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| Preah Vihear Province | |
| Capital | Tbaeng Meanchey |
|---|---|
| Residents | 170.852 () |
| surface | 13,788 km² |
| prefix | 064 |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | |
| location | |
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The province Preah Vihear(Khmer: ព្រះវិហារ) is in the north of Cambodia on the border to Thailand and Laos. This is where the extensive, still relatively seldom visited temple complexes are located Preah Vihear, Koh Ker and Preah Khan of Kampong Svay. There are dozens of other temple sites. These are smaller and hardly explored, some are still mined or are (especially on the border with Thailand) in a restricted military area. An excursion to the remote and touristically poorly developed province is not only worthwhile because of the archaeological sites. The province of Preah Vihear is scenic and Cambodia is still quite original here. The road network has been greatly expanded in recent years, many routes are paved and some of them run straight through the landscape. The remaining natural roads are mostly in good condition during the dry season. Who extensively on paths away from the temple complexes of Angkor Wat If you want to stroll and visit all three major temples in the province of Preah Vihear, you should plan a total of three to four days - time that is definitely worth it.
Regions
Administratively, the province is divided into 7 districts Chey Saen(ជ័យ ស៊ាន), Chhaeb(ឈ្នែ ប), Choam Khsant(ជាំ ក្សាន្ត), Kuleaen(គូ លេ ន), Rovieng(រវៀង), Sangkom Thmei(សង្គម ថ្មី) and Tbaeng Mean Chey(ត្បែងមានជ័យ)
places
- 1 Tbaeng Meanchey
- The capital of the province is an ideal starting point for visits to the temple complexes Koh Ker, Preah Vihear and Preah Khan of Kampong Svay. Accommodation and catering options are available. Nevertheless, the busy city is usually only a transit station for a few individual and adventure tourists who are traveling by motorcycle or with a four-wheel drive vehicle.
.jpg/320px-Koh_Ker_temple(2007).jpg)
Other goals
Travel agencies in Siem Reap offer multi-day tours to Preah Vihear Province, most of which include visits to two of the three large temples; an overnight stay in Tbeng Meanchey is rarely planned.
background
The province of Preah Vihear got its name from its most famous and important temple site. The Preah Vihear Temple Mount is located in the eastern part of the Dângrêk Mountains (Khmer: ជួរ ភ្នំដងរែក; Thai: ทิว เขาพนม ดง รัก, Thio Khao Phanom Dong Rak, IPA: [tʰiw kʰǎw pʰanom doŋ rák]; lao: Sayphou Damlek) which shapes the province and forms the border region with neighboring Thailand.
getting there
.jpg/220px-Koh_Ker_temple(2007).jpg)
The province has been well developed since 2012. However, you have to organize the trip yourself, as there is hardly any public transport. The connecting roads from Siem Reap to Tbeng Meanchy (via Anlong Veng) and from Kampong Thom (Street / number 64) to Tbeng Meanchey are new, wide and largely paved. A flight to the province is not possible.
mobility
There have recently been well-developed long-distance connections in the province. Nevertheless, the region offers a large number of adventurous routes which, at least in the rainy season, can only be traveled with off-road material. However, these routes should not be mastered alone, but as a group and with a local guide.
- From the temples of Koh Ker a street leads up to Anlong Veng.
- Of Koh Ker there is a direct connection to the temple Preah Khan
- At the foot of the Temple Mount Preah Vihear there is a small village. A demanding stretch leads to the west Anlong Veng.
- From Ta Seng on Preah Khan leads a road direction Kampong Thom (not via Phnom Daitch). The first 30 km are sandy, then it goes through a stream and the rest of the route is again quite easy.
- Of Beng Mealea to Ta Seng (Preah Khan): This is one of the last adventurous routes in the province. It can only be tackled in the dry season and should be done together with a local guide and in a group. Six to eight hours are estimated for this route, as trees may have to be removed and emergency bridges built.
Tourist Attractions
temple
The province of Preah Vihear is home to three great but rarely visited temple complexes compared to Angkor. The Preah Vihear Temple Mount is a Unesco World Heritage Site, the other two are on the Unesco World Heritage List.
- 1 Prasat Preah Vihear (ប្រាសាទ ព្រះវិហារ).
The well-known, multi-part temple complex is located on the 700 m high mountain Preah Vihear, directly on the border with Thailand. It extends over the entire, gently rising mountain ridge to the steeply sloping hill. The buildings of the temple complex were erected by Suryavarman I (1002-50) and Suryavarman II (1113-50). Since 2012, the Temple Mount can only be visited from Cambodia; the border crossing to Thailand is closed. Since the end of 2011 there has been a well-developed, partly unpaved road. The old, steep road to the Temple Mount can only be driven on a motorcycle or with a four-wheel drive vehicle. A new road with less gradient is under construction and should be completed soon. Access to the Prasat Preah Vihear temple complex from Kantharalak (Thailand) is currently and probably not possible in the near future, as the border crossing is closed and is controlled by the military.
- 2 Koh Ker (ប្រាសាទ កោះ កេរ).Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer Empire for a short time. The old name Lingapura indicates a series of temples, some of which contained lingas that were meter-sized. The most imposing structure of this archaeological site is a nearly forty meter high, seven-step pyramid. The temple complex can be reached on a newly built, only partially paved road, also on a day trip from Siem Reap reach out. It is easy to drive on during the dry season without all-wheel drive.
- 3 Preah Khan.The largest enclosed temple site in the Khmer Empire covers a total of 25 square kilometers. You can get them in a day trip from Tbeng Meanchy or from Kampong Thom from on consistently good roads. If you choose Siem Reap as your starting point, you have to plan an overnight stay.
In the provincial jungle there are more, mostly small temple ruins. Visiting them, however, involves a lot of effort and also requires an archaeological interest and / or a thirst for adventure. For some objects, information such as street views and 360 ° photos of the area can also be found on the Internet. They also give an impression of the nature of the paths to visit these places.
- 6 Neak Buos Temple (ប្រាសាទ នាគ បួស) (52 km north of Tbaeng Meanchey)..Small ruins together with the temple ruins 4 Kuk Srei and 5 Kuk bros.
- 7 Soumab temple (ប្រាសាទ ស៊ូ ម៉ា ប់) (45 km north of Tbaeng Meanchey)..Small crumbling brick buildings on the way to the Neak Buos Temple.
- 8 Tram Preal Temple (ប្រាសាទ ត្រាំ ព្រៀ ល)
- 9 South Sopheap Temple (ប្រាសាទ សុភាព ត្បូង) (16 km west of Preah Khan Temple)..Small ruin in the jungle on the border with Siem Reap province.
- 10 Chaw Kam Mon Temple (ប្រាសាទ ចៅ កំ ម៉ុ ន) (11 km south of the Aan Mah border crossing)..Ruin at a small water reservoir.
- 11 Thnal Svay Temple (ប្រាសាទ ថ្នល់ ស្វាយ) (13 km north of Choam Ksant)..
- 12 Southern Sneng Krabei Temple and 13 Northern Sneng Krabei Temple Two small ruins 15 km southwest of Chaom Ksant
- Noreay. 5 sandstone, laterite and brick temples from the 7th century approx. 32 kilometers to the northeast.
- Phnom Pralean. Temple of Brahmanism on a 180 m high mountain.
- Krapum Chhouk. 20th century facility 45 kilometers north.
- Cork beng. Temple ruin, built between 936 and 951 under King Jayavarman IV, by a commander named Cork.
additional
- There is a large silk weaving mill in Tbeng Meanchey that can be visited.
activities
- The province of Preah Vihear offers a dense network of hardly maintained natural roads and paths and is therefore a paradise for off-road drivers. Adventure tours with off-road motorcycles or all-wheel-drive vehicles should be planned carefully and only carried out with a local guide.
There are enough restaurants along the major highways and in the cities that offer various regional dishes and drinks.
nightlife
There is hardly any nightlife in the province that is tailored to the needs of tourists.
security
- security around the Prasat Preah Vihear: The border conflict with Thailand around the Prasat Preah Vihear has repeatedly led to tension and military action. At the end of 2011, the Thais withdrew from the Temple Mount, but still occupy other heights of the Dangrek Mountains. The temple site can no longer be visited from Thailand as the border crossing, which used to provide the easiest access to the ruins, is now closed. After the end of the fighting and the withdrawal of the Cambodian soldiers, police officers and rangers are now stationed on the Temple Mount. Before planning a visit to the temple site, you should thoroughly inform yourself about the current situation in Siem Reap or Tbeng Menchey. The travel information from various European countries is still very cautious. In 2012 the temple complex could be visited safely. Above all, locals, who consider the mountain a national shrine, take advantage of the improved security situation and visit the temple site in large numbers on weekends. The rare tourists have to register at the foot of the mountain (passport or passport copy required) and are only allowed to visit the temple area in the company of a police officer stationed there.
- Land mines: Outside of the localities and the designated temple areas, the risk of stepping on landmines is still quite high. Because of this, it is risky to go off the beaten track. Signs warning of mines are not to be found everywhere.
- malaria: The entire province of Preah Vihear is malaria area.
literature
- : Preah Vihear ปราสาท เขา พระ วิหาร. Bangkok: River Books, 2000, ISBN 974-8225-25-9 .
Web links
- An official website is not known. Please open Wikidata add.
- www.preah-vihear.com - Background information about the Prasat Preah Vihear Temple and the history of the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
