Banteay Meanchey

Introduction

Banteay Meanchey is a Cambodian
province in the northwest of the country, and its capital is named Sisophon. The town of Sisophorn is
today a charming, quiet place that only gives hints to its turbulent past upon closer examination. Like Siem Reap and Battambang Provinces, control of the
province has changed hands many times between the Thais and the Khmers in the more distant past, and the Khmer Rouge and central Phnom Penh government in recent decades.
With the final demise of the Khmer Rouge (locals, however, firmly believe the
Present national reconciliation only the Khmer Rouge trick), the province and
towns are striving to rebuild their culture and economy.
It's very friendly place with the locals genuinely happy to see foreign faces
and the stability that it implies. Normally just a passing-through spot on the
way to the border, or between Battambang and Siem Reap, the area has a few
sights that warrant a visit, such the Banteay Chhmar temple ruins, the only
other Khmer temple ruins besides the Bayon (Angkor) and Preah Khan ( Preah
Vihear Province ) that features the famous four-faced monuments. This area was
part of the extensive Khmer empire, with its most notable remains the Banteay
Chhmar temple (built in 12th and 13th century) in the north of the province. In
the 17th century the Siam took control over Cambodia, and made the area of the
modern province part of Sisophon Province. In the year 1907 the Siam had to cede
control to the French, and the area was then included into Battambang Province.
In 1988 the province Banteay Meanchey was split off from Battambang.

Geogrphy

Banteay Meanchey is located in the Northwest of Cambodia. It borders with
Thailand to the west and North, with Oddar Meancheay to the
North, with Siem Reap to the East and with Battambang to the
South. The town of Sisophorn is about 359km from Phnom Penh

via national road number 5.
One of the most known places in that province is Poipet, a
town on the Thailand/Cambodia border. It’s the key crossing
point between the two countries, and also extremely popular
as a gambling destination with lot’s of casinos (gambling is
popular, but illegal in Thailand). There is a strip of
casinos, guesthouses and hotels between the Thai and
Cambodian passport control counters, enabling Thais to
gamble in Cambodia without needing to go through Cambodian immigration. Poipet
is adjacent to the city of Aranya Pratet on the Thai side of the border.
The province is mostly covered by extensive lowlands, with a few uplands to the
North and East (all in all around 6,679 sq/km surface). The main rivers are the
Mongkol Borei River and the Sisophon River.

Population

The total population is 816,382 or (5.242%) of the total population 14,363,519 in Cambodia (2007, provincial
government data) with a growth rate of 5.93 %, which is consisting of 402,201 male person (49.11%), and
414,181 female person (50.89%).
The above number also consists of 654, 033 person (93%), who are farmers, 8,228 person (1.17%), who are fishermen, 35,162 person (5%), who are traders, and 5,814 person (0.83%), who work as government officers.

Climate

The weather condition are as below.
Average Temperature: 30.oC – 33.oC
Rain fall: 885.30 mm/year
Evaporation: 4.41 mm/day (May - July)
3.37 mm/day ((August - October)
Humidity: Hot and Wet
Wind velocity: 3 m/s (May)
2.9 m/s (June)
2.5 m/s (July)
3.1 m/s (August)
There are 3 different seasons:
- Rainy season: June - October (<32c)>27c)
- Hot season: March- May : Temperature: from 27c -34c

Economy

The province’s economy is 93% based on farming and the
remaining other 7% are based on fishing and trading. Because of
it’s border with Thailand, the casino business is booming and
becoming the main economy to the province.

How to get there

The town of Sisophan i s a bout 359 k m f r o m Phnom Penh via national road number 5. You
may also reach the Province from Bangkok via Poipet border.

There is not alot of choices to get into that province. You either have you rown motorcycle or
you are taking a shared taxi. But wait; let’s not forget the train. Or maybe we should, because
it’s very slow - the railroad doesn’t even want to quote you an correct arrival time, because it’s
never going to be the same.
The train from Battambang arrives in Sisophan sometimes between 10:00 - 11:00 am (usually).
The trip takes around 31/2 hours, which is about double the time that the shared taxies need
for, but unlike most things in life, it’s free ! This won’t last for long as the poor Khmer people are
paying, while weare not. The government just hasn’t organized thet rain service for tourist syet.
Shared Taxies, per seatin side, approx. rates:
- Sisophon to Siem Reap 120 baht, US$4
- Sisophon to Battambong 50 baht, US$2
- Sisophon to Poipet 30 baht, US$1,4
- Sisophon to Phnom Penh 250 baht, US$8,5
- Sisophon to Samrong 100 baht, US$3,5
- These rates should be the same inreverse.
- Motorcycle Touring Info
- As for your motorcycletour, the road from
Sisophon to Siem Reap is a terrible bomb -
cratered road that you will need to go slowly on,
unless you are a moto - cross maniac. The road from Sisophon to Battambang is fairly decentin
certain stretches, not so nice in others, but definitely the better one of the two roads.
The Sisophon to Poipet stretch has some pretty fair stretches for a motor cycle, with other
stretches having some humps in the road that are big enough to make any roller - coaster
operato renvious.

Where to eat

Mondial Restaurant

This is the swank joint in town with good food and
service. Friendly staff and live Khmer music while you
have your dinner (this is thankfully one place that
keeps the volume down a bit). The staff is fair in
their English.

Penh Chet Restaurant

A step down but it’s a clean, basic place with good
food and the usual friendly beer girls. There is also
live music here in the evening. There isn’t an English
menu, but the beer girls will have a lot of fun trying to help you ordering.
The restaurant next to the Phnom Svay Hotel serves up the best food in Sisophan. It’s a very
simple place but the menu is varied and features many Western faves. Decent hamburgers,
French fries, ice cream, among others are sure to satisfy your Cambodian road – weary
appetite. The place draws a good crowd of foreign workers and locals alike.
There are restaurant stalls by the shared taxi stand, along with loads of evening desert and
fruit shake/drink stands all over town. Sisophan has a rather rowdy (and seedy) brothel area
built almost on the RR tracks near the train station. With the train tooting it’s whistle and
vibrating the shacks as it crawls by, it’s surely Sisophan’s version of the popular book, Off the
Rails in Phnom Penh. The ladies are out in full force in the late afternoon, beckoning you over, laughing and seemingly enjoying the festiveness of the area that time of the day. Drink and food stands dot the area,
and with all the local males milling about it almost does seem like a carnival.

Where to stay

Rong Roeung Hotel

Fan rooms 200 baht (US$7), a/c rooms 300 baht (US$10). Western bath, sat. (Satellite) TV,
clean; and the owner speaks English.

Sourkear Hotel

Fan US$ 5, a/c US$ 10. The rooms are very
clean and have large and small beds as an
additional Western bath.

No Name Hotel

The name was being changed when we stayed
there-to what, they did not know. It’s a nice
place. The manager speaks English and the
staff is very friendly. Western bath, sat. TV,
wrap-around terrace overlooking a small park.
Fan room 200 baht (US$7), a/c room 250 baht
(US$8,5).

Santapheap Hotel

The name means peaceful and that’s it. Located on the outskirts of town towards Battambang,
the hotel is very clean with Western bath, single bed fan rooms for US $ 5, two beds for US $ 7
and a room with a/c and sat. TV goes for US$ 10.The owner speaks English.

Phnom Svay Hotel (and restaurant)

Nicely furnished clean rooms with a large bed, sat. TV and Western bath. Fan rooms are 200
baht (US$7), a/c rooms 300 baht (US$10). The restaurant is the place for Western food in Sisophan.

Shopping

The markets are very busy areas with local shops dealing the
local daily comsumer products, like fruits, vegetables, meats
and other packed products from Thailand. All food and drink
shops are surrounding the market.

What to see

Banteay Chhmar Temple

Is the historical site which was built between 12th and 13th centuries
during the reign of King, Jar Varman VII. The temple is located at Thmar
Puok District, along the National Road No 69A, about 59 kilimeters north
of the province town.
Nowadays, the temple is damaged because of war and gangs of
offendees who have stolen statues and the temple stone for selling them to Thailand.
In addition, there are some other temples in Ban Teay Mean Chey
province such as Pra Sat Preah Chhor and Pra Sat Pram as well that
have mostly been abandoned and not arranged.
At Present, Ban Teay Chhmar temple is the main tourist attractive site of the province in luring foreign tourists
to visit.

Banteay Neang

It is about 11 km From Provincial Town. It take 20mns by car to reach there.
There are several historical sites and colonial buildings.
It is located in Road No. 69A of Banteay Chhmar Village, Banteay Chhmar Commune, Tmar Puok District.

Banteay Torp

It is called in Khmer Banteay Torp, it means the army base. it is about 55 km from the provincial town. It was the bigest army base during the civil war since 1970. It is located in Road No. 69A of Banteay Chhmar Village, Banteay Chhmar Commune, Tmar Puok District. Today, it become a historical war places to the tourist to visit.

Cheung Krouh

Cheung Krouh is about 63 km from the provincial town. It take about 2 hours to reach there. There are many natural wildlife are preserved by the WWF organization. It is located in road 69A of Banteay Chhmar Village, Banteay Chhmar Commune, Tmar Puok District.

Kang Va Basin

Kang Va basin is the natural resort locating at Serey Sophoan District, along the National Road No 69A, about 4kilometer distance from the provincial town or 364 kilometer distance from Phnom Penh. Visitors who visit the resort are usually interested in: Abundance of fresh air. Beautiful scenary with blowing winds of Ang Teuk Kang Va basis was built from 1976 to 1978, during the Khmer Rouge regime, as a water reservoir for dry season rice cultivation. Leisure activities such as swimming, fishing and boating.

Laang Phnom Touch

Laang Phnom Touch is the natural and cultural resort locating at Se Rey Sa Phoan District, along the National Road No.5, about 28 kilometers south of provincial town.
The site features natural wells and big and small mountains with large stone faces and surfaces. From the mountaintops, visitors have a spectacular view of the natural forests and a pagoda on the mountain side. The site is popular with local people on festival days.

Phnom Bak and Phnom Chenh Chiang

Phnom Bak and Phnom Chenh Chiang are the natural and cultural resort locating at Se Rey Sa Phoan District, along the National Road No 5, about 5kilometers west of Banteay Meanchey provincial town. The two mountains are near one another. The vertical faces of the mountains a like a wall.
At the flank, there is a place for visitors to relax. At the foot of the mountain is a large well, 10 squar meters
and 12 meters deep. Some stone statues are sculptured there. There are also a number of vendors selling
stone sculptures.

Phnom Chuncheang

3km (6mn) From Provincial Town. Nature Wildlife Preserves, Location: Road No. 5, Toek Tla Village, Toek Tla Commune, Serey Sophorn District.

Phnom Svay

1 km (2mn) From Provincial Town. Location: Nature Wildlife Preserves, Road No. 5, Kortan Village, O' Ormpel Commune,

Serey Sophorn District.

Sculpture Handicraft

24 km (48mn) From Provincial Town. Location: Road No.6, Chungcheang Village, Phnom Chungcheang Commune, Preahnet Preah District.

Tra Peang Thmar

Trapiang Tma is located in Phnom Srok districk, about 56kilometers east of the provincial town.
It is a natural site similar to Kangva Basin, but larger. There are fewer activities for tourists,
however, because Trapaing Tma is farther from the provincial town.
Trapiang Tma is rich in gray cranes, an endangered species. Gray cranes migrate to Rattanakiri
annually to lay their eggs. When their offspring are big enough, the cranes return to Trapiang
Tmar, because there is more food here.

Weaving Handicraft

51 km (1h:42mn) From Provincial Town. Location: Road No. 6, Srah Chik Village, Poy Char Commune, Phnom Srok District.