insight cambodia travel

Preah Vihear Travel Guide

Preah Vihear is quite a big northern province of Cambodia. Its capital is called Phnom Tbeng Meanchey. The province itself is named after the temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, what is definitely the hotspot of this province. Much of the province is extremely remote and strongly forested. Unfortunately do large logging companies reduce the natural landscape by carving huge tracts of pristine tropical hardwoods out of the locations. It is also one of the least populated provinces in the Kingdom of Cambodia. This tranquil site is popular for the Preah Vihear temple, standing in the vicinity of the borderline between Thailand and Cambodia.

The province has one of the worst infrastructures in the country there are even no proper Major Roads in existence. Going around this province is not that easy if you’re used to proper roads and usual transportation possibilities, as there are only a few pick-ups or some money-hunting moto drivers to take you where you would like to go.

Whatsoever the province has a lot to offer for those, who are interested in ancient temple structures and remote villages without touristy influence. Here in Preah Vihear you may find three of the most impressive legacies from the Angkorian era: the mountain temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, the 10th-century capital of Koh Ker and the mighty Preak Khan.

Koh Ker is nowadays easily accessible from Siem Reap via Beng Mealea, but the other two still remain difficult to visit, requiring long and tough overland journeys and a distinct possibility to spend a night in the jungle. During the wet season these places are more or less unreachable. But there are governmental plans to develop the region for a smooth but constant tourism, building roads and improving infrastructure.

The provincial capital Tbeng Meanchey is due to the state of the infrastructure and it’s geographical location not visited by a lot of foreigners. Most of them don’t make it here worrying about the street conditions and the backcountry feeling of no fast supply in need. The city is sprawling and dusty and consists of little more than two small major dirt roads form South to North. There is nothing interesting in town or to do, so it has necessarily become more a stopover on the way to Koh Ker and Preah Khan.

Geography
Preah Vihear province is 13,788 square kilometres big. It’s located in the North of the country and shares its international border to the North with Thailand and Laos, its provincial borders to the East with Stueng Treng, to the West with Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap and to the South with Kompong Thom. The province is blessed with endless natural treasure. With its acres of dense, hilly forests and scrub green vegetation, Preah Vihear is indeed an ideal getaway destination in the lap of nature. The breathtaking views over the Dangkrek Mountains and lush jungle from Preah Vihear temples are famous.

Population
The current population in this province is about 160,551 people or 1.1% of the country’s total population (14,363,519 person in Cambodia, 2007, provincial government data), with 81,318 male and 78,233 female. The population density is therefore 11.64 people per square kilometre.

Climate
The country has a tropical climate – warm and humid. In the monsoon season, abundant rain allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. This year-round tropical climate makes Cambodia ideal for developing tourism. Travellers need not to fear natural disasters such as erupting volcanoes or earthquakes, and the country is not directly affected by tropical storms.

Climate: Cambodia can be visited throughout the year. However, those plans to travel extensively by road should be avoided the last two months of the rainy season when some countryside roads may be impassable. The average temperature is about 27 degrees Celsius; the minimum temperature is about 16 degrees. December and January are the coolest months, whereas the hottest is April.

General information about the provincial climate:
– Cool season: November- March (22-28c)
– Hot season: March- May (27c -35c)
– Rainy season: May – October (24-32c, with humidity up to 90%.)

Economy
The province’s economy is 85% based on farming and the remaining other 15% are based on fishing and illegal trading with pristine hardwoods. Because of its border with Thailand, the international trade is also increasing slightly and becoming another important sector of the province’s economy. There is several developing plans from province based NGO’s, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Thailand and Cambodian government itself. The economy and infrastructure of the province was also sustainably destructed during the Khmer Rouge stand and needs therefore a whole new stabile backbone.

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   Bob SFO 
 2023-11-05
 
 
  Great tour of Angkor Wat
We requested a 3-day tour with Lekh and we were very happy with our experience. Lekh is very knowledgeable and provided a great tour. I had been to Angkor Wat several years ago and this visit was to share the experience with a family member. Lekh took us to several interesting temples that I missed on my prior visit. The pace of the tour was perfect. Plus, Lekh was very good at avoiding the crowds and taking us to the perfect spot for photos. I would definitely recommend Lekh for anyone wanting to visit Angkor Wat.
  
 
       
   Becky M 
 2023-08-23
 
 
  Excellent
Lekh was the BEST tour guide ever. My son and I did a tailored trip seeing four temples. The knowledge Lekh had was immeasurable and he explained everything with impeccable English in as much detail as was necessary for the heat, time of day and need. He is also a budding photographer and managed to cajole my teenage son into having photos all day, when normally he only allows one! if you are lucky. Lekh made the whole experience a pleasure and when we go back we will look him up again. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
  
 
       
   WillTravelSingapore 
 2023-03-23
 
 
  Perfect Angkor Temple experience!!
We had an amazing tour with Lekh - he took such great care to ensure that we had an optimal experience! If you plan to visit Angkor, don’t hesitate to book a tour with him, you will definitely not be disappointed!!! First off, the communication was extremely good. Lekh replied to all our questions very fast and with very helpful answers. He understood immediately what we were looking for and put together a perfect tour just for us. In the preparation of our visit, he was very flexible to accommodate a change we made in our plans, and he carefully monitored the situation at the temples, so that when one part was not accessible due to a royal visit, he changed the itinerary so that we didn’t miss anything. Then, when we were on the tour, he did a fantastic job explaining everything to us. I’ve been at the temples before, but thanks to his explanations, knowledge of history and culture, I now have a much better understanding of the historical context and the significance of the art and architecture. More than that though, Lekh knows the temples so well, that we always knew where the best spots for pictures are, and when to go to have less crowds. Thanks to that, we have so many amazing pictures of the beautiful temples without people! Finally, Lekh and his driver made sure we always drank enough water, and stayed refreshed with cold towels. They treated us to juicy coconuts and showed us local treats like the palm cake (very yummy) and the special BBQ pig. We felt very welcomed like the in company of friends. A big thank you again to Lekh!!!
  
 
       
   Boracay99 
 2023-02-20
 
 
  Excellent
I made a 3 Day Tour and it was excellent, very competent and frendly. There was nothing negative. Beautifull. Highly recommended.
  
 
       
   Connector47927127529 
 2023-01-23
 
 
  Highly recommended
We had an amazing day visiting the temples with Nol and our lovely driver. Everything from booking the trip to hotel pick up to visiting the temples was very well organised and we had an excellent day. Nol’s knowledge of the temples, Hindu and Buddhism religions and local history was extensive. We had a full day but it was nicely paced and we never felt rushed or hurried. We had a great stop off for lunch and we were also treated to a local delicacy of palm sugar and rice cake which was delicious. All in all, a fantastic day which was very good value. I would like to thank Nol and our driver for a great and memorable day. We would highly recommend this company.
  
 
       
   Shremz 
 2023-01-23
 
 
  Superb Guide, Amazing Service, Unforgettable Experience!
Lekh is the most amazing guide ever! While my husband had been in Siem Reap before, this was my very first trip to Cambodia and Lekh made sure that we saw everything that needed to be seen (and could be seen based on our schedule) in Siem Reap. My husband was even impressed with the sites as Lekh took us to both the very "touristy" places (i.e. Angkor Wat Temple) but also less "touristy" but just as amazing places within Angkor (though arguably everyone also wants to see the Tomb Raider temples). To start off the trip, Lekh and his wonderful colleague who was our driver picked us up from our hotel lobby in an air-conditioned SUV. They had plenty of ice cold water and cold towels ready for us throughout the entire trip. These little things are important given the heat as well as the amount of exploring that you will do with Lekh. Don't worry if you are worried about the tour being too tiring, Lekh will plan the tour exactly to your needs and base it upon how much (or little) you wish to do. We had to make a number of last minute changes on both days due to various reasons and Lekh was perfectly accommodating and able to get us back to the hotel when we needed (even on short notice) and still managed to squeeze in all of the sights that we originally signed up to see. Lekh's colleague was always waiting for us at the end of our exploring so we were picked up immediately after each of our adventures in an air-conditioned car with ice cold water and a refreshing towel waiting for us. Lekh also took us to explore truly local cuisine in the local villages throughout Angkor. He also made sure (at least to the best of our knowledge) that we were not "ripped off" because we were tourists. He handled all of the negotiations on costs and we had some of the most delicious local cuisines that we never would have had an opportunity to try had we explored the sites and area on our own. For example, we had a delicious huge portion of roasted pig (more than enough for 4 people), vegetables with locally made sauces, a local dessert consisting of coconut pieces and what I would call 汤圆 filled with palm sugar, and cold Angkor beers for US$ 5. He also introduced us to palm fruit and a local omelette dish filled with minced pork and fish. None of these dishes were offered in any of the restaurants that we went to in Siem Reap (or perhaps we just did not know what to order) and we were only able to try them because Lekh knew where to bring us and how to order. Lekh is also extremely knowledgeable about the history of the temples as well as of Cambodia. He was very communicative and able to show us all of the popular and not so popular sites and explain the background of everything. He was also able to answer any and all questions that we had about Cambodia. It was so interesting hearing about Cambodia's history from Lekh's perspective as well as the stories of the neighboring countries and their interaction with Cambodia. None of this information can be easily found in the history books or online websites, they are stories you can only get from locals who grew up in Cambodia during those times. Unfortunately, 2 days (especially with various unexpected obstacles) was not enough time for us and we will definitely be back to explore more of Siem Reap. We are very much looking forward to having Lekh as our private guide again and cannot wait to return!
  
 
       
   Domee 
 2022-12-08
 
 
  3 Days of Angkor Wat and Floating Village
We did a 3 day tour with Lekh and visited all the main temples including Angkor Wat as well as some lesser visited but equally beautiful temples. We also visited the amazing floating village Kampong Phluk. Lekh was a great guide. Very knowledgeable about history and knew all the best areas to visit and take pictures. We travelled around in an air conditioned van which which was so nice because it gets super hot and muggy walking around the temples. He provided ice cold bottled waters and cold towels, which were a lifesaver! He was flexible with the tour and made adjustments according to what we wanted. He also took us to some cool markets that only locals go to and we got to try some local delicacies like stuffed frog which was super tasty! Definitely recommend.
  
 
       
   Jacquelyn Sunsh... L 
 2022-12-01
 
 
  Fantastic experience
We had an excellent time on this tour! We were able to see such a wide range of temples - hidden and overgrown, popular must-see, small and off the beaten path. Lekh was a great tour guide - so much knowledge not just of the temples but of Cambodian ancient and modern history and politics. He also served as an excellent photographer and conversationalist. Definitely recommend!
  
 
       
   Christie L 
 2022-11-28
 
 
  An absolute must! No need to look any further and it made our Ankor experience the best it could be.
This was the best decision we made regarding visiting the Ankor complex. A private guide gives you so much more insight and Lekh is AMAZING!!!! His knowledge, stories and personal detail are on point and make the visit so much more worthwhile. He knew the best order to visit temples, how to avoid crowds and the best places to take photographs. He is an excellent photographer himself and it felt like we had our own personal photographer with us! Walking round the temples is tiring. Every time we got back in the car it was chilled and we got cold towels to freshen up with which were a godsend. Having a private tour means you can go at your own pace and Lekh is THE best. Thanks for everything 🙏
  
 
       
   Chm061987 
 2022-11-24
 
 
  Amazing places, great guide.
We have made our 2 days trip with Lekh and we have been really really happy about this. Lekh is a really professional guide and can give an answer to any question you have. I could notice love and passion in his eyes while walking around the temples and this reflects how positive your experience can be by visiting these amazing places with someone who really loves his job. Recommended!!!