moto-taxi to take you out there for 4,000 riel per hour and a bit extra for fuel (1,000 riel). Pahlung Village It’s possible to go on an elephant trek at this small village. It’s a good idea to come out here the day before (possibly on your way to Bousra Waterfall) to organize it so they have the animal ready to go the next morning, instead of out working in the jungle. You can take a half- or full day trip in the surrounding area. It’s good to wear long pants and bring some mosquito repellent, drinking water and food.To get there, just head north from Sen Monorom. When you get to the fork in the road, go right. The village is about 8 km from town. People in the small houses on the right can fetch the elephant guy for you. If you go by moto-taxi, the driver can help with the translation of arranging the tour. The guy at the town tourist office, if you can ever find him there and he’s not sleeping. Can also set the tour up for you. But he takes a cut. Figure around US$ 15 for a half day or US $ 30 for a full-day tour. Boo-sra Waterfall This one is a bit further a field, but definitely worth the trip if the weather permits. The road actually goes across the top of the waterfall (about 10 meters back), so watch your step! It’s a magnificent two- tiered waterfall with the river gorge cutting through the surrounding forest.Getting there is part of the adventure. Continue on past Pahlung village (the elephant place) and follow this same road all the way. About 16 km from Sen Monorom you come to the first of two small rivers without bridges that you must cross. They are double even during the rainy season. Just walk the bikes across and cool off in the water. The second river that you come to is a bit wider, but not very deep, even during a wet rainy season, as when we made the trip. Again, just walk across it. FishingAlthough there is nothing organized as of yet. Mondulkiri ‘s rivers and streams would probably make for some good fishing. Bring your own lightweight gear and give it a try. Sen Monorom would be a great place for mountain biking. There are now no rentals there, so you would have to bring one along on the airplane.
COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION Mr. Long Vibol (or simply Vibol) has a pharmacy in the first row of the market, place. He speaks English and likes to discuss the attractions in the area. Just ask the vendors where his place is. MARKET & CURRENCY EXCHANGE Many of the goods in the market are from nearby Vietnam, It’s an all-purpose market, but it doesn’t have the feel of the typical Cambodian market, which is probably again due to the closeness of Vietnam and the hill tribe people who come here. There are noodle, dessert and fruit stalls at the font end of the market and the moneychangers are in front as well. They change dollars, riel and the Vietnamese dong.
GETTING AROUND Moto-Taxi The moto-taxis charge a standard fare of 4,000 riel per hour or 500 riel for a one-way in-town destination. Motorcycle Doctor There is a motorcycle mechanic who knows a bit about big bikes, He’s located on the road between the Pich Kiri Guesthouse and the airport, on the opposite side of the road from the gas station.
MEDICAL FACILITIES There is a provincial hospital in town with a couple of foreign doctors. RESTAURANTS Because this is a small and little-developed tourist destination, the restaurants don’t think about serving tourists. There just haven’t been many coming to Sen Monorom. And with the locals usually eating at home, the restaurants don’t stock much food. The procedure here is to go by the restaurant you want to eat at one hour or more beforehand and tell them what you want to eat. You can leave then, while they go to the market to buy the ingredients and return to the restaurant to prepare the dishes. An alternative would be to stop by in the morning and tell them what you want for a lunch or evening meal. It’s certainly not the norm at destinations around Cambodia, but it seems to work out okay here.Corner Restaurant. There isn’t a name, but it’s easy to find. It’s a very simple place, but they do a good job with the food job with the food and they have drinks with ice. The prices are very reasonable. Twin Restaurants. There are two restaurants near the entrance area to the market. They double as community entertainment centers; local residents gather outside to gaze at videos on the TV screens inside. They can also serve the necessary karaoke hall function. NIGHT SCENE Dream on-and enjoys nature.
ACCOMMODATIONS There used to be two places in town until one of them burned down. Did the arson squad look at the competition? Pich Kiri Guesthouse. This friendly place is really growing since it cornered the market. The Khmer husband-and – wife team that runs the place can speak some English and French. They serve complimentary French bread and espresso coffee in the morning They have built a few different styles of simple rooms with share bath that range in price from US$ 3-$7. They also have rooms built around a garden courtyard area that have one large or two twin-sized beds. The rooms have simple bathroom inside and cost US$ 8.
COMING & GOING AirFlying is by far the easiest way to get here. Royal Air Cambodge makes the flight twice a week at present and the flight lasts one hour and twenty minutes. Oddly enough, the office of Royal Air Cambodge is unmarked and inside the CPP (ruling party) headquarters. The airstrip is jest across the way. Motorcycle Touring InfoThe ride passes by some beautiful and diverse countryside, regardless of which direction you are coming from. Security is not a problem these days. Kratie to MondulkiriIf you are coming on the bomb-cratered highway from Kratie, go straight when you get into Snoul town, and when you see hither road curve to the right or left, go left. After about 7 km you come to a four-way junction, where you turn left to Mondulkiri. Snoul to Mondulkiri is about 130 km, and if you are coming from Kratie the entire trip is 215 km. Kampong Cham to MondulkiriKampong Cham to the Snoul turn off (to go to Mondulkiri) is a lousy but doable stretch of Highway 7. It’s about 143 km to Snoul and 275 km for the entire trip.Just before you reach Snoul town you will notice a police box on the right. The road curves to the right or left, and you go to the right to reach Mondulkiri. About 7 km down you will come to a four-way junction where you turn left for the ride to Mondulkiri.The road from Snoul to Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri, is a decent, level dirt variety that you can make fairly good time on. This changes during the rainy season when rainfall will make the wet surface as slippery at ice.Food and fuel can be had in Snoul town, with fuel and snacks available at the four-way junction 7 km from the Snoul turn off. Sen Monorom to Banlung, RattanakiriIf you want to go by motorcycle from Sen Monorom to Banlung, Rattanakiri, and it is rainy season, read the section entitled “The Death Highway” Or follow this simple advice: don’t do it. Even in the dry season, it’s a tough trail that will put your riding skills to the test. Make sure you have spate parts for your motorcycle (see Getting Around chapter for out Biker Checklist), and plenty of food and drinking water. The trip will take a couple of days during the dry season and Kaoh Nhek town (near halfway) is the only place that sells bottled water and some food. Fuel is available there as well. Don’t do it alone. It’s best to have some help if you have a bike breakdown or a mishap. You are a long way from help in most stretches of this remote trail. It would also be best to bring along a Khmer speaker, as the trail some times intersects with other trails and you will want to clarify that you took the proper way when you do come across somebody. It’s definitely an adventure, if you try to tackle it, be fully prepared so you have an opportunity to enjoy it.
THE DEATH HIGHWAY This is also known as the cow path from Mondulkiri.When we completed the journey during a very wet rainy season, our Khmer interpreter gave the trail this name .She jokingly (or was it?) Com pared it with the Buddhist way of thinking that if you do wrong and don’t lead your life properly; this is where you end up, on a place like this trail, struggling endlessly each day among the bad conditions that you made of your life. I guess we had some penance to fulfill.It’s an arduous journey any time of the year, but the rainy season adds a whole new dimension. The trail goes through, and is often in distinguishable from, flooded rice paddies. There are numerous streams and rivers with no bridge that you must deal with. During the dry season the streams are barely flowing or dried up completely, but we were always faced with a challenge on our rainy season journey.We were usually able to walk the bikes across the rivers, lifting them up when the water was deep to keep it from getting into the engine through the exhaust .A couple of times, in areas where the water was a bit deeper, we were able to enlist the help of villagers to lift the bikes onto four sets of shoulders and wade across the fast-moving water this way.On one occasion, at a river that had become too deep to get across, we thought we were going to have to turn back and just scrap the trip. But after a moment of discussion we agreed that we had no desire to relive the stretch of trail that we had already passed over. So we put on out thinking caps, which were rain soaked at the time, and looked about for something to lay the bikes on and swim them across. Finally, a bit of luck came out way. Someone had cut a few pieces of bamboo and left them near the far bank of the river. Swimming across, I retrieved them and swam them back to where the motorcycles were-no easy task with the river current trying to rip the bamboo from my hands and send it downstream.My companion had, for whatever reason, brought along a section of rope that we cut up and used to lash the sections of bamboo together. Twice we put one bike onto the makeshift raft, laying it sideways with the exhaust pipe facing upwards, and swam it across .All that for about 25 meters. Easy crossings become major projects during the rainy season.The inability to make much headway through the nasty trail conditions of the “Death Highway” meant that we had to seek shelter for the three nights that we spent on the passage. As the afternoons began to wane, we usually found ourselves crossing our fingers, hoping that we would come across a small village or at least a bamboo hut. We got lucky on all three nights, finding people who were more than a bit surprised and amused that e would make such a trip at that time of the year. We always gave them a donation for staying the night and for the community dish we would eat together. Families in this area usually only have food enough to get through until the next harvest, so they should be given some compensation.The people who live along parts of this sparsely populated stretch of Cambodia are forgotten souls. They have been left by the central government to fend for themselves, without any thought given to the basic needs, such as a useable road to travel on or simple health information and access to medicine. You certainly don’t trip over any NGO aid groups here to help, either.Having seen few, if any, foreigners close up before, the families found us very interesting subjects to study. In each of the three homes we stayed along the way, the family sat down in front of us to study each of our little mannerisms, much as we might study the mannerisms of a monkey at the zoo.When we wanted to change clothes and hinted that we wanted a bit of privacy, there they sat. There was no way they were going to give up shielding each other with bath towels, one at a time, while we changed, which really brought down the house from an entertainment standpoint. Brushing teeth seemed to be thought of as an exercise in vanity and a complete waste of time, judging by the looks in the faces of our hosts as they watched us. When one of us took out his contact lens kit in the evening, the circle of the curious would move in to arm’s length. It took a good bit of explaining to get them to understand this modern invention for the eye. Curiosity would really get the best of them any time one of us went through a gear bag. The entire family watched with bated breath to see exactly what item from the other world we might pull out of there. Most of these people own nothing from the modern-day world and live in rough bamboo huts lighted in the evening by the bamboo torches they make for themselves. Very few living in these areas have mosquito nets to sleep under, even though it’s a malarial region. When we mentioned that we wanted to get some drinking water, in most cases people would produce a bucket of dirty water from a nearby river, since nobody has apparently ever come through these parts to tell them of the dangers associated with untreated drinking water, they don’t realize that many of the illnesses their families suffer from are due to this. Surprisingly enough, the simple procedures of boiling river water or catching and storing rainwater have never been introduced to most of them. When we told people that they should do these things to have clean drinking water, we were asked why anyone would go through that much trouble when the river is so close at hand.One family we stayed a night with told us that they had lost two children to different illnesses. They said that because there was no doctor or even medicine available in the area they were unable to deal with shat were probably very treatable problems. “Death Highway,” indeed. Spending a few days on it is one thing; living an entire lifetime there is a scary thought. We lucky ones were able to move on, enduring the challenging trials of our adventure along the way, but moving on. The Jungle Rivers are full of leeches during the rainy season. Khmers are deathly afraid of leeches, firmly believing that they suck all of the power from your spirit along with the blood that they take, leaving you just a shell of your former self if you are lucky enough to survive. One time, upon emerging from the water after another river crossing, I began pulling at a leech that had dug in around my ankle. A couple of rural folk who happened to be bathing in the river nearby, began to scream and looked terrified, grabbing their belongings and hightailing it out of the water. They kept looking back at me over their shoulders, unable to fight the urge of one last glimpse of the poor soul before he succumbed. When they later saw me in their small village, they approached cautiously; apparently trying to decide which world I was now a part of. They asked a couple of questions about how I was and if I felt exhausted. I told them that leeches are no problem and they laughed nervously, still observing me as they departed. Obviously, I was now a being that could not be trusted. Another problem on the Death Highway during the rainy season is the surface of the trail (only in a few places can it be called a road). It consists of the same thick mud as in the nearby rice fields. Since the trail was never actually constructed as a real road, the surface was never built up and has no crown. Because of this the water can’t drain away, which is why the trail becomes indistinguishable from the rice fields along many stretches. Dirt bikes are no match for a plowed and flooded rice field. Ox carts provide the only means of transportation for the rural folk who occasionally use the trail, and an ox cart going across this kind of ground produces a trail that is much the same as a plowed rice field. It’s all one and the same. The big bikes, nice knobby tires and all, sink right into the muck, making the mud filled knobby tires about as useless as slicks. This results in endless fun and games as all become mud from head to toe, taking turns pushing each other though the mess. The mud is of just the right consistency to quickly cake on the wheels, brakes, and drive chain, causing the bike to seize up, unable to proceed. Throughout bad stretches, we had to take sticks and spend ten minutes scraping mud off a bike for every one minute of riding. Ten to fifteen km for a very long day was all that could be completed. As the Khmers say, subb-ai-rib-ree-ay- what fun!The Honda Dream would actually be a better bike on this surface than the 250-cc dirt bikes that we were riding. They are much lighter and so would not sink quite as much in the mud. Being much lighter, they are also easier to lift out of the muck and maneuver around. Dirt bikes are great for most off-road conditions, but not this one.One stretch of the Death Highway saw motorcycle finally succumb to the brutal conditions and refuse to go on. Old and brittle ignition wires that the rental company had probably never changed, became wet and practically disintegrated when I tried to dry them. The battery also died at the same time, and with road conditions as they were, a push start was not in the cards. We were in the jungle by now, ad not having seen anyone for some time, we thought we were in a real jam, when through the mist and out of nowhere appeared a Khmer guy driving an ox cart who looked like he came from the hills of Tennessee. We figured we were in luck after we talked the guy into letting us load the broken motorcycle aboard to take it to the Sre Pok River, where we might find a boat to take the bike downriver to Lumphat town and a bike shop with parts. The only problem with this pleasant scenario is that old Earl (probable name for the ox cart driver) drove his oxen really slowly, as such a driver is supposed to, until he saw that the trail descended down a ravine to a stream. I really doubt Earl had ever seen a Wild West cowboy film, but when he saw that ravine he stood up and whipped the oxen, much as a stagecoach driver might have, causing the animal to go into his highest gear. Riding on the cart and holding my bike in place, I knew what was probably going to happen. (I’d seen several of these films as a kid.) Sure enough, the cart hit the hump on the top of the ravine and quickly spilled over sideways, sending the motorcycle and me airborne. Luckily, I’ve also always been a fan of stuntmen and instinctively pushed the in-flight bike away from me and went into a defensive roll. Amazingly, nothing was the worse for the mishap except the side of Earl’s cart. We lashed it together as best we could, gave Earl a lesson on slowing down instead of speeding up when approaching a ravine and proceeded cauriously. Never a dull moment for this trip. Believe it or not, the Sre Pok River is the movie Apocalypse New, where Colonel Kurtz (played by Marlon Brado) set up an army encampment, not with U.S. military personnel, but rather with his own handpicked army of Cambodians. He had gone mad in Vietnam and headed up a river and into Cambodia, figuring that he could rule his own country.When we finally reached the Sre Pok River, we found a small village whose people obviously had access to a few things from the outside world, such as Lao Beer and a couple of long-tailed boats with motors. After a fast and furious haggling session, we settled on a price for loading the two bikes onto the two small, narrow boats and going downriver to Lumphat town. By the time we loaded the bikes- no easy task, giving had to carry the bikes down a rain- slicked muddy river embankment-dark had settled in and we were heading down the river by the light of a beautiful full moon. The thick jungle crept to the river’s edge on both sides and the scene intrigued and spooked us at the same time. Having already imbibed one of those Lao Beer, I found it easy to imagine that I was heading down this river in search of the elusive Colonel Kurtz.Being on the Sre Pok River, with the jungle as the only living entity around us on that moonlit night, I realized that the writers of Apocalypse New had done their homework. This jungle river could easily pass as the one that a Colonel Kurtz might have followed from Vietnam to set up his strange encampment in the middle of the Cambodian nowhere. The two men steering our boats, along with the other guys at the small river village we had departed from were all ex-soldiers with very little money for their families to live on. They were an odd combination of former Lao, Cambodian, and ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers, disgruntled about hardly ever having been paid during their soldiering days. It was not at all a stretch of the imagination for the writers to envision Colonel Kurtz hiring guys like these to be his own private army in this part of Cambodia during the Vietnam War days. I also got the feeling, from seeing and talking to these guys, that if some nut came by today and offered them a monthly salary for a swath of land and their soldiering services, he could be the Colonel Kurtz of today. It was almost a shame that I was already tied up with this guidebook project.But they insisted that this was the spot and that the town was indeed very close. There was, of course, another steep and muddy river embankment that we had to haul the bikes up, so I told the guys that they would only be paid after they helped us get the bikes up the hill and into town. It was their turn to protest because, they told us, they had heard that foreigners always took advantage of Cambodians by hiring them for a job and then not paying. They suddenly had the feeling that I was a slick guy with that same intention. I felt like Colonel Kurtz when I told them that if they just did what I told them, they would be paid, and saw them then set about the task of unloading the motorcycles from the boats.We did not see any lights from the nearby town because, as at it turned out, Lumphat had only one working generator that supplied light to one small restaurant. Lumphat used to be the home of the airport (airstrip, to be more precise) for Rattanakiri Province. When the airport was relocated to Banlung a number of years ago, however, the already small town sort of died. There were no bike shops and no hotel or guesthouse, but we were told that we were welcome to sleep at the local wat with a bunch of real shady looking characters who told us that’s where they slept. With no lights around the entire area, except in the small restaurant that we were all conversing outside of, our paranoid (or was it?) instincts told us that this was not the place to spend the rest of the night. We wanted to wake up with out wallets and lives intact.Having already asked how many kilometers it was to Banlung town and if the road was doable by vehicle, I told them that we wanted to hire a truck or jeep to load the bikes onto and take us to Banlung as soon as possible. They protested that although the road was fairly decent, it passed over a mountain and because it was ten o’clock at night, it just wasn’t possible. Besides, there was no such truck or jeep available. I then told the restaurant owner that there was US$ 25 in it if he could, by chance, produce such a vehicle and if we could, by chance, depart soon even though it was nighttime. He turned and ran off into the darkness and disappeared for about fifteen minutes. We then heard a loud, unnerving sound approaching from the distance that we soon saw was made by a very old and tattered Russian jeep. The driver, apparently a friend of the restaurant owner, smiled as he got out of his rig and said that we could in fact make the trip immediately, if we could increase the fare to US$ 30. Impossible by night-but not for the right price. Will the wonders of Cambodia never cease?We quickly loaded the bikes onto the back of the old jeep and tied them securely into place for the steep mountain road that we knew they had to endure. Then we set off in the loud and sputtering jeep, heading down the final stretch to Banlung, with the road quickly burying itself in the surrounding jungle. We soon came across a downed tree in the toad and when the driver tried to detour into the bush around it, the wheels sank deeply into a muddy slew area. Another mud-slinging session ensued as we tried to rock and push the jeep out of the quagmire. Twenty minutes later, we were all muddied but on our way.The bikes gave us a couple of thrills as they shifted around going over the mountains, but it was a surprisingly uneventful ride the rest of the way to Banlung. After finding a guesthouse and unloading the bikes, we happily paid the beaming driver, who was proud of getting us to our destination, and of the pay that he had negotiated. Our penance on the “Death Highway” had finally been fulfilled.
4/-RATTANAKIRI Rattanakiri is a bit of paradise for the naturalist. Remnants of an ancient volcano exist in the form of a crystal-clear lake that was formed after the active volcano went dormant. There are also a few ancient lava fields that testify to the fact that the area was quite lively at one time. Beautiful waterfalls, clear rivers winding through stretches of jungle, and rolling hills that meet mountains near the Vietnam and Laos borders provide a full agenda for nature lovers.Rattanakiri is the home of Cambodia’s version of the Golden Triangle. Unlike the other one of illicit drug fame, this triangle is gaining popularity for its natural beauty and self-sufficient hill tribe communities, untouched and not a part of the tourism industry as they are in neighboring Thailand. Non-structured, low-impact, custom trips to outlying villages and natural areas can be organized (strictly by yourself or with help from a guesthouse).You will soon realize that this area has not seen a lot of tourists. If you do happen upon hill tribe people in the areas outside of Banllung, don’t be surprised if they look at you in horror and turn to run away. They just haven’t seen many, if any, foreigners.Banlung town is the seat of the province. It has recently grown more visitors friendly, with more places to stay, some good food, and a decent market area. This is all made possible by the recent influx of Cambodians from other parts of the country who see the eco-tourism potential of the area and have moved here to set up some supporting businesses to try to catch the wave of this small boomtown. They see Banlung as a nice quiet area in which to raise their families and try their hand at being entrepreneurs. WHAT’S UP Yeak laom Volcano LakeThis beautiful place is not far from town and is great for a swim, picnic, or hike around the crater rim of the old volcano. And it has a small informative local museum thrown in to boot. In 1995 the governor of Rattanakiri officially set aside a 5,000-hectare (12,350-acre) protected area, of which the lake is a part, and in 1996 got help from the International Development and Research Center of Canada and the United Nations Development Program to develop an effective resource management program. This area represents Cambodia’s finest attempt at preserving a site. Full-time rangers work to ensure the area is protected. They receive regular training and have put up signs throughout the area reminding people not to littler, wash clothes, bathe or toilet in the lake. Amazing for Cambodia.The main swimming and picnic area features a nice wood deck that’s great to use for a jump into the sparking clean water. Nearby, park rangers erected a couple of examples of hill tribe construction in the form of non politically correct bride and groom homes, where the man gets the elevated home (his status in the relationship) and the woman has the one nearer to the ground. A few hundred meters down is the Cultural and Environmental Center, which has information about area history and displays of local hill tribe tools and handiwork. They also sell some of the handicrafts made by the hill tribes: musical instruments, beaded belts, shirts, and hats.From the center you can take a nature trail around the entire crater rim. King Sihanouk had a chalet built on the shores of the lake and used it during the 1960s. It was destroyed in the 1970 war between the Lon Nol government and Khmer Rouge guerillas. You can still see the remnants of this and also-indifferent spots around the lake-trenches that held gun emplacements during the fighting.The inhabitants of the area. The Khmer Leu hill tribe people have always recognized the lake as a sacred place, home to the spirits of the land, water, and forest. Here those spirits interact with humans and, according to the local legend of Yeak Laom Lake, fabulous, spiritual aquatic beings reside here. The surrounding forests of the area are also said to be the home of spirits and therefore can’t be cut. This helps to explain why the hill tribe people took so strongly to the idea of protecting the area.It’s very easy to get to-just go east from the Independence Monument circle 3 km to the Hill Tribe Monument circle and go right about 1,5 km to the entrance gate. The local hill tribe community connected to the lake get to collect an entrance fee, giving them a source of income and revenue for protecting their resource. It’s only a few hundred riel per person and a few hundred for a motorcycle. Wat Rah-tahn-ah-rahm (Reclining Buddha) From the American Restaurant, follow the road toward Stung just over half a kilometer and turn right on the dirt road that goes to a temple area. The main temple is on this level. If you continue on the road that goes upward behind the temple for just over another half a kilometer you come to the hilltop area. There is a reclining Buddha resting and enjoying the nice view of the countryside and the mountains off in the distance. Waterfall SitesThe first part of the short journey to either waterfall is the same. Continuing on the road from the American Restaurant town Stung Treng, you come to a dirt road intersection (2 km from the American Restaurant).For the waterfall to the south, turn left and follow that road past the stands of rubber trees until you come near a small bridge. You can then either turn right about 100 meters before the bridge or just before the bridge, and go back about 100 meters to the stairway going down to the waterfall pool area. This is a nice place for either a swim or just to kick back and look at nature in the downstream jungle area.Continuing on the road and over the bridge, you get into the heavy, cool shade of a large rubber tree plantation. Back on the main road that you took from the American Restaurant, turn right (instead of the left you took to get to the last waterfall) and follow this road to the other waterfalls. You will eventually come upon three sets of forks in the road. Each time you approach one of these forks, you follow it to the left. At the last fork you can see the small stream off to the right. Take this and follow it back to the clearing where you can park your bike. A footpath going straight will bring you down to the bottom of the big waterfall-a beautiful jungle gorge area. It’s a peaceful spot and if you follow the stream’s flow, you arrive at the top of the big waterfall nearby. Watch your step. Khmer-Laos Friendship MonumentsAt the north end of town are a few Lao and Cambodian-style monuments that attest to the fact that Laos is not too far away. Looking off to the north you can see the Border Mountains. With the lake in the fore ground, it’s a pleasant setting. Virochey National Park, Tonle San River and BeyondTo get to the various sights in this area, head west from Banlung to a big fork in the road that has a large painted sign in English (the fork is 8 km from the Independence Monument). The sign says that the road to the right takes you to Taveng, 67 km away (that’s from town, not from the sign). Following this road for a few kilometers brings you to a large clearing on both sides of the road. You soon notice that this is an ancient lava field where the flow followed the down ward slope of the area and left the cooled volcanic rock in its wake. The forest surrounding the entire area is honeycombed with footpaths that the hill tribe people of the area use to gather their various bounties from the jungle. It’s possible to hike off onto these trails and come upon individual hill tribe homes scattered about. Just keep track of your direction, as it’s easy to get turned around and lost back there. Continuing on toward Taveng, the road condition worsens and is not suitable for a rainy season journey. If it’s the dry season and you are keen on an adventure through some pristine countryside, it’s possible to go all the way to Taveng and cut back on the small river road to Virochey. You could take in the activities there and complete the triangle journey by heading back to Banlung on the other road from Virochey.The road to Virochey (going left from that fork 8 km Banlung) is definitely the better of the two roads and can be used during the rainy season as well. Virochey is just under 37 km north west of Banlung. As you approach the town, you will see the Virochey National Park headquarters on the left. They sometimes have an English – speaking ranger there who can give you a bit of information about the area. Continuing further along the road, you will come to the end of the line- the Tonle San River. There are cheap food and drink stands there and they also have fuel. Across the road is a local general store with clothing, fishing boat accessories and other gear. This is the place to inquire about renting a boat to take you northwest on the Tonle San River toward Laos. The river is very clean and the boat ride is scenic so it makes for a fun trip to follow the river for a swim and some photos. You will see and can stop at a temple on the south bank of the river. Fishermen working the river with nets from small boats, and the mountains ahead in the not too far distance complete the picturesque scene. There are several sandbars along the way if you want to stop for a swim. The cost of the motorized boat and driver is US$ 10.The beach and boat landing area are just behind the food stands where you reached the town. It’s a gorgeous and extremely wide white sand beach and also makes a good spot to cool off in the clean river. There is a small boat there that serves as a ferry, taking people across to the Chinese and Lao village on the other side. It’s 200 riel per person and 1,000 riel for a Honda Dream (if you rented one in Virochey). It’s an interesting village to hike or motorbike around. From the food stand area, it’s also possible to motorcycle down about 1,5 km to the riverside temple. Fishing Although nothing has been organized yet, the streams and fivers around Rattanakiri would be fine for fishing, one could bet. Bring your own lightweight gear and give it a whirl. Gem Mines and the Road to the Vietnam BorderGem mining has pretty much faded away compared to shat it used to be. There are only a couple of small – scale operations still going on around the village of Bokeo. If you are in the mood for a ride through the countryside anyhow, head east from the Independence Monument and after 28 km you come upon a fork in the road where you go right. About 38 km into the trip you come to Bokeo village after 38,5 km you come to a stand of huge trees on the left with a small dirt road that after 5 km arrives in the village of Dtih Jahk. Point to a ring or ring finger and the people will know that you want to see the gem mine area. Someone will direct you to where it’s possible to buy uncut stones for a few dollars.The Vietnam border and market are farther down the road about 63 km from the Independence Monument in Banlung. It would be nice to be able to stroll around the market on the Vietnamese side, but the Cambodian and Vietnamese immigration officials haven’t gotten the go-ahead from their governments to permit this.Only 5,5 km into this journey from the Independence Monument, you reach the bottom of a hill in a valley full of banana trees. There is a nice little outdoor restaurant with some good, simple Vietnamese dishes. See the Restaurant section. Elephant Trekking and Guides for Hill Tribe ExcursionsThe best place to organize an elephant trek and find a guide if you aren’t keen on independent journeys is the Banlung Guesthouse (by the airport). The only elephant had recently died before we went through Banlung and they were in the process of reorganizing things.Banlung would also be a great place for mountain biking. There are at present no rentals available, so bring your own if you come by airplane and are so inclined. MARKETS The market is the standard “all under one roof” (and spilling out the sides) Khmer variety with a lot of merchandise coming from Vietnam and Laos. The fruit vendors are mostly outside on the west and south sides of the market. Western Food.An enterprising Khmer lady came up with the idea of shipping some of the things that Westerners crave from Lucky Market in Phnom Penh. Its bit pricey, but a welcome addition to Rattanakiri.
GETTING AROUND Moto-TaxiMoto-taxis will take you around for the standard fee of 4,000 riel per hour, plus extra for fuel, heading to the outlying sights, Motorcycle RentalThe American Restaurant as well as many of the guesthouses rent out Honda Dream motorcycles for US$ 5 a day. Motorcycle DoctorThere is a fairly creative motorcycle mechanic who can perform some minor surgery on your motorcycle if it is feeling the effects of the surrounding roads. Check the map near the Independence Monument.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE As yet, there is no bank in Banlung. There are moneychangers with the telltale glass cases along the road leading to the market, as well as in the market area. Dollars, riel and the Vietnamese dong are traded.
MEDICAL FACILITIES As in most places around Cambodia, it’s not a good idea to get sick. If you do and need immediate attention, the Rattanakiri Provincial Hospital is in the northwest part of town. They occasionally have foreign doctors on staff with the Khmer doctors.Pharmacy. There are many, but a good one run by a married couple who speak English is located next to the Konica photo shop near the Independence Monument.
RESTAURANTS The American Restaurant. An unlikely name for a restaurant with the best food in town. It turns out that an American used to be the owner and cook of the place. He taught the staff to cook the Western dishes on the menu and also to be meticulous in the cleanliness of the place. They got the idea, as it’s a simple but well taken care of restaurant. If you’ve been in the bush a whi9le, they serve up a mean hamburger with all of the trimmings of a California Burger, and tasty fries on the side. There are plenty of choices of Western and Khmer food and if you want something special made up for you, the friendly staffs are happy to accommodate you. Open all day. The restaurant rents lout Honda Dream motorcycles for US$ 5 a day. Banlung Guesthouse Restaurant. Next to the airport. They serve Khmer, Western and Thai food throughout the day, starting with breakfast. It’s a friendly place and the food is good. Market Food Stands. Located near the market and share taxi area is a bunch of simple noodle ad rice dish shops. Real cheap eats.Gengliang’s Place. Located 5,5 km from the Independence Monument on the road toward the Vietnamese border, is an outdoor restaurant set amid trees and a small stream in a valley. It’s a nice, simple setting that serves up a very good Vietnamese noodle and curry cold dish. They have a few other treats, as well as fresh fruit and drinks. The name of the friendly Khmer owner of the place is Gangling and she speaks French.
NIGHT SCENE That this town is on the move is evident by the small night scene that has developed here. As mentioned, the section of road going toward the market is where a lot of the locals sit for a drink or snack during the evening.Khmer Nightclub. This funky place is carry – cornered from the American Restaurant. It features a dance floor with a sickly techno-sound system playing all the pop music that you have grown so weary of in Phnom Penh. There is a small karaoke area, and a bunch of taxi girls work the place. There are even some beer girls on hand to tend to your thirst.There is also a small nightclub on the road just west of the market, about a kilometer to the south, but the road is particularly dark and unappealing at night.The moto-taxi guys are all too pleased to show you the brothel area just outside of town. This place must be growing.
ACCOMMODATIONS Banlung Guesthouse. Near the market. Very clean rooms with a share bath go for US$ 3.Banlung Guesthouse. Near the airport. This friendly place has fan rooms with a bathroom inside for US$ 5 and a/c rooms for US$ 10. They have a restaurant and can arrange guided trips to the local attractions and beyond. They also have guides who speak the various hill tribe dialects and can take you to some outlying villages.They rent Honda Dreams for US$ 5 a day and also a pickup truck with a driver for US$ 50 a day, including the fuel. They are currently trying to reorganize their elephant trekking after the recent death of the elephant that was normally used.Mountain Guesthouse. Fairly decent simple rooms are available at US$ 5 a night for a room with a fan and bathroom. The walls are paper-thin so watch the hanky-panky; they have a small restaurant that serves breakfast. They also have Honda Dreams for rent at US$ 5 a day.Mountain Guesthouse 2. This is run by the sister of the owner of the similarly named place mentioned above. They have Spartan accommodations that are not well cleaned for US$ 5. There is a funky share bath area. The upside is a nice second-floor terrace and they also serve a breakfast.Labiensak Hotel. With no staff anywhere to be found on the three occasions when we stopped by, it is not recommended. Belongings can easily disappear if nobody is minding the store.Rattanak Hotel. It may be the top place in town, but that isn’t saying much. They did some remodeling in the front outside area of the building, but the rooms are the same as before. Rooms in front have a terrace and window overlooking the street. They have and attached Western bath, double or twin beds with a/c for US$ 10 a night. It’s a clean place, but when we went through, not overly friendly. Maybe it was just a bad hair day.
COMING & GOING AirFlying is, of course, the easy way to go. Royal Air Cambodge makes the flight six days a week ad the newer addition to the airline scene, President Airlines, flies to Banlung three times a week, Check the map for office locations if you took a taxi here but want to fly back. Share Taxi The share taxi pickup trucks only go from here to Stung Treng Bring food, water, and mosquito repellent because if there is a breakdown on this bumpy backwoods road you may be caught in the jungle for the night. Share taxis usually go in groups in case of a breakdown, but with the other vehicles usually full as well, people do get stranded at times. The five-hour trip stretches to seven hours for share taxis during the rainy season.The fare is 30,000 riel per person for an inside seat.Motorcycle Touring InfoBanlung to Stung TrengThe 146-km journey from Banlung to Stung Treng took 51/2 hours during the rainy season, so knock at least an hour off that in the dry season. The road is generally lousy, passing through areas of bomb craters that create deep lakes during the rainy season, but you can skirt around the perimeter of most of them. Where you can’t, the road goes zigzagging through the jungle, and is slow and slippery in the wet months. How ever, there are a few decent stretches, and the last 19 km on Highway 7 are fairly easy ones. It’s certainly not one of the better roads, but it’s not the worst either. There is some nice scenery, but as with other bad highways around Cambodia, you are usually too preoccupied with the road to enjoy it unless you stop.The same suggestion we made in the share taxi section applies for riders on this road. Bring food, water and mosquito repellent. If you have a breakdown there may not be anyone else coming by, depending on the time of day. It’s always best to get an early start to improve your chances if you do have a problem. Banlung to MondulkiriIf you came from Stung Treng and want to try the back trail to Mondulkiri ( Sen Monorom) and it’s the rainy season, read the Death Highway chapter. Or follow the simple advice we gave in the Mondulkiri section: don’t do it.In the dry season, it’s a tough trail that will put your riding skills to the test. Make sure you have spare parts for your motorcycle (see Biker Checklist in Getting Around chapter), and bring plenty of food and drinking water. The trip will take a couple of days during the dry season and Kaoh Nhek town (near halfway) is the only place that sells bottled water and some food. Fuel is available there as well. Don’t do it alone. It’s best to have some help if you have a breakdown or a mishap. You are a long way from help in most stretches of this remote trail. It would also be best to bring along a Khmer speaker as the trail sometimes intersects with other trails and you will want to clarify that you took the proper way when you do come across somebody. It’s definitely an adventure, so if you try to tackle it be fully prepared so you have an opportunity to enjoy it. Security these days has not been a problem.
5/-STUNG TRENG Stung Treng town is an important trade hub with a few hints of Lao influence scattered about, owing to the fact that the Lao border is about 50 km away.It’s a friendly, quiet country town situated near the confluence of the San River and the Mekong River. It actually sits on the banks of the San River, with the mighty Mekong coming into the picture on the northeastern outskirts of town. The San River goes by three names, depending on which of the locals you speak to. Some call it the Kong River because the San and Kong Rivers merge together about 10 km northeast of Stung Treng town, confusing people about which name the river should bear. Others call it the Sekong River, which is the combined name of these two rivers. Whatever name the fiver beside the town goes by, it’s another one of Cambodia’s beautiful picture-postcard river towns. It’s a nice place to kick back and chill out if you are on a circuit tour of the Northeast. WHAT’S UPRiver Scene, from Here to LaosThe San River is fronted in Stung Treng by a nice stretch of paved road. It’s the center of socializing (as in most Cambodian river towns) in the late afternoon and early evening hours as the locals ride up and down the stretch enjoying the view and each other. Drink and dessert stands spring up earlier to serve the daily merrymaking crowd. It’s a nice spot for a walk or jog any time of the day as the river road turns into a pleasant rural road that leads to the airport 4 km north of town.The river port area just in front of the small city park is fairly busy, handling trade between Cambodia and Laos.The ferry across the San River to where Highway 7 continues north to the Laos border is also at this pier. The fare is 300 riel per head. We went for a ride on this stretch (2,000 riel for taking a big bike on the ferry), but there is not much to see along the way besides jungle and the remnants of a road that was a target of carpet bombing during the Vietnam War years. The road works its way eastward so it does not afford views of the Mekong River as one would hope. The few residents we saw along the way were truly amazed to see the likes of us, would want to be there. Mekong River Trip to LaosThe Mekong River between Stung Treng and the Laos border is very light on population and heavy on beautiful scenery. Boulder outcroppings, numerous sets of rapids, swirling pothole currents, wide sweeping stretches of river and forested landscape along the banks all await the boat traveler. It makes for a great trip, either for the traveler that wants to continue on to Laos or for those wanting to enjoy a wild stretch of the Mekong in Cambodia. The trip is difficult to downright impossible to make on this shallow stretch of the Mekong during the dry season, with cont less sunken islands and a virtual forest of trees growing right in the middle of the river. The trip becomes an obstacle course for the boat drivers this time of the year, as they carefully try to choose the best way to guide their craft through the maze that nature has created without losing a propeller to the river. The best time of the year to take this trip is from May to November when sufficient upstream rains have raised the river to a level that allows the boats to pass through carefully.There is not a whole lot to do once you get to the border area, but travelers can leave their passport with Cambodian immigration (at the small checkpoint on the west bank of the river) and cross to the Laos side to eat at a riverside restaurant and look at the tiny market in the Laos village of Geedahn. Cambodian immigration officers may ask you see them, but it is not a fee set by the central government so you don’t have to pay it.There is also a guesthouse to stay at near this village (on the Laos side of the river, but a couple of hundred meters south along the riverbank where it is still Cambodia). Which was built here for border traders that lose the day light hours and need a place to spend the night. It’s a nice enough place, but overpriced, with a room that includes two big beds and a fan going for US$ 8 a night. Electricity is running between dusk and midnight. To take the trip, head down to the riverbank area (near the small bullet boats just east of the pier) in Stung Treng town before 8:30 am and talk to one of the operators of the small freight boats. The fare is 15,000 riel (one way) and the trip to the border area takes about 5 ½ hours, but is cut down to just over three hours on the trip back so0uth as the swift current on this stretch of the Mekong pushes the boats right along. If you want a faster journey, approach one of the small fiberglass boat operators, the ones that have the 40-hp outboard motors-they want US$ 20-$25 (one-way) to make the trip- but if you are looking for a quick trip or fast fun, the trip time going upriver is cut down to only 1 ½ hours. The slow boats are fast enough coming back downstream so you could save money by grabbing one of those on the return trip. For those wanting to cross into Laos using this route you will need a Laos’s visa in your possession and you also need to stop at the main police station in Stung Treng town (see map) to get a letter of permission to cross the border at this point. This is shown to Cambodian immigration will not let you stamp out of the country without this letter. West River Wat Heading west from the pier just under half a kilometer is a temple that faces the confluence of the Mekong and San Rivers. There are a couple of bucking broncos guarding the gate and wall murals on the outside of the temple. It’s a nice setting.East River WatsHeading east from the pier and toward the airport is a seventy-year-old temple complex with a recently built wat. Continuing east on the River Road and just across a small bridge is another temple complex facing the river. The wat is a strange-looking two-story affair with murals on the outside. Wat Phnom, Stung Treng Borrowing the name of the famous land mark temple in Phnom Penh, this one isn’t high enough for a good view of the area, though you can see the mountains along the Lao border to the north. Anew wat is currently under construction on the site.
MARKETS The market is a bustling place, selling goods from Laos, Vietnam and, of course, Cambodia. There is also a small night market that sets up on the southwest side of the market, and there are also small drink and food market shops near the Preap Son Guesthouse on the opposite side of the market.
GETTING AROUND Moto-TaxiThe standard fare of 4,000 riel per hour for cruising around is in effect. Figure 500 riel for one-way trips. Motorcycle DotorThe motorcycle doctor (see map) gets an ”E” for effort. This guy, a fan of big bikes, tries to make do with the little that he has in parts. Get that chain tightened and lubed. CURRENCY EXCHANCE There is no bank in Stung Treng. Moneychangers are in and around the outside of the market area.
MEDICAL FACILITIES The Stung Treng Health Clinic and Hospital is your only choice for a medical problem that can’t wait. The pharmacies are around the perimeter of the market.
RESTAURANTS Arunreas Restaurant. They make the most of their parkway location by having a small sidewalk eating area. It’s a pleasant enough early evening spot as the locals ride by on their evening motorcycle pleasure cruise. They have good food (Western and Khmer), and an English menu to go along with English-speaking staff.No Name Restaurant. Located across the parkway from the Arunreas, this place is easy to spot, as it always seems to have Coca Cola and Player umbrellas set up. The food is tasty, but is prepared to try your hand at Khmer as they don’t speak English and there isn’t an English menu. The staff is very friendly, though.Kolap Stung Treng Hotel & Restaurant. Good Khmer and Chinese food with an English menu and beer girls, to boot.Hotel Sok-sabat & Restaurant. At the time of our trip, the hotel was talking about expanding its restaurant. It was talking about expanding its restaurant. It was only serving a soup breakfast and catering to wedding parties at the time. Noodle and Rice Shops. Along the parkway and near the market are some dirt cheap, simple Khmer food stands.
NIGHT SCENE Kolap Stung Treng Hotel & Nightclub. The hotel has shut down but the restaurant and nightclub are alive and kickin. It’s a small-scale affair with a Khmer band, beer girls and the usual Khmer nightclub contingent of taxi girls.Hotel Sok-Sabat & Nightclub. It’s been open hit or miss, but when it’s open they have a Khmer band and all the trimmings that the Kolap Nightclub has. They seem to convert to wedding parties only, during the spring ad summer wedding season. Sabay-Man Restaurant. The English sign says that it’s a restaurant, but it’s really a small nightclub with taxi girls. Scattered about Stung Treng are a number of small karaoke joints with the typically friendly female staff.
ACCOMMODATIONS Amatak Guesthouse. Very basic rooms with a floor fan, bed and mosquito net. It’s clean and there is a share bath for US$ 5 a night. Preap Sor Guesthouse. Clean and simple rooms with a Western bath for US$ 10 a night with a fan. It’s double what the price should be. Adding a/c puts the price at US$ 15.Sekong Hotel. This is a very pleasant place with its nice layout and location next to the San River. Bib rooms with nice old wooden furniture and a Western bath are US$ 10 a night with a fan, or a whopping US$ 20 a night to flip on the a/c. They say the electricity is expensive in these parts. Better bargains are the simple rooms in the back of the complex. They have a fan and Western bath for US $ 5 a night. The friendly Khmer lady owner has her staff (family) head to the market for warm French bread in the mornings and serves it with espresso coffee.Hotel Sok-Sabat. It’s a fairly new place with nice rooms that go for US$ 10-20 a night. They also have a Chinese breakfast in the morning.
COMING & GOING AirThe easiest way to get here is by air. Royal Air Cambodge makes the flight three times a week and President Airlines covers two other days of the week. This gives Stung Treng five days of service per week on the Phnom Penh route. Both airlines have offices near the parkway.The airport is abandoned and left wide open, except when there is a plane coming or going. The locals use the nice asphalt runway as a cut-through to connect with the river road. It is a nice open straightaway, so join the crowd with your big bike and see if you can achieve airborne status. We tried, but the bikes were not quite up to it. Bullet Boat to KratieUnfortunately, the bullet boats usually don’t journey beyond Kratie. The stretch between Kratie and Stung Treng is loaded with small islands and clumps, with a fair number of dead trees thrown in for good measure. The journey is made only when the water is very high, which doesn’t occur during a good portion of the rainy season.When the boat is running it beats taking a share taxi as, unlike the road, the river affords a smooth ride. The trip downriver to Kratie takes around 4 ½ hours and six to seven hours coming upstream from Kratie. As of May 2000, the bullet boat was running every other day at a fare of 20,000riel. If the boats are making the run, take it- it’s a pretty stretch of the river. Share TaxiShare taxis ply two routes from Stung Treng one to Banlung (Rattanakiri) and the other south to Kratie.For the trip to Banlung, bring food, water and mosquito repellant because if there is a breakdown (not uncommon) on this bumpy backwoods road you may be caught in the jungle for the night. Share taxis usually go in groups in case of a breakdown, but as the other taxis are usually full as well, people do end up stranded and sleeping out in the elements at times. The five – hour trip stretches to seven hours during the rainy season.The fare is 30,000 riel for an inside seat. From Stung Treng to Kratie, the fare is 20,000 riel. Motorcycle touring info Banlung to Stung TrengThe 146 km journey from Banlung to Stung Treng took 5 ½ hours during the rainy season, so knock at least an hour off of that in the dry season. The road is generally lousy, passing through areas of bomb craters that create deep lakes during the rainy season, but you can skirt around the perimeter of most of them. Where you can’t, the road goes zigzagging through the jungle, which is slow and slippery in the wet months. Having said that, there are a few decent stretches and the last 19 km (after the road merges with Highway 7) are fairly easy ones. The same suggestion we made in the share taxi part of this section applies for riders on this road. Bring food, water and mosquito repellent. If you have a breakdown, there may not be anyone else coming by, depending on the time of day. It’s always best to get an early start to improve your chances if you do have a problem. Stung Treng to KratieThe road goes from asphalt to shredded tarmac to dirt. There are scattered bomb craters, but the road is not nearly as bad as some. The trip is 142 km and took four hours during the rainy season. As fat as security, see the word of caution under Share Taxi, above.
6/-SVAY RIENG & PREY VENG Svay (pronounced Swai) Rieng and Prey Veng are a couple of sleepy Cambodian provinces that just happen to have one of the country’s busiest highways running straight through them-National Highway 1, which links Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Svay Rieng town sits just 58 km from the Moc Bai border crossing and is a fairly prosperous place as a result of the border trade traffic, business people and travelers passing trough. The town is a very friendly place and makes for a pleasant overnight stop whether coming from or going to Vietnam. Highway 1 is asphalt and not an extreme challenge to travel on any time of the year (riddled with potholes in spots, but hey, it’s Cambodia), so it’s also a nice overnight trip from Phnom Penh. The pleasant ride takes you through Kandal, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng Provinces, which are chock full of rice paddies and sugar palm trees that dot the country side as far as the eye can see. The trip also entails a boat ride on the Neak Loeung Ferry that connects Highway 1 on both sides of the Mekong River.Svay Rieng town is situated near the Waiko River and its vast, scenic marshlands, the result of a wide stretch of the river drying up significantly over the years. It’s a pleasant setting and one that can be enjoyed at several different spots along the river and marsh. A bridge over the Waiko, not far from the main part of town, bears a plaque that states the bridge was donated by Hun Sen, the all-powerful prime minister. This is definitely the ruling party’s stomping ground, and conversations with locals will attest to it. Although it’s close to the border and has more than a little bit of Vietnamese influence noticeable around the town and province, locals still express deep gratitude to the ruling party for reaming up with Vietnam to finally purge the government of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979. The powerful director of the National Police, Hok Lundy, is also from this province and owns the top hotel in town. Also by no small coincidence, the brother of Hun Sen is now the governor of Svay Rieng Province. The government likes to shore up its support here, as well as in other places, by taking credit for high profile projects like the bridge, which is something the people see and use everyday. I guess that’s politics, in any country. Greeting all upon arrival from Phnom Penh is a traffic circle with its statue of a nice rural farm couple holding hands and smiling. The hoe resting on the husband’s right shoulder is an nice touch. However, as you continue around the circle you realize that the man also has an AK-47 rifle slung over his left shoulder and resting on his back. Does the surreal feel of Cambodia ever let up? Neak Loeung Ferry InfoThe Neak Loeung Ferry is located about 63 km from the traffic circle next to the Monivong Bridge in Phnom Penh. It crosses the Mekong River, connecting the east and west sections of Highway1. It’s another example of how far behind the times Cambodia is that the busiest highway in the country still has no bridge across the Mekong. Large transport trucks overflowing with goods from Vietnam, share taxis, and all the regular traffic, still must stop and wait in line for the ferry crossing. At least the wait isn’t a long one and there is plenty of entertainment on hand to keep you amused. As soon as you pull up near the ticket shack you are greeted by five cans of Coke, three bags of sugar cane and half a dozen packs of moist mini-towels being trust into your face by the hordes of vendors. Yeah, it’s possible to get refreshments here. There is also a small contingent of Khmer beggars on hand to throw you their highly polished and most sorrowful looks. I usually give them a quick swipe with a mini-towel so the looks are at least clean ones. There are also some never-traveling minstrels to serenade you during your waiting minutes. The fare is 200 riel per person and 300 riel for a motorcycle a motorcycle. It’s a nice stretch of the Mekong but you are on the other side before you can say “South China Sea.”There are a couple of decent Khmer food restaurants on the left side just after you get off the ferry. They also have moneychangers there. Just beyond is a large monument greeting you in the middle of Highway 1 as you continue your journey. It features a big statue of Cambodian and Vietnamese soldiers marching forward in solidarity. Similar ones were put up around the country to try to make the masses feel good about the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia following the defeat of the Khmer Rouge government. They are not favorites among the Khmers, who still harbor a strong dislike and distrust of their neighbor. There are large markets loaded with goods from Vietnam near Highway 1 on both sides of the ferry crossing, with the one on the Phnom Penh side the larger of the two. WHAT’S UP Prey VengJust after you cross the Mekong River by way of the Neak Loeung Ferry there is an interesting site in Prey Veng Province.Phnom Chi-gaht The drive from Highway 1 takes you through a beautiful swath of countryside. You pass by a couple of rural temples surround by an area of lakes, rice fields and waterlily ponds. Arriving at the hilltop temple you find a stairway that leads up to one of two peaks. At the top is a Buddhist shrine and an open gazebo that gives you a wonderful view of the lakes, rivers and rice fields spread across the province. There is also a hiking trail for crossing to the next peak and another nearby hill. To get there, go about 2 km from the ferry crossing to where a small market sits next to a road that comes into the highway from the left. This is where you turn left. The small market and village is called Kampong Sahng. Follow this road another 2 km to where the road gives you the potion of going straight of turning to the right. There is a blue sign with arrows pointing to the two options. Turn right here. Follow this until you get to a village with a yellow school building on the right. Take a left o the dirt road there and follow this to the base of the temple stairs. River Scene, Svay RiengDrink and snack stands spring up in the evening near the Hun Sen Bridge over the Waiko River. Locals use this area and the main drag as an evening social promenade on their motorcycles. A nice early evening stroll would be to start at the, Monument Circle and cut down the river road past the bridge. Boat RidesLocal fishermen use small wooden rowboats along the Waiko River and marshland. They can easily be talked into giving you a tour of the area by water for 4,000 riel an hour. Check around the Hun Sen Bridge. Back Deck of Serei Pheap Thmai Restaurant Also not far from the Hun Sen Bridge is this restaurant with a deck in the back built out over the Waiko River. Svay Rieng is a place for kicking back and relaxing, and with a good view of the river and marshland and its wildlife stretching out before you from the deck, this is a great place to do it. Cold drinks are at hand. Yes, there are full modern facilities including a Western-style bathroom. But there is also an old-style out house off to the side of the deck for the purist-traditionalists who like to watch their makings plop down into the river below. MonumensBesides the statue of the cute farm couple mentioned earlier, the traffic circle in the east end of town has a statue of a soldier carrying a dead war victim. Svay Rieng is the first province that the Vietnamese and disaffected Khmer Rouge faction (the ruling party of today) rolled into on their way to Phnom Penh from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The province was among those heavily affected by the Vietnam War and its terrible spillover effects on Cambodia. MARKETS The market is bustling Cambodian affair with loads of goods from nearby Vietnam. Fruits, snacks and supplies are plentiful here. Mini-Mart with Western Foods. This doublewide mini-mart has a number of Western foods to satisfy your craving. The other side is filled with cases of all brands of beer available in Cambodia- enough to quench even the driest whistle.
GETTING AROUND There are a couple of small bike shops along the perimeter road of the market for that chain adjustment and lube.
MEDICAL FACILITIES For a problem requiring immediate attention, the Svay Rieng Provincial Hospital is your choice.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE The Svay Rieng Market is the place to change money. There are plenty of the telltale glass cases of the moneychangers along the front, as well as inside the market area. They readily change dollars, riel and the Vietnamese dong.
RESTAURANTS Serei Pheap Thmai Retaurant. This is the one with the deck overlooking the water mentioned earlier. They have good food and the staff can speak English. The following three restaurants are just east of Monument Circle and quite close to each other. They are all open throughout the day, starting at the crack of dawn with Chinese noodle soup and omelets with French bread. All have signs and menus in English, and pleasant staff. Svay Rieng Restaurant. It’s a pleasant, small restaurant with Khmer and Chinese food.Pich Restaurant. This doublewide restaurant is very popular with the locals. They have some Western food as well as the usual Khmer and Chinese fare.Rasmey Nimol Restaurant. This corner restaurant catches a breeze better than the other two. They also serve up good food.
NIGHT SCENE Waiko Hotel Nightclub. This is the top club in town, which still means it’s a pretty mild place. They have a decent live band pumping out all the Khmer hits ad a few Western ones to catch you off guard. The Beer and Taxi girl Union has a fair representation here.Tonle Waiko Nightclub. This one has an outdoor deck so lieu can sit lout side by the river and away from the loud volume of the music that Cambodians seem to love so much. Usually just a handful of customers, if it’s a good night.Riverside Nightclub & Restaurant. This one is close to the Hun Sen Bridge and has a handful of its temptresses stationed by the nearby drink stands to entice those easily lead astray to cross the street.
ACCOMMODATIONS The Three Guesthouses. All on different sides of the same corner, these guesthouses have more than the location in common. They all have fairly well cleaned rooms and are US$ 4 a night without a fan, US$ 5 with. Vimean Monorom. This is a fairly new place with rooms that feature two beds and a Western bath. The rooms are US$ 10 with a fan or US$ 15 with a/c. Waiko Hotel. This complete renovation. Reopened in May of 1999, it has a restaurant and nightclub in the complex. The rooms are nice and have a flat rate of US$ 15. They feature a/c, TV and video, and in room phone. Pretty fancy place for a small town.
COMING & GOING Security is not a problem in this region. National Highway 1 is full of potholes and the only road construction going on is being performed by rural peasants along the way. They scoop dirt from nearby rice fields, fill in a po9thole and hold lout a basket as traffic passes by, hoping that a few riel will be dropped in for their efforts. However, the road is asphalt and so is easily traversed all year round. Share Taxi The fare from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng is 5,000 riel. Grab an extra space for a bit more comfort. Motorcycle Touring Info Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng This trip is a fairly easy lone for motorcycles, as you can easily skirt the potholes that slow down the cars. Keep those eyes open, though, as the share taxis that ply this stretch from Phnom Penh to the Vietnam border all seem to be trying for the Cambodian Land Highway Speed Award. They do fly and they don’t let a little thing like a motorcycle hinder their flight.
7/-KAMPONG THOM The pleasant country town of Kampong Thom has plenty of activities to keep a visitor busy and is easily accessible from Phnom Penh (just under 2 H hours or 162 km from the Japanese Bridge) via a good stretch of National Highway 6. The town has a nice layout and is situated on the banks of the Sen River, which is a long, winding body of water that originates in the Dangkrek Mountains of Preah Vihear Province (near the Thai border) and finally empties into the Great Lake, Tonle Sap.The town is well situated as a crossroad to the important sights of Angkor (Siem Reap), Preah Vihear Temple (abutting Thailand). And the ancient capital of Sambor Prei Kok, only 29 km northeast of Kampong Thom town.An unsecured area of Cambodia in the not-so-distant past, the town has become fairly lively with residents of Phnom Penh driving up to see the area’s sights and have a weekend getaway, which testifies to the fact that security is no longer a problem. There are even a few sights to see along the way from Phnom Penh, making the short journey an interesting one. WHAT’S UP Sambor Prei Kok This is the site of an ancient kingsom of Cambodia. Chenla. It predates the Angkor Empire, with many of the temple ruins nearly 1,400 years old. Southeast Asian travelers will find the brick monuments and temples similar to those in the ancient Siamese kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya , or Pagan in Burma, though Chenla predated all of these. Along with construction similarities, the large number of structures in the area is also reminiscent of Pagan. There are 106 temple and monument structures in the area, varying significantly in the degree to which they stayed intact over the centuries. Looters have had a field day with the ruins-a persistent problem throughout Cambodia and Southeast Asia in general.The surrounding forest had been working hard to overrun and reclaim the area through the years, but the good news these days is that the site has been given a growing amount of attention by the government and international preservation aid groups. Norway has sponsored a work-for-food program that has seen crews of Cambodians toiling each day, making fine progress at sprucing up the appearance of the area. It’s a peaceful place with only the sounds of nature around you.The site is surely worth a visit and the trip is quite easy these days with relatively quick access from Phnom Penh and Kampong Thom. The ruins of Angkor, with its magnificent architecture and artistry, overshadow all other ancient capitals and ruins in Cambodia. But put this site in another country in the region and tourists would be flocking to it.To get there, take Highway 6 northwest toward Siem Reap for 5 km (using the Kampong Thom Market as the starting point) and go to the right as Highway 6 forks to the left. A big sign announces that this is the highway to TM Chey (T’beng Meanchey to Preah Vihear Province). Highway 12. After 9 km you come to another fork in the road where you again go right. Follow this for about 15 km more and you come to a small road and sing telling you to go north to the ruins.The only problem with the directions is that the best road to take can vary at different times of the year, with the rainy season making it necessary to snake around alternative roads to get there. Your best bet is to grab a moto-taxi guy in front of the Arunreas Guesthouse (Soh-Kohm is the English-speaking guy we hired and have him lead the way on his bike if you have your own wheels. If you use a moto-taxi outright for the round trip and to go around the ruins, it’s a reasonable 20,000 riel (under US$ 6). Santuk MountainThis heavily forested mountain site features a couple of levels of very interesting temples, caves and boulder-covered hillsides and beautiful views of the countryside, river and mountains. Good things usually don’t come easy in Cambodia and this good thing means climbing up an 809-step stairway to the top. Fortunately it’s not as tough as it sounds, with several resting spots and big shade trees lining the way. There are also a couple of drink stands at the bottom and top. There is a 1,000-riel fee to park your bike or moto.The neatly constructed stairway features rails in the form of a continuous tug-of-war with figures holding up a serpent and pulling on it. Donation plaques next to each figure show the donor’s name. The first level you reach has a Buddhist shrine and temple area set amidst huge boulder outcroppings that hang out over the hillside. Up on top the tug-of-war is continued with the figures surrounding temple spires and a Buddhist compound.There are a few cave areas scattered about the top level-one featuring a reclining Buddha almost on top of couple of sitting Buddhas. There are also a lot of weird figures and themes surrounding the near temple areas, making this one of Cambodia’s Buddhist theme parks. This place is a photographer’s delight. To get there, take Highway 6 back toward Phnom Penh and at around 16 km (from Kampong Thom Market) you will see the sing in English announcing “Santuk Mountain Site, where you take a left. The big hill is visible almost as soon as you leave Kampong Thom.On the way there is another, smaller hill with a temple on top and a couple of other picturesque country temples. River SceneWest of Highway 6 on River Road 1 is a nice stretch of parkway where locals hang out at in the early evening? Wooden rowboats are available to take you around the town area for 4,000 riel an hour during the day. Wat Kampong Thom Huge tiger and guardian figures greet you at the three gates to the town’s namesake temple. There are three temple buildings, one being a strange looking, three-story, multi-colored temple. Statues of temple characters abound. It’s an ornate place. Dam Site, Further a field There is a recreational site near a dam on the way to Kampong Thom from Phnom Penh. The highway is good approaching it from either direction.A large picture sign written in English on Highway 6 says “Dam Site.” The picture on the sign shows what people normally do there swimming, tubing and picnicking. There are also vendors on weekends. The sign and turn are 50 km from Kampong Thom or 113 km from the Japanese Bridge in Phnom Penh, so it’s a nice stop when you are coming or going between the two cities. The dirt road going back to the dam site is okay all year around, except when it’s had a particularly thorough soaking of rain. The distance is even marked on the picture sign. Prey Proh LakeA favorite with the locals for a weekend swim and picnic, it’s a beautiful setting on a lake that stretches far out until it finally connects up with the Great Lake Tonle Sap. To get there, just head toward Siem Reap on Highway 6 for 17 km until you come to the lake. Take a left about 100meters before the wooden bridge that crosses part of the lade and follow the dirt road back just under a kilometer to the resort area. Prasat An Daet This small temple ruin is from the Sambor Prei Kok era, built in the 6th or 7th century and made of the same brick construction as those ruins. There is only one temple and the place has been heavily looted. A few artifacts were saved by the locals, who have gathered them together and set them on top of the shrine inside the temple. There is a modern –era (1968) working temple next to the ruins. The inside walls and ceiling areas are covered with murals a couple of them featuring scenes of King Norodom Sihanouk in his heyday, out among the masses, decked out in military attire-before everything started to go very wrong with Cambodia. The temple grounds are extensive and it’s a nice rural setting. Not necessarily worth a trip on its own, it is a nice stop en route to Siem Reap from Kampong Thom (or vice versa). To get there from Kampong Thom Market, turn left (just past a small wooden bridge that crosses a canal. There are also landmine awareness signs for the public at this exact spot). Follow the canal road –it’s dirt-for 2 km and turns right. Follow this just 300 meters to the temple grounds. Note that the canal is dry during the dry season. MAKETS The Kampong Thom market is the standard Cambodian all-purpose place and a night market springs up along the east side in the evening. Fruit, drink, and dessert stands line the street in front. There is also huge day fruit market that sets up along the boulevard on the west side of the market, stretching to the river road. A stationery store just north of the Arunreas Guesthouse has the Cambodia Daily and Phnom Penh newspapers. There are also a couple of film shops close to the Arunreas.
GETTING AROUND Motorcycle DoctorPhnom Penh is only a short ride away on decent roads, so that’s the place to get a big bike worked on. There are a couple of small shops around the perimeter of the market for oiling and adjusting the chain.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE There are no banks in town yet. Most moneychangers are on the east (front) and north ends of the market. Dollars and riel are readily changed.
MEDICAL FACILITIES Kampong Thom Provincial Hospital. There are Khmer and foreign doctors here. It’s the place to go if you have a problem that needs immediate attention.RESTAURANTS Aruneas Guesthouse & Restaurant. This is a very popular spot to eat in town. They serve good Western, Chinese and Khmer food at cheap prices, which of course is why they are popular. An English menu and staff that can speak the language are other nice features.Neak Meas Hotel & Restaurant. This restaurant serve good Chinese and Khmer food in the morning and throughout the day until the nightclub kicks in around 8:30pm.9 Makara Restaurant, in row of there. Just north of the river bridge on the east side of highway 6 is a row of three restaurants, with the middle one being 9 Makara Restaurant and Nightclub. The restaurants are enclosed and serve Khmer and Chinese fare, with beer girls there to greet you in the evening.“Restaurant Row” of Kampong Thom. About a kilometer toward Phnom Penh on Highway 6 is Kampong Thom’s version of “Restaurant Row” outside of Phnom Penh. There are a number of Khmer and Chinese food restaurants on both side of the highway that get rolling in the evening and have the Cambodian requirement of beer girls on hand.Reaksmay Restaurant. One of the first restaurants you come across at “Restaurant Row” is this new and upscale place. It’s fairly fancy for Kampong Thom. They serve up a bit of Western food to go along with the Khmer and Chinese fare and it’s the home of the fancy-pants beer girl of Kampong Thom.Super Soup Restaurant at the Stung Sen Royal Hotel. The Super Soup restaurant (try saying that quickly ten times) is everything that it’s billed to be-a soup restaurant.Cheap Food Stands. There are simple rice and noodle dish stands in front of the market east side.
NIGHT SCENE For a country town, Kampong Thom holds it’s own in this department.Neak Meas Hotel & Nightclub. This is where the top band in town struts its Khmer-medley and Western stuff from 8 to 11 pm nightly. Beer girls and a handful of taxi girls are ready to greet you.9 Makara Restaurant & Nightclub. This restaurant has a small nightclub.Reakmay Restaurant. This new addition to “Restaurant Row” has been threatening to start a nightclub, but there’s nothing yet.
ACCOMMODATIONS Aruneas Guesthouse. A clean, well-run and friendly place it has and attached Asian bath and is good value at US$3. The mototaxi drivers who can take you to Sambor Prei Kok hang out in front and the restaurant here is a popular place to eat.Vimeansuor Guesthouse. Business must be good, as they have been putting up an addition. It’s a very clean place with nice rooms, attached Western bath and ceiling fan for US$6.Mohalleap Guesthouse. It’s another clean place with an Asian bath and fan room going for US$3.Visalsok, Soksan and Penh Chet Guesthouses. These three are all similar with small rooms and share bath going from between US$1 and 10.000 riel. The cleaning leaves a lot to be desired.Neak Meas Hotel. The roof of this five-story building represents the highest point in Kampong Thom and affords some nice views of the town the countryside and Santuk Mountain. There are also nice wrap-around terraces on each floor, and the rooms on the each floor, and the rooms on the third floor south side have a good view making it a decent spot to chill out with a cool drink. Clean rooms with a/c, TV, and double bed are US$10. For a room on the first floor with hot water add US$5. The nightclub downstairs closes at 11 pm so it’s not much of a problem. If you like to turn in early get a room at the back on the third floor. There is also a restaurant in the hotel.Stung Sen Royal Hotel. It’s named after the river that it’s next to. This is the other top spot in town. All rooms have a/c, TV, fridge, Western bath and hot water shower. Depending on the room size, they go for US$20-25.
COMING & GOING With the road to Kampong Thom in decent shape from Phnom Penh, it’s just a matter of time before air-con buses ply the route. For the time being it’s the share taxi if you don’t have your own transportation. Once you are in Kampong Thom and want to continue to Siem Reap or T’beng Meanchey (Preah Vihear Province), the roads are worse, but the share taxis ply the route all year round.Share TaxiPhnom Penh to Kampong Thom 7,000riel(Same in reverse)Kampong Thom to Siem Reap 10,000riel(5-6 hours)Kampong Thom to 20,000rielT’beng Meanchey(5-6 hours) Motorcycle Touring InfoSecurity in all directions is no longer a problem. As mentioned earlier, the road is a breeze from Phnom Penh. Starting at the Japanese Bridge in Phnom Penh, head out Highway 6 to Skon where you go left at the traffic circle (it has a statue of kids holding a bird). This takes you the rest the way. Kampong Thom to Siem ReapIt’s 145 km, with the road in nice shape for a while after you leave Kampong Thom town, then gets rougher, but much re-grading work has been done. It’s not like it used to be; bomb crater holes used to be so deep that during the rainy season one could have a family picnic at a crater’s shoreline. The Kampong Thom-T’beng MeancheySee warning below. To take the 137 km journey, you follow Highway 6 toward Siem Reap for 5 km to the fork in the road. A sing in English will point to the right side of the fork for TM Chey(T’beng Meanchey town, Preah Vihear Province) down High way 12.The road here is much improved, as there has been a lot of resurfacing done to accommodate the droves of logging trucks heading to and from Preah Vihear Province . The downside of the easier road is the dust that the trucks whip up as they chug along the road. It can be a real hazard as the thick dust clouds practically blind you from seeing possible oncoming traffic when you want to pass these slow moving vehicles. The final 37 km stretch through the mountains and into T’beng Meanchey is still tough going. This is how the entire road used to be-bomb craters, erosion galleys, and rocks are all here for your motorcycle fun. It can actually be enjoyable stretch scenery is brilliant. This stretch can also be done during the rainy season, though the road may be slippery and dotted with small mud ponds after heavy rains. Enjoy.
8/-PREAH VIHEAR & PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE Situated midway between east and west and far to the north, straddling the borders of Laos and Thailand, Preah Vihear is Cambodia’s most remote province. With no decent air, land or water access, and with the government vs. Khmer Rouge king-of –the –hill battles for the mountain temple of Preah Vihear, the province was kept fairly well sealed off to outsiders.While road access to the heart of Preah Vihear Province leaves a lot to be desired, it’s not the worst road you will come across in Cambodia, and share taxis ply the route to T’beng Meanchey, the seat of the province, all year round. If you are an adventurous soul, there is some beautiful country and some interesting sights to be seen that will provide you with a bit of a challenge in reaching them, The trip does qualify as an adventure. T’beng Meanchey town is a pleasant, laidback place that at present doesn’t have a lot going on, but gives the impression that it holds some promise. This is probably because the town is a junction point for the magnificent Preah Vihear Temple to the north and the ancient capital of Koh Ker (also known as Chok Gargyar )to the west. The town also sits near the banks of the Sen River, which originates not far to the northwest in the Dangrek Mountains, and continues its long journey east and south going through Kampong Thom town, finally ending up in the Great Lake Tonle Sap. Because it’s one winding snake of a river, it isn’t used too much as a transportation link between Kampong Thom and T’beng Meanchey, but does hold the possibility of being used for ecotourism and adventure river trips. WHAT’S UP Preah Vihear TempleThe temple ruins of Preah Vihear (Khao Phra Viharn to the Thais just across the border) were again opened to visitors in 1998, thanks to an agreement between the Cambodian and Thai governments and the disbanding of the Khmer Rouge forces. The agreement was a necessity because Preah Vihear Temple is a Cambodian national landmark that is much easier to access from Thailand than from Cambodia. The Cambodian government opened the site to foreign visitors in a campaign to promote the country’s tourist destinations and attract much-needed foreign currency.The entire area surrounding the ruins remained the last stronghold of he Khmer Rouge, including the town of Anlong Veng (only 250 km from the temple) which was, until his arrest on 6 March 1999, the home of Ta Mok, Pol Pot’s chief of military operations. Ever since the death of Pot Po in April 1998, the area has been awash in controversy as Khmer Rouge commanders and different factions of the Cambodian government fought to benefit from a power alliance. By bringing Ta Mok (nicknamed “The Butcher”for his hand in murdering almost two million people) to trial, Prime Minister Hun Sen hopes to gain control of this region and also to gain international recognition and financial aid from the world community.To back up in history, the construction of the temple was begun in the mid 10th century by the Khmer King Rajendravarman II and continued by Suryavarman II also built the temples of Ankor Wat near Siem Reap. The temple complex has been restored, but many for the entrance ways and walls lean precariously ad a two-story-high pile of stone blocks in the last courtyard, some ornately carved, have yet to be assembled. It’s a fascinating piece of history to explore. The walkways and temple buildings extend to an area of over 800 meters. The original stairs and stone-lined pathway leading to the temple complexes are in good condition and unfortunately lined with souvenir stands (but not of weekdays).If you walk to the far end of the ruins, you will have a sweeping panoramic view of the Dangrek Mountains as they zigzag in saw-tooth fashion along the Cambodia-Thailand border and of the thickly forested jungles and plains that seem to stretch out forever into Cambodia. Standing on the temple grounds one can see for miles into Cambodian territory Small dirt roads and trails are visible well into the distance from this beautiful vantage point. Recent and ancient history blend together as you walk past the fortified bunkers built from temple stones by the Khmer Rouge. Two long-bar-reled anti-tank cannons look down on the flat valley below. It’s easy to imagine the Khmer Rouge being able to blast any approaching Cambodian army vehicle that dared approach the hill. This strategic site has been at one time or another occupied by the Cambodian army, the Khmer Rouge, the Thai army and the Vietnamese army. Black uniformed Thai Army Rangers, who are friendly, well informed and quite willing to practice their English with you now mostly serve to aid tourists, most of whom are Thais these days. The Rangers warned us never to step off the paths, even on the temple grounds, and we were told that bellow us lay thousands of landmines still buried in the ground, and we were told that below us lay thousands of landmines still buried in the ground. The guerrillas who held he temple from 1993 to 1997 were never seriously in jeopardy. As any attempt to dislodge them would have required the government troops to mount an attack up the very steep and heavily-mined Cambodian side. On 10 October 1999, five Thai teenagers were injured by a landmine when they attempted to go around the entrance without paying the 50-baht fee. One boy lost his left leg and the others were hospitalized. The five had decided to ignore warning signs stating that some areas around the temple had yet to be cleared of landmines. Beautiful Khmer women and girls sell old Cambodian notes on the temple grounds along with cold soda and water. Most are the wives and children of the Cambodian soldiers protecting the ruins. Because the site is still much more easily accessed from Thailand, we’ll run through some directions on how to get to Preah Vihear Temple from there first.From Thailand, the town of Si Saket is the best place to start your trip to the temple ruins, Si Saket’s main street, Kukham Road, run directory into Highway 221 and then it’s an easy drive of about 101 km on well paved blacktop roads.From Si Saket, the easiest way to visit the ruins is to rent a car and driver, which can be arranged through your hotel.On weekends, songthaeos (Thai passenger pickup truck with seats) go all the way to the temple from Si Saket. On weekdays the songthaeos travel only as far as the town of Kantharalak. From there you must take a motorbike taxi or hire a driver to take you the remaining 11 km.For 245 baths you cold also take an aircon bus from Bangkok’s northern bus station to Si Saket. The buses leave at 9 am and 9:30 pm and the trip takes 8 ½ hours. A train from Bangkok’s Hua Lampong Station takes ten hours.If possible don’t go on the weekend as bus tours from Bangkok arrive early in the morning and the grounds are filled with Thai tourists. The hotels in Si Saket are al a good value, as in most of Isan. The downturn in the economy has brought hotel prices down quite a bit. Air-conditioned hotel rooms hat were 1,000 baths are now going for almost half price.As you near the temple there is a Thai army checkpoint in the middle of the road where you must stop and show your passport. You do not need a Cambodian visa and your passport will not be stamped. One of the reasons for this is the agreement between the two countries and also the fact that it’s not desirable for most tourists to travel beyond the temple on the cliff into Cambodia. You must leave your car in a free parking lot, lined with food vendors. We had a nice meal and there are many small restaurants to choose from. Souvenir stands sell calculators, old army clothing wristwatches, Buddha statues and temple photographs. There are plenty of straws has and there are hand knitted wool caps for sale, as the sun is quite strong. Among the best buys are Khmer scarves and hammered tin and silver alloy serving spoons and bowls.Admission to the grounds is 100 baths for foreigners, 30 baths for Thais and free for Cambodians. For an additional 5 bath, a farm tractor pulling a row of ten cars will transport you the last thousand meters to where the asphalt ends. From there, it’s a ten-minute walk up a dirt path to the temple complex where more souvenir stands and Khmer vendors await you. Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch… The Cambodian government has been heavily promoting the Preah Vihear Temple as another of Cambodia’s unique and exciting cultural sites at various tourism conferences around the world. They are quick to say that now it is possible to reach Preah Vihear Temple by road, but have precious few little details on how to go about this task or even of the possible hazards to avoid in making the journey takes you through some beautiful parts of Cambodia, but it’s another case of good things don’t come easy here. Here’s the Dope on Marking the TripFirst of all, forget the rainy season the share taxis don’t even make the trip then as the Sen River (just north of T’beng Meanchey town) has no bridge and is only served by small wooden boats shuttling people, goods and motorcycles across. But the bad part for riders is that just north of the river there is a vast lowland area that fills in with water during the rainy season making the road disappear. Attempting to go around it all is quite dangerous due to hidden landmines still lurking about from the days of the Khmer Rouge and government forces fighting for control of the temple. The road has a forest canopy shading it and as a result does not dry up to a passable condition until about a month into the dry season, which means that your current window of opportunity for attempting the journey (it will probably still be sometime before the road is upgraded) is best kept to late January until the start of the rainy season (usually around May in this part of the country).Starting at T’beng Meanchey town (see Coming and Going and the map for T’beng Meanchey, both in this chapter), go to the Sen River just north of town. During the dry season, it is normally possible to ride across the river as the water level is down considerably then. Follow the main body of road where you see all the tire tracks (this is the road to Choam Khsant town the gateway town to Preah Vihear Temple) and you will be on the right road. The first 22 km is real tough going with things a bit (but not too much) easier for the balance of the stretch. At 46 km from T’beng Meanchey you come to a clearing and you turn left here instead of continuing straight ahead. More info on Choam Khsant town follows in this chapter.I came upon a couple of jungle hardened platoons on this desolate stretch of road (T’beng Meanchey to Choam Khsant) that were supposedly out patrolling for bandits who reportedly prey on locals and share taxis, although local officials that I spoke to said the situation has much improved since the patrols began. It’s no wonder the guys are fully equipped with automatic weapons and rocket launchers and are on foot weaving trough the road and jungle areas. they are usually friendly souls, but it can make one abit nervous happening upon a though looking bunch like this all of a sudden. A smile or a wave usually leaves them breaking out into a grin, and they start hooting in amazement at seeing foreigner’s way out there. At about 54 km from T’beng Meanchey, you arrive at Choam Khsant town. Share taxis ply this stretch for 15,000 riel and the trip take two to their hours, depending on the current road conditions and the craziness of the driver. See Coming and Going section and the map for Choam Khsant in this chapter for more details.The rest of the journey, from Choam Khsant to the army encampment at the base of the mountain that Preah Vihear Temple sits on, is just over 46 km. There are a number of confusing turns to make enroute and it is best to try to find a moto-taxi guy in front of the Old Market in Choam Khsant to take as a guide. They will take their own vehicle and lead the way for you to the temple with you (a 1 ½ to 2 hour hike) and lead you back to Choam Khsant for US$10, plus fuel for their moto-taxi not bad as the entire journey will take all day, even with an early start. If you did not ride up to Choam Khsant on your own bike, you could of course jump on the back of his bike, but the quality of the road will leave you pretty sore from bouncing along on the back of a small moto-taxi. The moto-taxi guys don’t speak any English (most speak Thai as well as Khmer), but if you simply say prah-saht, which means temple, they will know that you want to go to the mountain temple and from there you should be able to get through the transaction part (take out a US$10 bill and shake your head when they ask for more). it may be possible to get a pickup truck share taxi to take you to the base of the temple and back at the Old Market area in Choam Khsant town, but it will set you back at least US$50.Along the way to the mountain temple, you will notice pieces of vehicles hanging up in the trees here and there from unfortunate souls that hit a landmine. It’s an eerie reminder in this peaceful and uninhabited forest area of the deadly devices that are still lurking about this area in big numbers see the warning box above.The soldiers at the base camp are a friendly lot that will allow you to park your bike at their base camp while you hike up to the temple and you can figure that the bike will still be there when you return. It’s not required but it’s a real nice gesture to give these underpaid guys a few thousand riel to watch your bike good insurance and you will make some friends.It’s a good idea to have the moto guy or a soldier lead the way on the winding upward climb to the temple. The mountain is riddled with landmines and while if you follow the golden rule for Cambodia always stay on worn pathways and roadways you will be okay there are intersecting pathways where it’s difficult to figure out which way you should go. I did the hike takes you through a piece of the beautiful Dangrek Mountains but never forget the hidden danger that is right nearby as you are walking landmines. That aside, it is a scenic and peaceful walk through a former battle zone.Before you can see the temple, you will be surprised to see a clearing off to the left that has a beautifully paved road in the distance beading your way. Yes, it is Thailand, the land of peace and prosperity, along side the Kingdom of Cambodia, which not so long ago was falling apart and bot just at the seams. It’s not much further beyond that that you come to the temple gateway and ancient stairway leading to the temple and the gorgeous view of where you just came from. You will see Thai and foreign tourists milling a bout that have no idea of what you had to go through to get there. It’s a sweet taste at that point knowing that you did it the hard way and met one of Cambodia’s adventure challenges. Koh Ker (a.k.a. Chok Gargyar) This early 10th-century capital of Cambodia was the direct result of a power struggle within the monarchy at Angkor. Jayavarman IV grabbled the throne in Angkor and decided to set up shop some where else and what resulted is the ancient city of Koh Ker. According to Cambodians from the area the city had around fifty temples. Following the king’s death the monarchy was again moved and seated in Angkor and was poised for a very significant period of the powerful empire’s history. The jungle definitely has the upper hand in reclaiming the ruins, which have been very difficult to reach due to very poor roads and landmines from the war years. Weathering neglect and heavy looting have taken a toll on Koh Ker and it is still a long and arduous journey to get there (more on this in a bit), but it is possible these days. The struggle is worth it for the hardy as you will be in a part of Cambodia and among an ancient city that has seen very few visitors. This place and the Preah Kahan temples, sort of conjure up a feeling of being in the Hollywood adventure movie “Indiana Jones And the Lost Temple of Doom.” There wasn’t a soul around when I was there just the sound of the forest coupled with these ancient ruins that were peeking out from the shadows here and there.The first temple that you come to is Prahsaht Nee-ung K’mao (about 62 km and tree to four hours from T’beng Meanchey town). It’s of laterite block construction and in a dilapidated state but it will give you a feeling of amazement when you come to this first site of Koh Ker on the right side of the road. The areas around the temples have reportedly been cleared of mines but stay on the worn pathways to be sure.The next ruin you see further along the road is on the left. There is not much left of Elephant Temple it definitely qualifies as a ruin. Further along and also on the left you come to Ahn-dong Prehng, an ancient well supplying Koh Ker. Handfuls of Cambodians walk there daily to draw water and have a bath, much as they did over a thousand years ago.Continuing further along the road is the most impressive complex of Koh Ker, Prahsaht Groh-hohm, or Red Temple so named because of the color of the stone used to construct it. The main structure of the complex that you see was the royal throne room and the middle part is where the throne stood. A rainbow design was carved above the entry door but unfortunately, that fell victim to temple looters. Galleries ad two man-made ponds for collecting water surround the temple which locals also hike to for their water needs. Locals obviously don’t see many foreigners, as a couple of them started to run away as I approached but then again it could just be a natural reaction to seeing the likes of me.Continuing just a bit further down the road or following the surrounding wall of Prah-saht Groh-hohm in the same direction you come upon the stone block hill temple of Kohmpang. It is another of Cambodia’s replicas of the mythical Mount Meru dedicated to the gods of Hinduism. The semi-pyramidal structure is said to be 65 meters high and the climb up the stone temple gives one a view of the surrounding forest with its sounds of birds monkeys and other wildlife. One can also see the modern (a real stretch of the term here) village of Koh Ker just beyond. There is no gasoline cola or bottled water available here so don’t get your hopes up. That simply reinforces the fact that this ancient city is rarely visited and certainly sees close to zero tourists.T’beng Meanchey town is the best place to begin your trip to Koh Ker. It’s best to go to the front of the main market and try to find one of the few English-speaking moto-taxi guys that are familiar with the road out there. A couple of the roads enroute still have landmines and they will steer you clear of these. There are also a number of confusing turns to make. The trip is full day deals you configure about 10 hours to go look about the sites a bit and got back to town so start early. US$10, plus fuel for the moto-taxi guy’s bike is a fair price for the journey, either to have them lead the way while you follow on your bike or to just jump on the back of his bike (this will entail a bouncing, grueling ride). Another alternative is to hire a share taxi in front of the market or just around the corner in front of a building they are just constructing for the share taxi stand. This will run from US$40-50.The road quality is very poor with heavy bomb craters and stretches of deep sand. On a motorcycle it’s possible to go around many of the bad stretches by following the small alternative paths that line the roadway.One warning at 21 km from the circle in T’beng Meanchey (see map), go left straight is supposedly a shortcut (but not too short) to Preah Vihear Temple, but it is still full of landmines. Just remember anywhere you go stay off the roads or paths that don’t have any tire prints (bicycle, car or motorcycle) or footprints on them.Just under 33 km into the journey is the village of Kulen. This is the last spot enroot where you can get drinks; food and fuel so grab something here if you need it.The police in T’beng Meanchey town can be a bit of a problem when it cones to going to Koh Ker. I got up and going one morning and headed towards Koh Ker, only to be told by police in Kulen town that I had to go back to T’beng Meanchey town to meet with police for approval. Needless to say, I was not very happy having already node 33 km on a nasty road.Upon returning, the police asked why I didn’t tell them of my plan to go to Koh Ker, to which I replied I didn’t know anyone cared and there is no sign anywhere asking visitors going to Koh Ker to check in with the police. Since they didn’t know how to handle the idea of people wanting to go to Koh Ker (as few have gone), I told them to put up a sign in English, in front of the police compound, instructing visitors to check in there. They will write down your name and passport number here and will also want to collect a fee of 5,000 reil for going to Koh Ker that is what it’s all about. This is not the Cambodian government’s idea and unfortunately the fee does not go toward road improvement or restoration work at Koh Ker. Check the T’beng Meanchey map for the location of the police. Preah Khan (Bah Kahn) Preah Khan means Sacred Sword, which usually refers to the sword of a king or god (king were considered to be godlike). Preah Khan is a complex of ancient temples and structures of the supporting city that surrounded them. It was built in the 10th century for Hindu worship and later changed with the times to incorporate the Buddhist beliefs that evolved in ancient Cambodia.Preah Khan is situated in the remote southwestern corner of Preah Vihear Province. It is a long and tough full day journey to get there and then back again to a place for spending the night, but yes, it is worth it. It’s another one of Cambodia’s truly amazing ancient sites that has been frozen in a time wanting to visit. When you finally arrive at the first temple complex that greets you, with its four-sided tower and that Bayon-style faces smiling at nobody and nothing around but forest, you would be hard pressed not to let out a WOW!Here area a few directions on getting there thrown in together with info on Preah Khan, but like going to Koh Ker, there are a number of turns to make that are unmarked so it’s best to hire and English speaking moto-taxi guy in front of the market in T’beng Meanchey to show you the way. The same fee as described in the previous two sites is fine for going here as well $10 plus fuel for the moto-taxi, whether he simply leads or you jump on the back of his bike. As with Koh ker, you could also try to grab a share taxi near the market in T’beng Meanchey for US$50, although going to Preah Khan is a bit more expensive because it’s further away. Moto-taxi guys in Kampong Thom town are not familiar with the ruins so don’t think about using them instead.Heading south from the circle in T’beng Meanchey (towards Kampong Thom town), you go 37 km to where you see a sign in English on the right side of the road announcing that it’s 56 km to Preah Khan after you turn right. Coming up the same road from Kampong Thom town to this turn off is 93 km (from Kampong Thom Market), so you can see that to go to Preah Khan the best place to begin is T’beng Meancey town.About 19 km from where you turned off from the main road (at the Preah Khan sign) is the village of Sahng kohm T’mai. The small market lines the road and this is the last place that you can get food drinks and fuel so it’s best to replenish here.About 30 km past the village is Roh-ah-say village. There is a lake to the right and next to the road on the left you can see a small semi-pyramid-style hill temple. This is Prahsaht Damrei, or Elephant Temple, not to be confused with the one at Koh Ker. It was built about the same time as Preah Khan a few elephant statues, a partial gallery with a couple of apsara figures and part of a walkway are about all that remain.Continuing on past the village about 7 km is a sign welcoming you to Preah Khan. Continue on past the remains of a small temple and you arrive at Prah saht Ta Phrom. This is the temple with the Bayon-style four-faced tower that was just mentioned. This temple along with the Bayon in Angkor and Banteay Chmar Temple in Banteay Meanchey Province, are the only ancient temples in Cambodia with the four-sided tower of smiling faces.Just sitting there surrounded by the forest alone in time Prahsaht TaPhrom seems to have the ability to transfer you back in history as you explore the small complex. There are reportedly no landmine problems anywhere around Preah Khan (locals say that this was one ancient temple site spared by the Khmer Rouge), but it’s always best to stay on the worn pathways to be safe.Like the rest of Preah Khan heavy looting in the past is apparent. One can find statues and artifacts intact though as you scout around. Preah Khan is of the same designs and construction as Angkor.About 300 meters beyond Ta Phrom lies the wall and gateway of the main Preah Khan complex. After entering through the gateway, the first temple like structure on the right was actually used as the prison for the town must have been a pretty gruesome experience being hotel up inside of there a thousand years ago.Further into the interior of the walled complex the middle actually is Prahsaht Neeung Boh S’ray S’aht, or the Temple of the Pretty Woman some ancient Roy Or bison must have named this place. There are a number of small temple ruins to explore in this mid-size complex, but the problem is time it’s a full day starting early in the morning from T’beng Meanchey, getting there, exploring for a couple of hours and then heading back to T’beng Meanchey or Kampong Thom town. Figure a good ten hours and like all of these sites in Preah Vihear Province you really don’t want to be out on the roads in the dark of night because they are just not good roads even by the light of day.
AHNSAI BORDER CROSSING Twenty-three kilometers to the north of Choam Khsant town (see map in this chapter for info on this town) is the border market and crossing of Ahnsai. It takes about forty minutes to get there and it is a beautiful short trip in a very scenic part of the Dangkrek Mountains. There is also a fairly active cross border trade market on the Cambodian side every Tuesday and Thursday. Thai immigration officials at the border say that foreigners can cross into Thailand here but you have to go to the immigration office in Choam Khsant town to obtain a visa as they do not issue them at the border (see map). The Thais also say that you could cross with your motorcycle into Thailand from here as well, but the Cambodian immigration officials say that motorcycles can’t enter into Cambodia here.A share taxi in front of the Choam Khsant Old Market makes the run to the border Tuesdays and Thursdays for 8,000 riel. T’BENG MEANCHEY TOWN This is the gateway to the Koh Ker and Preah Khan ancient sites and also on the way to Choam Khsant town, the gateway to Preah Vihear Temple. The small town referred to by the locals as simply Kait (which means province or provincial seat in Khmer), should only become more active as more venture this way to see the ancient sites that have been so hard to access during the recent turbulent past of Cambodia. Temple There is a small temple on T’beng Meanchey town’s main drag that is not much to write home about, but it’s where the resident monks teach the faith. Market The T’beng Meanchey market is a good place to stock up on supplies or replenish your supply of tie-down bungy cords for your gear bags. Getting Around The moto-taxi guys hang out in front of the market. A couple of them speak English and are a good source of road information.The town bike doctor is about half a kilometer north of the circle. He can help with minor problems and chain adjustments. Currency Exchange The market is wheel the moneychangers are set up, with dollars and riel readily changed. Restaurants Ahartan Bakan T’mai. This very friendly place has the best food in town and is run very efficiently by a Khmer couple and their three lovely daughters. The food is a cut above the others and local NGOs like to eat here prices are very reasonable.Main Drag Restaurants. As you come in from Kampong Thom and just past the town temple there are a couple of restaurants. The first one you would come to has English speakers and surprisingly enough for out here in the boondocks, big screen TV with CNN. The food is good and cheap and the drinks are cold perfect after that long ride.No Name Restaurant. This place is just down the street from the market and serves simple and cheap Khmer food if the staff can figure out your order.243 Guesthouse & Restaurant. This staff speaks English and there is an English menu. They serve up Khmer, Chinese and a bit of Western food. They are open from break fast until late (late for T’beng Meanchey, that is). Night Scene As you have probably guessed by the remote location of the town, it’s pretty quiet here. There are a couple of karaoke spots around town with a few hostesses each. The 243 Guesthouse is the current “hot spot” of T’beng Meanchey. Check the map for the location of the new hotel it should be competed by the time you get this book in your hands and will sport the only nightclub in T’beng Meanchey. Accommodations 243 Guesthouses. A very friendly English speaking Khmer couple run the place and hold court over the handful of staff that they employ for the guesthouse restaurant and karaoke place in the nicely landscaped compound. Nice enough rooms with two beds, mosquito nets, fan (when the generator is turned on) and attaché Western bath, go for 10,000-15,000 riel. They also are a source of information on the area.27 May Guesthouse. This simple but clean place has single rooms with a share toilet for 5,000 riel, and 13,000 riel gets you a simple attached bathroom. Mosquito net and fan.New! Modern Guesthouse (It’s what the sign says anyway). Simple and clean rooms go for 8,000-riel and share bath. Mosquito net and fan.New Hotel (name unclear still under construction at the time of writing). Big things must be foreseen for the town as a real swank hotel (for this part of Cambodia) is in the making and should be done by the time you get there. An educated guess would put the rooms at US$10 for a/c, or US$5 for the same room with only the fan. Should have cable TV as well. A good restaurant and the town’s only nightclub should also be up and running. Coming & Going Share Taxi Share taxis ply the route between Kampong Thom and T’beng Meanchey year around with the trip taking three to five hours depending upon the season. The good news is that because of the heavy logging going on in Preah Vihear (which is not good news), most of this route has been leveled out smooth for the logging trucks so that only about 30 km of the 137 km stretch is still nasty bomb craters and a rocky mountain pass. The bad news is that with all of those logging trucks the dirt is kicked up so much that it becomes a real hazard trying to pass the slow moving vehicles be very careful as the oncoming vehicles are driving like maniacs even though they can’t see either. Share taxes charge 20,000 riel for the trip in the cab.During the dry season, share taxis also make the run between T’beng Meanchey and Choam Khsant towns. The 54.5 km trip takes 2 H to three hours and alternates between bumpy and slow going on the sea of sand stretches. Keep your eyes open for the bits of vehicles hanging in the treetops from hitting a landmine. 15,000 riel is the fare.Motorcycle Touring Info See warning box below. Kampong Thom to T’beng Meanchey From Kampong Thom to T’beng Meanchey you follow Highway 6 toward Siem Reap for 5 km to the fork in the road. A sign in English will point to the right side of the fork for T M Chey, which is T’beng Meanchey town and Preah Vihear Province. You are then following Highway 12, which is now much improved. The 137 km stretch is now a fairly decent dirt and gravel road, courtesy of the logging operations in Preah Vihear Province, until the last 30 km or so, when it turns into what the entire stretch used to be deep bomb craters and a rocky mountain pass to go over. But it is doable year around although this last stretch gets pretty slippery during the rainy season. Use caution when trying to pass the logging trucks as visibility is poor from the dirt they kick up and share taxis coming from the other direction are thinking about anything but a set of wheels approaching head on they are maniacs, to put it kindly. T’beng Meanchey to Choam Khsant The 54.5 km stretch from T’beng Meanchey to Choam Khsant Town is best saved for the dry season, starting about a month after the rainy season has ended (about the end of January up there). If the Sen River just north of T’beng Meanchey is low enough, you can ride across it just look for tire tracks going into it on both sides. If it’s still high, locals shuttle people goods and moto-taxis across in small wooden boats. Figure 2,000 riel for you and your bike.The road varies from bomb craters to seas of sand that are very difficult and slow to get through it’s a lot of work. Unless there is a well-worn path going around the bad spots, stay on the main body of road, as there are a lot of landmines still present. Landmine clearing organizations are busy working up here but there is a lot of ground to cover.Anyway, after crossing the river stay on the main body of road and at 46 km from the river you come to clearing. Turn left here instead of following the road straight most of the tire tracks do go to the left and this goes to Choam Khsant. CHOAM KHSANT TOWN Choam Khsant town is a small but fairly prosperous town by Cambodian standards, in Preah Vihear Province that is your best gateway to the Preah Vihear Temple on the Cambodian side of the Thai Cambodia border and also the border market and crossing at Ahnsai.It’s fairly prosperous because of the border trade with Thailand the resulting Thai goods that many of the townsfolk deal to people in Preah Vihear Province and beyond. It’s also the home to Division 2 of the Cambodian military so there is some resulting extra activity including a small touch of nightlife to keep the soldiers happy.The What’s Up section in the front of this chapter has all the information on Preah Vihear Temple and the Ahnsai border area. The following is just a bit of info to go along with the map. Markets The markets are small all purpose style where you can stock up on items that you may be low on up here in the boondocks. Getting Around Refer to the Getting Around section in T’beng Meanchey town just prior to this section for motorcycle touring information. Currency ExchangeEither the Old or New Market is the place to change dollars into riel or bath and all three are readily accepted here. Most bills are made out for the amount in riel, how ever. Restaurants There are cheap rice and noodle stands lining the road in the morning and afternoon by the Old Market and also outside of the New Market, southwest side.The Sok San Guesthouse has fairly good food and it’s easy, as that’s where you are staying. Night Scene The Sok San Guesthouse has a karaoke room and girls working there that will undoubtedly express their undying love for visitors. Yes, the karaoke chamber can hinder a good night’s rest, but even worse is the… Open Air Disco. Just down a few hundred meters from the guesthouse is an open area that has been converted into a nighttime social place, complete with refreshments and a big dance area. There are loads of dance girls that Cambodians pay 500 riel per ticket for the thrill of dancing with them. The music alternates between popular Cambodian music and all the techno Westerns hits and is played at absolute full volume (the only volume that Cambodians seem to think makes a club legitimate) until 1:00-1:30 am. Yes, you will hear it back at your room and yes, the repetition of their favorite hits will have you climbing the walls. Accommodations Sok San Guesthouse. The only game in town at this point. For 10,000 riel you get you a mosquito net, fan (for part of the night) and a small red light bulb that reminds you what this guesthouse is also used as. The food here is okay and the folks that run the place are friendly so be happy that your bike didn’t break down enroute to Choam Khsant and that you aren’t sleeping in a tree. Coming & Going Refer to the tail end of the Coming and Going section of T’beng Meanchey town, just prior to this section. 9 SIEM REAP Siem Reap is a pleasant laid back Cambodian town that just happens to have the country’s number one tourist attraction Angkor almost within arms reach from it. To be sure, the magnificence and grandeur of these archaeological and architectural wonders form the basis for staying in Siem Reap and using the town as the gateway to Angkor.However, the town itself is an appealing part of the visit, with it’s genuinely friendly townspeople, colonial architecture and the small and placid Siem Reap River that gracefully glides through it. The pace of life is slow and almost rhythmic much like the Khmer classical music that was played in the ancient royal courts nearby. There are also a number of other sights to see and things to do that might just make you want to spend an extra day or two in Siem Reap, to chill out and take it all in.The history of Siem Reap Province reads much the same as that of Battambang and Banteay Meanchey Provinces, also in the northwest region of Cambodia. Since the downfall of the Angkor Empire and Khmer dominance over its neighbors, control over these three provinces has changed hands many times, between Cambodia and Siam (the ancient and not so ancient name of Thailand). The name of the province and town is very indicative of the struggles and battles that took place in the area. Siem Reap means Siam defeated, in Khmer.There is still some Thai influence noticeable in Siem Reap, from the Thai products that dominate the big market on the eastern side of town to the features of some local faces that appear to be a blend of Khmer and Thai. Eastern Thailand is much the same, but with many of the people looking more Khmer than Thai. The history and culture of these two countries is very interwoven, indeed.And like the other provinces of the region, Siem Reap Province suffered long and hard through the years of struggle with the Khmer Rouge. On my first visit to Siem Reap, I was having an early breakfast at a sidewalk stand along Highway 6, thinking happy tourist thoughts, when a convoy of trucks carrying soldiers and tree-branch camouflaged big guns slowly rolled by en toute to a battle front. The soldiers smiled and waved when they saw me, but I remember most of the smiles were nervous ones. Quite happily for the Khmers, those years are over and Siem Reap is a safe, prosperous and friendly place. WHAT’S UP Angkor See the next chapter. Phnom Krom Hilltop Temple, Tonle Sap & Floating Fishing Village Together these make a nice, half-day trip. Phnom Krom Hilltop Temple. This is the big hill that you see near the landing if you head to Siem Reap by bullet boat. The hilltop area provides magnificent panoramic views of the Great Lake Tonle Sap, the surrounding countryside and Siem Reap town. The commanding view of the lake was used for a more practical, albeit more deadly, purpose in the fairly recent past as evidenced by a big gun mounted on the side of the hill and pointing toward the landing part of the Great Lake A modern-era active temple shares the hilltop with the temple ruins of Phnom Krom. Thee are seven crumbling towers among the ruins in two lines, with four towers east and three towers a bit higher up nearby and west. The 11th – century ruins are definitely in need of a facelift and it looks like they may get one at s0om e point as a sign in front states that a project is underway. Unfortunately, the same sign has made the same announcement with no results apparent since a year ago when I last visited the site.To get here, just follow Sivutha Street south out of Siem Reap. The road follows the river for much of the way and road is in good shape for most of the short journey. You will arrive at the base of the hill after just fifteen minutes and there is an archway and stairway that you take up about halfway, which leads to the spot near the big gun. From there you follow a small road to the temple area. You can actually ride all the way up by going past the stairway, beyond the house and tree area, where you will see a long out-building off on the right side. Follow the small road that runs along side of the building and stay on this winding road to the temple area. There are drink and food stands at the base of the stairway to re-hydrate after the trip. The Great Lake Tonle Sap & Floating Fishing Village. Continuing about ten minutes beyond the hilltop temple, on the same road that you took from Siem Reap, are a land based fishing village and the bullet boat-landing site. Just hope for a good wind when you come as the combination of dead fish and raw sewage from the village can be a bit overwhelming. Just pass by this area to get to the water.There are small motorboats for rent and a few locals that speak English will probably greet you when you approach the water. They will take you out for a tour of the floating fishing village area nearby (most structures are actually built on stilts), charging you US$5-6 for a one-hour tour. The village has its own “street” grid system and seems to have just about everything that a village should have. It’s an interesting and scenic journey with plenty of photo ops on hand. West Boray (Reservoir) & West Mebon Ruins & a Modem Temple This is a great recreational spot with a couple of interesting sights thrown in to boot. It’s not far from town and gives you the chance to see a bit of the countryside as you head out there.West Boray. The West Boray is an Angkor era reservoir that was built during the reign of King Udayadityavarman II around the mid 11th century. It was a huge project and covers about 16 square km. The ruins of West Mebon sit on an island on the eastern end of the reservoir. As you approach the big body of water, you will be greeted by guys that want to know if you would like to boat out to the island, see the ruins and take in a swim while you are there. It’s US$3 a head for the trip out and back, which includes their waiting time for at the island.Another boat trip that you might want to try is a slow trip around the entire perimeter of the lake stopping off on the island as you pass by. They charge US$20, no matter how many people you fit into the boat. It makes a nice sunset cruise and you can pick up snacks and drinks from the vendors near the boats.There is also swimming and picnic area near the boat landing and it makes for a nice afternoon sitting on a shaded bamboo stand and having a drink or snack along with a swim. They also rent inner tubes for a float and karmas (Khmer scarves) if you don’t have a swimsuit. The bamboo stand and inner tube costs 1,000 riel apiece and the karma is 500 riel to rent.Wat Suai Ahniat. As you approach the reservoir from the road leading in, go to the right if you want to see a modem day temple that sits on the far southeast bank of West Boray. It’s very scenic and quiet little spot and the temple is gorgeous, as the front of the temple faces to the west and gleams in the late afternoon sun. There is a huge wall mural on the outside with scenes that must portray hell, with all its nastiness thrown in for good measure. The ride along the south side of the reservoir to get here makes the trip worthwhile as well.To get to West Boray, head west (actually northwest) out of Siem Reap on Highway 6 about 8 km. You pass the airport on the way. When you see a big Anchor Beer billboard and a small bridge crossing a canal, turn right (before the bridge and canal). Follow this canal road to the end where the canal meets the reservoir. You pass some nice rural scenery along the way another bonus of the trip. Phnom Koulen (or Koolen) National Park Phnom Koulen sits on a southerly extension of the Dangrek Mountains. The hill, combined with those around it, served as quarry sites that were used in the construction of Angkor. It’s a scenic and quiet area, with tree-covered hills stretching out into the distance and no development in sight. There is also a nice waterfall and picnic area near the top and some temple ruins just upstream from the top of the waterfall. There are also some ancient inscription (and some not so ancient) that were carved in the rock that the top of the waterfall. There are a couple of tiers to the waterfall area, with the main fall being about 11 meters high.Unfortunately, someone has been given exclusive rights to privately develop this national resource and the guy apparently really wants to raise some revenue. Just where this revenue is going to go is another matter. He has set an entrance fee charge of US$ 20 (you read that correctly!) for a foreigner to ride up (your transportation) and see the waterfall, which is about 10 km from the ticket checkpoint area. If you wish to walk instead of ride a motorcycle, they drop the fee to US$10.I have seen every mapped waterfall in the country and I can tell you that most are free to see (and many are much more spectacular), with the exception of Bokor Mountain National Park, where they charge a reasonable US$ 2 user fee. The guys that run the entry booth here are trained to say that the high fee is due to the road that was constructed. This site should not be visited until someone has a very big change of heart. Going their will only support the scam and may have some spillover effects in other parts of the country. Cambodians are also very upset as they are charged 5,000 riel per person and 20,000 riel for a car to go see one of their natural resources. The vast majority can’t afford to go. You take the road that goes past Banteay Srei for most of the way, so you could combine the two trips, which I did. To get to the two sites, just head out from the main ticket gate and turn right at the first T. Follow this road around the perimeter and when you see a small abandoned guard shack on your left, turn right-don’t continue straight. You will then come upon two separate forks in the road and you go to the left at the first one and to the right at the second one. Follow this same road (don’t turn off it) about 9 km to the Phnom Koulen ticket booth, and it’s about a twenty-five minute journey from there to the waterfalls. Not turning at the second ford would have landed you at Banteay Srei Temple, which is about 4 km from the fork. Civil War MuseumThe guy that runs this small and very new place was forced to join the Khmer Rouge as a boy and trained to make as lay landmines, something they were all too good at. The Vietnamese-installed government rescued him in 1985-so his story goes-and thereafter he helped the government in clearing areas where landmines have been laid.His name is Akira and he is a friendly guy that speaks English and Japanese ad is happy to visit with people that come by. He has a lot of the weaponry on hand that has been used over these past few decades, during Cambodia’s civil war and the long struggle against the Khmer Rouge that followed. It’s worth a look. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. To get there, go past the Hotel Grande de Angkor (on the road to the Angkor ticket checkpoint) about 1 km to a small sign on the right for the Civil War Museum. Turn right, and follow this road to a four-way intersection and turn left. There is a sign for the place here. Go about 1 km and you will see it on the right. Crocodile FarmThere is a crocodile farm on the south end of Siem Reap and they have about 300 crocodiles of various sizes and dispositions. They charge US$ 1 admission for foreigners and 1,000 riel for Cambodians. You can buy stuffed crocs on the premises. Just head south on Sivutha Street, cross the bridge and it’s down another ½ km from there. River & Park Area The Siem Reap River parkways and the big park in front of the Hotel Grande de Angkor are nice for a jog, stroll and people watching, especially in the early evening hours when the locals are out in numbers. The river area is pleasant and the park is nicely landscaped. There are plenty of drink and snack vendors around. The king’s Siem Reap residence is just across from the park. Khmer Classical DancingThe Hotel Grande de Angkor has a restaurant and stage near the river that features nightly performances of the apsara-style dancers. The show and buffet dinner is US$ 22. MARKETS Bargain and be prepared to walk away when buying almost anything in Siem Reap. Vendors have seen many foreign tourists-at both markets-and they can get a bit ridiculous with the prices they ask compared to the rest of the country.Old Market. This is the one near the river. There is a small; typically Khmer all-purpose market all under one roof, and loads of souvenir shops on the riverside of the market.Siem Reap Market. This is the big market in town and it’s just a couple of kilometers east of the bridge going over the river, on Highway 6.Fruit Market & Night Markets. There are a number of fruit stands that are set up along the East River Road, near Highway 6. This area also serves as a night market, with food and drink vendors setting up nearby.There is also a small night market that sets up at the south end of Sivutha Street.Senge Plaza & Workshop. This is where you, the tourist, are wanted. Loads of souvenirs and a small workshop.Banteay Srei Stationery & Book Store. Not much in the way of books here, but they do have plenty of stationery supplies. The east side of the Old Market also has stationery and bookshops. GETTING AROUND Moto-TaxiMost trips in the Siem Reap town area will cost about 1,000 riel. To head out to check out Angkor and the outlying sights that were described in the Siem Reap What’s Up section, expect to pay US$ 7 per day, plus fuel for sights far a field, such as Banteay Srei and Phnom Koulen. Car & Motorcycle & Bicycle RentalTo rent a car, the best place to check on prices is the hotels and guesthouses, with the average rate being US$ 25 per day. Khemara Souvenir Shop. This friendly place is located just across from the southeast corner of the Old Market. They rent Honda Dreams for US$ 7 per day, and have a few mountain bikes for rent (US$ 2 per day) as well as the souvenir shop that’s in the name. Passport deposit required, and they supply a lock. Angkor Thom Hotel. They rent Honda Dreams for US$ 6 per day and can arrange car rentals as well.Big Dirt Bikes. A new outfit next to the Nasa Fuji Film shop rents dirt bikes for about $ 9 per day. Negotiate the price. Motorcycle DoctorHighway 6 is in real tough shape, no matter which direction you are coming from and you may just need a big bike mechanic when you get here. This guy can work on big bikes and also get that chain adjusted and lubed for you. His shop is about 50 meters before you get to the big market heading east on Highway 6, and on the opposite side of the road (off the map). His place is in the middle of a couple of parts shops and there is a small Total fuel sign out front.
COMMUNICTIONS & INFORMATION Post OfficeThe local Post and Telecommunications Office is located on the West River Road. Overseas CallsCamintel. This small office features the cheapest overseas phone rates in Siem Reap and is located just off of the southern end of Sivutha Street. It’s US$ 3.65/min. to telephone the USA. Internet & E-mailAt a rate that figures out to be about US$ 55 per hour for using the Internet, it’s wise to hold off on it. There are a few out-fits where you can send/receive e-mail for US$ 1 a pop. Abc Computer & E-mail. Located on Sivutha Street.Computer Shop. Located two doors sown from Banteay Srei Stationery & Book Store. Lotus Temple. Just across from the Old Market.NewspapersThere is a small newspaper stand on the corner of Highway 6 and East River Road that carries the Cambodia Daily and Phnom Penh Post, as does the Hotel Grande de Angnkor. Book StoreMonument Books. There is a branch in Siem Reap. See map. Photo ShopNasa Fuji Shop. This place is by far the most reasonably priced place to buy fresh film and have film developed. The quality here is outstanding as well. They charge US$ 4 per roll of thirty-six, with a discount given for multiple rolls-US$ 3.50 if you have a bunch of them. They are near the south end of Sivutha Street. CURRENCY EXCHANCE The two markets are the best place to change money and they readily change dollars, money and they readily change dollars, Cambodian riel and Thai bath. Just look for the glass cases with wads of money stuffed inside. It’s best to check a few of them as rates can vary.There are now several banks in Siem Reap. Here are the most popular ones.Cambodian Commercial Bank on Sivutha Street handles Visa cash advances for a 2% fee-there is no maximum limit.Pacific Commercial Bank. Just across the street from the other bank. MEDICAL FACILITIES Siem Reap Provincial Hospital is the place to go if you have a problem that requires immediate attention. It’s located just off of Sivutha Street. Fly to Phnom Penh, or better yet, go to Bangkok on Bangkok Airways if the problem is severe and you can still make the trip. RESTAURANTS There is no shortage of restaurants in Siem Reap- they have been opening steadily over the past couple of years. Arun Restaurant. Very good Khmer, Thai and Vietnamese food is served in a nice outdoor courtyard. Reasonable prices. Seven-Up Restaurant. Cheap Khmer fare in a very simple place. Ranory Restaurant & Guesthouse. The place looks nice enough, but unfortunately the owner is a bit stuffy. Although most international travelers rely on English to communicate abroad, he will not add English to the French menu, on principle, I guess. Maybe English-language business is not wanted. Located just south of Arun Restaurant.Chivit Thai Restaurant. Located in an old-style Khmer house, the place has a nice atmosphere and serves very good food at friendly prices. The service is quite good as well.Bayon Restaurant. This popular place serves pretty good food in a red brick firehouse-like courtyard.Sawadee Restaurant. Nice looking Thai style place, but the food just isn’t very tasty.Sampheap Restaurant. Good Khmer and Chinese food in a friendly atmosphere on the river road.Chouk Rath Restaurant. This corner establishment server up very good Khmer and French food dishes in pleasant outdoors and indoors areas. Swiss Center. It’s an interesting looking and friendly place, but as of late they have cut back on some of the services that were offered. The food prices are quite high.Angkor Green Restaurant. Very good Khmer and Western food served in a pleasant atmosphere.Monorom Restaurant. Good, simple and cheap Khmer food is the order of the day at this friendly place. Nice second-floor terrace.Continental Restaurant. Friendly laidback restaurant on the river serving Western food. Small pool table on premises. Bopha Angkor Restaurant. This is the riverside terrace restaurant that has tables next to the waterwheel on the Siem Reap River. It’s a very pleasant setting ad the food is good as well.Apsara Restaurant. Basic Khmer fare at low prices.Banteay Srei Hotel & Restaurant. Located west on Highway 6. This is a popular spot because of their good Chinese and Khmer food and good service. Koulen Restaurant. This is a big, new, really decked out place that looks like it’s ready to serve the masses that may one day arrive on convoys of tour buses. Don’t let that turn you off though. The food is excellent and the service is outstanding-the help really hustles ad are all very friendly. They have weekly Khmer dance performances and have fully outfitted private karaoke rooms available. Nice outdoor and indoor eating areas.Grande Hotel de Angkor. Lavish and pricey buffets are offered at this colonial style landmark hotel. NIGHT SCENE Although Siem Reap is not overflowing with nightlife options, you will find that you can have a pretty good time out on the town, provided you aren’t already exhausted from hiking about the temples and ruins. There are a few decent watering holes, a gook handful of Khmer nightclubs and even a Martini look alike. And those Cambodian brothels seem to be popping up all over town recently.Koulen Nightclub. This Khmer club is doing quite well the days and has all of the normal features that one comes to expect-a live band, plenty of beer and taxi girls and lights that are turned out more than turned on. Sky Palace Nightclub. This is an old standby in Siem Reap and still very popular with both locals ad visitors from Phnom Penh. They seem to attract some pretty good singers from Phnom Penh and they get the weird looking circle- dancers looking pretty dizzy out on the floor. Bakheng Hotel Nightclub. This nightclub changed formats recently, from a later night techno-dance place to another Khmer style nightclub. The result? They are packed, same as the others. The other two Khmer nightclubs have a more festive atmosphere, though.Martini’s of Siem Reap. Hoping to catch the wave of popularity that Martini’s of Phnom Penh has enjoyed over the years, this one is trying the same format. They have an outdoor sitting and drinking area where movies are shown and a dance place inside playing mostly techno-stuff. It hasn’t really caught on much and the Khmer in- crowd and ladies still hang out at the Khmer nightclubs.Liquid Pub & Restaurant. New on the scene, this is a restaurant with Western and Malaysian food and has a disco that starts up at 9 pm- the current hot spot, Western style, in Siem Reap. Watering HolesElephant Bar-Hotel Grande de Angkor. This one is on the fancy-pants end of the scale, but they do have a pool table, sports channels on the tube and a whole bunch of friendly people working there.Zanzybar. This is a low-key place that has a pool table and stays open late.Only One Bar. Located across the street from the eastern side of the Old Market, this is a quiet place that hopefully gets more customers than the name might imply. Ivy Bar. Friendly place, pool table, food and rooms for rent. See the map of Siem Reap. ACCOMMODATIONS There is no shortage of places to stay in Siem Reap, from the very cheap to the very expensive, and more places are going up all the time, in every price category. With so many places on offer, there is usually no need to make a reservation, unless you want a certain place or it’s a holiday.You will come across tours at the airport, boat landing and share taxi stand, offering “free” rides if you go look at their places, but of course there is no free lunch and you can sometimes get into a hassle with these guys if you don’t stay at their place. It’s generally better to have your own choices in mind or hire your own moto-taxi guy to show you a few. Just tell him to stay outside while you go in to check the place out, otherwise they hit the manager up for a commission, which you ultimately pay for. Also note that prices really fluctuate from low to high season. Always ask for a discount-you may just get one. GuesthousesMost of the guesthouses listed have cold water and shared bathrooms. All of the establishments can arrange for motorcycle taxies and tours of Angkor.Naga Guesthouse. Double rooms are US$ 2 and singles are from US$ 1-4 in high season. The friendly staff speaks English and the rooms are clean and have fans.
Mom’s Guesthouse. (012) 630-170 or (063) 964-037, fax (855) 63 380-025.Everyone knows where Mom’s is and it’s not a bad place to start when looking for a room in this category.Rooms are US$ 5 with shared bath and US$ 10 with private bath. Business has been so good that Mom, yes there really is a Mom, has built a large new building in the rear where you may have a room with hot water and private bath for US$ 20. Rooms in the new building with TV and a/c are US$ 30. Mom serves breakfast for US$ 1.50. All of the rooms are clean.Mahogany Guesthouse. Close to Mom’s. Singles are US$ 4. Double beds US$ 5. Twin beds US$ 6. Attached bath is US$ 8 and includes two big beds. Very popular but the rooms are getting a little run down and are not as clean as they should be. The Mahogany can arrange a trip back to Phnom Penh by military helicopter for US$ 45 per person. Garden Guesthouse. In the same area. Singles US$ 5, and doubles US$ 6. We found the staff to be strangely unfriendly. Some rooms have a private bath for US$ 8. This place is popular with French travelers, some of whom are not so friendly themselves so possibly they feel at home there.Friendship Home. 0497 Collogue Angkor Road. (012) 866-465, 858-007. Singles US$ 5. Doubles US$ 6. Shared bathrooms. Clean rooms. Friendly and informative owner. Restaurant on premises as are a number of crocodiles-this guy loves them and has a small pool in back with a few of the beasts lurking about.Sila Guesthouse and Restaurant. National Road 6. (012) 878-189. Singles US$ 5. Doubles US$ 8. rooms have a terrace and private bath. There is a reasonable and excellent Thai and Chinese restaurant on the premises. All in all, good value. Eclipse Guesthouse. Sivatha Modol Street. (11) 630-195. Singles US$ 2-4. Doubles US$ 6. A/c rooms with TV US$10. Reasonably priced restaurant on premise serving Khmer and Western food. This place has caught on with the backpacker scene and the staff is friendly.Star Guesthouse. Rooms are US$ 5 with fan and shared bathroom. Clean and well kept. You can make overseas phone calls here for US$ 1 per minute. 005 Guesthouses. Singles US$ 8. Doubles US$ 10 with fan. A/c rooms US$ 15. All rooms with private bath and hot water. Community refrigerator. Clean rooms with large beds. A fair value.Green Garden Guesthouse. (015) 631-364. Fan singles US$ 8, Doubles US$ 10. A/c singles US$ 15, doubles US$ 20. A very pleasant garden setting at the end of a quiet street.Pailin Guesthouse. All rooms US$ 4 with fan and mosquito net. Shared bathroom. Free morning tea or coffee. Siem Reap Guesthouse. Singles US$ 6. Doubles US$ 8. A/c rooms US$ 15.Angkor Thom Hotel. Nice rooms and a very friendly, helpful staff. Rooms priced from US$ 5-20. Includes TV, fridge-it’s a good value. They also have motorcycles and cars (with driver) for rent.Takeo Guesthouse. Singles US$ 2. Doubles US$ 4. Shared bathroom. Room with private bath is US$ 5. Not as clean as it could be.Ta Som Guesthouse. Singles US$ 2. Doubles US$ 4. All with private baths. By far the best low-end value in town. Great location on Highway 6, just west of Sivutha.Aspara Angkor Guesthouse. Singles US$ 3. Doubles US$ 5. Private bath US$ 7. Pretty good value here as well. Upscale Guesthouses & Moderately Priced HotelsAll have hot water and a/c unless noted. Phkay Proeuk Hotel. (015) 851-271 Singles US$ 5. Doubles US$ 10. A/c doubles for US$ 15. Clean and large rooms. Heritage Inn Cambodia Hotel. Fan rooms US$ 7, a/c rooms US$ 5. All rooms have private bath, TV fridge. Clean and quite place. Beer garden on premises. Bakong Guesthouse. (063) 380-126, fax (063) 963-419, e-mail
bakong@rep. forum.org.kh Singles US$ 15. Doubles US$ 20. TV, fridge. This is a new and clean hotel with a restaurant and mini-mart. Neak Angkor Villa. (063) 964-903. Fan rooms US$ 10. A/c rooms US$ 15. TV, fridge. Clean but not large rooms. A good value.Stung Siem Reap Hotel. (015) 630-158, 634-058, fax (063) 380-139 Singles US$ 15. Doubles US$ 18. TV, fridge. A nice old colonial-style building with a friendly staff. It’s on a peaceful corner with an old temple across the street.Vimean Thmei International House. (063) 963-494. Fan rooms US$ 10, a/c rooms US$ 20. A/c rooms have large beds. All the rooms are very clean. The friendly staff speaks English and can give you advice on travel arrangements. Golden Apsara Hotel. 220 Thvay Dangkum Mondol1. (063) 963-533, fax (063) 963-533, e-mail
awtA@pec.rep.forum.org.kh Fan rooms US$ 10. A/c US$ 10. Doubles with a/c US$ 20. Pleasant staff. Nice open air spaces for socializing. Does not have TV and the place is a bit old but it is often busy.Reaksmey Chanreas Guesthouse. 330 Sivatha Street. (063) 963-557 or (012) 849-967. Fan rooms US$ 10. A/c rooms US$ 15. A/c with bathtub and h/w, US$ 20. Simply furnished rooms. A Notch UpAll have hot water and a/c unless noted. Golden Angkor Hotel. 063 Mondell 11. (015) 838-041 or (012) 867-769, Fax (063) 964-039. Singles US$ 15. Doubles US$ 20. TV, fridge, large beds clean large rooms are an excellent value. Car rentals, boat tickets and trade, advice on premises.Ankorian Villa. (015) 630-096. Fax (015) 630-096. Singles US$ 20. Doubles US$ 25. Reservations recommended, with only five rooms. TV, mini-bar. Free pickup from airport. Friendly place.Freedom Hotel. (063) 963-473. Fax (063) 964-274. On Highway 6, heading east and before the market. Fan rooms with bathroom US$ 15. Rooms with TV and fridge US$ 30. Nice enough place, but they are well known for outrageously priced “surprise”laundry bills. Bopha Angkor Hotel. Singles US$ 20. Doubles US$ 30. Local TV only. An old hotel with fairly plain rooms. Ask for the 10% discount. They do have a nice riverside café that is worth a sit-down. Another Notch UpThese hotels are likely to add on a 10% government tax and a 10% service tax. All have a/c, hot water and TV.Banteay Srey Hotel. On National Highway 6, on the way into town from the airport. (015) 913-839 or (063) 380-128, fax (063) 380-128, Singles US$ 35 . Doubles US$ 40. Includes fridge. Very clean and well maintained. The hotel is one of the better values in this price range. Good restaurant downstairs. Diamond Hotel. (015) 633-130, Fax (063) 380-038. It’s a fairly nice bungalow setting near the river. Singles US$ 35. Doubles US$ 45. Breakfast is included in the price. There is also a Thai restaurant on the premises. The owner says that you get a 10% discount when you show this book. Bayon Hotel. (015) 631-769, fax (063) 963-993. Low season US$ 35, high season US$ 45, and prices include breakfast. A bit old, but clean, with a river view.Angkor Saphir Hotel. 82 Highway6. Fax (063) 963-566. Singles US$ 30. Doubles US$ 60. The rooms are a bit small but attractive. Including slot machines. Remember, they call these one-armed bandits for a reason.Hotel Nokor Kok Thlok. Airport Road. (015) 537-301 or (063) 380-201, fax. (063) 380-022 e-mail.
nokorkokthiok@worldmail. com. khSingles US$ 85. Doubles US$ 95. Suites US$ 120. Includes breakfast. Pool on grounds. Visitors may use the pool for US$ 5. A beautiful new hotel but a bit over priced. Owned by the person that charges outrageous entrance fees at Phnom Kulen National Park (check the What’s Up section). Voice some displeasure if you stop by and maybe the practice will stop.Ta Prohm Hotel. Next to the Siem Reap River. (063) 380-117, 963-528, fax (063) 380-116.Singles US$ 60. Doubles US$ US$ 70. Suites US$ 120.Has all the amenities including in-room mini-bar and a restaurant terrace overlooking the river. One of the nicer hotels in this price range.The Top Notch Hotel Grande de Angkor. (063) 963-538, fax (023) 368-118. Singles US$ 226. Doubles US$ 271.Pool-view rooms, US$ 247-291. Suites from US$ 460 and US$ 510, up to US$ 1900 for a two-bed room villa. Twenty-four-hour butler and room service. By far the nicest spot in town and they have the prices to prove it. Built in 1920 and completely renovated by the Raffles Group, along with its sister hotel, the Le Royal of Phnom Penh, in 1997. The place features 60,000 square meters of beautiful manicured gardens in front of the hotel. There is a swimming pool, health spa and sauna. They also have bats and superior restaurants with prices to match. Those who expect the very best will not be disappointed. Travel agency on premises. Worth a visit just to see the wood-paneled walls, architecture and an open-shaft cage elevator, completely restored, in the lobby area. The bakery and deli here is pretty good and the Elephant Bar downstairs has a pool table and a very friendly staff. COMING & GOING There are a number of options available, so we’ll start with the quickest and easiest. Check our map for locations of every thing listed below, including airline offices. Air Royal Air Cambodge makes the flight to and from Phnom Penh at least two times each day for US$ 55 one-way. President Airlines makes the flight just once a week, on Sunday, for US$ 55 one way.Bangkok Airways has three flights daily between Bangkok and Siem Reap.The airport departure tax is friendlier in Siem Reap, costing US$ 4 when you fly to Phnom Penh (compared to US$ 10 when you fly from Phnom Penh). The tax is US$ 8 when you fly to Bangkok from Siem Reap (compared to US$ 20 when you fly from Phnom Penh).Mahogany Guesthouse has a connection in the Cambodian military and the guy there can get you on one of the daily helicopter transport flights between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap for US$ 45 one way. I believe the two sides share in the rewards.Bullet BoatThe bullet boat to Phnom Penh departs at 7 am, down at the Great Lake (actually a small inlet to the lake). The cost is US$ 25. For Battambang, if you don’t like the idea of the taking the nasty road between the two towns, try the boat. The cost is US$ 15 and the trip is scenic. Tickets for both trips are available at the ticket shack located on the far southern end of Sivutha Street, across from the night market. Share TaxiThe roads are pretty nasty going either direction on Highway 6, but never fear, the government says they will repair and pave it in its entirety- don’t hold your breath waiting on that one. Best to buy two seats for a little extra comfort along the way.
Siem Reap to Phnom Penh 15,000 riel Siem Reap to Kampong Thom 10,000 riel Siem Reap to Sisophan 15,000 riel Sisophan to Poipet 5,000 riel Motorcycle Touring Into Phnom Penh to Siem ReapComing from Phnom Penh, the stretch to Kampong Thom and just beyond is quite easy and fortunately, the remaining stretch to Siem Reap has seen re-grading work so while it isn’t great, it’s nowhere near as bad as it used to be.Phnom Penh to Kampong Thom is 162 km and Kampong Thom to Siem Reap is 145 km. Siem Reap to Sisophan Ditto the above, only another step or two worse. Some of the bomb craters on this stretch are o deep that during the rainy season the Cambodia Olympic Committee could construct a high-dive platform next to one of them and use it for diving practice. This stretch can get real mucky during the rainy season, but yes, it can be done. It’s about 100 km between the two towns. Regarding is slowly being done.Security is not a problem on either stretch these days. THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR Between the 9th and 14th centuries, Angkor was the capital of the mighty Khmer Empire, the largest and mot powerful empire in Southeast Asia during that period. King Jayavarman II united this civilization in the year 802 and was worshiped as a god-king. Each successive ruler built his own temple in the area, along with canals to irrigate the rice fields which fed Angkor’s nearly one million people. The temples and other parts of the ancient city and civilization that remain today testify to the magnificence of the Khmer kingdom. Architecturally and artistically, the grandeur of the structures that remain today is unrivaled by any other ancient monuments around the world.Angkor came to the attention of the Western world in 1860 when French explorer Henri Mouhot brought back word of the fabulous temples in the jungle. Others soon arrived and one member of and 1874 trip took seventy statues back to France. The world’s looting of Angkor had begun and continues to this day. The Angkor district covers over 350 square km and has over seventy sites. The term Angkor Wat is often used to identify the entire area. The chief sites are Angkor Wat, the city of Angkor Thom (which includes the Bayon) and Ta Prohm. These are a few of the main tourist attractions, and many days can be spent viewing the other temples and structures.Angkor Wat was built between 1113 and 1150 and was the funerary temple for King Suryavarman II. It symbolizes heaven on earth. It is estimated to contain the same cubic volume of stone blocks as Egypt’s pyramid of Cheops and is the largest religious temple of any kind in the world and the best preserved in Angkor. As you enter the area, you walk down a long causeway that crosses a 190-meter-wide moat, which forms a large rectangle 1.5 by 1.3 km. There are five main towers in the main building. The tallest is 65 meters high. Theaters e wall enclosing the central temple is covered with bas-relief carvings, which extend an incredible 800 m. The wall is about 3 meters high and depicts armies, battles, wars, heaven, hell and everyday life. The central temple complex is three stories high. As one looks at the magnificent scenes of battles with various enemies on the walls of Angkor Wat, it’s more than ironic to think that after so many centuries there have still been far too many battle scenes in Cambodia to witness, especially over the past thirty years. Only, in this recent period, it has mainly been the Cambodians fighting other Cambodians. Angkor Thom means the great city. Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181 to 1201, built it. The massive 8-meter-high walls extend for 12 km and enclose 15.5 square km containing dozens of temples, including the Bayon temple, Built in 1200, it sits in the very middle of the complex. It has fifty-four lotus-shaped towers with four huge faces. The wall carvings depict early Cambodian history. Ta Prohm, a Buddhist temple, is one of the areas that the archaeologists have purposely left much as it was first found, overgrown by jungle. You have probably seen the photographs of huge trees grooving out of the monuments, their huge roots prying apart the stones. Many of the pas sage ways are clogged with jumbled piles of carved stone blocks and overgrowth. Visiting the Temples Passes are required to visit the temple areas. The prices are US$ 20 for one day and US$ 40 for three day. One certainly hopes that a portion of the fees collected actually goes towards upkeep and preservation efforts, not just the lining of pockets. As of June 2000, Sokinex, the company that manages and collects revenues for the Angkor sites, began a controversial system of requiring a photo from each visitor to Angkor. This is a security measure and also prevents tickets from being used and then resold.The area is so spread out that all-day transportation is a must. Motorbikes with drivers can be hired for about US$ 5-7 a day at any hotel or guesthouse-more for fuel when you go to the areas farther a field, such as Banteay Srei. Most of the drivers speak some English and usually know the best way to travel in the area. Cars and drivers are about US$ 25 a day. The trip to Banteay Srei will cost just a bit more. Seven o’clock in the morning is not too early to start your day. There are small children at most of the sites who will to accompany you on your tour of the ruins. They are all kind of cute and expect a small tip but are not much in the way of guides. The government has recently banned beggars from the grounds, mostly landmine victims who eke out a living begging money from sympathetic tourists. This year the Cambodian government may ban all private motor vehicles from the Angkor area. This includes moto-taxi drivers, automobiles and YOU(if you have rented a motorcycle so you can cruise the grounds at your own leisurely pace). In their wisdom and greed the powers that be are using open-air, eight-seat electric carts in a weird take on a Disneyland theme. Operators of the electric taxis will have exclusive rights to ferry tourists around Angkor. This will deprive the locals of what little money they can earn by renting out themselves as guides and using their bikes or cars. The locals are appealing to the government to stop. We believe the scenery and atmosphere will be damaged by this government –sponsored commercial enterprise and hope that they reconsider this action. The Cambodian government claims this to be an eco-friendly enterprise and indeed it may be. We shall see.There is a line of four nice indoor/outdoor restaurants across from the Angkor Wat entrance causeway. The first ones in the line are good Khmer food restaurants. All speak English and have English menus. The last one along the line is a good little French restaurant, which features good French food and a selection of French wine. There is a menu in English. All of the restaurants are open throughout the day, starting with breakfast.You will need a good two to three days to see most of the sites, but remember, you are not on a mission, you’re on holiday. I’ve seen far too many harried-looking tourists being carted all over on the regular tour circuit, looking overdosed on temple ruins It’s best to slow down and take in the aura of just a few less sites. Along those same lines, the best time of day to get photos at Angkor Wat may not be late afternoon and early evening, as conventional wisdom and tour guides will tell you. There are just too many tourists (and beggars) cluttering the area, making it very difficult to get nice shots of Angkor Wat without people in them. If you go during midday, the hottest time of the day, there are no beggars lining the causeway, as they are all hiking from the sun. And the tour operators have the masses where they have decided the most strategic spots for that time of the day are. I was there at 1 pm and with the place almost to myself, I got nice, uncluttered photo shots. There are plenty of cool and quiet places to avoid the sun once you are inside, so it’s not a problem. Here’s a tip; break away from conventional wisdom that tells you only to go to certain sites only at certain times and you will be treated to much smaller crowds, fewer beggars, and better photo opportunities. Tour agencies in Bangkok and Phnom Penh have many of these package tours available, but I am sure that you will be sorry to be rushed about this enchanting region. I urge you to have as much time available as you can spare when you visit here. You can see plenty of sites in two to three days and just may want to stay in Siem Reap for an extra day of two to enjoy the quiet local life during the day. At night parts of the town really come alive. We will list here an itinerary for two-day visits and then for a longer visit, but go ahead and take a peck at the map and be creative if you like. Angkor Wat is surrounded by a rectangular moat almost 200 meters wide and running 1.5 km on one side by over 1 km on the other side. The causeway or bridge approaching the wat from the west is almost 11 meters wide and 248 meters long. At the start of the causeway you will find yourself on a raised sandstone terrace in the shape of a cross-guarded by giant stone lions. As you walk toward the wat, you will pass, on both sides, an entry tower, small buildings once used as libraries, basins filled with waster and then nearer the wat, the Terrace of Honor, just in front of the entryway where the steps are guarded by stone lions on pedestals. The central temple complex consists of three stories with elevated towers, chambers, covered galleries and courtyards all on different levels. The height of the central tower is 212 meters, and five smaller towers surround it. Angkor Wat was built to represent the universe. The central tower represents the universe. The central tower represents the mythical Mount Meru that is at the center of the universe and it represents heaven, as it is at the center of the wat. The five towers represent smaller mountains. The lower courtyards are the continents and the moat is the ocean. As you walk toward the wat imagine that it is truly the center of the universe and you are approaching the beginning of time. Imagine the people who lived and worshiped here ages ago and the grandeur of the moment and of the centuries. West, the area of the entranceway is the direction of death, and it is believed that Angkor Wat may have been built as a tomb or burial place. The wat is breathtaking when you first see it, but more incredible sights await you as you move close. The outer wall of the central temple is called the Gallery of Bas-Relief. It stands 2 meters high and 800 meters long and is covered with thousands of detailed carvings depicting battle scenes and stories from history. Parts of the mural are polished and almost look like metals or brass. They were possibly once covered with lacquer or preservative. The polished appearance also comes from being touched by thousands of hands over the centuries. From the entranceway, walk to your right and proceed counterclockwise to follow the stories. On your left will be the murals and on your right will be a row of sixty columns. As you walk around the entire gallery, poke your head outside on occasion and you will be treated to some nice carvings on the outside wall and views of other parts of the complex.From where you are standing at the start in the West Gallery, there is a battle scene. Attacking infantry are on the lowest level and above them, officers riding elephants. This furious war is from the Hindu Mahabarata epic and depicts the Kauravas advancing from your left and the Pabdavas attacking from your right.Continue around the corner to the south wall to view a triumphant march of Suryavarman II’s army. Riding on an elephant, he is wearing a royal headdress and holding a battle-axe. There are many scenes of fierce hand-to-hand combat. Trees and animals appear in the background. On an upper level you will see the king again holding a meeting on a mountain along with women, servants, musicians and jesters. As you move along the mural you will see a group of Thai mercenary soldiers in pleated skirts. The Khmer troops alongside of them are carrying spears and tridents and wear helmets and have square breastplates and shields decorated with monsters and animals.As you continue along the eastern wall, the gallery depicts the rewards of heaven and the punishments of hell. The eighteen-armed figure is Yama, judge of the dead, seated on a bull. Below him are his assistants, Dharma and Sitagupta. The lower part is the road to hell with people being dragged by devils, and hell itself with people being tortured, cut in two and having their bones broken and nails driven into their heads. Above, heaven is a beautiful place with desirable apsara dancing girls entertaining the good folk in fabulous mansions. The East Gallery contains the Churning Oceans of Milk, the most famous section of the relief’s, derived from an Indian story. The ocean is churned by gods and demons to recover the elixir of life, lost treasures, and the source of immortality. The scene is divided into three parts. The lower tier contains real and mythical animals. The center tier shows on the left, ninety-two devils of demons and on the right, eighty-eight gods churning up the sea to extract the elixir of immortality. The body of a snake acts as a huge wand to churn the sea. In the upper tier female spirits dance and sing. Opposite the Ocean of Milk is a large doorway called The Elephant Gate, used by the king for mounting elephants directly from the gallery. Continuing along the East Gallery you will see a mural of Vishnu fighting the Demon King. The demons are mounted on rhinoceroses and there is a furious battle Vishnu rides a Garuda and comes to a burning wall, which halts his advance on the city. The Garuda extinguishes the fire with water from the river Ganges. This scene continues around to the North Gallery. The North Gallery depicts twenty-one mounted gods of the Brahmanic pantheon fighting various demons. Kubera, god of riches, is holding a bow and arrow and riding a supernatural being. Skanda, god of war, has many arms and heads and is mounted on a peacock. Yama, god of death and justice, holds a sword and shield and stands in a chariot pulled by oxen. Brahma the creator rides a sacred goose. The West Gallery shows the Battle of Lanka (Sri Lanka) in the famous Ramayana story. Rama enlists monkey warriors to fight on his side against Ravana who is riding a chariot pulled by monsters and has an army of giants. In a fierce struggle, Rama defeats Ravana and rescues his wife Sita. After finishing your tour of the bas-reliefs you can visit the inside of the complex, which is on three levels and has many passageways and chambers to explore. Over 1,500 apsaras, or celestial dancers, line the interior walls of the second gallery. Only kings and high priests were allowed on the third or upper section (and now you, as well), which is the base of the five central towers. You can climb a steep stairway to the top of the central sanctuary, which is equal to the height of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. From here you will have a nice view of the grounds of Angkor Wat and beyond. Check out the cloud formations that seem to have shapes that blend in very well with Angkor Wat at certain times of the year. Continue northward for about 3 km to the walled city of Angkor Thom. Angkor is square-shaped, each side almost 3 km long. A stone wall 8 meters high around the sides contains an area of over 100 ha Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Khmer empire and contained the royal palace and the homes of the priests, palace officials, and the military. Entering the area from the south gate you will see the Bayon, which was built a hundred years after Angkor Wat. The Bayon’s first two levels are square; the third level has a circular central sanctuary. The Bayon has a total of fifty-four towers with over two hundred huge stone heads smiling down at you. The Bayon is decorated inside and out with over 11,000 figures depicting everyday life, ancient stories, and battles. You can walk inside the Bayon through numerous galleries and passageways. Some say the stone faces have a menacing grin, but I find it to be warm and reassuring. I guess it depends on the mood and outlook of the beholder.Just north of the Bayon is the Baphupon Temple built in 1060 and dedicated to being rebuilt. On the inside of the west wall you can see a large reclining Buddha built into the structure. Its legs and feet are missing.Continue your trip northward to the Royal Palace where the kings and servants lived. It has lost much of its grandeur through the years. Next is Phimeanaks Temple in the middle of the royal enclosure. There is not much left of either site except two pools in which local children cool off. On the eastern side of the royal enclosure is the Terrace of Elephants, running almost 300 meters. It has three platforms. The main part is covered with almost life size carved elephants and hunting scenes.Just to the north and next to it, is the Terrace of the Leper King. The statue of the Leper King is a copy, the original being in the Phnom Penh National Museum. There are many ideas as to who the leper king was. Some believe the figure represents Kubera, the god of wealth, who allegedly was a leper. Others believe that it may be the god of death of the god of judgment and that this was the location of the royal crematorium. The bas-reliefs on the terrace are of mythical beings, serpents, women and animals. Ta Prohm is reached along the Victory road and was built in 1186 by king Jayavaraman VII. At one time the monastery and temple held over 72 thousand people. It has been left mostly untouched by archaeologists. It’s an otherworldly experience to visit the site and imagine that you are discovering it for the first time, over grown with jungle ad huge tree roots enmeshed with the stone. There is a surreal and serene air about the place, especially if you go early before other visitors arrive. The complex includes 260 statues, 39 towers and over 500 groups of buildings. The center of the temple can be reached by a series of towers connected by passageways, some of which are tumbled down or overgrown with vegetation, which adds to the mysteriousness of the place.After you have seen the above main temples there are many other wonderful sights in Angkor.Start with the temple of Preah Khan, which is just north of Angkor Thom. Built by Jayavaraman VII, it has a wall reaching almost 3 km, enclosing more than 50 ha. The temple temple itself is enclosed by an inner wall 700 by 800 meters. The eastern entryway has a large terrace on two levels leading to an entry tower with five doors. The temple is two stories high ad has a courtyard in the shape of a cross with four smaller courtyards on each side. Notice the large columns and carvings of apsaras, female and male gods, Garudas and Buddha. Preah Khan means sacred sword and the temple may have held such an item which figures in Thai and Khmer history. The temple grounds can be entered from the western side where there is a visitors’ reception center and some small food and drink stands. Just east of Preah Khan is the temple of Preah Neak Pean. It’s a delightful, peaceful site with one large square pool and four small pools on each side. The central pool is a replica of Lake Anavatapta in the Himalayas at the top of the universe. There is a small island in the middle of the central pool. The bodies of two serpents encircle the base of the island. The central sanctuary is on the island. There is a statue of a horse swimming toward the sanctuary with figures clinging to its sides. There are also four small buildings on the side of each of the smaller ponds, unfortunately, looters have been busy here. Ta Som. east of Neak Pean, is a small quiet temple which has not been fully restored. Ta Som has a single tower on one level and the outside walls have entry towers on the east and west with carved faces. You can walk through the first entry tower over a walkway bordered by serpents and large Garudas. The central room is also in the shape of a cross and has small libraries and courtyards on the sides. The Eastern Baray and The Eastern Mobon is just to the south of Ta Som. The Eastern Baray was a huge reservoir built by Yasovaman in the 1st century. It is 2 by 7 km long and was once fed by the Siem Reap River. It was a source of water for the irrigation of rice fields in the area.The Mebon is a temple with five towers on a three-tiered base in the middle of this former lake. The towers represent the mythical peaks of Mount Meru. The temple is surrounded by three outer walls, and a series of galleries and rooms run in between the walls. The inner courtyards have eight small brick towers with decorated lintels. The five towers are located in the central sanctuary. There are many finely carved lintels and false doors. Look for the mounted figure of Indera, a three-headed elephant, horsemen, and mythical beasts.Pre Rup lies 500 meters south of the south end of the East Baray. Pre Rup is built in the same style as the Mebon, with five towers. Pre Rup means to turn the body and refers to the cremation of a body and then drawing the outline in the ashes, first in one direction and then in the other direction. It’s believed that cremations took place here. The temple has two walls with four entry towers each. Inside there are many galleries, courtyards and libraries. The central area has a stairway on each of the four sides. Pedestals near the stairways are decorated with seated lions. The five central towers on the top open to the east. They all have three false doors decorated with figures and vegetation. The tower in the southwest corner has murals of Sarasvati, wife of Brahma with four faces and arms. There is also a god with four arms and heads in the shape of a wild boat. In the corners of the towers are flying apsaras. The big elevated platforms of Pre Rup are nice spots for panoramic views. Another interesting trip would be to the Roluos group of monuments, Lolei, Prea Ko and Bakong, Roluos was the capital of Indrayarman I (877 to 889) and is one of the earliest temples. Located about 12 km southeast of Siem Reap on National Route 6, the three temples extend over an area of about 3 km. Lolei is a Hindu temple built in the memory of the king’s father. It was originally on an island in the middle of a lake. It has interesting carvings and inscriptions. Lolei is built on two tiers with stone-en-closed walls. The central area has four brick towers. It is believed that at one time there were six towers. The corners on the east are decorated with guards holding tridents and on the west are female gods holding flywhisks. Notice the fine workmanship on the door lintels. You will see Indra on an elephant, water monsters with the body of a crocodile and the trunk of an elephant, and Visnu mounted on a Garuda holding a branch of serpents. Prah Ko is a funerary temple just to the south. Originally built for the king’s parents. Four walls, the first two badly deteriorated. Surround the temple. The central area contains six brick towers in two tows. These were once covered with stucco and each tower contained an image of a Hindu god with whom the deceased was united. You will notice sandstone pillars and columns carved with large rings almost as if they were turned on a huge wood lathe. The central area has three stairways, the landings decorated with human figures. Sandstone lions guard the temples. The stone lintels are nicely carved with Garudas and men riding serpents and horses. Bakong is to the south of Prah Ko. It was the center of the ancient town of Hariharalaya. It was built as a model of Mount Meru and served as the city’s main temple. Two walls enclose it. The outer one is 700 by 900 meters. There were at one time twenty-two towers inside the enclosure. The temple is built of five tiers, with libraries, galleries, storehouses and a crematorium. The central area has five tiers with a stairway on each of the four sides. Carved stone elephants stand at the corners of the lower tiers. There is an active Buddhist monastery at the northeast cornet of the complex that may be visited. To get there, head east on Highway 6 past the big market. About ten minutes down the road you will see a small sing in English announcing the temple and pointing the way. Banteay SreiThe trip to Banteay Srei can be done in half a day. It is 27 km northeast of the Bayon and the local transportation guys like to try to charge you an additional US $ 20 for the round trip, but don’t go for it. A few extra dollars beyond the daily rate (US$ 5-7) is plenty. If you have the time, the trip is well restored and most beautiful temples in the entire area. It was off limits for some years due to Khmer Rouge and bandit activity but is quite safe now. The temple has been looted over the past years, as the statues and carvings are quite valuable due to the intricate work and the use of the unusual pink sandstone. Banteay Srei means citadel of the women and is often referred to as a jewel box or a precious gem because of the intricate artwork and its small size. It is a good deal smaller than the other famous temples. Do not be disappointed by the small size on your arrival, as great treasures await you.There is an entry tower and a long causeway leading to the inner wall and moat. There are six smaller buildings and libraries on the grounds. The central group of buildings has three towers. Each tower has four recessed stories. All the walls are highly decorated. The towers are guarded by mythical beings with human bodies and animal heads. Unfortunately, the guards have been unsuccessful in stopping the looters; so see the remaining beauty while you canFigures of male and female gods in the corners are finely carved and detailed. The guardians in the corners of the central tower are fine examples of Khmer sculpture. Their hair is up in a rounded chignon and they hold lotus buds in one hand and a spear in the other. Yes, the ride up to Banteay Srei is well worth the trip. It also gives one a chance to see a bit of the Cambodian countryside along the way. To get there from the main ticket checkpoint, follow the road, go right at the T, and keep following this perimeter road to where, at just under 10 km, there is an empty guard shack on the left. Turn to the right here instead of going straight. You will eventually come upon another fork in the road where you go to the left. At the next fork you come upon, go to the temple. There are a couple of workshop tourist stops along the way for those interested. There are also a couple of small Khmer food restaurants next to Banteay Srei Temple that have very good news, as visitors don’t have their extra fees tacked onto trip costs any more. The trip from the main ticket checkpoint and entrance to Banteay Srei is 29.5 km. Security is not a problem. Stay on the well-worn pathways around the outside of the temple and in the countryside along the way, as there could possibly still be landmines lurking about. A Proposed Route Head out to Banteay Srei in the morning. On your way back to the main part of the Angkor complex, when you reach that vacant guard shack, instead of turning left to go back to where you came from, turn right. This will allow you to see some of the less-visited areas of the Angkor complex where there are not so many tourists. You can follow this road all the way back to the main part of the Angkor complex.
10/-ODDAR MEANCHEY PROVINCEANLONG VENG, O’SMACH & SAMRAONG Oddar Meanchey Province is a recent creation that was carved out of the northernmost past of Siem Reap Province and it straddles the Thai border on its northern edge, which is also covered by the Dangrek Mountains (or escarpment, as they are sometimes called), It is a very remote province that has also been a notorious place because this is where he nastiest of the nasty Khmer Rouge made their last stand. The diabolical Pol Pot and his seemingly bloodthirsty henchmen, Nuon Chea, Ta Mok, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan holed up here for the last years of the Khmer Rouge’s existence (another of the henchmen, Ieng Sary, already worked out a surrender and defection deal with the government in 1996).Pol Pot died mysteriously here, after a supposed power struggle within the power elite (he had Son Sen and his family murdered) and after a controversial show trial. The debate focused on whether it was real or just a sham staged for the outside world to try to legitimize remaining Khmer Rouge figures. The trial took place in the power center of the Khmer Rouge, the village of Anlong Veng. Pol Pot died mysteriously after he was sentenced to house arrest and the international community began real efforts (for the first time ever) to capture and put this butcher on trial. His henchmen had more than enough reason to wasn’t him dead at that point because a Pol Pot on trial, as the ringleader most responsible for the genocide wrought upon his fellow countrymen, would probably have tried to shift portions of the blame (rightfully so in the case of these guys) to the rest of the power elite.The Khmer Rouge kept fragmenting after that and Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan worked out a surrender-amnesty deal with the Cambodian government and Ta Mok (also called “The Butcher”) was subsequently captured and is still awaiting a trial in Phnom Penh. As of March2000, the United Nations and the Cambodian government finally seem set to come up with an agreement on putting the top surviving members of the Khmer Rouge regime on trial in Cambodia, with assistance from and in a partnership with the international community. Stay tuned though, as this has been a real political football with seemingly more concern for one-upsmanship and personal gain than justice for the dead and surviving victims of Khmer Rouge brutality.Another spot in Oddar Meanchey that came under the international spotlight is a hill in the Dangrek Mountains, butting up directly next to the Thai border, near the tiny village of O’Smach. This is where the top military officers loyal to Prince Notodom Ranarith fled after the factional fighting or coup ended the co-premiership government of the prince and Hun Sen in July of 1997. It was on this hill that they mustered the small remains of their loyal forces and fought6 off onslaught after onslaught launched by Hun Sen’s government in an attempt to annihilate all potential challengers to his solidified rule.The tenaciousness of the hill’s defenders (who heavily mined the hill’s approaches on the Cambodia side and had a few big guns to shoot down on approaching hostile troops). Along with heavy pressure on Hun Sen from an international community wanting to see reconciliation in Cambodia, finally brought about an agreement to reintegrate the adversaries into the government and hold previously scheduled elections, about eight months after the fighting erupted in Phnom Penh. In a recent development in O’Smach that hardly seems surprising or strange in Cambodia, a huge casino has been under construction on the cleared and bulldozed hill (where the fighting took place in an attempt to lute gamble-happy Thais across the border from Surin Province. Of course it may end up being a welcome addition to the dirt poor area if some local residents are among those finding employment at the casino or its supporting businesses. As of March 2000,however the only thing that the new development has brought to many of the residents that moved back to the area after the fighting ceased is injustice. In a combined effort, casino developers and the Cambodian military drove residents of land they were living on so that they could claim the space for the new casino as theirs. They told the residents that they could claim have nearby land that was free of landmines as compensation. Sadly, the residents soon found out the claims that the land was free of mines were not true and some deaths and injuries resulted. Angry at the injustice, affected residents set off for Phnom Penh in an attempt to negotiate compensation for lost land and get some safe land for their families. The government supposedly agreed to the demands but when residents returned to O’Smach, they found that nothing had changed and few received any compensation.Following another journey to Phnom Penh by the uncompensated residents in early 2000, another promise was made by the government to set things straight. In early March of the same year, making another trip to the area, I found that the practice of land grabbing by the military had become worse instead of changing for the better. Along most of the route from the provincial seat of Samrong to the Thai border and O’Smach, there are reports that families have been pushed off their land alongside of the road- now freshly cleared of landmines-and back into the forest area that has not yet been cleared. The military thin divided up the ill-gotten land and gave it to soldiers for their own families use. It’s a sad situation that needs to be dealt with much more fairly, and human rights groups are trying to help deal with the problem, but they are probably fighting a losing battle. There are not really a whole lot of sites to offer those making the journey to Oddar Meanchey province, other than satisfying a curiosity to see these former areas of conflict. We are including some information on O’Smach, Anlong Veng and Samraong for curiosity seekers and also for those that simply are interested in seeing a remote and little-visited part of Cambodia and the Dangkrek Mountains. ANLONG VENGCompletely scaled off from most of Cambodia by the hard-line Khmer Rouge, until quite recently a journey to Anlong Veng would have got you killed in short order, either by a landmine of the unwelcoming hosts. It hasn’t taken Anlong Veng to catch up with the rest of rural Cambodia. Going from square one, the village now boasts a freewheeling market (very un-Khmer Rouge), restaurants and a guesthouse among other things. And the place seems much friendlier than the town of Pailin did following the surrender of the Khmer Rouge based there in 1996. What’s Up?There is talk of making the homes of Pol Pot and Ta Mok some kind of tourist attractions it’s a thought that goes well beyond weird. Enough said.Thai BorderThe border is 14.5 km from the circle in Anlong Veng. There is no market there and it is not a legal crossing. There are plenty of tanks and tank shells to look at along the way and also a strange site in the form of a boulder that had Khmer Rouge soldiers carved out of the sides of it- they have all been decapitated since government forces took control of Anlong Veng. Anyway, it’s an interesting little ride to a low-lying part of the Dangkrek Mountains. The road is in fairly good shape with the exception of the climb up a rocky hillside near the border. MarketCheck the map for the small market area that lines the road, as you are coming into the town from Siem Reap. Locals are quite happy with their little market-a recent addition to Anlong Veng. The Khmer Rouge leadership thought that markets were far too Western oriented, so getting any little necessity for one’s family involved a clandestine journey to the Thai border, then worrying about getting caught upon returning with the ultra-modern goods, such as cooking utensils and other basic needs! Restaurants & Night SceneA few noodle and drink stands surround the market area. The two simple but fairly decent restaurants are just north of the circle. See the map-one is at the guesthouse. Karaoke has already come to Anlong Veng and if the village follows suit with the other former Khmer Rouge areas of Pailin and Poipet, it shouldn’t be long before there are brothels and girls climbing out of the woodwork.Guesthouse Reaksmey Angkor. There actually is a place to spend the night here, if you are so inclined. There are twelve fairly clean, simple rooms with a fan, mosquito net and share bath for 10,000 riel (100 Thai bath). Getting Around See the map for a motorcycle doctor. Medical FacilitiesSee the map. Coming & GoingSee warning box below. The best place to get to Anlong Veng from these days is Siem Reap. As of March 2000 most of the road has been either rebuilt or built up new. Only about 25 km of the route remained unfinished and at the rate that they were going it should be getting close to finished by the time you read this. Share taxi pickup trucks ply the four-hour route for 10,000riel. Infrequent share taxi trucks also go between Anlong Veng and Samraong for 10,000 riel. Motorcycle Touring InfoSee warning box below and map for motorcycle doctor. Siem Reap to Anlong VengStarting at the Angkor ticket checkpoint (you only need a ticket if you want to see Banteay Srei Temple on the way ), take aright at the first T in the road in front of the moat. Go right at the monument marker (same as going to Banteay Srei), then at 9.2 km from the Angkor checkpoint go right instead of straight. At just over 11 km go left. At 26.5 km from the checkpoint there is a fork in the road – stay left. At 28.6 km you go by Banteay Srei Temple on the left.Follow the main body of road the rest of the way, which has received a major upgrade in quality, as mentioned earlier. Keep an eye out for wildlife on this stretch, even deer. Anlong Veng to SamrongThis stretch is 72.5 km and the journey take 3 to 3 ½ hours. The little –used road (a stretch of the word varies between sand and dirt and can be confusing as there are a number of intersecting roads and nobody is around in this desolate area to ask directions, even if you did speak some Khmer. If you really want to go it anyway, follow the road at the intersecting spots that seem to have more, or aft least some, tire tracks. Do yourself a favor and don’t go during the rainy season. See warning box below. SAMRAONG & O’SMACH Samraong is one of those towns that went back and forth between government and Khmer Rouge control. It was used as a staging point for the struggle against the Khmer Rouge in Anlong Veng and more recently for the battle against the government resistance forces in O’Smach following the factional fighting in July of 1997.The provincial seat of Oddar Meanchey Province is a quiet place, without much going on day or night. Having said that, the people are quite friendly ad hopeful that some good luck will come to this poor and often troubled area. What’s Up O’SmachAs mentioned a couple of times above, this is the recent battleground-casino area. The casino is still under construction, but should be up and running as you read this. It’s an impressive looking structure and the immediate area is also slated to include a hotel and bungalows, shop houses and a market here on the Cambodian side of the border. There is a shell of an armored personnel carrier sitting nearby, possibly to serve as a reminder of the recent fun and games on the hill. The nearby village of O’Smach is nothing to write home about, but you can get food, fuel and drinks there. The trip up from Samraong will also give you the chance to see landmine-clearing operations in progress. There are also plenty of photo-ops for those interested in getting pictures of tanks and big guns as you near the O’Smach area. Thai Border Market at Kap ChoengThere is a fairly busy market that sets up on the Thai side of the border on Saturday, Sunday and Monday that sells various Thai and Khmer products and produce. It’s worth a look if you go as far as the casino and the Cambodian and Thai immigration authorities seem willing to let you go have a look, but double check with the Cambodia- authorities to be sure that they will let you re-enter on your current visa.As for their part, the Thai authorities say that they can issue you a visa here if you want to go up to Surin town, 69 km north of the border. This info is as of March 2000. To get to O’Smach, head out of Samraong from the circle at the northeast end of town (see map). Follow this road 35.5 km to the big dirt circle with the tree in the middle of it. Going to the right takes you into the village of O’Smach,going straight 2.5 km takes you to the casino and border. Although the road isn’t very decent (a lot of weaving around bomb craters) it moves along and the 38 –km trip to the border from Samraong takes just over one hour. On market days at Kap Choeng, there are share taxis running up to the border from Samraong for 5,000 riel. See warning box below. Samraong Town TempleThe corner temple on the main drag (see map) is worth a look if you are wondering what to do with half an hour. Market & Currency Exchange in SamraongThe Samraong Market is a very small affair where you can change dollars, baht and riel, as well as stocking up on any needed items. Restaurant & Night SceneBest Restaurant. The best restaurant in town is only open for breakfast and lunch. It’s run by a friendly English- and French speaking Cambodian gentleman and his family. They can make up most Thai Khmer dishes that you may wasn’t and also serve a good breakfast of eggs, French bread and coffee. The restaurants in front of and just northeast of the market offer the pre- cooked dishes in pots that you choose from. Unless the pots are still hot, it’s a good idea to have them hear your servings up again so that you don’t get more than you bargained for like getting sick. AccommodadtionsRikreay guesthouse. This is a simple but clean place with a bed, mosquito net, fan ( for part of the night ) and share bath going for 10,000 riel. Meanchey Guestouse. This place is similar to the Rikreay, only the power stays on for twenty-hours, which means your fan should stay on all night. A room with a share bath, net and fan is US $ 4 and a double room with a simple bathroom inside of it is $10- expensive for what it is but you are paying extra for the power. The US$ 4 room is the better deal. Getting Around & CommunicationsThe motorcycle doctor and the Post and Telecommunications Office are located on opposite sides of the Meanchey Guesthouse. Coming & GoingSee warning box below. Share taxis ply the 122-km rough and tumble, bomb crater-filled route between Samraonlg and Sisophan town (Banteay Meanchey Province) for 100 baht. It takes four to five hours.The Samraong to Anlong Veng route is the same 100 baht for the four-hour share taxi trip. Motorcycle touring infoSee warning box below. Samraong to Anlong VengThis stretch is 72.5 km and the journey takes 3 to 3 ½ hours. The little-used road (a stretch of the word) varies between sand and dirt and can be confusing as there are a number of intersecting roads and nobody is around in this desolate area to ask directions, even if you did speak some Khmer language. If you really want to go it anyway, follow the road at the intersecting spots that seem to have more, or at least some, tire tracks. Do yourself a favor and don’t go during the rainy season. See the warning box below. Samraong to SisophanAs mentioned above, this is a rough and tumble road filled with bomb craters. There are, however, some long breaks in that action where the dirt and gravel road is semi smooth, allowing you to go at a more decent speed. Leaving from the town gate on the southwest edge of Samraong town, go 73.5 km to the traffic circle where you go right (going left gets you to Siem Reap).There is a guesthouse just off of this circle, in the direction of Sisophan, in case you get stuck for some reason here. Simple rooms go for 120 baht and there is also a restaurant here. At about 99 km from the town gate in Samraong (or 25.5 km from the circle that you turned right at) you come to another circle in a small town. Just keep going straight through this one and onto the final 23 km to Sisophan town.
11/-SISOPHAN TOWN & BANTEAY MEANCHEY PROVINCE The town of Sisophan in Banteay Meanchey Province is today a charming, quiet place that only gives hints to its turbulent past upon closer examination. Like Siem Reap and Battambang Provinces, control of the province has changed hands many times between the Thais and the Khmers in the more distant past, and the Khmer Rouge and central Phnom Penh government in recent decades. With the final demise of the Khmer Rouge (locals, however, firmly believe the present national reconciliation is only a Khmer rouge trick), the province and town are striving to rebuild their culture and economy. It’s a very friendly place with the locals genuinely happy to see foreign faces and the stability that it implies. Normally just a passing –through spot on the way to the border, or between Battambang and Siem Reap, the area has a few sights that warrant a visit, such as the Banteay Chmar temple ruins, the only other Khmer temple ruins besides the Bayon (Angkor) and Preah Khan (Preah Vihear Province) that features the famous four-faced monuments.WHAT’S UP Mountain Temple Just a few kilometer outside of Sisophan town and on the way to Poipet, lies a surprisingly beautiful temple complex hugging the side and on top of what the locals call a mountain (large hill best describes it). It’s hard to miss with a flag perched on top and a winding stairway going upwards visible from the highway.The ground area features a simple wood frame temple with an ornate Foot of Buddha shrine. There is a flurry of activity about as different temple construction projects are going on around all levels of the mountain temple that you will notice as you hike up the long and winding stairway to the top. Once you finish your labors and reach the top, you will be treated with some dynamite views of the surrounding countryside, rural villages and the Ponlia River as it snakes its way around Sisophan. Back on the ground you will see a large burial site and not far from that towards the road, a small building with the top of a well raised a meter off the ground. A Cambodian man brings a sixty-kilogram rock to the well everyday and in front of bedazzled locals, drops it into the well. The rock sinks of course, only to mysteriously rise to the surface in two to three minutes. Nobody knows why or how it happens. Buddhist phenomena perhaps, or is the “Mystery Rock” filled with foam? Lookout HillNot sure of the Khmer name, but this one is appropriate. Government troops stationed here in the past used the tower on top of the hill as a lookout post to keep an eye out for Khmer Rouge movement and activity in the surrounding area. Visible from the main part of Sisophan town and the highway, it’s a nice little hike to the tower building for another view of Sisophan and to reflect on the battles that aged in the area for so many years.The tower itself is a strange-looking quasi Chinese-French structure. Use caution when climbing to the top level. The metal ladder is precariously attached to the tower and parts of the structure are not in the best of shape anymore.It’s easy to get to. Take the Poipet-bound highway just beyond the tower hill and turn right on the first dirt road you come to. Follow that past the dilapidated stone stairway to the back end of the hill and take the first fight turn. Follow that past the small temple on the right, about 400 meters from the last right you made. You will see a path winding down from the top of the hill and the lookout tower. The locals say the hill is free of landmines and you will see them walking around different parts of the hill, so that appears to be the case. Wat Preah Ponlia, Ponlia River and the Covered BridgeThe wat is a simple temple with a sitting Buddha image and wall murals. The pretty rivers setting with the long covered bridge leading to it are the features that make this a pleasant short stop. The Preah Ponlia River is the one that you can see winding around Sisophan from the mountain temple (the map just shows a small stretch to orient you). There are small wooden boats close to the bridge that you can hire for an hour to take you around the nearby river area for around 3,000 riel. On hot days the river looks real inviting for a swim. We’ll leave for you to decide on whether or not it’s clean enough. We stopped on the covered bridge for a bit of a break from the midday sun and my companion took out a yo-yo and started working the tricks that all nerds are famous for. An old Khmer guy came along on his horse-drawn wooden cart and stopped in his tracks when he saw the yo-yo routine. The old guy decided that he had to have that yo-yo. Apparently he figured it would make him the hit of the neighborhood. No luck for him though as a nerd never parts with his yo-yo. Wat Sak-mar-teak-pal-theLocated across from the train tracks on the highway to Battambang, the temple has been under construction since 1989 and will probably be finished by the time you read this. It’s beautiful with many Khmer styles incorporated into it_ cobra head stairways, outside-wall mural carving, Angkor-style doorways, and multi-colored temple spires, to name a few. The outside-sculpted mural is of the Buddha sleeping with angels and the masses watching and giving him the respectful wai (not the disrespectful high five).This is one of the more beautiful modern temples that you will see in a small town. And beyond: Banteay Chmar Temple RuinsThis Angkor-era temple ruins beyond Sisophon town are the only ones in Cambodia, outside of the Bayon at Angkor Thom and Preah Khan in Preah Vihear, that has the large four-faced monument that the Bayon is so famous for.Unfortunately for Cambodia (and the rest of us, for that matter), antique looters have been on a rampage there and much of the beautiful stone artwork has been carted away to Thailand and Singapore markets for their illegal sale. Looting has been a big problem at most ancient Khmer ruins throughout the country, but Banteay Chmar is one of a few border area sites that have suffered even more because of its remote location close to the Thai border. It’s been a cinch for Cambodian looters to do their dirty work by night and cart the bounty to the border where their Thai partners in crime are waiting to buy them.It’s a hard business to stop as the military and police that should be sworn to protect these cultural heritage sites are usually involved and profiting from it. The low salaries they receive make complicity hard to pass up. There was such rampant looting of Banteay Chmar that the looters caused major structural damage by cutting, digging and removing pieces near the base, which resulted in sections of the structures collapsing. It was a bit of karma when one group of looters had some of the structure collapsed on them on one such occasion, killing seven. Apparently they were so entranced with the magnificent and priceless pieces they were cutting and digging out that they forgot to take care for the teetering structure they were creating. Possibly a little payback for the ancient gods? The centuries of neglect and isolation have also allowed nature to take its toll on the ruins. It’s tough getting around the temple areas with blocks strewn about the grounds and the jungle hard at work trying to reclaim all space. An army equipped with weed-whackers is needed to go in and clear some pathways. Good climbing or tennis shoes are in order as most areas do not have pathways and you will have to hop from bock to block to get to some spots that you want to check out. Use caution and attention to the structure around you. Some doorways and walkways have blocks or a lintel above that look like they could come down with a hard sneeze. With all of the vegetation around one should also keep an eye out for snakes, although in our tour of the grounds we didn’t spot any. Having said all that, it’s definitely worth the trip up here to have a look. There are still some sculpted walls depicting the everyday life of the people, the always ever-present in Khmer ruins mythical apsara dancers, other beautiful images as well as the four-faced, four-smile monument. It’s an eerie feeling one gets standing there and looking at the structure with the vegetation everywhere in the quietness of this remote location.The entrance to the walled temple grounds is on the east side, the side that you arrived from. The area just outside the entryway has a picturesque freshwater pond where the few resident monks hang out. It’s used by the locals for drinking water and throughout the day you can see locals coming and going, filing everything from pails to a water and truck. There are signs in Khmer telling people not to bathe or wash their motorbikes in the two ponds in an effort to keep the water clean.To get to Banteay Chmar from Sisophon (70 km), set your bearings by the map in this section and head out of town on the road that passes the New Market (the one that looks old).About 7 km north of town you’ll see a Red Cross processing and resettlement center for refugees that fled across the Thai border to escape the many conflicts in Cambodia. The UN, Red Cross and Cambodian government would work on resettling them around various provinces if the returning refugees felt unsafe going back to their home area. About 54 km north of Sisophan is a real gas station on your left if you forgot to get gas in Sisophan, but finding fuel is not a problem on this stretch of road-plenty of small Mom and Pop stands along the way. Just north of this area you will come to a four-way junction of dirt roads where there is gas, fruit and cold drinks for sale. If you backup about 20 meters on the west side of the road there’s a good little Khmer restaurant that has omelets, bread and the usual Khmer rice dishes. The name is the Rihgree-yay Restaurant, which translated into English means fun. There is no sign so we told the owner to paint a smile on the roadside of the wooden shack so potential foreign customers could spot it. Let us know if he did. Back on the road to Banteay Chmar, just north of here is a military compound on your right housing a couple of tanks and armored personnel carriers, which hopefully won’t be used in this area again. Continuing north you finally arrive at Banteay Chmar town. Just keep following the road as it curves to the left (past the market on your right side) and down about 200 meters on the left you will see assign in Khmer accompanied by sign drawings of temple ruins. This is the entrance to the ruins. You will first come to a temple shrine building that has some sections standing but gas been well stripped by looters. Continuing on you see the walls of Banteay Chmar Temple. Gold Buddha HillOn the highway to Battambang (10 km outside of Sisophan), there is a hard-to-miss hill next to the right side. A stairway from the roadside takes you all the way up to the huge sitting Buddha image at the top and you guessed it- a nice view of the area. MARKET The Sisophan market in the central part of town is your best bet for anything you may need. It’s the standard Cambodian “all under one roof “layout.
COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION Overseas Calls Located in front of the Phnom Svay Hotel, this is the place if you are looking for cheap phone rates to call overseas from Cambodia. It’s 70 baht per minute to the USA.and if it’s only Phnom Penh that you wish to reach its 30 baht per/min. CURRENCY EXCHANGE Just look for the glass cases with money inside around and in the Sisophan market. Like the rest of the Northwest, Thai baht is preferred but the Cambodian riel is taken and they w9ill give you a rate on the US dollar. If you want to change dollars, check a couple of different moneychangers, as they like to try pulling one over on you with the exchange rate. Forget about using traveler’s checks in Sisophan.
MEDICAL FACILITIES There is a decent medical clinic on the road (see map) to the New Market ( it’s really the old lone ). They can be of assistance for minor problems or worse. Phnom Penh trained doctors and nurses.
RESTAURANTS & NIGHT SCENE Mondial Restaurant. This is the swank joint in town with good food and service. Friendly staff and live Khmer music while you have your dinner (this is thankfully one place that keeps the volume down a bit). The staff is fair in their English. Penh Chet Restaurant. A step down but it’s a clean, basic place with good food and the usual friendly beer girls. There is also live music here in the evening. There isn’t an English menu, but the beer girls will have a lot of fun trying to help you order.See the map for the locations of the top two Khmer nightclubs in town. The restaurant next to the Phnom Svay Hotel serves up the best food in Sisophan. It’s a very simple place but the menu is varied and features many Western faves. Decent hamburgers, French fries, ice cream, among others are sure to satisfy your Cambodian road – weary appetite. The place draws a good crowd of foreign workers and locals alike. There are restaurant stalls by the share taxi stand, along with loads of evening desert and fruit shake/drink stands all over town. Sisophan has a rather rowdy (and seedy) brothel area built almost on the RR tracks near the train station. With the train tooting it’s whistle and vibrating the shacks as it crawls by, it’s surely Sisophan’s version of the popular book, Off the Rails in Phnom Penh. The ladies are out in full force in the late afternoon, beckoning you over, laughing and seemingly enjoying the festiveness of the area that time of the day. Drink and food stands dot the area, and with all the local males milling about it almost does seem like a carnival.
ACCOMMODATIONS Rong Roeung Hotel. Fan rooms 200 baht, a/c rooms 300 baht. Western bath, sat. (Satellite) TV, clean; and the owner speak English.Sourkear Hotel. Fan US$ 5, a/c US$ 10. The rooms have a large and small bed, Western bath and are clean.No Name Hotel. The name was being changed when we stayed there-to what, they did not know. It’s a nice place. The manager speaks English and the staff is very friendly. Western bath, sat. TV, wrap-around terrace overlooking a small park. Fan room 200 baht, a/c room 250 baht.Santapheap Hotel. The name means peaceful and that it is. Located on the out skirts of town towards Battambang, the hotel is very clean with Western bath, single bed fan rooms for US $ 5, two beds for US $ 7 and a room with a/c and sat. TV goes for US$ 10.The owner speaks English.The Top NotchPhnom Svay Hotel (and restaurant). Nicely furnished clean rooms with a large bed, sat. TV and Western bath. Fan rooms are 200 baht, a/c rooms 300 baht. The restaurant is THE place for Western food in Sisophan.
COMING & GOING Not a lot of choices-you either have your own motorcycle or you are taking a share taxi.But wait; let’s not forget the train. Or maybe we should. It’s very slow-the railroad does not even want to quote you an arrival time because it’s never the same.The train from Battambang arrives in Sisophan sometime between 10:00 – 11:00 am (usually). The trip takes around 3 ½ hours, which is about double the time that the share taxi takes, but unlike most things in life, it’s free! This won’t last for long as the poor Khmers are paying while we are not. The government just hasn’t organized the train service for tourists yet. Sisophan to Battambang has a 2 pm departure and is free! Share Taxi Per seat inside: Sisophan to Siem Reap 120 baht Sisophan to Battambong 50 baht Sisophan to Poipet 30 baht Sisophan to Phnom Penh 250 baht Sisophan to Samrong 100 baht These rates should be the same in reverse. Motorcycle Touring IntoAs for your mtorcycle tour, the Sisophan to Siem Reap road is a terrible bomb cratered road that you will need to go slowly on, unless you are a moto-cross maniac. The Sisophan to Battambang road is fairly decent in certain stretches, not so nice in others, but definitely the better of the two roads. The Sisophan to Poipet stretch has some pretty fair stretches for a motorcycle, with other stretches having some humps in the road that are big enough to make any roller-coaster operator envious.
12/-POIPET Poipet in Banteay Meanchey Province is one of the handfuls of boomtowns around Cambodia that is attracting Cambodians eager to seed their fortune. A former Khmer Rouge stronghold until the number three-man leng Sary worked out a sort of defection and semi-autonomy deal with the Phnom Penh government in 1996, the Poipet of today has Cambodians from all over the country, as well as former Khmer Rouge, calling it home. An important supply lifeline for goods and arms coming from Thailand during the Khmer Rouge years, it is now a major entry point for Thai goods being shipped into the whole of Cambodia. One can’t help but notice the long lines of tractor-trailer trucks hauling goods across the border. Unfortunately for Cambodia, it seems that all the trucks coming from Thailand are empty. The big neighbor is still having an easy time dominating the little-developed Cambodia. Like the rest of Northwest Cambodia, the main artery coming into Poipet (National Highway 5) is a mess from years of bombing. The town itself is really just a dusty, dirty border town, but as mentioned, there is an air of optimism and speculation among the residents. A lot of building is going on for a town this size and there are other recent developments besides the border trade that has fueled it.The two border casinos (one new in 1999) have attracted a fair number of Thai gamblers across the border that can’t legally gamble back home. This has created some work as well as a bit of a trickle down for the local economy. Also, being a major entry and exit point for Cambodians and Thais crossing for work and business (the slow stream of tourists using this border crossing is gradually increasing) has had a positive influence on the economy.All and all, Poipet as well as the other former Khmer Rouge areas, have seen a 180-degree change in lifestyle from when it was under strict KR leadership. Where there used to be complete control over most aspects of peoples lives and certainly no free wheeling markets, nightclubs, casinos and brothels, its certainly all here now.As with other areas that are not far from Thailand, if you want to fall back on Thai language (if you happen to know some) you will usually be understood. WHAT’S UP Besides the casinos and the markets on both sides of the border, there is a fair amount of nightlife (see the map for locations). This is due to, again, the border location and the fact that there are a lot of truck drivers and businessmen crossing the border who are looking for evening entertainment. Fitting easily into Poipet’s boomtown wild-west image are the scores of brothels along with a couple of fairly entertaining Khmer nightclubs. Step out to the street and talk to a motorcycle taxi (moto-dahp) driver about taking you somewhere and pretty soon you will be surrounded by a handful of them wanting to take you to see s’ray sab-abt (beautiful ladies). No doubt that there is a lot more of this form of “entertainment”going on here than across the border in the Thai town of Aranyaprather (Aran for short). The bigger and better markets are just across the border in Aran, with just about anything available that you might be looking for, but bargain hard. The main market in Poipet is a pretty standard Cambodian town affair moved up a notch with more of a selection and-with bargaining-better prices.There is also a single, small wat. (The Khmer Rouge was not known for their love of Buddhism). Apparently of Indian influence, it doesn’t have much of interest to look at.Besides that, there is very little sightseeing to be done in the Poipet area. It’s not as blessed with natural beauty as other provinces close by. MARKET The main market is a pretty shabby looking affair, but you can get just about anything you want, from produce to electronics, at a good price, provided you do some negotiating.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE As with the entire Northwest, Thai bath is a preferred currency. Cambodian riel is fine. US dollars are taken at some places, but not others. Money can be changed at the main market-just look for the small glass cases with currency wads inside. Forget about traveler’s checks of credit cards.
MEDICAL FACILITIE As with most of the Cambodia-Thailand border areas, malaria is present. For a serious illness or injury, it’s best to get across the border into Thailand. For minor problems, you can seed help at one of these clinics. Forget the Public Health Center-it’s downright nasty.Sopheak Tra Clinic. Phnom Penh trained doctor and pharmacy. They deal with local patients that have come down with malaria. Chamroen Phal Clinic. Run by a Cambodian doctor, Mr. Vene Vuthy. Mr.Vuthy says that they are equipped to deal with sexually transmitted diseases (possibly a booming business in Poipet), as well as malaria.
RESTAURANTS Look for the Angkor Beer signs for simple Khmer food and drinks.Hang Neak Restaurant. Located in the Bayon Guest House, it’s very popular with the locals in the morning. Features Khmer, Thai, Chinese and a bit of Western fare. Gook food and friendly staff that speak some English.Neak Meas Hotel Restaurant. A restaurant that is slated to open well before this book gets into your hands. It should be the top spot in town judging from the hotel and other parts of the establishment. Will feature Khmer, Chinese, Thai and some Western dishes.Srah Trocheak Restaurant. Nice outdoors garden eating area in back. Moderate prices, English menu. Open late in the afternoon through the evening.
NIGHT SCENE Best bet is sticking to the Neak Meas Hotel nightclub as the others are either too seedy or too far off the main drag.The border casinos are ready to entertain you if you happen to think that losing money can be fun. Also going on well into the night are the seemingly endless brothels, but use protection and use caution at night-these areas are dark and the locals hanging around them have copious amounts of booze on board.
ACCOMMODATIONS Cheaper PlacesBayon Guesthouse. Best of this bunch. Clean well-kept rooms with windows, fan and Western bath. The friendly owner speaks English and also runs a popular restaurant on the ground floor. Good value at 200 baht.Heng Ly Guesthouse. If you want to sleep right at the border, this would be the place. In spitting distance from immigration, it features drab, windowless, but clean rooms with an attached Asian-style bath. 100 baht for fan, 300 for a/c. The manager speaks English and is a friendly sort. Ly Hov Guesthouse. Just off the main drag, it’s a friendly place that is apparently doing a good business as they are putting up additions that will double its size. A small fan room with attached bath but with no window in room goes for 100 baht. Larger room with two small beds goes for 150 baht. The addition should be complete by the time you read this. Sin Ho Guesthouse. A step down from the Ly Hov, it has basic accommodation with a small Asian-style bath attached bucket and bowl for showers. 100 baht. Vimean Sok San Guesthouse. A real dive. Dirty place that runs short time relationships through it but doesn’t bother to change the sheets, or rather, doesn’t bother to put them on the filthy mattresses in the first place. 100 baht. A Notch Up (not always) Vihean Rasmei Preah Atith Hotel (a real mouthful). Small rooms that are windowless have satellite TV; small Western bath attached, but needs a bit more attention to cleaning. At 200 baht for a fan room, not bad value. To flip on the a/c, 400 baht.Poipet Hotel. Not recommended because the rooms are not sheltered at all from the loud music in the restaurant-nightclub located on the premises. Fan room for 200 baht.Khemarak Hotel. Clean rooms with a big bed, screened windows, Western bath for 200 baht. No English spoken here.Ochrov Hotel. A fairly friendly place that always seems to be in the process of expansion, but does not pay too much attention to deaning. Western bath, no TV and if you pay for a/c it doesn’t get turned on till 7 pm and is shut down at the crack of dawn. At 250 baht for a fan or 300 baht a/c, there are better values in Poipet. The Top Notch Neak Meas Hotel. Definitely the top spot. Recently opened, it has clean, well-appointed rooms that have cable TV, large bed, and fridge, nicely done Western bath and windows with some type of a view. Good value at 500 baht. Also features the best nightclub in town (closes at midnight), massage parlor and karaoke. COMING & GOING Share Taxi See the general Coming and Going section if you are coming from Thailand. Other than that, unless you are on your own motorcycle (or rental), you will have to rely on the share taxis. We were told that highway reconstruction was due to start within months covering the Poipet to Sisophan section, but we aren’t holding our breath as we did this stretch after three months and saw no sign of construction. Poipet to Sisophan (and the reverse) 50 bahtPoipet to Battambang 100 bahtPoipet to Phnom Penh 400 baht Motorcycle Touring InfoAs with much of Cambodia, half of the adventure is in getting there. The road is lousy, but it shouldn’t take more than 1 ½ hours from Sisophan and less during the dry season, either by taxi or your motorcycle. Security is not a problem. 13/-BATTAMBANG Cambodia’s second largest city lies in the heart of the Northwest and until the war years was the leading rice-producing producing province of the country. Battambang did not give way to the Khmer Rouge movement until after the fall of Phnom Penh, but it’s been in the center of the ongoing government Khmer Rouge conflict ever since the Vietnamese invasion in 1979 pushed the genocidal regime out of Phnom Penh and to the Northwest. Until the surrender deal of Ieng Sary (Khmer Rouge number three man based in Pailin),Battambang was the Khmer Rouge in the region.Earlier history saw Battambang flip-flopping back and forth between Thailand (called Siam before their 20th-century renaming) and Cambodia. It’s been a part of Thailand most of the time since the 15th century, with Cambodia regaining control (more specifically, the French) in 1907. The Thais grabbed it again, with Japanese assistance, in 1941 and kept the region in their camp until after the World War II years in 1947. The Allied Forces helped persuade the Thais that the region was originally part of ancient Cambodia and the world community would not take kindly to the Thais holding onto it further.Like the rest of the northwest, there is still a lot of Thai influence apparent. The main currency is still the Thai baht and many people are able to converse in Thai. But the area is very Khmer, with ancient Khmer ruins scattered about and the ways of life much more similar to the rest of Cambodia than Thailand. Battambang is the main hub of the Northwest connecting the entire region with Phnom Penh and Thailand, and as such it’s a vital link for Cambodia.Battambang city is a peaceful and pleasant place these days. The main parts of the city are situated closed to the Sangker River, a tranquil, small body of water that winds its way through Battambang Province. It is a nice, picturesque setting. As with much of Cambodia, the French architecture is an attractive bonus of the city. WHAT’S UP River SceneThe river roads are pleasant for a jog or walk by the river. Early evenings you will note that this is the area that local’s like to cruise in their cars or motorcycles in order to be seen and socialize with others. There are loads of food and drink stands that set up for them on the west river road in a large area approaching the Lion’s Bridge. Friendly people abound. Inside the City Wat Tahm-rai-sawSituated between Roads 2 and 3, this ornate temple is worth a look, especially during the Khmer New Year festivities when it becomes the happening place in town for festivities. Entertainment, classical dancing and plenty of water and powder being thrown by the masses in search of fun and good luck for the coming year. Wat Pee-pahd Located between River Road 1 and Road 2, this temple is set amidst pleasant grounds and is an important spiritual center for Buddhism in Battambang. Wat Gahndahl Located on the east bank of the Sanker River, the temple is a simple and run down place. There is an unusual wall mural on the outside of the temple that features a progressing story of a bad dude that apparently killed his own mother and finally had to board a boat bound for hell. Strange, indeed. The interesting feature of this wat is the Angkor replica about 110 meters sown a dirt path from the rear area of the temple. It was built in 1969 over a small concrete pool and is the pride of the monks staying there. They say spirits and relics of deceased monks are housed inside. Battambang is not short on temples and you will see many more around town and on the way to the sights outside of town. River Sightseeing & Boat Rentals Just north of the Cobra Bridge, on the west bank, you will see a lot of boats hugging he riverbank. You can hire a non-motorized small wooden boat for around 4,000 riel, and a motorized boat (if available) for around US$ 5 an hour. It’s a pleasant way to wee the river life around Battambang town. There is also a boat you can take to Siem Reap for a smooth alternative to the lousy highway (see Coming and Going section). Outside the City Phnom BananThis Angkor-era mountaintop temple is definitely worth a look. At the top are beautiful views of the winding Sangker River set amidst sugar palm trees, rice fields and small villages. To the south you will see a mountain range that features a crocodile shaped mountain. The temple itself is beautiful looking from the ground as well as the top. The structures are pretty much intact, but unfortunately like so many Khmer ruins, they have fallen victim to massive looting. Still, there are some interesting works to see. There are five temple structures, like Angkor, with the middle being the largest. (Use caution around the entrance to the center structure-there is a large hanging block-a headache-in-waiting for some poor soul).As with Preah Vihear Temple (close to the Thai border in the province of the same name), there are a couple of big guns on the mountaintop next to the ruins. The guns are still pointing down at the surrounding area as they were during the more recent years of the government-Khmer Rouge skirmishes.It’s part of the sad irony of Cambodia that a place built for worship, harmony and tranquility was utilized as a place for making war.Looking down the hillside to the southwest you can see more of the ruins. As always, if you go looking around, STAY ON THE WORN PATHWAYS AND TRAILS- there may still be undiscovered landmines. Getting to Phnom Banan is easy-just head south on the River Road (Road1) about 20 km, which at a moderate pace should take just over half and hour. You can’t miss the big hill with the temple on top, visible on the right side of the road. Turn right at the dirt road that runs smack into the middle of the hill. There are drinks and snack stands near the base of the stairway going up. There is also a dirt road going to the left by the stands that you could take up, but take the stairway as the Khmers did at the time the temple was in use. It’s part of the fun.A round-trip moto-taxi from Battambang is approximately 120 baht including their waiting time. Ek PhnomSituated about 10 km north of the Cobra Bridge are the ruins of Ek Phnom. It was built during the Bayon period and unfortunately is much worse for the wear than Phnom Banan.It’s an interesting place, however, because there is a freshly constructed working temple right in front of the ruins. This temple, along with the temple ruins, is the center of holiday festivities for the people of the nearby village. They dress up in their Sunday best and have a celebration between the old and the new temples and climb all around the ruins with their families.The ruins are on a very small hill so there is no workout involved in viewing them much of the temple is in shambles and was heavily looted. There are still some sitting Buddha images intact higher up on the walls. On the inside is a carving of a tug-of-war with participants tugging away on a serpent. The participants on the left have lost their heads to looters (they lost face), with the guys on the right still having their heads intact.Ek Phnom is also easy to get to-just head north on the River Road (Road 1) a bit over 10 km (the road north of the Cobra Bridge snakes around a bit, but goes back to the river). As you are getting close to the temple, you will pass over a small concrete bridge. The road beyond will veer off to the right, but the modern temple is there to the left. Enter the new temple grounds and the ruins are located to the rear.Again, a round-trip moto-taxi is about 120 baht from Battambang. Phnom Sampeu (Sahm-bpoh)Definitely worth a visit, it’s about 15 km outside of Battambang city on the way to Pailin (Rt. 10). Since it’s closer to Battambang than Pailin, we’ll include it in this section, as it’s a trip that a lot of locals take from here. However, if you are going to Pailin just save it for a stop on the way. It’s easy to do if you have your own motorcycle; if not you can negotiate a bit higher price and have the share taxi stop there an extra 100 baht should do it, but don’t pay until you get to Pailin. Phnom Sampeu features an Angkor-era Baray-style pool; cave shrines with skulls and bones of Khmer Rouge victims and about seven hundred steps leading up to the main temple area, with its dynamite views. The mountaintop temple was built in 1964 and is a mix of old and new styles.As you approach the top, take the dirt path that you will see forking off to the right. It leads to another hilltop temple area about 400 meters away. In the back of that, away from the view side, is a stairway leading down to a cave. Inside are some of the skulls and bones from this area’s killing fields. Locals have brought them up here and set up a couple of shrines in caves for the spirits of the victims in the hope that they can finally rest in peace. It’s another sobering place in Cambodia.A bit further down is a cave with some small stalagmites and stalactites. Continuing the cave circuit, there is another cave area off from these areas that has a reclining Buddha and more skulls and bones nearby. It’s not a bad idea to bring a flashlight, although ladies working the temple have candles for a small donation.The stairway and the areas on the top are packed with Cambodians on holidays as they make the pilgrimage with family and friends to see this mix of the old, new and a part of the tragedy of the Khmer Rouge era.Also easy to get to (I don’t mean to imply that the road is good), just head out of Battambang on the road to Pailin about 15 km. As you approach, you’ll see the mountain and temple at the top and think that you are going to run right into it. The town next to the mountain has the same name. As you get into town you go by a school and small stands until you see a sign in Khmer and English (amazing) on the left for Phnom Sampeu. Turn left here and as you go toward the stairs you will note some bits of ruins on the left.Figure around 160 baht for the round trip moto-taxi. Gold Buddha Hill This one is for your journey to Sisophan if you are heading that way (60 km or so from Battambang ). It’s easy to spot from the road. See the Sisophan section for more details. MARKETS Nat Market, next to the west river road, is a big, bustling affair that has just about anything you may need and also is the sight of a small night market on the riverside.A large new market is slated for opening in late 1999. It’s just off the highway heading towards Phnom Penh. GETTING AROUND* evening and weekend spot to be seen. Wat Sahn-dtootThis temple is on a hill full of rock formations. There are good views of the river and mountains from the top. To get there, just follow the road down from the Shell gas station, next to the Triangle Park. After about five minutes you will see boulders and the hilltop temple with the flags on top. Wat Phnom RobathThere are a number of temples and hill temples along Highway 5 on the Phnom Penh side of Kampong Chhnang, but if you only stop to see one, this would be the choice. It’s the highest hilltop temple in the area and affords a fantastic panoramic view of the surrounding area, including the Cardamom Mountains and the main temple is only eleven years old. There are paths around the boulders at the top level so one can move about and take in the entire range of view.To get there head out Highway 5 toward Phnom Penh around 10 km or fifteen minutes. You will see the smaller hilltop temple on the left (Phnom Chahm-bpoo) and the taller Phnom Robath beyond. There is a sign in English where you make your left turn “Attractive 750 meters” (they are correct, it is attractive) and also Phnom Penh, the turn (right turn from this way) is 76 km from the Japanese Bridge in Phnom Penh. MARKET The main market is a busy place, as one might expect in a port town.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE There are money exchange spots around the market-just look for the glass cases with the dough inside. The one on the corner across the street from the market has a sign up giving the rate for the day.
MEDICAL FACILITIES The hospital on Highway 5 has khmer and foreign doctors.
RESTAURANTS & ACCOMMODATIONS Mekong Restaurant. There is decent Khmer and Chinese food in this simple place.You will also see several simple restaurants near the Khmer Monument Circle. The Samaki Restaurant is the best and has an English menu. Prices are quite reasonable.Half Way House. Restaurant and pub, with bungalows for rent. This is a nice Western place run by the amiable Paul, a British-Kenyan that knows the area well. Paul has a Thai wife and lived in Thailand for a number of years. The establishment sees most of it’s business coming from the foreign de-miners and NGO community based in Kampong Chhnang Province.The place features good pub grub and ice cold drinks. There are also eight, fully; appointed bungalows for rent at US$ 15 per night. More accommodation may be in the works. Hotel Rithisen. A good location on the River Parkway, the hotel also features a nice terrace on the third floor overlooking the river area and the rural scene beyond. The fan rooms are your best bet as the a/c doesn’t get turned on until 6 pm and is shut off at 6 am. The rooms have a Western bath, two small beds, are clean land go for US$ 8 with fan, or US$ 12 for the partial a/c plan. Krongday Meas Guesthouse. It’s not too far off Highway 5 and not too clean either. Simple rooms with a Western bath and fan go for US$ 4 a night. NIGHT SCENE If you really feel the need to go out in the evening, your only choice is the funky little disco off of Highway 5. There is usually a Khmer band with a few beer girls and a few taxi girls hanging about. Around a hundred meters on the Phnom Penh side of the Monument Circle you will wee a large beer sign on the left. Turn left at the corner and follow the road down and to the right until you see the nightclub on the left-hand side. Your best bet is to remember you are near Phnom Penh and can get your nightlife fix soon enough. COMING & GOING Bus Your best bet if you don’t have your own transportation is to take the Hoh Wah Genting bus. To and from Phnom Penh costs just 5,000 riel on the air-con bus. Kampong Chhnang to Phnom Penh: departs 6:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm. Phnom Penh to Kampong Chhnang departs (from Central Market Terminal) 6:40 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:30 pm, and 4:30 pm. If you like, you can get off at O’Dong and see the old ruins and newest addition (just grab a moto-taxi next to the entrance road), then go back out to the highway and grab the next bus heading your way. Share Taxi It’s about a 1-½ hour ride up from Phnom Penh. The share taxi costs 100 baht from Phnom Penh and the same for Pursat. Motorcycle Touring Info Highway 5 from Kampong Chhnang to Pursat is slowly getting some resurfacing work and while not good by any stretch of the imagination, it’s not as bad as it used to be. As mentioned, the Kampong Chhnang to Phnom Penh stretch qualifies a dream road in Cambodia. Security is not pa problem. 17/-TAKEO Takeo town is an easygoing place that possesses a fair amount of natural and manmade beauty. The natural beauty is in the Scenic River and lake area that faces a pleasant town parkway. The low-lying area seems to include much of the surrounding province area, which is probably why a kingdom that once had its heart here was referred to as Water Chenla. There seems to be water everywhere in the surrounding countryside during the rainy season.The man-made beauty mostly comes from a series of canals and waterways that were cut through the surrounding countryside, many a very long time ago, connecting towns, villages, rivers and Vietnam. Nearby Angkor Borei town (connected by water to Takeo town) may have been the heart of the Funan empire, which is called the “Cradle of Khmer Civilization” by Cambodians. Much older than Angkor, the Funan empire had its heyday between the 1st and 6th centuries and stretched across a vast area, from South Vietnam through Thailand, down through Malaysia and into Indonesia. Bold, silver and silks were traded in abundance in the kingdom, or, as some say, the series of fiefdoms. Although Cambodians claim Funan was created by Khmers, neighboring Vietnam argues that they were the people of origin. Archeologists from the University of Hawii of the USA have made research trips to Angkor Borei in an attempt to piece together the history and story, and story, as well as relics, of the Funan period. In an odd recent twist, Reuters News Service reported in early November 1999 that locals saw the research team digging up ancient relics and figured the stuff must be valuable, so they started digging and looting objects from the area. Fortunately, the Cambodian government seems to be moving in on the problem quickly to try to save what they can of this important piece of Khmer heritage.That was not the first time the locals have created problems in the piecing together of ancient history. Much of what did remain in the form of ancient ruins in Angkor Borei was destroyed not too long ago in the modern past. The officials that runs the museum that’s dedicated to the history of the Funan empire told me that much of what was still standing from this period (from parts of ancient walls to partial structures) was thought to be useless by locals and was bulldozed and razed to make way for more “useful” modern day structures! Talk about having a bad track record. Fortunately artifacts and history have been put together in the museum.Takeo Province is full of other interesting sights as well and because of the short distance and good road from Phnom Penh, all are great day trips. Some sights can be combined in a day trip. If you have a bit more time, spend an evening in Takeo town and take in all the sights. There is a pleasant little place to stay overlooking the river and lake area. WHAT’S UP Phnom Da, Angkor Borei & the “Water Canal Highways”Now that you are equipped with a bit of the history, here’s the scoop on the trip. It’s a lot of fun and highly recommended. Follow our map of Takeo and head over to the canal waterfront, where the fast boats are located. There are a couple of different sizes of outboard motors that the guys use, with most being either 25-or 40-hp out boards. The guy with the 40-hp rig must have sized me up as a speed freak (right on the money) and smiled when he said, “I think you want to go with me.” I had talked to these guys the last time I went through Takeo, so I knew the price that I was quoted was fair. For the 40-hp boat the round trip that takes in Angkor Borei Museum and Phnom Da is US$ 20 (US$ 15 for the 25hp), including the wait while you check out the sights along the way. The fee is the same no matter how many people you take and covers the expensive part for them –the fuel.The main canal that heads out from Takeo town is like a super highway and the fast and slow boats that ply the canals are loaded with people and goods, coming and going to the Vietnamese border (among other places), which the canals also serve. One can hire a boat to go to the border, but it is not a legal crossing point. Dozens of other canals crisscross the countryside, connecting scores of towns and villages. The smooth waterways are definitely one of the more efficient transportation networks in Cambodia. At each water intersection that the boat comes upon the driver cuts the power back to slow down and check for crossing traffic- they follow traffic rules o these water –roadways when the boat is flying down the narrow canal and the Khmer drivers even use the word for road (bplow) when they talk about the canals. The scenery is beautiful in its own right, with the canals cutting through marshland and rice fields. The other boats and people that you occasionally see are an extra entertainment bonus for your dollar. Many of the canals are ancient in origin, having been dug lout during the Funan period, with some serving defense needs and others being used for irrigation purposes. It’s an amazing and little talked about area (and journey) in Cambodia.The canal finally enters the Angkor Borei River and shortly thereafter you come to Angkor Borei town –it’s a pretty, small town, with a modern temple built next to the river and a bridge spanning the river nearby. The museum is located next to the bridge and that’s where the goat stops. There is a fair number of ancient artifacts and displays in the small building, with information and history written out in English and French. Admission is US$ 1 for foreigners and 1,000 riel for Cambodians. The place is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm with a two-hour noontime break. Continuing further along the river and turning off again on a couple of canals, Phnom Da temple is only about ten minutes from the museum. It’s easy tosspot the hilltop temple amongst the flat, surrounding countryside. Phnom Da is from the Angkor era, as its style attests. It’s just a short hike from the canal and then up to the top, where there is a good view of the surrounding countryside and part of the canal network that you were just on. The temple itself is basically intact, though it is another victim of looting. The boat ride takes a little under an hour one-way and the ride from Phnom Penh a bit over an hour, so the trip is easily doable from Phnom Penh year round, as a day trip if you don’t want to spend the night in Takeo. If you ride a motorcycle down from Phnom Penh, just lock it up at the small drink stand next to the canal and fast boats in Takeo town. Buy a drink and maybe even give the drink stand lady a small tip (I gave her US$ 1) and the bike will probably be there when you return. If you take the air-con Hoh Wah Genting bus from Phnom Penh, just get off at the Independence Monument and walk or take a moto-taxi to the canal.The following sights are on the way from Phnom Penh and are easy day trips, even if you want to combine a couple of them. Distances for directions listed throughout this section are from the traffic circle near the Monivong Bridge at the south end of Phnom Penh. There are also highway mileage marker monuments along Highway 2. Complete directions are listed with each, and there is also some additional info at the end of this chapter in Coming and Going. Tonle Bati & Ta Prohm Tonle Bati is a popular lake and picnic area that has bamboo shacks built out over the water that people can rent out for eating and whiling away the day. It’s generally a weekend get-away spot, which means it’s nice and quiet during the week. Locals swim there, but the water does not look real inviting. There are all kinds of food and drink stands that sell everything you need for a picnic along the lake. Note that there are tours that follow you when you arrive on weekends and try to get you to go to their own place. It’s best to pass right by them and find a spot on your own. Check prices beforehand on everything –they are famous for handing you an outrageously high bill when you depart. Ta Prohm King Jayavarman VII built this Angkor era temple. The ruins have a number of interesting features about them, including a couple of bas-relief scenes of some of the more unseemly sides of ancient life. The temple has suffered much from looting and the war through the years, but is worth a visit. Just beyond Ta Prohm is a modern-day temple with some more ruins standing in front of it. It’s an attractive combination on the shore of the lake. The turnoff for Tonle Bati and Ta Prohm is just beyond the 33 km highway marker (or 28 km on your odmeter from the Monivong traffic circle). Turn right at the picture billboard of a lake area. Follow this road 1.5 km and go right at the fork. There is a sign that says “Tonle Bati Tourism Area” There is a US$ 2 fee for entering the area, but it’s free for Cambodians. Ta Khmau Zoo & Phnom TamaoBack on Highway 2 and continuing south towards Takeo is the Ta Khmau Zoo and Phnom Tahmao. Turn right just beyond the 39-km marker (34 km on your odometer from Monivong Circle). There is a picture sign with animals that says “Welcome to Ta Khmau Zoo “there. Follow this road all the way down toward the hilltop temple. You will come head-on to a sign that welcomes you to Takmao Zoological Gardens. At the left is a ticket booth where the fee is 1,000 riel for you and 500 riel for a motorcycle. But going to theright, to begin with, brings you to a couple ofhilltop temples and a picnic area. The first temple and stairway leading up to it ison the fright nearby. Continuing further down this small road you cometo a big spread out picnic area with food vendors and drink stands. They have bamboo stands with mats laid out for picnicking on. And just beyond this area is another hilltop temple that is built on a boulder-strewn hill. Actually, there are large boulder hills spread out all around the area, making the landscape striking. Not bad for rock climbing either. Anyway, climbing up the staiway (the furthest temple back) leads you to the nifty little temple at the top and a great view of the distant countryside. Meanwhile, Back at the Zoo…Takhmau Zoo is a fairly new addition to Cambodia and was quite a project. The zoo is spread out overa huge area, blending in with the area’s landscape (boulder hills abound here as well) very nicely. There are extensive wildlike exhibits that feature lions, tigers, crocodiles and monkeys, to name a few species. There is also a sun bear exhibit that hasa natural setting on a gill and a fair-sized bird exhibit area nearby. The zoo area is huge and expandig all the time. You have the option of walking through the area or taking your wheels along. Phnom ChissorContinuing south along Highway 2 and towards Takeo, lyou come upon hthe hilltop temple of Phnom Chilssor. You will see it from a long way off and you seem to be circling around it as you draw near the turnoff. Turn left just beyond the 52 km marker (about 47 km on your odometer from Monivong Circle), where you see a picture sing of the hilltop temple. Follow this dirt road 4.5 km to the foot of Phnom Chissor. It’s a long hike up the stairway to the top, but there are drink stands at the base and also the top. The spectacular views at the top of this huge hill make the hike up worthwhile, with the Damrei Mountains of Kampong Spue Province visible in the west, lakes dotting the entire area and rivers slicing through the glistening rice fields of the countryside. The highest point ofthebig hill has a small Buddhist temple and shrine set up with an old monk giving blessings to Cambodians that make the pilgrimage to the top. Loads of Cambodians do so on weekends just to get blessed at thisspot. He has holy water that he splashes on the faithful and they believe this spot and this guy are full of good luck, thekind that splashes in their faces.The main temple area is the 11th century Angkor era ruins on the other side of the hilltop area. It’s an interesting structure that still has a few artwork carvings and inscriptions intact, although this temple has also suffered at the hands of looters. The east side of the temple complex also offeres more magnificent views of the area. The ParkwayBack at Takeo town, this is a nice scenic area for a stroll about while taking in the easygoing pace lof thetown. Locals cruise and stroll about the parkway in the late afternoon and early evening hours –it’s Takeo’s place to see andbe seen. Drink stands pop-up in the late afternoon hours. MRKET The “new”central market is of the all –purpose Cambodian variety ad is chock full ofgoods from neighboring Vietnam, much of it coming in on those canals that you took a boat ride on. GETTING AROUND Moto –Taxi For 500 riel you can get anywhere I town. The daily rate is US$ 5 plus fuel for distant sights. Motorcycle Doctor If your motorcycle has a mekical problem, head back to Phnom Penh, as it’s only an hour away. Call your rental outfit in Phnom Penh (always carry thaft rental agreement) and they will come down to perform motorcycle surgery or haul the bike back to Phnom Penh. CURRENCY EXCHANGE The “new”central market is your best bet for changing dollars, riel land Vietnam dong. Just look around the front area of the market for theglass cases crammed with dough. MEDICAL FACILITIES As for your motorcycle, if you have a medical problem, head back to Phnom Penh. RESTAURANTS & NIGHT SCENE There are a couple of decent Khmer food restaurants near the waterfront, aft the canal that heads to Vietnam, Angkor Borei and Phnom Da. Doun Keo Restaurant. This is another fairly simple place that has decent Khmer and Chinese food. Khmer Restaurants. These two places are the first restaurants that you encounter as you enter Takeo from Phnom Penh. They are friendly enough places that feature rather decent Khmer and Chinese food. And as for the night scene, there just isn’t much going on in Takeo town –your best bet is to take it easy and remember that Phnom Penh is only an hour away.
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