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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.
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Tourist sites:
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:
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- 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
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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
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- 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.
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