Beng Mealea

The Entrance to Beng Mealea

The place is literally located in the middle of the jungle. Trees not only grow around the temple, but also on the temple walls themselves.

Angkor Beng Mealea - Entrance laneIn contrast to Angkor Wat where you'll notice how hot it is to walk outside the temple, in Beng Mealea, it is cool and shady.



Beng Mealea is my favourite of all the accessible outlying temples. It is a spectacular sight. To get the best out of it; agility and a head for heights will be needed for some sections. There is a lot of climbing on walls and over huge piles of rubble; from the many parts which have collapsed. Only a small part of this ruin can be seen without some degree of climbing. There are steps and ladders in a few places and to the south, access ramps built for the “Two Brothers” film gives easy access to the central sanctuary.

We usually enter by a little used path which few visitors know about. It is partially overgrown and mysterious. One can get a real sense of discovering a real jungle temple this way. Scraps of stone and partially hidden naga balustrade line the route. The huge ruin is concealed from view until the spectacular West tower and cruciform terrace appears. A giant buttressed sponge tree grows out of the upper level.


We breach a collapsed gallery and enter the western enclosures which are thick with vegetation. Our route into the central area passes under a stone causeway and up tumbled blocks to a narrow passage with impressive root formations lining the walls.

From the end of this passage a head for heights is needed. There is a lot of climbing and descending as we pass the two remaining concentric galleries to the central sanctuary and tower which forms a rocky hillock with a tree growing out of the summit.


Some parts of the temple are so overgrown to be hard to reach and potentially hazardous so take care!

There are a number of different routes from here; but the most entertaining involves climbing through a window and up a pile of large blocks to a viewing platform then dropping down a ladder; over yet another high wall to a dark passage once reputed to be the home of a tigress

I wondered whether the tiger story was a legend or fact until recently when a friend working at a hospital told me of a hunter in the jungle 30kms away was attacked by two tigers in July 2005. The man survived; but only after killing one of the attackers. Don’t worry there is no risk of seeing a tiger now as the last sighting of the tigress was over 10 years ago.


A few Kms east of Beng Mealea is the little known mysterious temple of Kon Phluk. it is on the new road linking Bang Mealea with Preah Khan Kompong Svay It is near the 3km long reservoir (long dried up) We will be adding this temple to some of the Beng Mealea tours; where time permits.

Kbal Spean

Commonly known as the valley of a 1000 Lingas, Kbal Spean: is set deep in the jungle to the north east of Angkor. A 45 minute steep walk takes you to the river and waterfalls where hundreds of phalluses are carved on the riverbed.
Kbal Spean Waterfalls

The waterfall here is best seen at the end of the rainy season. At the top of the falls are numerous carved figures and animals This site has only been opened up to tourism since 1998 and is less crowded than the nearby Phnom Koulen. This Hindu Pilgrimage site predates Angkor Wat by some 200 years; making it one the most ancient sites in the region.

Kbal Spean is looked after very well; the waymarked trail is a very attractive route through atmospheric jungle. The path is steep; with some well maintained steps. Sounds of birds and wildlife with hundreds of butterflies enhance the visit which is at its best in the rainy season or early in the Dry season May through to December.

From February the river dries up and the falls become just a trickle; so we stop running tours until May or June when the river flows.

One of the most impressive features at Kbal Spean was the carving of Vishnu on the rocks by the upper cascade.

It was hacked off in 2003 by robbers. An ugly scar remained until August 2006 whe a new replacement carving was added. The new carving has blended in well as you can see by the recent photo above.

The image on left was taken a week after it was installed On a trip here in December 05 I was talking about wildlife to an Australian couple and said that one thing that I really wanted to see in Cambodia was a large snake. I had seen the odd small one but would want to see a python or similar. Within minutes we saw a young golden python among the sacred Lingas.

Shoping at Night

The shopping at Market is unique. Not only do the naturally constructed stalls display good quality local wares but many are stocked with original items from outside Siem Reap. This has earned as well-deserved reputation of place where you can find different and unusual products not readily available elsewhere in the local area.

The Island Bar and Brick House Bar stand out as two of the only places in town where traditional Cambodian culture and architecture are fused with a cosmopolitan feel in an open-air, ambient setting.
Visit 3D Cinema located just beside Island bar. You can choose from several movies, every day. You can see where Brother 1 Pol Pot got the idea to start a revolution that killed millions of innocent. Who is responsible for 4 - 6 millions of landmines still buried in Cambodian soil? Or you can enjoy amazing documentary about the largest snake market in the world.

Kompong Som Province2010

Kompong Som beach and relaxation

Sihanoukville in Cambodia (Kompong Som), it is above all some very clean white sandy beaches, the crystal clear ocean and palm trees, at 4 hours of Phnom Penh the capital. A stopping place in this seaside resort before or after the discovery of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Shaded beaches were equipped for the rest, the relaxation and the idleness. The beaches of Sihanoukville enter slowly in the ocean with transparent blue waters, not polluted by garbage or other waste. Deckchairs and parasols (not paying), many shelters in straw and small restaurants which serve some fresh fish, complete these beaches little known by the big tourism and only occupied the weekend by inhabitants of Phnom Penh. Many hotels of quite categories will supply you a quality residence. Sihanoukville, an ideal place for the relaxation and the swimming without danger.


Geography

Sihanoukville is located in the south of Cambodia. It is 185 kilometres (115 mi) southwest of Phnom Penh in a small Peninsula and Bahia. Beaches are the main feature that attracts national and foreign visitors. A small archipelago is embedded by the Sihanoukville Bahia off its south and west coast. The commercial and international port is located at the north west. The limits of its territory: North and West Koh Kong province, East Kompot province and south Gulf of Thailand.

Beaches that line the west contour of the city from north to south are Victory Beach, Lamherkay Beach, Koh Pos Beach, Independence Beach, Sokha Beach, Serendipity Beach, Ochheuteal Beach and Otres Beach. The most popular beaches are Ochheuteal, Sokha, Independence and Victory. Tourists can take water taxis to the nearby islands for diving, snorkeling, and game fishing.

The peninsula is separated from the central plains of Cambodia by the Damrei Mountains, especially the Bouk Kou. The city is also besides the Ream National Park (210 km2) and it includes the islands of Koh Thmei and Koh Sei.[12]

Being a rather small province, Sihanoukville has two main urban centers: the port itself and the Prey Nob District, 46 kilometers from Sihanoukville downtown to the north. The city is connected to Phnom Penh by National Road No. 4; to Kompot Province by NR 3 and to Koh Kong Province.

There are also sea routes to Koh Kong, Kompot, Vietnam and Thailand from the Sihanounville port.

Town centre
The town centre is located on a hill roughly in the centre of the peninsula and is seen as a distinct area for tourism promotion. It contains the banks, bus station and market, although the post office is some distance toward the port.

Beaches

* Occheuteal Beach and Serendipity Beach: Occheuteal Beach is a long and narrow strip of beach lined with Casuarina trees, grass umbrellas, rental chairs and little drink huts. Many huts were bulldozed by the government to make way for a supposed new resort. This has raised concerns with human rights organizations. The northern section has become known as Serendipity Beach and is a popular beach with western tourists, noted for small guesthouse rooms right on the beach. Aside from these guest houses on the beach there are around 30 beach huts serving good value meals and a wide selection of drinks. Most popular huts along this stretch of beach are the Shore bar which hold regular beach parties. The sustainability of the Occheuteal beach was a primary consideration of various stakeholders, which brought about the development of a tourism development and management plan in 2005.[13]

* Otres Beach: Beyond a small headland at the south end of Ochheuteal is the similar Otres Beach.

* Sokha Beach: Sokha Beach is located just west of Serendipity Beach. This beach is privately owned by Sokha Beach Hotel, the first five-star luxury beach hotel in Cambodia. It provides many facilities with a wide white sandy beach, but hotel guards may prevent visitors who are not guests from going on to the beach.

* Independence Beach: Independence Beach is located next to Sokha Beach on its west. The beach was named after the old Independence Hotel. This beach offers a good stretch of clean sand. Situated at the northern end of the beach is Independence Hotel and Koh Pos Beach with a tiny island only 800m off the coast. Koh Pos is known for its rock strewn shoreline.

* Victory Beach: Victory beach is situated at the furthest north of the peninsula of Sihanoukville. It was the original backpacker beach and is still popular with budget travelers. At the northern end of the beach is located the deep sea port. Apart from white sand and blue sea, this beach offers a good spot to enjoy the sunset.

At the south end of Victory Beach is another small strand of sand called Lamherkey Beach. It is the place where a French/ Cambodian construction team laid groundwork for the construction of the new Port of Kampong Som during the 1950s. At this beach, you can hire a boat to nearby islands.

Killing Field Cambodia

HISTORY

The Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979, in which an estimated 1.7 million people lost their lives (approximately 21% of the country's population), was one of the worst human tragedies of the last century. The Khmer Rouge, headed by Pol Pot, combined extremist ideology, ethnic animosity, and a disregard for human life to carry murder on a massive scale.

To understand Cambodia and appreciate the delicacy of the situation, one probably has to know something of its history. Pol Pot (Saloth Sar) was a significant player in formulating Cambodia's recent history. The majority of people in the world recognize Cambodia as an underdeveloped country just like any other. What the majority does not recognize are the atrocities that people in this country had to experience in the 70s when the Khmer Rouge was at it's height of savagery. Pol Pot was a man without conscience and he lacked the most basic human values and preyed on the innocent and naive citizens of Cambodia. All of this murder was done in the name of building a communist regime.

In the years that the Khmer Rouge was in power (around 5 years), almost 1/3 of the country's men, women, children were killed. Many were tortured for long periods of time, sometimes for more than 3 years. For years there was mass-murder in progress and the world didn't even know about it until it was almost too late. Much of what we understand about the Pol Pot regime was depicted in the movie "The Killing Fields." By talking to natives of Cambodia that lived near the killing fields we were able to hear first hand accounts of the atrocities that went on at Cheung Ek. It is chilling to hear about the bloody past that this country had gone through, with millions of people being executed in the public, starved to death and severely tortured. For a better understanding of what had happened, perhaps it's best that you further your investigation by reading the many reports that are available on the internet. If you are interested in reading more about the testimonies of Khmer people who lived during the Pol Pot regime please proceed to "The Death of Pol Pot".


Brief Background of Khmer Rouge:
The Khmer Rouge, organized by Pol Pot in the Cambodian jungle in the 1960s, advocated a radical Communist revolution that would wipe out Western influences in Cambodia and set up a solely agrarian society. In 1970, aided by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, Khmer Rouge guerrillas began a large-scale insurgency against Cambodian government forces, soon gaining control of nearly a third of the country.

By 1973, secret U.S. bombings of Cambodian territory controlled by the Vietnamese Communists forced the Vietnamese out of the country, creating a power vacuum that was soon filled by Pol Pot's rapidly growing Khmer Rouge movement. In April 1975, the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, overthrew the pro-U.S. regime, and established a new government, the Kampuchean People's Republic.

As the new ruler of Cambodia, Pol Pot set about transforming the country into his vision of an agrarian utopia. The cities were evacuated, factories and schools were closed, and currency and private property was abolished. Anyone believed to be an intellectual, such as someone who spoke a foreign language, was immediately killed. Skilled workers were also killed, in addition to anyone caught in possession of eyeglasses, a wristwatch, or any other modern technology. In forced marches punctuated with atrocities from the Khmer Rouge, the millions who failed to escape Cambodia were herded onto rural collective farms.

Between 1975 and 1978, an estimated two million Cambodians died by execution, forced labor, and famine. In 1978, Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia, capturing Phnom Penh in early 1979. A moderate Communist government was established, and Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge retreated back into the jungle.

In 1985, Pol Pot officially retired but remained the effective head of the Khmer Rouge, which continued its guerrilla actions against the government in Phnom Penh. In 1997, however, he was put on trial by the organization after an internal power struggle ousted him from his leadership position. Sentenced to life imprisonment by a "people's tribunal," which critics derided as a show trial, Pol Pot later declared in an interview, "My conscience is clear." Much of the international community hoped that his captors would extradite him to stand trial for his crimes against humanity, but he died of apparently natural causes while under house arrest in 1998.

Mondulkiri or Sen Monorem

Mondulkiri or Sen Monorem

380km to the north-east of Phnom Penh lie the grassy uplands and the monsoon forests of Mondolkiri province, one of the least populated and most inaccessible areas of Cambodia. Its capital, Sen Monorem is a recent town, now acting as a market place for the entire province.

Sen Monorem exists now simply because of the long - 1.7km - airport runway along the top of the ridge. It's not a "stupid place to put a runway" as it was here first, the town grew up around it after 1979 when people returned from the Koh Nyaek area to the north where Pol Pot had collected most of the local population. The original settlements at what is now Sen Monorem is by the bottom of the hill in the area by the town's hospital. Originally, the road in from the south crossed the small river o the north of the current bridge, but an air strike bombed the old crossing and the road was rerouted to avoid the damage.

Today, Sen Monorem is a dusty market town, with all the local government offices scared around the ridge and the two valleys either side. Also present in the town are a large number of NGOs, so the place is awash with foreigners and the cafes and bars all serve the backpacker staple of banana pancakes. These NGOs are working hard to improve education, health and government capacity in one of Cambodia’s most disadvantaged areas. Mention of the area in both the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet has brought a flurry of tourism investment in town but also along the road to the waterfalls at Bousra to the north-east; not all this investment is helping the local indigenous people as it is primarily funded by Khmer families and companies, often to the exclusion of the local Bunong people. These days, Sen Monorem is primarily a Khmer town, and the Bunong are becoming increasingly marginalized in the settlements at the edge of town and in their villages, many of which are reachable only on foot.

The guide books have, as ever, created a steady - and growing - stream of tourists making for the specified sights, then returning by taxi to Phnom Penh two days later. It's a pity because it's a long way to come to see a waterfall and ride an elephant. There is a lot more to see than just the waterfalls though, and Mondolkiri is a fabulous place for the adventurous to get away from it all, and wander on the plateaus, in the forests and by the many rivers in the area. The Bunong people, who are 85% of the population, live in settlements all around the area and there are four areas of significant biodiversity within easy reach of Sen Monorem. Both Snuol Wildlife Reserve and the Siema Biodiversity Conservation Area are passed on the way in, taking up much of the land between Snuol and the town of Ou Reang, with the Phnom Prech Wildlife Reserve north-west of Sen Monorem and the deeply mysterious and extensive Phnom Nam Lyre Wildlife Reserve on the Vietnamese border.

High up on the Mondolkiri plateau is the beautiful little village called Dak Dam, set in a small notch in the rolling hills, protected from the howling winds that scour these hills throughout the dry season from the north-east.


The village is split into three; the boundary of each is a small stream. The first village is Pu Chhob, then past the lake are Pu Antreng and the third, on the eastern slope is Pu Ralech. This village of 500 people is almost entirely Bunong, although ten or so Khmer families have moved in to the village in recent years. The villages sit at the head of a wide forested valley, which stretches its green fingers into the village. Villagers will be happy to show you the upper stretches of this mixed deciduous and evergreen forest. Ask at the Commune Council Office (opposite the school) or the Electoral Commission Office (the big building nearer the little bridge) to see if they can find an interpreter.

Dak Dam was moved here in the 1970s from its old location, just 200m from the Vietnamese border to the southeast of here. The main road to Dak Dam from Sen Monorem continues to the border. The old Dak Dam was abandoned after being hit by bombs – it lay right next to a small French airstrip.
The new Dak Dam was also abandoned during the Pol Pot regime when the villagers were forcibly evacuated to the Koh Nyek area of northern Mondolkiri, returning to their village in 1979.
Today the village is extremely poor, but robust. They practice swidden agriculture but in a careful manner that doesn’t push into the forest. In the village they raise pigs and chickens for sale, and each family has a small plot where they grow vegetables and there are fruit trees.

Kratie Province

Kratie Province

Kratie is a thriving travel hub and the natural place to break the journey when travelling overland between Phnom Penh and Champasak in southern Laos. It is the place in the country to see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins, which live in the Mekong River in ever-diminishing numbers. A lively riverside town, Kratie (pronounced kra-cheh) has an expansive riverfront and some of the best Mekong sunsets in Cambodia. There is a rich legacy of French-era architecture, as it was spared the war-time bombing that destroyed so many other provincial centres. It was one of the first towns to be ‘liberated’ by the Khmer Rouge (actually it was the North Vietnamese, but the Khmer Rouge later took the credit) in the summer of 1970.
Kratie is one of Cambodia’s eastern provinces with less population, who make their lives on the riverbanks of the Mekong. Beyond the riverbanks it is a remote place with almost no population and thick-forested areas to calm down. The provincial capital is also called Kratie and lies also on the banks of the mighty Mekong River, which emboss the province from the North to the South. The stretch of the river around Kratie town is home to a group of rare sweet water Irrawaddy dolphins. Therefore the dolphins are the main tourist attraction of the province and the town. The river also has hundreds of green island, and circling water, which are also attracting some tourists.
Kratie town is sleepy but 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. You’ll also find a bustling market which is a great place to watch frogs being skinned (and escaping first through the holes in the nets), sample some delicious foods (such as freshly grilled corn cakes) and generally take in rural Cambodian life.

The rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins make their home in the Mekong River, just north of Kratie. With only around 120 remaining, they are surely 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. The river scene of Kratie 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. Enjoy the dramatic sunsets over the Mekong.