KIRIROM
NATIONAL PARK
Initially
established as a holiday resort and tourist city in 1945, the area
was named Kirirom namely "Mountain of joy" by the King at
the suggestion of a monk from Phnom Penh. A hill of 700m covers an
area of 35,000 hectaes. It is situated 120 km in the west of Phnom
Penh, Phnom Sruoch District,
Kampong
Speu Province. It can be reached by Road No.4.
The
natural resort is decorated with many categories of pines imported
from Japan.
KOMPONG
THOM
Located 162 km, The North of Phnom Penh
Capital City on the way (National road No.6) to Siem Reap-Angkor.
Kompong
Thom is one of the five Provinces surrounding Tonle Sap Lake.
Sambo
Preikuk
Is one of the Khmer civilization and
historical sites. It located clos to Steung Sen river about 35km the
North - East of Kompong Thom town. There are more than a hundred temples
built in 7th Century by king Isanvaraman I, and it was the former
Khmer Capital City.
Mekong
River
The Mekong River has its source in China
and flows down to Myanma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It
crosses Cambodia from the North to the South for about 600 km At Phnom
Penh, the Mekong river bursts in to 4 branches: the Upper Mekong,
the Lower Mekong, Tonle Sap and Tonle bassac. During the wet season
water flows from the Mekong to Tonle Sap and dry season the water
reverses direction and flows back to Mekong and flows to the sea.
TONLE
SAP THE GREAT LAKE
Tonle Sap Lake is situated in the middle
of the country, Cambodia's Great Lake, is one of the most unique geographical
wonders of the world. The extraordinary biodiversity and hydrology
of the Tonle Sap Lake and the Tonle Sap River make it a remarkable
ecological wonder of the world.
The
Tonle Sap is 160 km in length, and 36 km in width. During the dry
season, the Tonle Sap has a size of 3000km with a depth of 3m. During
the wet season, it has a size of 100,000 km2 with a depth of 12m.
The Tonle Sap has avundant supplies of fresh water fish.
For
centuries the Great Lake people have been able to catch 10 tons of
fish per square kilometer and provide the major source of Khmer sustenance.
Moreover, for astute bird-watcher, the aquatic habitat attract thousand
of birds and fish-eating waterfowl which flock to the wetlands before
the rain begins in June.
Species
inhabiting the Lake include carp, catfish (weighing up to 135kg),
mussel, herring, climbing perch and gourami. On the mighty Great Lake
and Mekong Rivers, people have celebrated for over two hundred years
the clanging of the Rivers flow. During the rainy season the Tonle
Sap river reverses its direction, flooding the lake, increasing its
size almost tenfold, making it the largest freshwater body in southeast
Asia.
During
the flood season, water engulfs the surrounding forest, regulating
agricultural production by ensuring that the countryside is covered
with fresh, fertile silt for rice cultivation. The combination ofsoil
fertility and the abundance of silt in the Mekong river, makes agriculture
in Cambodia an important and gigh yielding activity.
Tonle
Sap's natural wonder offers visitors insights into the centuries-old
traditions of riparian life and the natural splendor of the country.
Boat
trip on Tonle Sap at Siam Reap become popular for a half day town
to see flouting, fishing villages and the views of this great lake.
RATANAKIRI
& MONDULKIRI ECO - TORISM
Ratanakiri
Banlung, the Provincial town of Ratanakiri
is situated 636 km Northeast from Phnom Penh. There are many picturesque
sights in this Province which is remote, primitive and beautiful.
Yak Laom Lake is 3 km from Banlung, this is a small but lightly scenic
crater lake of an extinct volcano with the forest coming down to the
lake shore. The lake offers opportunities for picnicking, hiking and
swimming. Ratanakiri can be reached by air only.
Mondulkiri
Busra: A fascinating waterfall with
favorite spot picturesque sights and fresh air. Busra is 30 kilometers
from the Sen Monorom capital of Mondulkiri Province 543 kilometers
northeast of Phnom Penh. The population of Sen Monorom is only 30,000
people and most of them are minority ethnic. Mondulkiri can be only
reached by air from Phnom Penh
