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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. |
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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.
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:
-
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 as: |
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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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