Banteay Meanchey, in Cambodia’s undeveloped northwest, may have some spectacular ruins, great birding opportunities, and one of Cambodia’s most renowned community-based tourism initiatives, but most visitors are unaware of this as they pass through the provincial border town of Poipet on their way to and from neighboring Thailand and Siem Reap or Batdambang.
While many travel to Poipet to cross the border with Thailand, few linger. If an overnight stay is necessary because of arriving at the border after it has closed (open 7am-8pm.), there are a number of hotel-casinos that have reasonably priced rooms and give free chips for guests to gamble with. Other than the casinos however, Poipet is a dirty and somewhat seedy town where its not unlikely that anyone offering assistance is simply trying to help themselves to some of your money.
Sisophon, the provincial capital of Banteay Meanchey, plays second fiddle to Poipet, but it hardly suffers for the lack of notoriety. The town, which is located at the intersection of National Roads 5 and 6 connecting Thailand, Poipet, Battambang, and Siem Reap, sees far fewer tourists than these other towns but has a certain charm of its own and offers a few interesting sights for those looking for a destination where few other tourists ever venture.
The most interesting attractions in Banteay Meanchey are located north of Sisophan and Poipet, in and around Banteay Chhmar. The district is named after Banteay Chhmar temple, a sprawling complex of ruins that is one of the largest in Cambodia, encompassing a greater area than Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom. Several nearby temples, including Prasat Ta Phrom and Banteay Top, are smaller, but each impressive in its own way. While remote, the villages near these temples feature numerous home stay opportunities, including CCBEN Banteay Chhmar, a member of the Cambodian Community Based Ecotourism Network (CCBEN).
Those interesting in birding may enjoy a visit to Ang Trapeang Thmor - Saurus Crane Reserve, which includes a manmade reservoir that can be accessed by private car (or organized tour from Siem Reap). A sanctuary for Saurus Cranes, as well as storks, herons, and egrets, the reservoir is best visited in the dry season months of January to April. A birding trip can be combined with a visit to the nearby village of Phnom Sruk Silk Village, where villagers have been taught the art of sericulture and silk weaving: cultivating mulberry moths, extracting silk, and then dyeing and weaving beautiful scarves and skirts.
Provincial Banteay Meanchey also features extensive lowlands, divided by the Sisophon and the Mongkok Borei Rivers and places of natural beauty including La Ang Phnom Touch and Phnom Chen Chung, which boasts some stunning hiking trails alongside mountains and forests.
While the infrastructure of Banteay Meanchey is rudimentary, travelers looking for attractions off the beaten track will be rewarded for their effort, while those passing through the province on their way elsewhere will have little difficulty doing so and have a few interesting sights to stop at along the way if they are so inclined.
Unfortunately, Banteay Meanchey can be a somewhat dangerous province to travel around. In addition to horrific road conditions that can make travel problematic in the rainy season months and areas of high-malaria risk (the province is home to the most virulent, drug-resistant strains of the virus), Banteay Meanchey is also along the front-line of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia over disputed border demarcation. The Angkor-era temple of Ta Moan is a frequent flash-point in this conflict and should not be visited unless this dispute has finally been resolved.
Where to Go
- Banteay Chhmar: One of the most expansive Angkor-era ruins in one of the most remote areas of Cambodia.
- Ang Trapeang Thmor - Saurus Crane Reserve: A sanctuary for the endangered Saurus Crane as well as numerous other exotic waterfowl.
- Prasat Ta Phrom A small, charming temple in a beautiful pastoral setting
- Banteay Top Precarious towers of stone are all that remain of this remote Angkor-era temple.
- Phnom Sruk Silk Village Off the beaten path village, where silk weaving has become the mainstay of the local economy.
- Stone Carving Village of Choob Easily accessible roadside shops selling a variety of inexpensive sandstone carvings.
- Poipet A busy border town known for its casinos and as a major crossing point between Cambodia and Thailand, often used by travelers heading to or from Bangkok.
- Sisophan A bustling crossroads town in northwestern Cambodia, serving as a gateway to the temples of Banteay Chhmar and nearby border crossings to Thailand.