Angkor Borie

Angkor Borie is a city within the area of many ruins and archaeological digs. the realm contains artifacts dating from the Funan (4th/5th century) and Water Chenla (8th century) also as the later Angkorian Time. The prasat ruins on high of near  Phnom DA are eleventh century Angkorian. there's a smalll museum within the city.

Siem Reap Province

With the boom going down in close Angkor throughout the thirteenth century as the building of 100 of temples began within the 1st Hindu and so Buddhist mega settlement, Siem Reap was small over an expanse of empty rural area.

Meaning 'Siam defeated' in Khmer, the province of Siem Reap compete host to a battle with the neighbour Kingdom of Siam within the seventeenth century; that saw, because the name suggests, triumph for the Khmers. Still, however, Siem Reap was very little more than in a footnote in the history of Angkor Wat.
With the doorway of France as colonial master of Kingdom of Cambodia in the middle of the nineteenth century, Siem Reap was developed on the far side the huts that previously made up the city. French colonial buildings were erected and may still be seen nowadays. just like the remainder of the country, Siem Reap was forced into a downward spiral shortly once the French retreat within the Nineteen Fifties.

By 1975, the city had fallen into the hands of the Khmer Rouge as had most of Kingdom of Cambodia. and was the scene of murder that was typical of the entire country. Meanwhile, Angkor, Siem Reap's prized plus, lay dormant, not one visitant coming back to envision the location as Siem Reap remained out-of-bounds to tourists.

As the Vietnamese army entered Kingdom of Cambodia in 1979, Siem Reap was the scene of serious fighting that remained sporadic for a lot of of the next decade. however by the first Nineteen Nineties, as the country began to stabilize, Siem Reap was one among the most important Cambodian beneficiaries.

By the turn of the millennium, Siem Reap was attracting thousands of thousands of tourists a year and had begun to develop quicker than at any stage in its history as good hotels, restaurants and bars sprung up. currently the town attracts over one in 2 of every single foreign visitant to Kingdom of Cambodia. Siem Reap sees concerning a million guests annually and is that the fastest growing town in the country outside of the capital, Phnom Penh.

Siem Reap General info
Lying simply six kilometres south of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage site of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap may be a town that pulls an ever-growing range of tourists to what's Cambodia's star attraction and also the largest spiritual construction in the world.


Having been left half-hidden for many of the past 800 years, Angkor Wat has solely recently fulfilled its potential as a tourist destination, held back by Cambodia's enduring troubles in recent times that have in the past decade relieved significantly. Angkor Wat's increasing clout as a tourist draw - it attracts a million guests a year - has directly influenced the fortunes of Siem Reap, that is currently home to five-star hotels, French restaurants and a wise Foreign Correspondents Club.

Although Siem Reap's fortunes are inextricably joined to Angkor Wat, the town additionally contains a few places of interest, sort of a landmine museum and a Killing Fields sight the same as those found elsewhere in the country, together with in the capital Phnom Penh. for many guests, however, such attractions can always play second fiddle to Angkor Wat and its several encompassing temples, a site that certainly ranks mutually of the foremost impressive in the whole of Asia. currently that Kingdom of Cambodia is thus accessible, it might not be shocking to see this renowned Wat achieving constant recognition as the Taj Mahal and also the Great Wall of China.


Along with Siem Reap's recent rise in prominence have come back increased transport links as airlines have queued up to fly to the city's international airfield. Asian budget airlines are getting down to be a part of the tourism frenzy.

Siem Reap is excellently positioned inside the country given its location terribly near the Tonle Sap Lake, the biggest body of water in Kingdom of Cambodia. The lake empties into the river of constant name, passing through Phnom Penh before flowing out into the South China ocean near metal Chi Minh town in Vietnam. this suggests the town will be reached by boat from the Phnom Penh nearly as quickly as it will by road.


Thanks to the high levels of foreign guests, Siem Reap may be a town that runs on 3 completely different currencies as is the case in Phnom Penh: the Cambodian rial, the Thai tical and also the present us greenback. The rial remains the smallest amount popular of the 3 however is handy for tiny purchases, of that there are typically several. though Siem Reap doesn't boast a lot of in the way of searching malls and boutiques, variety of markets in the centre of the town are extremely popular, particularly with tourists.

Chenla Empire

Two successive kingdoms with strong Indian influence emerged during the pre-Angkorean centuries of Khmer history. These were the Funan, from the second to sixth centuries, and Kambuja (Chenla, Zhenla in Chinese) from the sixth to the eighth centuries. A vassal state of Funan, Chenla emerged as an independent state in the middle of the sixth century. A sea route developed between India and China by this time.


The shift from the coastal trade route coincided with the appearance of conquerors from the mid-Mekong area, the brothers Bhavavarman (r. 550–600) and Mahendravarman (r. 600–611). They focused on the rice-growing areas of the Mekong basin, rather than maritime trade. The new kingdom, called Kambuja, traced its origin from the sage Kambu Svayambhuva and the daughter of Nagas, Mera.

According to the Chinese chronicle the History of Sui, Chenla was a feudatory state of Funan, covering roughly northern Cambodia and southern Laos of modern times. Its capital was at Lingaparvata with a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Bhadresvara. Chenla became a separate state after seceding from Funan in 550 with the accession of Bhadravarman I as the first ruler of the newly independent kingdom.

He was the grandson of Funanese ruler Rudravarman (r. 514–539) and had married a Chenla princess named Lakshmi, who was heir apparent to the throne. Bhadravarman became the independent king of Chenla in 550, when the ruler died. In his long reign, Chenla was engaged in warfare, and Chitrasena was in charge of the army. The kingdom of Chenla covered the whole of Cambodia, southern Thailand, Laos, and the Mekong Delta region.

Bhadravarman’s brother Chitrasena, with the title of Mahendravarman, succeeded him and ruled for 11 years. He was a brave king and conqueror. The reign of his son Isanvarman I (r. 611–635) was marked by extension of the kingdom westward, and establishment of a new capital, Isanpura at Sambor Prei Kuk (the Kompong Thom province of modern Cambodia), in 613.

Like his father, he followed a policy of friendship toward the Champa kingdom and married a Champa princess. Bhavavarman II was the next ruler (r. 635–650), who was succeeded by Jayavarman (650–690). He consolidated the Chenla kingdom. After his death, Queen Jayadevi controlled the affairs of the state. Imminent civil war led to the disintegration of the Chenla kingdom.

Factional disputes in the court resulted in the splitting of the kingdom in 706 into Land Chenla (Upper Chenla) and Water Chenla (Lower Chenla). Upper Chenla, with its capital in the Champassak province of modern Laos, was a somewhat centralized state with 30 provincial headquarters operating as administrative centers. It also sent embassies to China. Lower Chenla, occupying the former Funan kingdom along the Mekong Delta and the coast, had a turbulent existence with constant pirate raids from Java.


The minor Khmer states like Aninditapura and Sambhupura were locked in rivalry over the control of Lower Chenla. Pressure also mounted against Chenla by the Sailendra kings of Java. The last of the rulers was killed in 790 and it became a vassal state of the Sailendras. A prince from Sambhpura, who was in Java, took the reins as a puppet ruler. But Jayavarman II asserted his independence in 802, becoming the founder of great Angkorean empire that lasted until the early 15th century.

The Cambodian civilization in Chenla, like that of the Funan and Angkor periods, witnessed a good deal of Indian influence. Indian elements were mixed with indigenous myths of the Moon and serpent. Building a royal lingas (phallus symbol of Shiva) on mountains was a blending of the autochthonous mountain cult with Hindu beliefs.

Shiva in his linga form was connected with devaraja cult, which was used by Jayvarman II afterward to proclaim his sovereignty from Java. The Chenla kings were deified. Lord Shiva was worshipped under different names such as Bhadresvara, Sambhu, Girisa, and Tribhubanesvara.

Inscriptions from Cambodia attest to the prevalence of Sanskrit. Rhetorical and literary conventions were well known to writers of epigraphs in Chenla. They were also well acquainted with Indian epics, kavyas and puranas. The inscriptions refer to the Vedas, Vedantas, and Smritis.

Many Sanskrit words were absorbed into old Khmer, relating to geographical names, the names of divinities and persons, administrative terms, and terms relating to the calendar and numbers. Another Indian custom persisted in the marrying princesses to brahmans (Hindu priests). The brahmans played an important role in the religious life of the people.

The chief priest or purohita had a powerful influence on the royalty. This sacerdotal office passed from uncle to nephew in the maternal line, which was an example of an indigenous matrilineal social system. Kings sought to ally themselves to a particular priestly family by matrimonial alliance.

Buddhism was also prevalent in Chenla. The Mahayana faith came to Cambodia from Java as well as India. Buddhist statues are found at the time of Bhavavarman II. Influences from India, the megalithic culture of Southeast Asia, China, and neighboring regions in Southeast Asia enriched the culture of Chenla.

Angkor Wat: History of Ancient Temple

Built between roughly A.D. 1113 and 1150, and encompassing an area of about 500 acres (200 hectares), Angkor Wat is one of the largest religious monuments ever constructed. Its name means “temple city.” Originally built as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, it was converted into a Buddhist temple in the 14th century, and statues of Buddha were added to its already rich artwork. Its 213-foot-tall (65 meters) central tower is surrounded by four smaller towers and a series of enclosure walls, a layout that recreates the image of Mount Meru, a legendary place in Hindu mythology that is said to lie beyond the Himalayas and be the home of the gods. Within the largest city in the world The city where the temple was built, Angkor, is located in modern-day Cambodia and was once the capital of the Khmer Empire. This city contains hundreds of temples. The population may have been over 1 million people. It was easily the largest city in the world until the Industrial Revolution.

Recent research using airborne laser scanning (lidar) has shown that Angkor contains an urban core that could have held 500,000 people and a vast hinterland that could have held many more inhabitants. Researchers have also identified a ‘lost’ city called Mahendraparvata, which is located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Angkor Wat. A moat, tower and hidden paintings Angkor Wat itself is surrounded by a 650-foot-wide (200 m) moat that encompasses a perimeter of more than 3 miles (5 km). This moat is 13 feet deep (4 m) and would have helped stabilize the temple’s foundation, preventing groundwater from rising too high or falling too low. Angkor Wat’s main entrance was to the west (a direction associated with Vishnu) across a stone causeway, with guardian lions marking the way. To the east of the temple was a second, more modest, entrance. The heart of the temple was the central tower, entered by way of a steep staircase, a statue of Vishnu at top. This tower “was at once the symbolic center of the nation and the actual center where secular and sacred power joined forces,” writes researcher Eleanor Mannikka in the book "Angkor: Celestial Temples of the Khmer Empire" (Abbeville Press, 2002). “From that unparalleled space, Vishnu and the king ruled over the Khmer people.” Hidden paintings have recently been discovered in the central tower. One chamber in the tower has a scene showing a traditional Khmer musical ensemble known as the pinpeat, which is made up of different gongs, xylophones, wind instruments and other percussion instruments. In the same chamber, there's also an intricate scene featuring people riding horses between two structures, which might be temples. These two paintings are among 200 that have been recently been discovered in Angkor Wat. Vishnu and the king The builder of Angkor Wat was a king named Suryavarman II. A usurper, he came to power in his teenage years by killing his great uncle, Dharanindravarman I, while he was riding an elephant. An inscription says that Suryavarman killed the man “as Garuda [a mythical bird] on a mountain ledge would kill a serpent.” Suryavarman’s bloodlust would continue into his rule; he launched attacks into Vietnam in an effort to gain control over the territory. He also made peaceful diplomatic advances, re-opening relations which China. He venerated the god Vishnu, a deity often depicted as a protector, and installed a statue of the god in Angkor Wat’s central tower. This devotion can also be seen in one of the most remarkable reliefs at Angkor Wat, located in the southeast of the temple. The relief shows a chapter in the Hindu story of creation known as the “churning of the sea of milk.” As archaeologist Michael Coe writes, the relief “describes how the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons) churned the ocean under the aegis of Vishnu, to produce the divine elixir of immortality,” ("Angkor and the Khmer Civilization," Thames & Hudson, 2003). Scholars consider this relief to be one of the finest art pieces at Angkor Wat. Suryavarman’s devotion to Vishnu is also shown in the posthumous name he was given, “Paramavishnuloka” which, according to researcher Hélène Legendre-De Koninck, means “he who is in the supreme abode of Vishnu.” ("Angkor Wat: A Royal Temple," VDG, 2001). Construction techniques Building Angkor Wat was an enormous undertaking that involved quarrying, careful artistic work and lots of digging. To create the moat around the temple, 1.5 million cubic meters (53 million cubic feet) of sand and silt were moved, a task that would have required thousands of people working at one time. The buildings at Angkor Wat posed their own challenges. To support them a tough material called laterite was used, which in turn was encased with softer sandstone that was used for carving the reliefs. These sandstone blocks were quarried at the Kulen Hills, about 18 miles (30 km) to the north. Recent research proves that they were transported to the site by a series of canals.

Beneath the central tower was a shaft that leads to a chamber where, in 1934, archaeologists found “two pieces of crystal and two gold leaves far beneath where the Vishnu statue must have been,” Coe writes, adding that deposits like these “spiritually ‘energized’ a temple, much as a battery will provide power to a portable electronic device.” Purpose Although Angkor Wat is dedicated to Vishnu, the full purpose of the temple is still debated. One question is whether the ashes of Suryavarman II were interred in the monument, perhaps in the same chamber where the deposits were found. If that were the case it would give the temple a funerary meaning. Eleanor Mannikka has noted that Angkor Wat is located at 13.41 degrees north in latitude and that the north-south axis of the central tower’s chamber is 13.43 cubits long. This, Mannikka believes, is not an accident. “In the central sanctuary, Vishnu is not only placed at the latitude of Angkor Wat, he is also placed along the axis of the earth,” she writes, pointing out that the Khmer knew the Earth was round. In addition, in her writing, Mannikka notes a dozen lunar alignments with Angkor Wat’s towers, suggesting that it served an important astronomical role. “During the long and clear Cambodian nights, when the stars filled every inch of the black sky, the astronomer-priests stood on the long western causeway ... and recorded the movements of the moon against the towers in the top two galleries of the temple.”

Sin Sisamouth King of Khmer Music

Background information

Native name ស៊ីន ស៊ីសាមុត

Born August 23, 1932
Steung Treng, French Protectorate of Cambodia
Died June 18, 1976 (aged 43)
Koh Thom, Kandal, Cambodia
Genres Psychedelic rock, garage rock, traditional Khmer, romvong, saravan[disambiguation needed], jazz, bossanova, Latin, blues, cha cha cha, agogo, film
Occupation(s) Singer, composer, bandleader, producer, film producer
Instruments Mandolin, Sro lai, Pey Pok
Years active 1957–1975
Associated acts Ros Sereysothea, Pen Ran, Houy Meas, Haim Sovann, So Savoeun, Hai Sokham, Dara Chom Chan, Mao Sareth, Keo Setha, Pen Ram, Chhoun Malay


Sinn Sisamouth (Khmer: ស៊ីន ស៊ីសាមុត [sɨn siːsaːmut]; 23 August 1932 – 18 June 1976) was a famous and highly prolific Cambodian singer-songwriter from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Widely considered the "King of Khmer music," Sin Sisamouth, along with Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron, Mao Sareth and other Khmer artists, was part of a thriving pop music scene in Phnom Penh that blended elements of Khmer traditional music with the sounds of rhythm and blues and rock and roll to make a Westernized sound akin to psychedelic or garage rock. Sisamouth died during the Khmer Rouge regime under circumstances that are unclear.

Early life

Sinn Sisamouth was born in August 23, 1932, in Stung Treng Province, the son of Sinn Leang and mother Seb Bunlei.

He was the youngest of four siblings, with one brother and two sisters. His father was a prison warden in Battambang Province and was then a soldier during the Colonial Cambodia period. His father died of disease, and his mother remarried, and the union resulted in two more children.

Sisamouth attended Central Province of Stung Treng Elementary School when he was five. At the age of six or seven, he started to show interest in the guitar, and he would be asked to perform at school functions. He was also interested in Buddhist scripture and other books, as well as playing soccer and flying kites.

Around 1951, he passed elementary school and intended to study medicine in Phnom Penh, but continued working at becoming a singer and writing songs. Just as he had in elementary school, he became well known in his school for his music, and was asked to sing at school ceremonies.

By the time Cambodia was granted independence from France in 1953, Sisamouth's fine singing voice landed him a spot on national radio as a regular singer. He also continued his studies, working at Preah Ketomealea Hospital.

Music career

After completing medical school, Sisamouth became a nurse and married his cousin, Keo Thorng Gnut, in an arranged marriage. The couple had four children, but he was also a very famous singing star in Cambodia, and his life as a celebrity eclipsed his family life.

He possessed a clear crooning voice which, combined with his own compositions about the pleasures and pains of romance, made him an idol. He sang many ballads, as well uptempo rock numbers that featured prominent, distortion-laden guitar, pumping organ and loud, driving drums. Other arrangements were more Latin jazz-sounding, featuring woodwinds, brass, and auxiliary percussion.

In the early 1950s he became a protégé of Queen Nearyrath. He was selected into the Vong Phleng Preah Reach Troap (classical ensemble of the Royal Treasury) where together with Sos Matt, he performed at royal receptions and state functions. A number of songs he wrote subsequently bore the unmistakable melancholic melodies of the traditional Khmer music he performed in those formative years. In the mid-1950s, a romantic ballad "Violon Sneha", composed by violinist Hass Salan, catapulted Sisamouth into stardom. In recent years the song has been re-issued by a large number of modern performers, including Song Seng Horn, who comes from Rhode Island, Mol Kamach (a singer and guitarist of the 1960s who escaped the Khmer Rouge rule and is now living in France), Nay Sieng (a Khmer based in France), and Him Sivonn (a female vocalist from Phnom Penh).

Most of Sisamouth's tape recordings from this period did not survive the years of social upheaval, however, although now and then some of Sisamouth's 1950s and early 1960s hits are rerecorded successfully. One such hit, "Srey Sros Khmeng", re-emerged from oblivion with Suong Chantha's 2002 faithful rendition. Sisamouth's other hits of the same period include "Anussavry Phnom Kravanh", "(Chett Srey doch) Chong Srol", "Thngay Dob Pee Thnou", "Thngay Muoy Kakkda", "Teuk Keb", "Stung Pursat", and "Prek Eng Oss Sangkhim".

Around 1963, Sisamouth started recording on the Vat Phnom label. His "Champa Batdambang" won immediate acclaim across the country. In a 1971 Phnom Penh television show, Sisamouth's interviewer recalled that "Champa Batdambang" was the first song sung on the inauguration of the station in 1965.

What captured Sisamouth's audience was the use of a four-piece, rock and roll band instrumentation with guitars and percussion, a departure from a backing band of wind instruments. He also experimented with Latin music, an infatuation that may have started with Prince Norodom Sihanouk's compositions, such as "Reatry Del Ban Chuop Pheak" and "Phnom Penh".

Sisamouth's popularity nevertheless did not eclipse the work of other recording artists, notably those who sang at the National Radio such as Eum Song Seurm and Huoy Meas. Meas Hok Seng, a voice artist at the Phnom Penh University of Arts ("Sala Rachna") also achieved celebrity status in 1966 with "Lolok Nhi Chmaul". Hits by these artists often came from the pen of lyricist Ma Lao Pi, a talented poet and broadcaster now living in California, whose masterpieces include "Day Samot Trapaing Roung" and "Lolok Nhi Chmaul". Despite occasional hits such as "Akassyean", Sos Matt on the other hand appeared to have been unfairly sidelined in the commercialisation of music that took place with the arrival of recording productions such as Vat Phnom and Chan Chaya.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Sisamouth sang the soundtrack songs to a number of popular films, such as Orn Euy Srey Orn, Tep Sodachan, and Thavory Meas Bong. In "Peou Chhouk Sar", a 1967 success directed by Tea Lim Kun, Sisamouth captured the poignant breakup of lead actors Dy Saveth and Chea Yuthan with his "Neavea Chivit". Over his long career, Samuth recorded many duets with female singing partners, including, in the early 1960s, Mao Sareth, Keo Settha, Chhunn Vanna, Huoy Meas, Ros Sereysothea, and Penn Ron. Penn Ron began recording with Sisamouth in 1966. Ros Sereysothea started her career in around 1967 with the hit "Stung Khieu". Her high, crisp voice nicely balanced the deeper-toned voice of Sisamouth. Nevertheless, the quality of Sisamouth's songs deteriorated rapidly in the 1970s, save for a few notable examples written by lyricist Voy Ho who had been a long-standing colleague. Over that same period, Samuth adapted a number of Thai songs into his repertoire.

From 1972 to 1973, music publisher Kruorch Bunlyhe issued A Collection of Sentimental Songs, which contained 500 of Sinn Sisamouth's songs. It is estimated that he wrote thousands of songs, possibly at least one for each day he was famous, his son Sinn Chaya has said.

Along with his original works, Sisamouth also introduced many Western pop tunes to Cambodia, simply writing new verses in Khmer language. Examples include "The House of the Rising Sun" as "I'm Still Waiting for You" (a particularly good showcase of his sustained phrasing and baritone voice), "Black Magic Woman" (drawing influence from the Santana version) under the title "I Love Petite Women", "Sugar Sugar" and "Quando My Love".

The Killing Fields

In the aftermath of the coup d'état by the Lon Nol government on March 18, 1970, which saw the overthrow of the rule of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Sisamouth started to sing propaganda songs in support of the fledgling Khmer Republic. One such song that became an enduring classic was "Mae Owy Ao Yoann", telling the story of a mother giving a mantra-covered magic vest to her soldier son on his way to battle. Referring to communist troop movements over Cambodian territory during the Vietnam War, a verse in the same song said that the deposed king had sold out Cambodian land to the Viet Cong. Such criticisms of the royal family were unprecedented, not least given that Sisamouth had been a protégé of Queen Kossomak Nirirath, mother of Prince Sihanouk. The Khmer Rouge takeover of Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975, saw Sisamouth forced out of the city, along with millions of other residents.

By this time he had remarried, to a dancer in the royal ballet, who was pregnant with the couple's second child.

The circumstances of his death in the Killing Fields are unknown, but he had connections with the old government, was highly educated, and was an artist – all trappings of a society that Pol Pot sought to eradicate. One apocryphal story is that before he was to be executed, Sisamouth asked that he be allowed to sing a song for the cadre; but the soldiers were unmoved and after he finished singing, killed him anyhow.
Legacy
Because his presence and influence on Cambodian music was so great, he is still a household name and remains popular to this day in Cambodia. Three children from Sisamouth's first marriage survived the Khmer Rouge and one son, Sinn Chanchhaya, became a singer for the Cambodian Radio, though he himself has admitted he could not be compared to his father.

Although all the master tapes of his studio recordings are thought to have been destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, his work lives on in recordings created from cassettes and LPs that have subsequently been transferred to CD, and are often heard on Cambodian radio stations.

The soundtrack to the film City of Ghosts features tracks by Sisamouth and contemporaries like Ros Sereysothea and Pan Ron. While filming in Cambodia, filmmaker John Pirozzi was given a copy of Cambodian Rocks, a collection of 22 untitled, uncredited tracks by the musicians, compiled from cassettes purchased by an American tourist. It inspired the City of Ghosts soundtrack as well as his 2015 documentary about pre-Khmer Rouge music, Don't Think I've Forgotten, in which Sisamouth is profiled.

Battambong Province

Cambodia’s second largest city lies in the heart of the Northwest and until the war years was the leading rice-producing province of the country. Battambang did not give way to the Khmer Rouge movement until after the fall of Phnom Penh, but it’s been in the center of the ongoing government Khmer Rouge conflict ever since the Vietnamese invasion in 1979 pushed the genocidal regime out of Phnom Penh and to the Northwest.

Until the surrender deal of Ieng Sary (Khmer Rouge number three man based in Pailin),Battambang was the Khmer Rouge in the region. Earlier history saw Battambang flip-flopping back and forth between Thailand (called Siam before their 20th-century renaming) and Cambodia.
Battambang is the main hub of the Northwest connecting the entire region with Phnom Penh and Thailand, and as such it’s a vital link for Cambodia. Battambang city is a peaceful and pleasant place these days.

The main parts of the city are situated closed to the Sangker River, a tranquil, small body of water that winds its way through Battambang Province. It is a nice, picturesque setting. As with much of Cambodia, the French architecture is an attractive bonus of the city.
Tourist attraction:

Barseat Temple
Was built during the reign of King, Soriyak Varman I (1002-1050) and located on a hill at Ba Set village, Ta Pun commune in 15 kilometer distance from the provincial town. Ba Set temple adapts the architecture of 11th century and built in 1036 and 1042. Next to the temple, there is a pond having 20 meter length 12 meter width and 10 meter depth. The pond is never dried, though in the dry season. In rainy season, the water level is higher than usual.

Wat Ek Temple
Adapts the architecture of 11th century and built in 1027 during the reign of King, Sorayak Varman I (1002-1050). It is located at Piem Ek commune in 14 kilometer from the provincial town.

Ba Nan Temple
Adapts the architecture of mid 11th century and the end of 12th century the temple was first built by King, Ut Tak Yea Tit Tya Varman II (1050-1066) and was built finally built by the king, Jarvarman VII (1181-1219). The temple is located on the top of approximate 400 meter heighten mountain at Koh Tey 2 commune, Ba Nan District in 15 kilometer distance from the provincial town by the provincial Road No 155 parallel to Sang Ke River. At the mountain’s valley, there are Ku Teuk and two main natural well, namely: Bit Meas and Chhung or Chhung Achey.

Prasat Snung
Characterizes as three separated stupas made of brick, located on a hill having 30 meter length and 20 meter width, in Snung pagoda’s area, Snung commune, Ba Nan District in 22 kilometer distance from the provincial town. According to the style at the gate, the temple is similar to other temples in 12thcentury. Behind the temple, there is another new constructing temple.

Phnom Sam Pov Resort
Is the natural resort located along the National Road No 57 (the former National Road No10) at Sam Puoy commune (the high land having more than 100 meter height) in 12 kilometer distance from the provincial town of Battambang. On the top of Sam Puoy mountain, there are temple and three natural wells, namely Pkar Slar, Lo Khuon and Ak So Pheak. Next to Sam Puoy mountain, there are some main mountains, the natural site like Phnom Trung Moan, Phnom Trung Tea and Phnom Neang Rum Say Sork. These mountains related to the Cambodia folk legend of Reach Kol Neang Rum Say Sork.

Boeng Kam Pinh Puoy Resort
Locates between two mountains, named Phnom Kul or Phnom Ta Nget and Phnom Kam Pinh Puoy, at Ta Nget village, Ta Kriem Commune in 35 kilometer distance from the provincial town. Boeng kam Pinh Puoy has 1,900 meter width, 19 kilometer length and can load 110,000,000-cubic meter water.

Sek Sak Resort
Is the natural resort, which has been popular since before the civil war time. Sek Sak stretches along the river bank full of plant, trees and bamboo-green nature in 500 meter length. As long as visiting Sek Sak, tourists can also visit other attractive sites like Po Pus Pich Chen Da Dong Tong and Sa Ang speak, the pre-history site in five kilometer to six kilometer distance from each other. Sek Sak located Treng commune, Rotanak Mondul District in 50 kilometer distance from the provincial town of Battambang along the National Road No 57, the former National Road No 10.

Ampe Phnom

Ampe Phnom is the natural and cultural resort locating at Tang Tonle Village and Ampe Phnom Village, So Por Tep

Commune and Svay Kra Van Commune, Chbar Mon District in 48 Kilometer distance from Phnom Penh, then turning left more two kilometers. The site features a stream, walking paths and big shade trees. A wobby, wood-and-cable suspenseion bridge across the stream links Tang Tonle and Ampe Phnom Village.

On the Ampe Phnom side of the stream site an old pagoda where the Cambodians worship during festivals. Visitor can swim in the stream, traverse the suspenseion bridge or simply relax in one of the many cottages about the stream. Food and beverages are available for sale, and the surrounding woods are full of monkeys.

You will find Ampe Phnom in Kampong Speu in the So Por Tep Commune and Svay Kra Van Commune in the Chbar Mon District. Kampong Speu is about 48-Kilometers distance from Phnom Penh and you will find the beautiful site immediately after turning left as soon as you reach Kampong Speu. The site of Ampe Phnom,is within two kilometers from Phnom Penh.

Ampe Phnom, Kampong Speu is a resort that has Natural River adorned with many big trees growing along its sides. The site is beautiful and presents a picturesque view. The `mountain foot? is a rocking bridge that links from Tang Tonle Village to Ampe Phnom Village. The old pagoda is perched on a hill and is regarded as a place of worship by the Cambodian people. The traditional festivals of Cambodia are celebrated with pomposity in the temple. At Ampe Phnom tourists can spend time by swimming or walking through the rocking bridge. In addition to that you are provided with the opportunity of resting at the collages along the riverbank.

Kampong Speu attracts tourists from all over the world. The city of Cambodia shares its border with Kandal. The province enhances tourism and there are various sites that make your tour to the city unforgettable. The main attraction in Kampong Speu is Ampe Phnom. Enjoy the relaxing lunch on the cottages situated above the stream. Moreover the Ampe Phnom, Kampong Speu provides you opportunity to take pleasure from the panoramic view presented by green environment.

The Amper Phnom is a small mountain which is visited by many tourists round the year. If you want to spend a quiet day in a relaxed mood, then Amper Phnom is the best place. You can picnic with your friends and family members. Take a walk by the side of the river. Amper Phnom is located at a distance of about five kilometers from the town of Kampong Speu.

A nature reserve with a river, walking paths and big shady trees, Ampe Phnom also has a beautiful old wat perched on top of a small hill. Visitors can swim in the Prek Thnoat River, visit the old pagoda or simply relax in one of the many bamboo huts along the river. Whole deep-fried chicken and catfish are a specialty of the area. These can be bought from the many stalls along the river. But beware, as the surrounding woods are full of monkeys so keep an eye on your food and belongings.