Sightseeing and Activities In and Around Siem Reap - Angkor.
1. Countryside
Tours
When you arrive in
Cambodia,it
immediately apparent that the huge hotels, Guesthouses, restaurants,
skyscrapers, buses and cars.
If you are enchanted by rice paddies
and water buffalo, houses on stilts and little villages; you will find a
tour through the Cambodian countryside truly worthwhile. We are happy
to do this and genuinely delighted that visitors are interested to see
more of
a real Cambodian life.The brash new hotels and restaurants in Siem Reap can give visitors a false impression of Cambodia.
Poverty and poor living conditions
affect most of the population and Siem Reap Province remains the second
poorest Province in Cambodia, according to aid organizations. A journey
in the Cambodian countryside can help to redress the balance.
Send me any inquiries you might have. I am happy to assist with trip planning in the countryside : sowanna012@yahoo.com
Tonle Sap
Lake and Cambodia`s great lake
Cambodia
`s Great lake is the most prominent feature on the map of Cambodia, a
huge dumbbells - shaped body of water stretching across the northwest
section of the country. In the rainy season, the Tonle Sap Lake is one
of the largest freshwater lake in Asia, swelling to an expansive
12,000km2.
Floating Village Tours :
1. Chong Kneas floating Village
Among the non - temple related activities in Siem
Reap . It has been a visit to the floating village. About
three - hour long boat ride to the floating village most recently cost
US$ 15 per person if you are less then 10 people. Completed with driver
and boat,
the
boat goes through the floating village and there is
an opportunity for you to see a real Cambodian who have been lived along the bank of Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers.
2. Kampong Plug Floating Village
Kampong Pluk
floating village is one of the three Floating Villages of the bank along the
Tonle Sap lake and Mekong rivers. The stilted house built within the floodplain
of the lake about 16 km, It is situated on Southeast of Siem Reap city. It is a
stilted house and it is a beautiful rather than Chong Kneas Floating
Village.
The houses are stilted to around 6 meters in height. You can go to visit
this Kampong Pluk floating village every year on September until January. 3. Kampong Kleang floating Village
There is wonderous natural stilted homes at Kampong
Kleang that was built on the Angkor Empire artificial water canal from Phnom
Kulen mountain and linked to the Great Tonle Sap lake and the Mekong
river. The artificial water canal is believed to transport commodities and
cargo to mountMahendrapura city or Kulen capital city
in 9th century of King Jayavarman II in 802 or possibly before him. The
artificial water canal is 60 meters wide and a dept of about 9 meters. It is
70km long and linked Kulen mountain to the Great Tonle Sap
lake across Dam Dek town in Siem Reap province.
Some historians believe that
this water canal has used to transport sandstone blocks by raft and ended up at
Phnom Krom mountain at Angkor Thom city. The
artificial water canal is still present in Siem Reap city, near the Goldiana
hotel Angkor and other people houses covered portion of the canal track and
across Kralanh village to Angkor Wat temple.
. According to Mr. George
Coedes, a Frenchman archaeologist, it was recorded that 700 rafts were used to
bring sandstone blocks to build Angkor Wat
temple and other temples. Stilted homes 8 meters in height near the dam cliff
of Angkor Empire road and artificial water canal close to Tonle Sap lake bank
comprise the massive Kampong Kleang village.
- Cambodian families in this village, still speak the Angkor
Empire language such as: Ar Nga Dak Tro Pouk Ang Kuy Lehng which means, take
your bottom to sit down. If the people from the city heard this word, they
might be angry but this word is a normal word for all our Khmer people. The
Great Khmer Empire has about 15 tribes that make up the GreatKhmerKingdom
or Angkor Empire.
- The Cambodian people who live the floating village still use secret and
magically transformed body ( Chhoan Arh Rak ) to treat various diseases around
villages. The people in this floating village preserve an unusual ethnic
history. They catch fish for export and produce the Pra Hok ( fish paste ) and
smoke fish, dried fish. Etc
There is a large monastery & the best stretch of village that can be
wandered through - even in the highness of wet season.
If you will have time, you should go there and take the boat association to
visit the mangrove trees, Angkor Empire dam
cliff, road, artificial water canal and the massive village and floating village there.
National Bird Sanctuary in Prek Toal
Prek Toal is
an area of the Tonle Sap lake who reserved as Biosphere.
Pretty
song of bird sanctuary at Prek Toal in Battambang province The legend of young Princess of a ruler in Angkor Empire was grabbed by an enormous crocodile and
still alive in crocodile stomach at Prek Toal. Prek Toal bird sanctuary is one of the most important
attractions that exist today. On 12th January 2012, Robert Phelps group from USA visited the
largest freshwater bird sanctuary in Prek Toal. We traveled from Siem Reap, Angkor Wat by boat to reach there and take time about
1.20 minutes. We saw the massive flocks of birds descend upon Prek Toal due to
its unique biosphere and perfect breeding and hunting ground for birds. What
adds to its charm is the fact that you can visit spotting bird flying overhead
and nesting in the branches of the lake trees. For photographers and nature lovers must see.
Please notice, March is the peak breeding season of pelicans and storks. Etc December to February is the best time to visit the nesting colonies the flood forest. Boats are still able to approach parts of the lakeshore, another rewarding place for the bird watching.
Upon
arrival, we met Prek Toal environmental researcher station for guiding tour to
bird sanctuary.There are also basic
overnight accommodation there, if you want to stay a night to take full
advantage to watch the birds and viewing in the evening and morning. The
Biosphere covers 31,282 hectares at the northwest tip of the Tonle Sap Lake.
Prek Toal which mean = stuck or grounded. The western Baray is a vast man – made lake,
surrounding by an earthen levee which form a dyke. According to legend of Prek
Toal and linked to Western reservoir ( which mean stuck or grounded ) , the
legend said, the young daughter of a ruler of Angkor Empire was grabbed by an
enormous crocodile, which made a large opening in the south dyke of the West
Baray ( reservoir ) that can still be seen today. The crocodile escaped and ran
into Prek Toal in Battambang province and was captured and killed. The
princess, still living in its stomach, was rescued. As the temple in the middle is in the same style as
the Baphuon, the baray was probably constructed in the 11th century. The east
dyke lead to the temple
of Phnom Bakheng. Some
historian believe the West Baray could have
been mooring place for the royal barges as well as a reservoir. Etc
Please
send me any inquiries you might have. I will be only to happy to reply
and give you any information on Angkor Wat and Cambodia that you
require. Email Address : sowanna012@yahoo.com
