Kampong Cham Province
General information
The province is subdivided into 16 districts; Batheay, Chamkar Leu, Cheung Prey, Dambae, Kampong Cham, Kamgpong Siem, Kang Meas, Koh Sotin, Krouch Chhmar, Memot, Ou Reang Ov, Ponhea Kraek, Prey Chhor, Srey Santhor, Steung Trang & Tbuong Kmoum.
- Area : 9,799sq km
- Population : 1, 680,694 (2008)
- Density : 164.2/km2
Kampong Cham is located on National Road #7 and it is 124 kilometres by road from the capital Phnom Penh using National road #6 &7. Kampong Cham is a province in the east of Cambodia. The Mekong River bisects the province. Its
Capital is Kampong Cham city. Kampong Cham is Cambodia's most populous province.
Tourist Attraction
Is the historical site located at 2 Kilometer distance from the Kampong Cham provincial town along the National road #7. The temple can be accessible by all types of vehicles. In the temple site is divided into:
Tonle Om Size 400 Meters x 500 Meters located at the East of the temple in approximate 300-metres distance from the temple.
First Long Building
Norkor Chey Temple (2km from Town)
Size 421 Metres x 371 Metres made of late rite stone of 2.9-meter height and 2.4-metre length. Now, most part of this long building has broken. In the area of the first long building included:
Six Lions: Located at the entrance of the second long building; the entrance has two-metre width.
Eight dragons: Located behind the six lions.
Two devils: Stand at both sides of the entrance.
Second Long Building Included
Two statues of Te Cho Dam Din
Two devils each have 1.6-metre height.
Two ponds each has size 20 Metre x 20 Metre; the two ponds are not dried during the dry season.
Third Long Building
Is thicker than the first and the second and has accesses from the four directions. In the third long building, at the front entrance, there is an eight-hand statue of Preah Norey and at the left-hand side, there is a four-hand statue of Preah Norey
Fourth Long Building
Made of late rite stone; it is separate and different from the first, second and third because it has accesses from the 12 directions. If we enter into the middle of the temple, we notice a high mid-peak made of sandstone with Buddhist statue facing to the four directions of East, West, North and South.
Nor Kor Chey temple has wide location; it is not smaller than other temples in Cambodia. The temple is the main gathering place for the people in Kampong Cham province, and other provinces and municipalities. The temple was building in 11th century.
Phnom Bros Phnom Srey (7km from Town)
The pagoda of Phnom Pros has official name called “What Sovan Kiri Rotanak Phnom Pros”; in 1000 Meters to the North, there is another mountain, which has pointed peak called “Phnom Srey”. North of the Phnom Srey, there are ranks of mountains such as mountains of Dang Rek, Ba Ley and Chhuk. The mountain of Pros has dull peak and has approximate 30-metre height. It can be reached by road until the top. At the top, there are a high-five peak temple adapted the model of Banteay Srey temple and two
pagodas closed to each other: one is the old pagodas having two peaks built in Sang Kum Reas Niyum time and the other one is being built. Under the temple, there is a big statue with 15-metre height built by the first dead of pagoda, named Keo So. At the mountain base, there are Kot for monks staying.
In addition, at the top of Pros Mountain we can view the beautiful scene of Kampong Cham province. From 1975-1979, the mountain of Pros was a big detention place for torturing Cambodian people in Kampong Cham province. The mountain of Srey has pointed peak and can be climbed up by 308 Stair steps. At the top, there is a ruined temple, with a few nuns and no monks who stay to maintain and collect contribution to rebuild the temple. In this resort, there are many local people who go there during the Khmer traditional festivals such as Khmer New Year and Pchum Ben.
Phnom Hann Chey (25km from Town)
Hann Chey Mountain has official name “Chey Kiri Mountain” located at the East of Kampong Cham province, at the northern part of Mekong River. This resort located at Hann Chey village, Hann Chey commune, Kampong Siem District in the distance of 20 kilometres by water and 25 kilometres by land. The mountain can be climbed up by 295 beautiful stair steps, and has pagoda and the temple of Kuk made of ancient solid bricks each has seven-square meter size.
Teuk Cha falls (41km from Town)
Next to the temple, there is a canal existing since the ancient time. The canal has water all year round, either dry or raining seasons; water which is clear and non-stopped flowing which leads to attracting tourists to enjoy it happily. On either side of the clear-water canal, there are plants and trees growing; but now these plants and trees have been cut off to make a big plain where the waste water spreads out at the rock temple.
In order to take advantage from the canal, a dam has been constructed to provide water to big rice fields in Prey Chhor District, Kampong Cham Province and in Ba Ray District, Kampong Thom province. Because the area is the cool place with great quantity of water and cool shadow from the trees that are growing around the ancient temple, these can sometime attract tourists to visit and enjoy during their holiday leading to be well known. Nowadays, the ancient pond, which we described as the achievement of Dr. Chung Kheal is the waste-water pond located in front of the dam that has been just constructed recently. The canal has water flowing from above and has source at the North in Kampong Cham province; the water flows from the North to the East, when touching a side of the temple, it flows down into a big slit. From the ancient time, the slit has been full of water; but there are small currents of water shared from the slit, then flow into rice fields of the surrounding villages such as Kroch village in Srey Chhor District as well. Because the canal is old, the Ministry of Agriculture has organized a dam for stocking water in order to accelerate the water flow of the canal to thousand Hectares of rice fields in districts of Prey Chhor and Ba Ray. The canal of Teuk Chha has corner where they can enjoy swimming; if someone like swimming in the shallow water, he/she can swim in the old canal, north of the dam because the bottom of the old canal has four-meter or five-meter width. The clear water, we can see its bottom with flock of small fish swimming in reverse direction to the water flow. If some one likes swimming in deep water, he can swim in waste water, south of the dam. Around the Slit of the canal bank, there is a high tree which provides shelter to tourists and birds. The water surface of Teuk Chha has approximated 3-square kilometer size filled by nearly 10 sources at the Northeast Mountain and plateau called “Kbal Teuk”. The tank of stocked water has approximately more than two-meter depth and pours to three accesses: two accesses via the dam can be closed and opened, and another one is the 10-meter Slit, North of the dam. The first dam is opened every day; the water flows down sounding as water fall; this can attract tourists to enjoy swimming. The second dam is opened during the festival days sometime; the water flow is not strong.
We wish all of you a pleasant holiday in Kampong Cham!
