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: Moeun Nhean, Picture by : Nathan Dexterl. |
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TAKEO
PROVINCE Is widely thought to be the birthplace
of the Cambodian civilization
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As far back
as the third century AD, Chinese traders described
a kingdom located in modern Takeo they called Funan.
They said this was a kingdom of walled cities peopled
by farmers and artisans, as skillful in the craft
of irrigation as they were in music and sculpture.
Archeological evidence from the Angkor Borei ruins,
where this kingdom had its base, suggests the site
may have been an important seat of civilization
since as early as 400 BC.
Sandwiched between Kandal, Kampot and Kampong Speu
provinces, and sharing its south-east border with
Vietnam, Takeo province is often overlooked by overseas
tourists but still ranks among the most visited
provinces due to the number of Khmer tourists who
flock there each weekend to visit the temples, ruins
and picnic spots dotted throughout it.
About 51 per cent of Takeo's 3,563 square kilometers
is given over to rice production in the wet season,
and 20 per cent in the dry, helping make it Cambodia's
third strongest rice producing province according
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Buddha in the Yey Peuv
Temple
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to most official
estimates. About 85 per cent of the population, estimated
at 815,375 in the 1998 national census, call themselves
farmers. The province of Takeo consists of 10 districts,
divided into 100 communes and 1116 villages. Takeo also
has 20 fishing lots and is one the largest producers of
fish per tonne in the country, most of which is exported.
During the wet season, the eastern parts of the province
turn into a large inland sea.
Points of Interest
Ta Prohm and Yey Peuv temples
Down National Route 2, about 35 kilometers from Phnom
Penh, a large sign with a picture of a ruined temple marks
the turnoff to this site. |
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A fisherman laying traps for
Lobsters in Takeo
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Built by
Jayavarman VII (of Angkor Wat fame) in the 13th
century, Ta Prohm temple is a small but beautifully
preserved laterite and sandstone structure in well-kept
grounds. There are still several statues and bas-reliefs
in good condition to be viewed inside.
About 150 meters north of Ta Prohm is the much smaller
Yey Peuv temple, which is in poor repair. Legend
has it that Yey Peuv was Ta Prohm's mother. There
is an entrance fee to visit Ta Prohm.
Tonle Bati
A famous picnic area just around the corner from
Ta Prohm temple, set on a small peninsular jutting
into the Bati River.
On Sundays especially many locals come to sit in
the small huts perched over the water and picnic
on local delicacies such as chicken and frog provided
by local vendors.
Boats can be hired from here, and many people swim.
Because it is a holiday spot for Phnom Penhois,
it is often a little more expensive so before buying,
remember to ask the price and always bargain. |
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Ta Mao Zoo (Phnom
Ta Mao)
About 10 kilometers further along National Route 2, Ta
Mao Zoo enjoys a picturesque location and is designed
more in the style of a safari park. Foreign aid agency
involvement has helped make this zoo one of the best in
the region, and several enclosures (such as the tiger
enclosure) are outstanding. There is a small entrance
fee.
Neang Khmao Temple
This temple is a brick and sandstone structure about 15
kilometers further along National Route 2 or 58 kilometers
from Phnom Penh. It is in poor condition but maintains
an atmosphere of mystery. Neang Khmao means young black
girl. |
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It was built
in the sixth century and is located in Rovieng Commune.
Phnom Chiso and Surya Barpat
Also located in Rovieng Commune, this haunting temple
atop the hill of Phnom Chiso boasts stunning views
and is an impressive ruin in itself. Located just
two kilometers from Neang Khmao Temple in Rovieng
Commune, Samrong District, the oldest sections of
this beautiful ruin date back to the 11th century.
The temple stands on the eastern side on the top
of Chi So hill (Chi is a term used to address a
person who has recently left priesthood and So is
a person's name).
To reach it, you can cheat slightly and drive to
the top, or walk the 412 steps on the eastern side.
Trapaing Tea Village
About forty kilometers north of Phnom Chiso at the
foot of the Chambab Hill, tourists can buy silk
products as souvenirs from almost every household
in this weaving village of more than 100 families.
The villagers themselves are not dependent on tourists
alone.
Traders from Phnom Penh often come to buy from them
to sell in the city and some silk is also exported.
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The Phnom Borei Phnom
Da Temple
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Yey Peuv Temple (above) and
a shrine inside Phnom Da
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Phnom Borei Phnom Da
This site is believed to be the birthplace of Khmer
civilization. The Funanese, as the Chinese called
the people who built it, controlled the entire south
of modern Vietnam and Cambodia when construction
of parts of this city began, perhaps as early as
400 BC.
Built from bricks, laterite and sandstone, Phnom
Da is situated on a 50 meter hill with stairs to
the top. Phnom Borei Phnom Da is five kilometers
from Angkor Borei town. The town can be reached
from Takeo town by boat in the wet season when the
road is impassable. The trip, through beautiful
scenery, costs about 50,000 riel (US$14). There
is a small museum in Angkor Borei.
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Suite
B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao Tse Toung
Boulevard,
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213 033
E-mail:
editor@leisurecambodia.com |
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