From Siem Reap, we travelled south to Phenom Penh. We hired a tour/driver from Get Your Guide for this journey so that we could see some more of Cambodia on the journey. We were very happy with our driver Richard and his very comfortable van.

We were able to customize our stops on the trip and chose three – Kampong Kdei Bridge, the Temples of Sambor Prei Kuk and a lunch break. This allowed us to take some breaks, see some interesting sites and complete the journey in about 9 hours.

Spean Praptos, often referred to as the Kampong Kdei Bridge, is located on the historic route between Siem Reap and Phnom Pehn. It was built in the 12 century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. The bridge, with its 29 pillars, 21 arches and intricate carvings is another example of the engineering excellence of that time. The bridge is 86 meters in length, 16 meters in width and stands 10-meter high over the Chi Kraeng River. It served as a major link in the Khmer empire’s transportation system and we have been told that elephants carried construction materials across this bridge. It is now restricted to pedestrian, motorcycle and Tuk Tuk traffic.

Nearby, you find a traditional village. Richard treated us to a delicious local delicacy – I have no idea what they were called but they were very yummy!

Sambor Prei Kuk (the Temple in the Richness of the Forest) is a pre-Angkorian area that once boasted hundreds of temples. It was the capital of the Chenla Empire that flourished over much of Southeast Asia in the late 6th and early 7th centuries AD. This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list on 8 July 2017.

There are three main temple complexes: Prasat Yeai (Southern Group), Prasat Tao (Central Group) and Prasat Sambor (Northern Group). Each area has a central tower on a raised platform surrounded by smaller towers and other structures. There are approximately 125 temples in these three areas. Many other structures have been lost or smothered by the forest. We were able to visit two of the three groups – the other is currently under UNESCO excavation and restoration.

We had an amusing guide who shared a great amount of information in an entertaining manner. Here he is demonstrating the ‘Cambodian scarf’. He explained how the scarf has multitudes of uses – a very handy item to have with you at all times!

North of the entrance road is a small shrine that has been almost covered by the roots of an enormous strangler fig tree.

As we traveled the highway from SR to PP, we passed many, many roadside stands, selling various items. We found it very interesting that the stands seemed to be in groups – for instance, there would be many selling sticky rice in bamboo, then a few miles later, dried meat and fish, and then later, stone monuments, Buddhas, etc. Also, I must mention that Cambodian cattle are very skinny! Apparently, our cattle breeds would not be able to withstand the temperatures in Cambodia.

We also observed a number of places where rice was being dried on blue tarps and then loaded into green bags for storage and transport.

Along the route, Richard stopped at a nice restaurant where we enjoyed a traditional Cambodian lunch.

The drive from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh was very enjoyable. The speed limit on highways in Cambodia is 80 km/h and it’s easy to understand why. All types of vehicles are on the road. As with all our drivers on this trip, we were very impressed with Richard’s calm manner in maneuvering through the traffic.

This travel day was most interesting as we observed a touch of Cambodian rural life and saw some significant archeological sites.

Next – the capital city of Phenom Penh.

Cheers,

Bev & Harvey