Pailin City Province Info
Wat Phnom Yaht
Wat Phnom Yaht This is the hilltop temple next to Wat Gohng-kahng. The temple is a good example of how things have changed in Pailin since the surrender deal. A number of moths after the deal a friend and I had a conversation with the head monk of the temple and he said that he still felt very intimidated by the local authorities, all ex- Khmer Rouge. He was strongly discouraged from giving Buddhist instruction to the townspeople. With the influx of Cambodians from other parts of the country and a change of heart for some of the ex-KR, the temple has seen a rebirth. There is a beautiful new decorative stairway leading to the hilltop temple area, where a new temple is under construction and the monks openly teach the faith. Obviously, respect for monks has risen, and temple projects are receiving a lot of donations. Great views of the Pailin area and the dynamite sunsets over the Border Mountains can be had from the hilltop.
Bah Hoi Village
Bah Hoi Village You will pass through an internal refugee camp from different areas of the country that were formerly under khmer Rouge control and are now in the hands of the government. The people feel more safe around their own kind (ex-Khmer Rouge) and with the Pailin faction of the Khmer Rouge still having effective control of the area; they don’t worry about government soldiers hassling them. The people are quite friendly and don’t mind a chat.
Border Crossing & Casino Area
Border Crossing & Casino Area the locals refer to this area as simply Pbrohm. This was a main lifeline of the Khmer Rouge during the years of fighting with the government. Food, supplies and weaponry were brought over from Thailand here. The action today is of the gaming type with the Flamingo Casino open for business and another under construction. The casino sees a lot more business than the one in town, as the Thai people that represent the vast majority of customers like the idea of staying within spitting distance of Thailand. So if you like tossing money away, you have several choices in Pailin. There are also a few seedy looking karaoke bars with ladies working near the casinos and border. As for using Pailin as a border crossing to and from Thailand: The Thais have no problem with it and will issue you a Thai visa or stamp you out between 7 am and 5 pm. The problem is on the Cambodian side as the immigration police say that it’s not an officially sanctioned crossing and there is no way that a foreigner can cross here. So for now it’s best to sticks with Poipet and Koh Kong for land crossings. Getting to the border is the interesting part. About 5 km on the way from Pailin is a small wooden bridge going over the Oh-chah-rah River. The water coming down from the mountains is clean, so a swim here is an inviting prospect. You also pass by the bombed shell of a tank, reminding you which side of the border you are on. Tank bodies just sit where they die in Cambodia and simply become another part of the landscape. The border is easy to get to –just the one turn on the map. It takes just under a half hour and is around 180 baht for roundtrip moto-taxi.
Ceasar Casino
The casino and pub located in the same complex are open off and on these days. As mentioned earlier, the Thais prefer the Flamingo Casino with its border location. If they book a group of Thais to come to town they open the casino.
Goh-Ay Mountain
Goh-Ay Mountain The destination here is a river that’s great for a swim. Definitely for the dry season if you want to be a bit more adventurous and see more of the area. Your best bet is to talk to the guys’ at the English school next to the Hotel Sang Phi Run if you want to venture out this way, as they can help with direction or take you out there. Definitely stay on the worn trails by the river area. There are landmines around.
Kbal Autavao Resort
Kbal Autavao Resort How to go: Location: Description: Is the natural resort full of beautiful scenery with clear-water canal, and locates at Sangkat Ou Tavao, Khan Pailin in five-Kilometer distance from Pailin town.
Kbal O Chra
Kbal O Chra How to go: 5 km (15mn) From Provincial Town. Location: Description: Nature & Wildlife Preserves, Location: Ouchra Leu Village, Tuol Lwea Commune, Khan Pailin.
Ou Eb Resort
Ou Eb Resort How to go: Location: Description: Is the natural and ancient resort with waterfall and many big trees. It locates at Sangkat Ou Chras, Khan Pailin in 10-Kilometer distance from Pailin town by the road to Bo Ya Kha and Bo Tang Sou.
Phnom Keuy Resort
Phnom Keuy Resort How to go: Location: Description: Is the natural resort with beautiful scenery of natural forest and river, and locates at Sangkat Steung Kach, Khan Saha Krau in 20-Kilometer distance from the Pailin town.
Phnom Yat Resort
Phnom Yat Resort How to go: Location: Description: Is the cultural and historical site with ancient pagoda built as Ko La pagoda’s style. Phnom Yat locates at Pailin City and can be reached by the Road No 10. Phnom Yat, the site worshipped by the local people and the passersby who have very strong abstract belief. It also has most precious stone among other sites in Pailin City.
Steng Kuy
Steng Kuy How to go: 20 km (1h) From Provincial Town. Location: Description: Nature & Wildlife Preserves, Location: Phnom Kuy Village, Sangkat Sala Krau, Sala Krau District.
Waterfall in Pailin City
Waterfall Like all waterfalls, the rainy season is the best time to go with the water flowing best then. But there are still pools of clean water to cool off in during the dry season and the heavily forested hills provide nice scenery. Locals and folks on holiday from Battambang come here on weekends and holidays and the well-worn pathways and picnic spots are safe for your use. Hiking to the upper level brings you to more pools. Your best bet for getting out here is to take a moto-taxi or have one lead the way, as there are several turns on unmarked small roads. For the round trip, 120 baht should do it.
