Archive for Stung Treng Province

The Cambodia/Lao border is located in the north of Stung Treng Province. The Mekong river crosses the province roughly in its midst.

History of stung treng

It was first a part of the Khmer Empire, then the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang and later the Lao kingdom of Champassack. The province was ceded back to Cambodia during the period of French Indochina, in 1904.^[2] Its name in Laotian is Xieng Teng.

Owing to its border location and forested mountain areas in the northeast of the province, there was much communist guerrilla activity in Stung Treng during Cambodia's recent past. The insurgency lasted from the Vietnamese infiltration in the 1950s until the late Khmer Rouge years.

Administration

Stung Treng Province's capital is Stung Treng town.

The province is subdivided into 5 districts.

• 1901 Sesan - សេសាន
• 1902 Siem Bouk - សៀមបូក
• 1903 Siem Pang - សៀមប៉ាង
• 1904 Stung Treng - ស្ទឹងត្រែង
• 1905 Thala Barivat – ថាឡាបារីវ៉ាត់

Stung Treng

Stung Treng is a northern province of Cambodia. It was formerly called Xieng Teng and was once a part of the vast Khmer Empire, then the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang and later the Lao kingdom of Champassack. During the period of French Indochina it was again ceded to Cambodia.

The provincial capital is also named Stung Treng and is an important trade hub with a few hints of Lao influence scattered about, owing to the fact that the Lao border is about 50 km away. It's a friendly, quiet country town situated on the confluence of the San River and the Mekong River. It actually sits on the banks of the San River, with the mighty Mekong coming into the picture on the northeastern outskirts of he town.  The San River goes by three names, depending on which of the locals you speak to. Some call it the Kong River because the San and Kong Rivers merge together about 10 km northeast of Stung Treng town, confusing people about which name the river should bear. Others call it the Sekong River, which is the combined name of these two rivers. Whatever name the fiver beside the town goes by, it's another one of Cambodia's beautiful picture-postcard river towns. It's a nice place to kick back and chill out if you are on a circuit tour of the Northeast River Scene, from here to Laos. The San River is fronted in Stung Treng by a nice stretch of paved road. It's the centre of socializing (as in most Cambodian river towns) in the late afternoon and early evening hours as the locals ride up and down the stretch enjoying the view and each other. Drink and dessert stands spring up earlier to serve the daily merrymaking crowd. It's a nice spot for a walk or jog any time of the day as the river road turns into a pleasant rural road that leads to the airport 4 km north of town.

The river port area just in front of the small city park is fairly busy, handling trade between Cambodia and Laos.The ferry across the San River to where National Highway No 7 continues north to the Laos border is also at this pier. The fare is 300 riel per head. We went for a ride on this stretch (2,000 riel for taking a big bike on the ferry), but there is not much to see along the way besides light jungle and some remnants next to the road that was a target of carpet bombing during the Vietnam War years (the road was recently overhauled and is now one of the best in the country).

The road works its way eastward so it does not afford views of the Mekong River as one would hope. The few residents we saw along the way were truly amazed to see the likes of us, who would want to be there.

Location

Steung Treng province, which covers an area of 11,092 square kilometres, is a remote and sparsely populated province in the northeast of Cambodia. It borders Lao to the north, Ratanakiri to the east, Preah Vihear to the west and Kratie and Kompong Thom to the south. The province is divided into five district, 34 communes and 128 villages.
Steung Treng is a unique province quite distinct from other Cambodian provinces in the Mekong basin.Extensive forests, intersecting rivers and streams and low population density characterize it. Stung Treng includes also the western chunk of the massive Virachey National Park, accessible from Siem Pang, a small beautiful town on the Tonle Kong. The province also features three big rivers the Tonle Kong, the Tonle San and the mighty Mekong with its hundreds of small islands scattered on the river stretch in Stung Treng Province.

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 (18-26c)
• Hot season: March- May (27c -35c)
• Rainy season: May - October (26-34c, with humidity up to 90%.)

Population
The population of Stung Treng constitutes just 0.7% of Cambodia's population. The population density is 7 people per square kilometre, which is nine times less than the national density. As the population is low and the province is endowed with natural resources, the immigration rate is very high. This fact has been proven by the population census in 1998, which shows that 19.4% of the province's population has migrated from outside, of which male migrants constitute 55%. The most commonly stated reasons for immigration were moving with family, followed by searching for livelihood. Similar with other provinces, the female population is higher than the male population.

The result of the census in 1998 demonstrates that 50.5% of the population is female. In Stung Treng, about 79.4% of the population are involved in the agriculture sector. The secondary and tertiary sectors account for 2.4% and 18.2% respectively. There are 54,488 male and 55,217 female with a total of 109,705person.

Preah Ko Temple :

Preah Ko was the first temple to be built in the ancient and now defunct city of Hariharalaya (in the area that today is called Roluos), some 15 kilometers south-east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia. The temple was built under the Khmer King Indravarman I in 879 to honor members of the king's family, whom it places in relation with the Hindu deity Shiva. After the Khmer king Jayavarman II founded the Khmer empire in 802 A.D., he finally established his capital at Hariharalaya. Indravarman I was the nephew of Jayavarman II. When he ascended to the throne, he ordered the construction first of Preah Ko, which was dedicated in 879, and later of the temple-mountain known as the Bakong. It is likely that this building program was made possible by the king's peaceful reign and his ability to draw income from the expanding empire.
A restoration of the towers took place in early 1990s, financed by German government. Preah Ko consists of six brick towers arranged in two rows of three towers each perched on a sandstone platform. The towers face east, and the front central tower is the tallest. The sanctuaries are dedicated to three divinized forefathers of Indravarman and their respective wives. The front central tower is dedicated to Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer empire.[1] The tower to the left is dedicated to Prithivindreshvara, King Indravarman's father; the tower to the right to Rudreshvara, his grandfather. The three rear towers are dedicated to the wives of these three men.The central towers all bear images of the Hindu god Shiva.

Preah Ko, which means 'the sacred bull' (Shiva's vehicle Nandi), was built by Indravarman I in 879. It is part of the Roluos group of monuments about 13 kilometers east of Siem Riep. The temple is distinguished from others in the area by the unusual arrangement of its six central towers, which stand in two rows facing east. The three towers on the east side are staggered so that the central tower is slightly further to the west. This tower is dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu god closely associated with the rule of Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer Empire. The tower to the north was dedicated to the founder of Preah Ko, and the tower to the south was dedicated to the King's father. Each of these shrines once contained a statue, but they were removed at some time in the past.

Mekong River Trip To Loas :
The Mekong River between Steung Treng and the Laos border is very light on population and heavy on beautiful scenery. Boulder outcroppings, numerous sets of rapids, swirling pothole currents, wide sweeping stretches of river and forested landscape along the banks all await the boat traveler. It makes for a great trip, either for the traveler that wants to continue on to Laos or for those wanting to enjoy a wild stretch of the Mekong in Cambodia.
The trip is difficult to downright impossible to make on this shallow stretch of the Mekong during the dry season, with cont less sunken islands and a virtual forest of trees growing right in the middle of the river. The trip becomes an obstacle course for the boat drivers this time of the year, as they carefully try to choose the best way to guide their craft through the maze that nature has created without losing a propeller to the river. The best time of the year to take this trip is from May to November when sufficient upstream rains have raised the river to a level that allows the boats to pass through carefully.

Koh Ksach Resort :

Koh Ksach Resort is located along the river of Se Kong in 5 kilometer distance from the provincial town. The site features a beautiful sandy beach, 2 kilometers long and one-half kilometer wide, where visitor can swim or relax. A natural site, it can be visited only during the dry season and especially popular during Khmer New Year. Koh Ksach Resort, Stung Treng provides good accommodation to the travelers who come here from all parts of the world.
This is a fine resort and is known for its hospitality as well as for its location. It has a very picturesque location. This makes Koh Ksach Resort, Stung Treng one of those attractions in Stung Treng that promises to provide some charming scenery.

Kantuy Ko :
Kantuy Ko, Steung Treng is a place that works as a sanctuary to plants and animal here. If you want to take the pleasure of fresh air and greenery then this is the place to visit. In fact that is the reason why travelers love to come here year after year. In fact it is one of the most visited sightseeing spots in Stung Treng. Kantuy Ko, Stung Treng is quite near to the Samki Village. That is why you can access Kantuy Ko, Stung Treng from the village. This serves two purposes. One is you will be able to interact with the village people and the other of course is to explore the sanctuary. The collection here is a very good one. You will find all kinds of animals here.
Travelers will be able to reach Kantuy Ko, Stung Treng very easily from the center of the city. The animals that are available here include many endangered species as well. You will find tigers and other mammals. There are various kinds of reptiles here too. As far as the plants are concerned, you will find a number of varieties of them here. Kantuy Ko, Stung Treng is definitely one of the perfect Tourist Attractions in Stung Treng that provides a combination of knowledge and thrill. The Indochinese Tiger is one of the main attractions here. It is one of the endangered species in the world.

Wat Hang Kho Ba :

Hang Kho Ba Pagoda is the cultural and historical site, located at Hang Kho Ba Village, Hang Kho Commune, Steung Treng District in Six-Kilometer distance from the provincial town by the road to the airport, then turning left across the river of Se Kong. The pagoda of Hang Kho Ba is over 300 years. The local people there speak Lao majorly.

Steung Treng province has been recognized in two special characteristics:

• - The province riches in sweet tamarind fruit.
• - The province riches in Pa Si Yi fish.
• - Pava fish.Hang Kho Ba Pagoda, Stung Treng is one of the most beautiful pagodas in this Cambodian town. Pagodas are basically temples that were built to worship Buddha. These pagodas are synonymous to Buddhism. In Cambodia most of the population is Buddhist. This temple is also known for the design that is etched on its walls. Hang Kho Ba Pagoda, Stung Treng is located in the Hang Kho Commune.
  While exploring the various Tourist Attractions in Stung Treng travelers cannot miss the Hang Kho Ba Pagoda, Stung Treng. It is, in fact, an important part of the cultural history of the city. This place was built 300 years ago. Despite its age the place is still pretty strong and you will be able to appreciate the beauty of its design.

 Pream Buorn Lveng Temple :

The location of the Pream Buorn Lveng Temple, Stung Treng is amidst the fine environment of the Kang de Sor Village. This is in the Thala Bariwatt District. You can reach this temple very easily from the provincial town. It is not very difficult travel 6 kilometers. You can board a motorbike that will take you to your destination. Most of the accommodations are not far from this Pream Buorn Lveng Temple, Stung Treng. It is one of the well located attractions in Stung Treng. Pream Buorn Lveng Temple, Stung Treng has played an unforgettable part in the history of the country. This is the place that every travelers should visit to understand the the kind of religious belief the local people believe in to.
You can worship here as well. Like any other temples in Stung Treng this one too has a fine locale that is just perfect for meditation. This can be one reason why this shrine was built here in the first place. Tourist Attractions in Stung Treng are, therefore, quite varied and you will be able to find many such buildings here. The Pream Buorn Lveng Temple, Stung Treng has a very good architecture. It shows the combination of robustness and beauty. So, while sightseeing in Stung Treng you must visit here. It is temples like these that has helped this country to attract tourists every year. They love to architectures, designs and the locations of these temples.

Thala Barivat Resort :

Thala Barivat Resort is located at Thala Barivat district in 4 kilometers distance from the provincial town. This area can be accessible by going across Se Kong river and Mekong river to the provincial road of Preah Vihear.Thala Baricvat is the historical resort in which the Preah Ko temple built in 7-8 century, made of red bred during the feign of the king, Javvarman I. In front of the temple, there is a statue of Preah Ko ( sacred cow) available in Cambodia next to the Preah Ko statue, there is a space having 10-squar meter area for playing the game of Viey khil annually, before the Khmer New Year.
The game played during four days and three nights. It starts in the afternoon at 2 Oclock and lasts for two hours. The game played during the festival of the ethnic minority of Kouy. There are many small, ancient temples near the Thala Barivat, but most of them, such as Prambuon Lveng temple, Srei temple and Angkor Kmao temple have been heavily damaged over time.

Wat Phnom Stung Treng :

Wat Phnom, Stung Treng Borrowing the name of the famous land mark temple in Phnom Penh, this one isn?t high enough for a good view of the area, though you can see the mountains along the Lao border to the north. Anew wat is currently under construction on the site. River Scene, from Here to Laos The San River is fronted in Stung Treng by a nice stretch of paved road. It?s the center of socializing (as in most Cambodian river towns) in the late afternoon and early evening hours as the locals ride up and down the stretch enjoying the view and each other. Drink and dessert stands spring up earlier to serve the daily merrymaking crowd. It?s a nice spot for a walk or jog any time of the day as the river road turns into a pleasant rural road that leads to the airport 4 km north of town.
The river port area just in front of the small city park is fairly busy, handling trade between Cambodia and Laos. The ferry across the San River to where Highway 7 continues north to the Laos border is also at this pier. The fare is 300 riel per head. We went for a ride on this stretch (2,000 riel for taking a big bike on the ferry), but there is not much to see along the way besides jungle and the remnants of a road that was a target of carpet bombing during the Vietnam War years.
The road works its way eastward so it does not afford views of the Mekong River as one would hope. The few residents we saw along the way were truly amazed to see the likes of us, would want to be there.