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KRATIE
HOME OF FRESHWATER DOLPHINS
Is a
sleepy Mekong River town situated on the east bank
of the mighty river? It’s very picturesque with
sandbars and big islands out front and bends in the
river. Unlike in many towns around Cambodia, the war
years were fairly kind to the French architecture
and the roads, at least in the town itself. There
are some nice-looking homes of French and Khmer
style scattered about, adding to the pleasant feel
of the place. The rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins
make their home in the Mekong River, just north of
Kratie. With only around fifteen to twenty
remaining, they are worth a visit.
Whether
you are just on a trip seeing the river towns along
the Mekong or taking a full circuit trip around the
east and northeast, Kratie is a nice place to spend
a night or two.
What
to see
Phnom
Sambok Resort
Is the natural and historical resort, locates at
Thmor Kre Commune, Kratie District in 11 – Km
distance from the provincial town by the National
Road No 7, then turning more 500 Meters to the
mountain. Phnom Sam Bok is the cultural and main
tourist resort of Kratie province. The resort has
good location and assured safety for tourists to
visit. Phnom Sam Bok has been arranged as the
tourist resort since the Sang Kum Reas Ni Yum time.
The special features of Phnom Sam Bok are:
- Closed
to the western mountain foot, there is a big pond
full of Clearwater and natural plants. The mountain
has two peak, adull peak and a pointed peak. On the
mountain top, we can view the beautiful scene
especially the Mekong River.
- The mountain rich in big trees and birds.
- There is a concrete stair stretching from the
mountain foot of Sam Bok very rich in gold. The
local people there called the place at the mountain.
The legend
said that one upon the time, there was a king named
Cha Krey Sara Varman a son of Preah Bat Hathak Athi
Reach Varman. After he was on throne instead of his
father, he informed officials and high officials to
find where having gold mine. The local people there
called the place ‘Kan Leng Sam Bo Meas’ means ‘a
place very rich in gold’. Long time after that, the
word changed to ‘Phnom Sambok Meas’. Then only
‘Phnom Sam Bor’ until now.
The
background of Phnom Sam Bok: At the beginning of
the 15th century, there was a monk named
Neak Voan, the student who has the same teacher to
the monk, Neak Sen. Neak Sen is the teacher of
crocodile, Nen Thun and he does neditation on the
mountaintop of Sam Bok. The monk, Neak Voan has very
strong ritual formulas and he is well known to the
near and far local people. The local people
accompany each other to learn ritual formulas from
Neak Voan. Since that, Phnom Sam Bok becomes the
worshipping place until now.
The
100-Column Pagoda:
Located at
Sam Bor District in 36-Km distance, North of the
province town by the National Road No 7. The special
features of Sar Sar –100 pagoda are:
- The
100-column pagoda was built on the place where the
Royal Palace temple of Sam Phu Borak Capital of the
Chen La time located.
- At the
area, there are four- Buddist temple facing to
directions:
1- Vihear
Lao faces to the West
2- Vihear
Sar Sar-100 faces to the North
3- Vihear
Kork Keut faces to the East
4- Vihear
Kork faces to the south (this Buddhist temple has
only base and mark remain).
During the
khmer new year, the local people who live near the
former Sam Phu Bo Rak Capital usually celebrate the
four-day festival by starting at Vihear Sar Sar 100
first, then Vihear Kork and Vihear Lao lastly.
Background
of Vihear Sar Sar-100 was built in 1860 and the size
is 30 meter x 30 meters. In the former time, at the
100th century, was thatched by Preah Ang
Chan Reachea II for dedicating to the power of
Vihear Sar Sarr-100 to maintain the soul of Preah
Neang Varakak, his daughter who swallowed by the
crocodile, Nen Thun. Vihear Sar Sar-100 is different
to other temples because it face to the north. About
100 years later, the temple was damaged by the
strong lightening, which caused 22 columns burnt
down and the statues dirtied by smoke. Because of
this incident, the temple was pulled down and
rebuilt by the local people, but it had only 78
columns. Until 1978, the 100-columns pagoda has once
again been renovated with 35-meter length, 18-meter
width, 23-meter height and 116 columns; also, the
temple has completely been renovated, inaugurated
and Sey Ma buried on January 14, 1998
Kampy
Resort:
Is the
great natural resort where is home to Dolphins. When
we travel along the National Road No. 7 to the North
about 15Km from the provincial town, we will arrive
at abridge of Prek Kam Py where we have seen a very
novel view of the Mekong River consisting of
thousands of islands full of green water plants.
Usually from January to May, there are local and
international visitors, who call on the Kam Py
resort for swimming, especially during the Khmer New
Year. Kam Py resort has special features such
as:
- The
resort is closed to the National Road, assured
safety and has large parking site for motorcycles
and cars.- The riverbank is full of sand, and there
are many islands assuring the visit of thousands of
visitors.
- The
water is clear as mirror, has 0.5-1.30 meter depth
and flows with undangerous speed.Kam Py resort has
not only the good natural manner, but also been
provided the good services for visitors such as the
crossing bridge, floating cottages, soft-drink
shops, restaurants, emergency agency, guards and
security as well. Nowadays, the provincial tourist
office has endeavored to upgrade arranging the
resort to be better and more attractive. |
