Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE LEGEND OF KHLEANG MUONG
Located in the village of
Banteay Chei
, a few kilometres west of Pursat off NR5, the small,
well-tended tomb of
Khleang Muong
is an attraction for locals hereabouts. The story goes
that in 1605, the Khmer were losing the war against the Thais, when Khleang Muong ordered
his soldiers to dig a pit and to cast their weapons into it; he then committed suicide by
throwing himself into the pit. Seven days later the Khmer army defeated the Thais with help
from the ghosts of Khleang Muong and his army of soldiers. The victory is marked by an
offering ceremony here in April or May each year, at the start of the planting season and just
before the rains. The pavilion at the tomb contains a life-size bronze statue of Khleang Muong,
now a national hero, and a matching one of his wife, who, according to legend, also killed
herself. The site is easily reached by moto from Pursat, but it's probably only worth a visit if
you're at a completely loose end.
2
its precise distance from town varies, depending upon whether it's wet or dry
season. Populated by a mixed community of Cham and Vietnamese families, the
surprisingly large village (actually more of a floating town) is similar in design to
those at Kompong Chhnang (see p.109), with buildings bobbing upon wooden
pontoons and an extensive range of amenities including its own police station,
temple and Catholic church.
The northern Cardamom Mountains
Pursat serves as a possible starting point for tours into the
northern Cardamom
Mountains
- you can also explore the southern part of the range (see p.267) - but
you'll have to arrange trips in advance through a tour operator in Phnom Penh
(see p.77). Still mostly inaccessible and unexplored, the Cardamom mountain
range is an area of outstanding natural beauty, its primary jungle rich in flora
and fauna. A biodiversity study in 2000 established the presence of nearly four
hundred different species of animal, including tigers, Asian elephants, gaur and a
population of critically endangered Siamese crocodiles, previously considered
extinct in the wild.
The road from Pursat up into the mountains climbs steeply through the forest,
crossing tiny gorges and streams.
Ou Dah
, 56km from Pursat, is an attractive spot with
rapids and a small waterfall in the jungle-clad hills.
Alternatively, at
Chrok La Eing
,
73km southeast of Pursat, there's a cascade and river for a swim. Bear in mind though
there's also a high risk of malaria in the mountains, so take precautions against
mosquito bites.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
PURSAT
By bus
Buses stop in Pursat on NR5 west of the main
bridge, at (or opposite) their ticket o
ces.
Destinations
Battambang (6 daily; 2hr); Phnom Penh
(6 daily; 4hr).
By shared taxi or minibus
These usually arrive at/
depart from the transport stop, about 1km west of the
bridge on NR5. If possible, ask to be dropped by the main
bridge (
spean thmor
), from where it's a just a couple of
hundred metres to the hotels and guesthouse.
Destinations
Battambang (15 daily; 2hr); Kompong
Chhnang (15 daily; 2hr); Phnom Penh (15 daily; 4hr).
Internet
All three hotels that we review (see below)
have free wi-fi; there's no other reliable source of internet
access in town.
Money
There are ATMs at the Canadia (Visa and
MasterCard) and Acleda (Visa only) banks.
ACCOMMODATION
Phnom Pech Hotel
West bank of the river, 200m north
of the main bridge
T
052 951515.
No-frills hotel offering
inexpensive en-suite fan and a
/c
room
s (p
lus hot water in
fan rooms for an extra $2). Fan
$6
; a/c
$13
Pursat Century Hotel
Main road, next to the Acleda
Bank
T
017 286281,
E
pursatcenturyhotel@gmail
.com.
Easily the nicest place in town - and just a fraction
more expensive than its nearby rivals - offering spacious
