Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor - The Rough Guide to Cambodia - page 198

where you'll need to come if heading north to Tbeng
Meanchey (though confusingly everyone refers to it as
Preah Vihear, after the province of which it's capital).

Destinations Kompong Cham (6 daily; 2hr 30min); Phnom
Penh (12 daily; 3hr); Siem Reap (12 daily; 2hr); Skone (12
daily; 1hr 30min); Tbeng Meanchey (3 daily; 3hr).

ACCOMMODATION
KOMPONG THOM
Arunras Guesthouse NR6 T 012 865935. Effectively an
extension of the next-door Arunras Hotel , under the same
management, in an almost identicial (albeit smaller)
building and with very similar fan r oo ms (plus optional a/c
for $6), at fractionally lower prices. $7
Arunras Hotel NR6 T 062 961294. Landmark seven-
storey hotel right in the middle of town with excellent-
value rooms (optional a/c $7) - although the
floor-to-ceiling tiles make it feel a bit like sleeping in a
public convenience and the karaoke bar on the fifth floor
means rooms on floors 4 and 5 ca n b e a bit noisy after dark.
Good restaurant, too (see below). $8
Sambor Village 1km east of town along the river
T 062 961391, W samborvillage.com. Ildyllic little hotel,
surrounded by verdant gardens and with nineteen cool and
airy individually-decorated bungalows (with a/c and hot

water). The re's a lso an inviting swimming pool and a good
restaurant. $50
Stung Sen Royal Garden Hotel NR6 T 062 961228,
E [e-mail]. A slightly more upmarket
alternative to the Arunras Hotel , set in a shady garden
overlooking the river. Quieter than you'd expect given its
proximity to the main road, and with spacious, pleasantly
old-fashioned rooms (all with a/c and hot wa ter) - although
they could do with an extra lightbulb or two. $20

3

AROUND KOMPONG THOM
Khmer Village Homestay Baray village, 50km
southeast of Kompong Thom on NR6 to Kompong
Cham T 012 635718, W khmerhomestaybaray.com.
Staying here affords the chance to get involved in village
life; you can visit for just a da y, or stay for longer helping
with community projects. $20

EATING AND DRINKING
Arunras Hotel NR6 T 062 961294. Lively hotel
restaurant, busy with both locals and tourists, in a large
mirror-lined dining room stuffed with wooden furniture.
The menu features a large, if slightly pricey, range of
excellent Chinese and Khmer dishes (mains $3-4.50), plus
superb coffee - although no Western options. Daily
7am-10pm.
Kompong Thom Restaurant Riverside. Attractive
modern restaurant overlooking the river. Food is relatively
pricey, but features a good selection of Khmer dishes (most
mains around $5.50) including some unusual offerings (try

the buffalo in lemongrass sauce), plus a few more
expensive Western options alongside assorted snacks,
salads and sandwiches. Daily 7am-10pm.
Run Amok! Dekchaumeas, near the riverside T 017
916219, W facebook.com/runamok.kh. Run by a Kiwi-
Khmer couple, this excellent new restaurant brings an
unexpected dash of culinary pizzazz to Kompong Thom,
with excellent burgers (meat and veggie) and pizzas, plus
mouthwatering Khmer dishes and good ice cream - try the
palm sugar and peanut flavour. Mains around $3-6. Daily
5-10pm.

DIRECTORY
Internet There are a couple of (nameless) internet cafés
down the road just west of the Arunras Hotel (2500 riel/hr), and
another place on the main road one block south of the river.
Money The Canadia Bank (Visa and MasterCard) and the
Acleda Bank, 500m south of the market (Visa), have ATMs.

Phones and post For international phone calls, the
Camintel of ce is inside the post of ce just south of the
Arunras Hotel .
Shops The Tela petrol station on the main road has a well-
stocked minimarket.

TOURS AROUND KOMPONG THOM
First port of call if you want to arrange a tour around Kompong Thom should be the Tourist
Transportation Association Kompong Thom , or TTAK ( T 012 634835, W cambodiattak
.com), a rather grand name for a setup currently operating out of a tiny corrugated-iron shack
opposite the Stung Sen Royal Garden Hotel . Mr Vothea and his friendly and informative team of
English-speaking drivers can arrange transport to sights through the area by moto, tuk-tuk and
car, ranging from local day-trips through to multi-day tours to Preah Khan (Kompong Thom),
Koh Ker, Preah Vihear and elsewhere. Transport to Sambor Prei Kuk costs $8/$15/$25 by moto/
tuk-tuk/car, while a trip to Phnom Santuk will set you back $6/$12/$15 - or $14/$25/$40
combined with Sambor Prei Kuk.