Unique Places in Khett Siem Reab

3 more images

Most of the landscape around Siem Reap is flat and not to exciting. So it is a good option to head to the hills and a very sacred place for Khmer. Phnom Kulen is a over an hour drive from Siem Reap but worth the visit. It has nicely wooded hills but the road is not too good and is one way only. Therefore you need to get their in the morning, and cant really leave for home until the afternoon. No porblemo, its worth staying a few hours.

It has a Bhuddist temple with a huge reclinging Buddhist statue and many shrines. Also carved linga. Just down from the temple is a small market with some restaurants and souvenir stalls. Unfortunately they had a bear skin and part of other local fauna for sale here.

There is also a beautiful clear river with many linga carved in the rock based riverbed. THis river flows all the way to Siem Reap and it is believed that the Linga impart good fortune on the water as it flows past.

Along side the river is a picnic ground with many picninc huts where many families were enjoying the shade whilst eating lunch after a dip in the river. This place was magic. THe picnic huts cost $1 and you pay a $ for ice if you need to keep drinks cold. We also bought a whole roast chicKen, rice, fish and some other stir fired dish. Total cost for 4 ppl was around $10. There is a US$20 fee per car to get to Phnom Kulen so be aware of this.

4 more images

Went by tuk tuk to Tonle sap lake, return cost $8. It was the most bumpy road I had ever been on. Price of boat after a haggle, cost $20 for 11/2hours. It was an old boat, with not a very pleasant driver. The young man (guide) was nice. The river in April is very low, the lake is also. The village is interesting, you could see the children at school, a chemist, basket ball court on water, church, restaurants, fish farms, and local homes. The vietnamese live together, and the muslims together, they do not mix, and I was told by the guide, they do not like each other. As the tourist boats head out into the lake, teenager boat drivers, with very young children, speed after the boats and jump on to sell cans of drink.
Worth the trip out.

1 more image

At the villages on the way to Banteay Srei, you see big pots cooking. In these, they are cooking Palm Sugar which they make into lollies and sell. It is very sweet. Ask your driver to stop at one of the roadside stalls.

2 more images

Just south of Siem Reap town is the floating village called Chong K'neas. I got driven to the port where I took the boat ride which takes you along a small river past the floating house boats of the locals. You also see schools and shops, anything you may see in a land based village. Amazing. Houses are powered by car batteries and most have satellite dishes for TV and comms. Not a bad set up. The boat ride opens out to the Tonle Sap lake where there are more houses and a restaurant/souvenir shop with caged fish and Cambodian Crocs. This was not the highlight of Chong K'Neas but you get a good idea of the size of the lake as you get to the top story.

4 more images

As I love nature, I wanted to explore more in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat not limiting myself to temples. Our guide Neang suggested a trekking route which would take us to waterfalls. It took us approximately 1 hour car drive from Banteay Srey to reach Kbal Spean. After 35-40 minutes trekking, we found ourselves at the top of the hill where we saw some stone carvings on the water. Following the sound of water, we reached the waterfalls. It was relaxing and different to be in the nature. This short escape was a good change as we had started getting bored with visiting temples all the time

Can someone tell me why there is a grove of young Australian Eucalyptus trees on the road to Beng Mealea? My driver wondered why I asked him to stop, thought I needed a "pit stop" or something. I just had to stop and take a photo as it just something you expect to see.

1 more image

Around 1km before to Beng Mealea, there is a road that heads north towards Phnom Kulen. the road takes you to tiny bridge over a creek where you can see a creek bed with the what is left of the sandstone after the rock was cut to build the temple structures etc.

2 more images

Around the platform we see tens of boats with kids. Some are trying to sell bananas, others, with snakes around their necks, want to attract our attention and hope to get a dollar or two when we take a picture. Oh, and these little kids in metal bowls equipped in a stick to steer with ..., it's an unforgettable sight.
It's time to go back. Our boatman doesn't say much so I can think about what we've just seen. I've got mixed feelings ... It's so sad to look at the poverty of these people, but giving them money doesn't solve the problem. Isn't it their government that should provide for their basic needs? (They even don't have easy access to drinking water - isn't it a paradox?) Yet, the tourist police take the lion's share of money left by visitors here and in Angkor.

The visit to Chong Kneas is considered by many a 'tourist trap'. They say it is better to visit places a bit further from Siem Reap, such as Kampong Phluk. There village life is not disturbed by tourists yet. I agree, but if you are pressed for time Chong Khneas seems the best option. For me it was a real eye-opener.