PREAH VIHEA TEMPLE

Prasat Preah Vihea Photo

Cambodia has a lot of ancient temples in most

provinces. Among those, Prasat Preah Vihea is a sacred shrine which is located on the very high and smooth plateau along the Dang Rek Mountain in Preah Vihea province. This shrine first built by the King Yasa Varaman in 9th century. All forms of this temple are the basic of other sculptures. On the sculptures we can only see Khmer Script and Sanskrit. These evidences clearly verified that "Preah Vihea" belonging to Cambodia.


Under French colony, Preah Vihea temple was controlled by Siem (Thailand). Athough our country got independent from French, Siem didn't give it to Khmer. Moreover. Siem has used all kinds of malfeasance tricks and declared that Preah Vihea belonged to them.

In 1962, under the premiership of King Norodom Sihanouk, the King had tried all his best in demanding by peaceful talk. Finally the international court a lahe had judged in unanimlty that Preah Vihea belonged to Cambodia on 15th June, 1962.

These enthusiastic news had spread across the whole country that made all Khmer people very happy and cheerful to congratulate in accepting this temple which was becoming as the Khmer Heritage as before.

For this testimony of satisfaction, the chief of state, King Noradom Sihanouk made a formal visiting to Preah Vihea to be the symbol of Khmer Heritage on 5th January , 1963.

THE MEKONG

THE MEKONG RIVER

The Mekong is in two parts. The upper Mekong flows From north to Phnom Penh. It flows through Kampong Cham,b Kratie and Stung Treng From Lao. The lower Mekong flow south from Phnom Phenh into Vietnam. Phnom Penh, therefore, lies in the middle between the upper Mekong and lower Mekong. The Mekong. The Mekong is used for travel and for fishing. The people travel up and down the Mekong by boats. It is an easy way to travel. Near the river banks, farmers work in their farms.

The fields have rich soil which comes from the flood water of the river. The flood water also goes int the Tonle Sap, which makes it flow north into the Tonle Sap's lake.

PHNOM TAMAO

Phnom Tamao is the site of Cambodia's leading zoo. It occupies a vast site south of the capital and its animals are kept in varying zoo conditions. Spread out as it is, it feels like a zoo crossed with safari park, hopefully some of this space will be used to provide a better habitat for the larger animals. The flagship enclosure is that of the sun bears, funded by and Australian non-governmental organisation (NGO). Other animals include tigers, gibbons and a lion, but these all live in tiny cages. If you don't like zoos you won't like this one, but it is certainly better than many of the animal prisons you see elsewhere in the developing world. It costs 2000r to visit.

Getting There & Away

Phnom Tamao is about 44km from Phnom Penh down National Hwy 2. Take a left turn after the sign for the zoo, and it is a few kilometres down a sandy track. At weekends, you can combine an air- con bus ride withe a remorque-motor (trailer hitched to a motor bike), but on wekdays it may be easier to rent a motorbike. See the previous Tonle Bati section for detail on bus times and prices.

KHMER NEW YEAR

HAPPY KHMER NEW YEAR

People of all races usually celebrate their own New year every day. They sel the time of the celebrating their New year in accordance with their beliets, customs and traditions. Cambodia people have also held their New year since the ancient time. Cambodian peoplecelebrate Khmer New year for three days, usually from 13th to 15th of April or Khmer called Khe Chet " which is the time when people release from their hard work. Before the New year , people prepare food, clean their house, buy new clothes and so on. However the people in the countryside make traditional cakes called Num Onsom and num pum. In the pagodas we build sand mountains outside the temple. The first day of Khmer New year is called Mohasang Kran. The scond day is named Virak Loeug Sak. The people always go to the pagodas to meet each other and play traditional gams. Khmer New year is the mostperfect time for Cambodian people

RATANAKIRI PROVINCE

Ratanakiri Province

Ratanakiri is one of the province at Nourth East of cambodian. We can go there by airplane or taxi but the goes there is very difficul. If we want to go there we sould go during dry season, because this season is easy to go htan the raining season.We have to go throwfour provinces before we arrive htere such as Kandal, Khom Pong Cham, Kratie, and Steung Treng. The indigenous are very friendly and love people low land. The weather at there is cool all the time that it is easy for living and farming. Some of the people plant coffee,coin, ramoutan, soursop, fackfruit, and rubber for intemal market. The price of goods is expensive because they import it from others provinces, city or the nearest country such as Vietnam or Phnom Penh. Beung Kanseng resort is small lack with good view. the title is Ork Beung Kanseng Beung yark Lom resort is the beautiful place for tourism from everywhere. water of this lack is blue like the sea waterm but is not salty. Other place is Phnom svay. In Kachoun area has alot of the indigneous ancestors' grave that the forelgn tourists want to see that place is along the sesan River.

PREY VENG PROVINCE IS MY HOMELAND

PREY VENG PROVINCE'S MAP

Few travellers make it to Prey Veng as it is located on National Hwy 15 between Neak Loung and Kompong Cham, not really a road that visitors tend to use. It is, however, a pleasant enough backwater should you tween Phnom Penh and Kompong Cham. The town has a small museum that is rarely open and ther is a pretty sorry zoo about 20km out of town on the road to Kompong Cham. There are a few decaying colonial structures around town and a few hotels to choose from. The Kessor Hotel has basic rooms for US$8/10, while the Changpan Hotel has a better location overlooking the river with smarter rooms for US$ 8/10 a single/double. Next door to the Chongpan Hotel is the unrelated Chongpan Restaurant, which also overlooks the river making it the most pleasursble place to have a meal. The Mittapheap Hotel is arguably the town's best place to stay and has rooms with fan for US$5 and some with air-con for US$ 12. Across the road is the Mittapheap Restaurant, one of the town's best restaurants with good food and friendly staff. It is a couple of blocks back from the river, near the modern Khmer buildings housing the town's small museum and tourist office.

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Prey Veng is just over 70km east of Phnom Penh and 83 km south of Kompong Cham. The easiest way to get there from the capital is to take an ai-con bus from the Psar Thmei to Neak Luong for 4000r, cross on the ferry as a foot passenger (100r) and arrange a seat in a sahre taxi on to Prey Veng for about 2000r to 3000r. Minibuses and share taxis operate between Prey Veng and Kompong Cham for about 2000r and 4000r respectively.