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Written by Administrator
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Overview Kampong Chhnang (Clay Pot Port), on the Tonlé Sap River, is a tale of two cities: the leafy centre, its focal point a grassy park, and the bustling dockside. Nearby sights include two floating villages and a hamlet famous for its distinctive pottery. The word "kampong" means that it is a port. Kampong Chhnang has many floating houses along its river, and the word "Chhnang" is the Khmer word for pottery.By land, the town is a straightforward stop on the way from Phnom Penh to Battambang, or an easy day trip from the capital, perhaps combined with a visit to Udong. You can also get to Kampong Chhnang by water; usually it’s possible to get off the Phnom Penh-Siem Reap fast boat here. |  |
| Geography Kampong Chhnang, one of nine provinces that is part of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, is a central province of Cambodia. Its capital is Kampong Chhnang Town. The province is famous for its clay pots. Kampong Chhnang is located 70 kilometers from Phnom Penh. Nestled along rivers, fishing is one its major natural resources. Rice and vegetable farming are also widely harvested. Climate Similar to the entire Cambodia, Kampong Chhnang has a tropical monsoon climate. December and January are the coolest months, while March and April are the hottest. The province’s rainy season extends from May to October. Average annual rainfall is about 1,400 mm (about 55 in). The average annual temperature is about 27°C (about 80°F). Economy Kampong Chhnang’s economy consists basically of fishery, rice and fruit cropping and several garment factories. Especially rural households depend on agriculture and its related sub-sectors. How to Get There The ferries linking Phnom Penh with Siem Reap pass right by Kompong Chhnang. If you’d like to get off here, inform the boat company in advance and they should be able to arrange for a local launch to pull up alongside the ferry and whisk you ashore.From the bus and taxi station, Phnom Penh Sorya (012 631545) has services to Phnom Penh (7500r, 91km, five or more a day to 3.30pm), Pursat (8000r, 97km, six a day till 4pm), Battambang (20, 000r, 202km, two or 2½ hours, five a day till 2.30pm) and Poipet (30, 000r, two a day in the morning). Tourist Attraction Ondong Rossey---The quiet village of Ondong Rossey, where the area's famous red pottery is made under every house, is a delightful 7km ride west of town through serene rice fields dotted with sugar palms, most with bamboo ladders running up the trunk. The unpainted pots, decorated with etched or appliqué designs, are either made with a foot-spun wheel (for small pieces) or banged into shape with a heavy wooden spatula (for large ones). Artisans are happy to show you how they do it.Phoum Kandal and Chong Kos---A short sail from Kompong Chhnang's waterfront takes you to two colourful floating villages, Phoum Kandal to the east and Chong Kos to the northwest. Much less commercial than Kompong Luong, they have all the amenities a mainland village would have - houses, machine tool shops, veggie vendors, a mosque, a petrol station - except that almost everything floats. Many of the people are ethnic Vietnamese. Special Characteristic Pottery Development Center-The golden-hued mud piled up in the yards of Ondong Rossey is quarried at nearby Phnom Krang Dai Meas and pounded into fine clay before being shaped and fired; only at the last stage does it acquire a pinkish hue. Pieces, including piggy banks, can be purchased at the Pottery Development Center. In Kompong Chhnang, several stalls selling Ondong Rossey pottery can be found on NH5 towards Phnom Penh from the centre. |    | | | |
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Overview
Kampong Thom is a province located at the central point of the Kingdom of Cambodia. ‘Kampong Pos Thom’ was the original name. A long time ago, at the dock of the Sen river next to a big natural lake, there was a cave home to a pair of big snakes inside. The people living around the area usually saw these big snakes every Buddhist Holiday. Over time, the snakes disappeared and the people called the area ‘Kampong Pos Thom’ with a short name as ‘Kampong Thom’. The province is the home of Sambor Prey Kubh, one of the more than 200 ancient temples and other tourist attractions such as the exotic lakes, rivers, forests, and mountain sites. Geography
The province has a total land area of 15,061km2 divided into 8 districts, 81 communes and 477 Villages. It borders in the North with Preah Vihear Province and Siem Reap Province, to the East with Kratie Province, to the South with Kampong Cham Province and to the West with Kampong Chhnang Province. The total population is 576,805 people (110,334 families, women approximate 51%). It has road network which links from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Province on National Road 6, and separates to Preah Vihear Province National Road 64 in a distance of 126 km. At the central point of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the province is divided into two parts. The Eastern part of National Road 6 covers 70% of the surface consisting of forests and plateau, rich in natural resources which are good for agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry. The Western of part of National Road 6 covers 30% of the surface consisting of the plain area extending to Tonle Sap Lake. This area is good for rice growing and fishing supporting the needs for the whole province and exporting to others. | |
Climate
Similar to the rest of Cambodia, the province has a tropical climate - warm and humid. In the monsoon season, abundant rain allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. This year-round tropical climate makes the province ideal for tourists. Travelers need not fear natural disasters such as erupting volcanoes, earthquakes, or tropical storms. The province can be visited throughout the year. However, those plans to travel extensively by road should be avoided the last two months of the rainy season when some countryside roads may be impassable. The average temperature is about 80f with the minimum temperature at about 61ºF December and January are the coolest months, whereas the hottest is April. Cool season: November- March (68ºF-82ºF); Hot season: March- May (86ºF-95ºF); Rainy season: May - October (74ºF-86ºF ), with humidity up to 90%.) Economy
Kampong Thom is a province rich in tourism potentials to attract national and international tourists such as the exotic lakes, rivers, forests, mountains and more than 200 ancient temples. Much of Kampong Thom is located on the floodplain of Lake Tonle Sap. In 2005 it was a significant harvester of wild fish (18,800 tons) and the fourth largest producer of fish through aquaculture in Cambodia (1,800 tons). Most fish-raising is home production, with a growing segment devoted to rice field aquaculture. Kampong Thom is also one of the largest producers of cashew nuts in Cambodia, with 6,371 hectares under production. How To Get There
Kompong Thom province is best accessible by ground transportation such as leased vehicle or bus on National Road 6 from Phnom-Penh or Siem Reap. Details of various ground transportation mode:Bus: The province has a very basic road network, which links Phnom Penh (168km) and Siem Reap (150km) with the National Highway No 6, and the separate National Road 64 to Preah Vihear province with a distance of 126 km. There are lots of bus companies going from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap or back, so while they pass Kampong Thom its easy to drop off there. Share Taxi: If you want to shorten the time spend on the trip to Kampong Thom you may take one of the share taxis, mostly leaving near the central market. Taxi is not always a comfortable way of travelling and it is more expensive than bus. |
Tourist Attraction
The province is the home of the more than 200 ancient temples and other tourist attractions such as the exotic lakes, rivers, forests, and mountain sites. The few sites below are representatives of the many historical treasures of the Kampong Thom Province.
Sambor Prei Kuk: The ancient city where monuments of Sambo Prei Kuk as found today was identified as ISANAPURA, the capital of Chenla in 7th century, a former vassal of the Funan kingdom, one of the first state in Southeast Asia.Main archaeological features in these groups of monuments are classified as Sambor style the foundation of many decorative details in Khmer architecture and sculpture. The historical traces suggest that these monuments must have belonged to the important provincial principle city after Pre Angkor period. This group of monuments is extremely significant not only for Cambodia but also for the entire area of Southeast Asia, for they are the only remaining sound architectural constructions that exemplify the architecture and sculpture of the early period in sizable quantity.Sambor Prei Kuk cluttering sanctuaries were located in Sambor Village, Kampong Cheuteal Commune, Prasat Sambor District, Kampong Thom Province. The over 52 sanctuaries were built of brick and limestone with the decoration of bas-relief on the scenery walls. The foundation of sanctuary was made of laterite, false door, diamond column and the sculptures were made of sandstone. | | Prasat Sambor Group (Northern Sanctuaries): The Northern group comprised 11 sanctuaries separated from each other with the one at the middle, and had two-wall rampart. The sanctuaries were built of brick and limestone and carve in the beautifully real Khmer style. The sanctuary comprised 14 temples (only 8 remains), and were surrounded by two-wall rampart. These temples were constructed in various plans-square and octagonal shapes. The top of the temple was carved in lotus petals of sandstone, but some parts were cracked down and buried into the ground and the pile of bricks. Lion Temple Group: Lion temple group comprise 18 temples with two ramparts closed to the pond. The reasons why the people called Lion Temple because on the tops of all stairs from the four directions, there were sitting lions with forelegs standing up, hind-legs humbling down, its head rose up and its mouth opened to the sanctuary. Now the pond is empty during the dry season. Kroul Romeas Group: Behind Kroul Romeas Group, there were four more sanctuaries made of brick and built during the reign King Suryavarman 1(end of 11th century). These sanctuaries were built on a rectangular hill, and faced to the East. One of sanctuaries was not completely built yet, it was likely built in later period. The lintel was carved in the form of bow without the modal. At the southeastern side, there were two temples recognized as the original ancient khmer styles. | |
| Prasat Yeah Puon Group: Prasat Yeai Poeun Group comprised a total of 22 sanctuaries (5 have octagonal shapes) with two wall rampart, and was built of brick, masonry, laterite and sandstone in rectangular from in 7th century (600-635) during the reign of Isanavarman I to dedicated to Shiva. They were built on a hill with Gopura from the eastern and western entrances joining to an outside laterite rampart. The inner rampart reached by gateways from the four directions and joined to the brick rampart carved in various clustering figures. | |
Phnom Santuk: Phnom Santuk Mountain has many Buddha statues carved from great mountain rock including three big Buddha statues reaching Nirvana, each measure than 10-meter length. Phnom Santuk has changed names to Chorn Chong Kiri and Phnom Krop Tuk. Chan Chan Dare or Chan Chare are called two pieces of stone by local people that join all together in marked symbol and made in small hole. When the passenger arrived there, they always dropped cash coins (ancient coins) into this small hole.When cash coins are dropped in, it makes soft weak voice like a voice of the birds sing or music with happiness. So they did that since ancient period. Stone Handicraft located at Ka Kos Village, Ka Kos Commune, Santhuk District in 16-km distance from Provincial Town of Kampong Thom on National Road 6. The craftsmen take the rocks from the Santhuk mountain’s foot to make statues and various figures for house decoration. This stone handicraft is served for domestically and internationally target markets. Beside stone handicraft, Kampong Thom has other handicraft like Krama, Silk shirts, traditional khmer clothing and handbags. | |
Prey Pros: Prey Pros is a natural and cultural site located at Prey Pros Village, Prey Preal Commune, Kampong Svay District in approximate 16-km distance northwest of Kampong Thom province. The site cover an area of 2 million square meters and includes a river which is rich in Domrei fish. The site is a venue for foot races, bicycle races, and other games during national festivals. In addition, there are several recreational activities such as boating, fishing and swimming, with resting cottage where food and drinks are sold. The view from Prey Pros is beautiful and enchanting, with wind blowing across the river cooling and refreshing visitors. Prasat Andet Temple: Prasat Andet is located northwest of Kampong Thom province. The temple was built in second half of 7th century of brick with masonry, laterite and sandstone. Prasat Andet had isolated plan facing to the East. The lintel of Prasat Andet was carved in the garlands and carefully done in the traditional khmer style. On the northern framed door, we can see the marks of a cloven hoof of tiger cat that used to be in the upper box of the door. | | | Bird Sanctuary of Boeng Tonle Chmar: Boeng Chmar contains fishing lot 5 and lot 6, and is 30km far from Stoung District town of Kampong Thom Province, there were villages of Nesat, Kamong Kdei, Svay Kor, Mo Doung, Kampong Bradom and Msa Trang Tboung in Peam Bang Commune. The people living in this area with floating houses that are moving up and down according to the water levels in the jungle and flooded forest. The bird sanctuary of Boeng Chmar covers a land area of 400 hectares having an interconnecting network of water channels along the bank of Boeng Kla Lake, rich in flooded forests. This area is connected by two big river tributaries. | |
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Written by Administrator
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Overview
Siem Reap is a major tourist hub in Cambodia. The most recognizable place in Siem Reap is the temple of Angkor Wat, a Capital Temple that was built by King Suryavarman II during the early 12th century. Siem Reap also has many marvelous temples within the vicinity of Angkor Wat. It is located in a quiet environment surrounded by many natural wonders . Recently the city has seen a great deal of expansion; hundreds of hotels, restaurants and shops, catering to both international and Cambodian tourists, have been opened to serve the influx of visitors.
|  | GeographySiem Reap covers an area of 10,299 square kilometers and it is located in the Northwest of the country bordering to the North with Oddor Meanchey, to the East with Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom, to the West with Banteay Meanchey and to the South with the biggest sweet water reserve in Southeast Asia, the huge Tonle Sap Lake. The province in general, especially in the Southern part consists of the typical plain wet area for Cambodia, covering lots of rice fields and other agricultural plantations. The northern part is turning into an undulating area covered with some deeper, green forests. |  |
ClimateSiem Reap has a weather that is mainly dominated by monsoon. It has two kinds of monsoon Siem Reap climate remains hot from March to May and the cool season begins November to February.| Weather averages for Siem Reap | | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | | | Average high °C (°F) | 32.0
(90) | 33.3
(92) | 34.6
(94) | 35.5
(96) | 35.2
(95) | 33.5
(92) | 32.7
(91) | 32.0
(90) | 32.2
(90) | 31.3
(88) | 30.6
(87) | 31.0
(88) | | | Average low °C (°F) | 19.7
(67) | 20.8
(69) | 26.1
(79) | 25.1
(77) | 25.4
(78) | 24.8
(77) | 24.8
(77) | 25.0
(77) | 24.5
(76) | 23.9
(75) | 22.4
(72) | 20.3
(69) | | | Precipitation mm (inches) | 0.7
(0.03) | 3.5
(0.14) | 28.0
(1.1) | 61.2
(2.41) | 175.9
(6.93) | 221.3
(8.71) | 236.6
(9.31) | 151.0
(5.94) | 276.1
(10.87) | 248.0
(9.76) | 81.7
(3.22) | 10.1
(0.4) | |
EconomyBusinesses centered around tourism have flourished, thanks to the tourism boom. There are a wide range of hotels, ranging from several 5-star hotels and chic resorts to hundreds of budget guesthouses. A large selection of restaurants offer many kinds of food, including Italian, Indian, French, German, Russian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, and Burmese. Plenty of shopping opportunities exist around the Psar Chas area while the nightlife is often vibrant with a number of western-styled pubs and bars. Getting there & away By car, bus & taxiFrom Phnom Penh, take National Route 6 north. By BoatThere are daily express boat services between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The boat to Phnom Penh is a bit of a rip-off these days, given it is just as fast by road. By AirThere are direct international flights from Siem Reap-Angkor international airport to Thailand, Laos; Vietnam; Hong Kong; Malaysia, China; South Korea; Singapore and Taiwan. Domestic links are currently limited to Phnom Penh Tourist AttractionsMost tourists come to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, (about 6Km north of the city), and other Angkor ruins. While those are still the main attractions, there are plenty of other things to experience, such as a dinner with an Apsara Dance performance, a trip to fishing villages and bird sanctuary, a visit to a craft workshop and silk farm, or a bicycle tour around the rice paddies in the countryside. |  |  Phnom Kulen Waterfall |  Gate to Bayon Temple |  Angkor Wat Compound |  At Bayon Temple |  Banteay Srey Temple |  Apsara at the wall of Angkor Wat Temple |
By Sinara Ly, edited and illustrated by Ben Bao |
Overview | Battambang is a large and important province in the northwest of Cambodia. Its name literally translates as “the lost long stick” legend. Along with various local legends beautiful countryside, hills and many Angkorian temples, it is regarded as a vital agricultural area. Originally, during the Angkor period, the area was split in to many territories, namely Amogha Boreak and Bhima Boreak. Throughout this period, the region prospered due to the hospitable environment for growing fruit, vegetables, and other produce. In the 15th century however, when the Siamese army began to invade the regions to the northwest, the provinces’ locals were driven out of their homes, and land was confiscated. Three centuries later, until the 20th century, Battambang was under the rule of the Siamese. At the start of the 1900’s however, descendants of the people who once occupied the region demanded that land, which had been previously confiscated, should be returned to the rightful owners. These claims were based on the French Siamese Treaty of 1907. Indeed, the land was returned, and in the same year, the entire province was split in to three separate provinces, namely Battambang, Siem Reap, and Serei Sophorn. The areas then underwent a number of further alterations, both in geographical and textual terms, until the 1940’s. At this time, the province of Battambang was made up of 7 separate districts. In the following 40 years, the province underwent an excruciating ordeal of killings, torture, and other human rights abuses. This period is now referred to as the period of the Killing Fields. The last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge was in Battambang. Finally in 1979, genocide was halted in the region, and the historic first election in the area was held in 1993. Geography Battambang is located in the northwestern region of Cambodia. It is bordered by the Tonle Sap Lake in the east, Pursat province to the southeast, Thailand and Pailin province in the west and Banteay Meanchey to the north. Battambang covers an area of 4900 sq. mi. 664 sq. mi. is towns and villages, 1021 sq. mi. is agricultural land and 1840 sq mi. is forest. The rest is flooded land. As it stands today, the province has 13 districts. About 70% of the people are farmers. Its capital, Battambag, is Cambodia’s second largest city. It is the main highway and rail crossroads connecting Phnom Penh with Thailand. It is about 181 miles (291km) from Phnom Penh. National Highway Route 5 and train are ways to get to Battambang from Phnom. Boat and air travel are also available to and from Siem Reap. The Cardamom Mountains, with rainforests, wildlife refuges, and environmentally protected areas, spread into the southwest corner of Battambang province from neighboring Pursat province. |  Above: Ta Krajoong (Grandpa Krajoong) a legendary figure believed to be a caretaker of Battambang and a protector of its people. 
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Economy Known as the Rice Bowl of Cambodia, indeed of Southeast Asia, the province has a strong agricultural economy with a great production of rice. In the 2006 rainy season 2,440.14 km² of rice, were cultivated for production and the average rice yielded 2.2 tons per hectare, with the total output standing at 536,830.80 tons. With the amount reserved for consumption, seeds, animal food, and waste during harvest, there were about 300,000 tons left for sale. In addition to rice, subsidiary crops were also planted include corn, red corn, cassava, sweet potatoes and many other crops including green beans and chilies. There was a total of 194 sq. mi. of industrial crops with ground nuts, soybean, jute, sugarcane produced. The Province also produces notable quantities of pineapple, sesame, grapefruit, oil palm and saffron.Besides arable farming, local people mainly indulge in livestock breeding, rice seed production, the production of animal fodder, etc while few operate animal breeding farms. Strategies laid out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, have intended to aid the transition from the tradition of growing long-term rice varieties to using medium- and short-term varieties and practicing nature-based intensive rice farming. Battambang Province has 12 fishing lots and commercial fishing exceeded 7,000 tons in 2006 of which 990 tons of rice field fish were caught by local families. The province has 37 fishing communities, each with over 300 members. Climate In Battambang are mainly two major rainy season and dry seasons. Rainy season starts from June to November and Dry season starts from December to May. The hottest weather comes in the dry season, which temperature rise up to 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) and sometimes decreases to 68 Fahrenheit (20 Celsius). Tourist Attraction | Battambag is home to some spectacular sceneries, which makes walking, tramping, and sightseeing a must for any visitor. Numerous historic ruins are open to the public, one of which is Wat Ek Phnom which was built in the 11th century during the reign of Soriyavaraman I (1002 – 1050), but now sits within the grounds of a modern pagoda. The temple is surrounded by 18 bodhi trees. The abundance of water in the form of lotus ponds, streams and the like give this place a relaxing feel. The temple and ruins lie 10 kilometers north of the Cobra River, and are at the bottom of a hill, hence only limited exercise is required to reach them. For a more enduring experience, Phnom Banan is a mountaintop temple built in the Angkor period. The temple is still in relatively good condition, however pillaging and looting was once rife in the area, and the effects of this are noticeable. Nevertheless, this is an excellent sight to see, and any tourists to the area should be sure to check out at least a few of the many temples, as they certainly build a cultural and historical awareness. Other attractions worth a note are the Phnom Sampeou Mountain, the Kamping Puoy Reservoir - an incredible engineering project, Wat Pee-Pahd - an important symbol of Buddhism in Battambang, and the Gold Buddha Hill. As you can see, a tourist will not be lost for things to do in the province. |  | | Modern Wat Ek Phnom | Phnom Sampeo |  |  Wat Ek Phnom Ruin |
Nory/Bamboo Train| “Nories”, the Cambodian word for bamboo trains, are one of the “must sees” of Battambang, if only for their novelty value. Formed by two sets of railway wheels, a bamboo mat, and a generator, these are an impromptu way of travelling up and down the railway line in lieu of the real train. When the real train shows up, all the nories disappear. They are also a great way to see rural Cambodia well of the road network. When two nories meet coming in opposite directions, the one with the lighter load is dismantled and removed from the track, allowing the other to pass. Powered by a small motor, they can carry motorbikes making a nori ride easy to combine with a motodop (motorcycle taxi) trip. |  |
Special Characteristic The area is known locally and internationally as the “Rice Bowl” of Cambodia. This is because the economy of Battambang is extremely efficient in the production of rice, and additionally because of the comparative advantage and local endowments in the region. An estimated 2,400 square kilometers of land is used in rice production, with the figure growing consistently each year. The abundance of land results in over 500,000 tonnes of rice being produced annually; around 300,000 tonnes of that rice is traded locally and internationally. Researched by Lowell Cole, edited and illustrated by Ben Bao. |
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Cambodian Community Day Committee. All rights reserved.