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Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Beng Mealea

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Beng Mealea or Bung Mealea (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបឹងមាលា, its name means "lotus pond") is a temple in the Angkor Wat style located 40 ...
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Location: Beng Mealea, Cambodia

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

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Location: Koh Kong, Cambodia
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Location: Boutum Sakor National Park, Cambodia

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

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Location: Phnum Bokor National Park, Cambodia
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Beng Mealea

Beng MealeaBeng Mealea

Beng Mealea or Bung Mealea (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបឹងមាលា, its name means "lotus pond") is a temple in the Angkor Wat style located 40 km east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia, on the ancient royal highway to Preah Khan Kompong Svay.

 The Temple
It was built as a Hindu temple, but there are some carvings depicting buddhist motifs.Its primary material is sandstone and it is largely unrestored, with trees and thick brush thriving amidst its towers and courtyards and many of its stones lying in great heaps. For years it was difficult to reach, but a road recently built to the temple complex of Koh Ker passes Beng Mealea and more visitors are coming to the site, as it is 77 km from Siem Reap by road.

 The history of the temple is unknown and it can be dated only by its architectural style, identical to Angkor Wat, so scholars assumed it was built during the reign of king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. Smaller in size than Angkor Wat, the king's main monument, Beng Mealea nonetheless ranks among the Khmer empire's larger temples: the gallery which forms the outer enclosure of the temple is 181 m by 152 m. It was the center of a town, surrounded by a moat 1025 m by 875 m large and 45 m wide.

 Beng Mealea is oriented toward the east, but has entranceways from the other three cardinal directions. The basic layout is three enclosing galleries around a central sanctuary, collapsed at present. The enclosures are tied with "cruciform cloisters", like Angkor Wat. Structures known as libraries lie to the right and left of the avenue that leads in from the east. There is extensive carving of scenes from Hindu mythology, including the Churning of the Sea of Milk and Vishnu being borne by the bird god Garuda. Causeways have long balustrades formed by bodies of the seven-headed Naga serpent.

 It was built mostly of sandstone: Beng Mealea is only 7 km far from the angkorian sandstone quarries of Phnom Kulen, as the crow flies. Presumably sandstone blocks used for Angkor were transported along artificial water canals and passed from here. Despite of lack of information, the quality of architecture and decorations has drawn the attention of French scholars just from its discovery.
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Location: Beng Mealea, Cambodia

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Tatai river in Koh Kong province

Tatai river
Tatai river
Curving softly through the world-famous Cardamom Mountains in Koh Kong province, the Tatai River is clear and warm. Stretching from the dramatic mountains in the province’s northeast to the picturesque mangrove flats of the western seaboard, it occasionally splits into tributaries and lake-like shallows.

 The tidal waterway, which is several hundred metres wide and about 20 metres deep for the majority of its course, alternates from salt to fresh water through the course of each day — creating a layered phenomenon with cool water at the surface and warm water running beneath. A mild current makes it a perfect place for water-based activities.

 “It’s pretty unique here. There are only two places with mountain ranges in Cambodia, and Koh Kong is one of those,” says Lois Woodward, a wilderness activities expert based at local eco-resort Rainbow Lodge.

 “We are on the edge of the Cardamom Mountains, which is the largest surviving rainforest [in Southeast Asia] now. The community is very reliant on nature here; still very in touch with fishing and farming,” she adds.

 With accommodation limited near the weaving Tatai, Rainbow Lodge provides access to a range of activities. Expert guides can lead visitors through primary rainforest, pointing out birds, wildlife and rare flora along secluded tracks.

 A wide variety of berries and fruit line the way and trekkers can even spot the jungle’s namesake — the cardamom spice — in bright green, finger-length pods. It grows wild alongside green ‘jungle chillis’ that mature naturally in the soft, fertile soil.

 With paths about one-person wide, trails often succumb to the overwhelming power of aggressive tropical jungle and guides carry machetes to clear bamboo or new branches. While there are some tricky root obstacles and the odd low-hanging branch to scramble under, a hike through the Cardamoms is suitable for almost every age and level of fitness, apart from a short, steep climb at the beginning of the trek.

 “In reality we don’t know how much longer it will be here,” Woodward says of the wild forest that sees poachers and loggers alike coming to claim spoils. “There is a wealth of different wildlife you don’t find in other places. I spotted a baby sun bear once, but didn’t hang around for mum to come back.”

 There is also a large variety of snakes, some venomous, in the area during wet season. The golden tree snake, part of a family of ‘flying snakes’, has the ability to jump from tree to tree.

 Lasting for two, five or eight hours, the treks conclude at the Tatai waterfalls — a series of steep rapids that intermittently pool in naturally formed jacuzzi-like hollows. In wet season, the rocky enclave is bursting with gushing rapids and is a popular spot with local visitors. Nestle into one of the smaller falls for a one-of-a-kind back, neck and shoulder massage.

 For bird enthusiasts the Cardamoms prove a rare haven for precious wildlife, while a guided or unguided kayaking adventure along the gentle flow of the Tatai can reveal secret inlets and tributaries perfect for exploring.

 Woodward’s background is in wilderness therapy, a form of social intervention for young and at-risk people that helps them develop confidence, trust and social skills in an outdoor environment. From this experience, she is developing a range of activities in the Tatai area focused on children and young adults, such as rock scrambling and orienteering courses.

 Along with kayaking, swimming and boat cruises, visitors can camp in hammocks at the Tatai waterfalls during overnight treks run from
the Lodge.

 “We set them up with a BBQ and bottle of wine,” Woodward says, accenting the ready availability of creature comforts, despite the wild setting. “Because it’s less developed, you can have that experience of being in nature. It’s quiet — you can come away and have a good night’s sleep. The animals are the first sound you hear, not the traffic.”
Sourch:http://www.asialifemagazine.com/cambodia/tatai-river-in-koh-kong-province/


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Koh Kong(កោះកុង)

Koh Kong(កោះកុង)
Koh Kong is the most southwestern province of Cambodia. It is one of the biggest provinces in the whole country with a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior, which embraces part of the Cardamom Mountains, the biggest coherent rainforest of Southeast Asia. Its tourist attractions include abundant wildlife; big waterfalls and casinos on the border to Thailand, while an Export Processing Zone and new port facilities are being developed for international trade. 

 The province is an increasingly popular gateway to Cambodia from Hat Lek in southern Thailand, in part of the reasonably direct access to the port and beach resort town of Sihanoukville. While this was previously a gruelling journey by boat and pickup on rough bumpy roads using small ferries at river crossings, the donation by the Thai government of new road infrastructure is improving access greatly. 

 The name means " Krong Island Province". Its capital is Krong Koh Kong, which is located in the West of the province right next to the Thai border. The city is surrounded with a large forested area connected to the mainland by bridges and ferries. It's generally a quiet town, but there are many reasons to stay in Koh Kong for more than one night such as the nearby islands, rivers, tours into the nature and the buzzing nightlife. 

 The people of Koh Kong speak mainly Khmer, and most speak some Thai as well. You can also find many Chinese and Vietnamese speakers as well as a lot of broken English. Your stay here will be economical as lodging, food and transportation is relatively cheap here. Please make this place a stop on your travels through S.E. Asia and you won't be disappointed.

 Environment
Koh Kong town is located just below the southern end of the Cardamom Mountains. The Kah Bpow river which runs through the town begins in the Cardamoms and runs down to join the Gulf of Thailand. The town’s relatively remote location, close to the Cardamoms and the Thai border, has made it the centre of an active wildlife smuggling trade. Much wildlife captured in the Central Cardamoms goes to supply the restaurants and fresh markets in Koh Kong town. Wild meat is usually for local consumption but various animals parts, bones, hides etc. are sold to wildlife traders. In 2000, wildlife traders from Thailand were reported to come to Koh Kong town each month to purchase wildlife products. Some trophies are also reported to be sold to Trat Province in Thailand.[10]
In 2005, Cambodia’s infamous tiger hunter, Yor Ngun was finally captured in Koh Kong town. He was eventually charged with having killed and sold at least 19 tigers, 40 leopards, 30 elephants, 500 gaur, banteng and sambar, 40 Malayan sun bears and three Asiatic bears. Ngun who was 57 at the time of his arrest, is reported to have been trapping and snaring animals in the Cambodian jungle since 1970s.[12] The organisation Wildlife Alliance (known at the time as WildAid) had Ngun on their "top wanted hunters list" since 2001 due to his reputation as a "notorious tiger hunter." Authorities captured him once in 2004, but he was released after signing an agreement to stop poaching. At the time of his arrest in Koh Kong, he was carrying animal parts, including 25 bear jaws and 82 bear nails. In August 2005, he was sentenced at the Koh Kong provincial court to seven years in prison.
Koh Kong township and the area nearby was also the centre of widespread illegal logging of broad leaf deciduous forests in the Cardamoms. According to environmental agencies, the government logging ban in 2001, has slowed but not prevented the logging trade.
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Boutum Sakor National Park

Boutum Sakor National Park
Botum Sakor National Park is a national park of Cambodia. Situated on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Botum Sakor is a peninsula projecting southwest from the Cardamom Mountains. The National Park comprises 183,408 hectares of designated park land and spans three districts of Koh Kong Province: Kiri Sakor, Botum Sakor and Koh Kong. The park is under the administration of the Cambodian Ministry of Environment.
The majority of Botum Sakor’s area comprises gently sloping lowland and flood plains. The climate is characterized by a tropical monsoon and the area has two high tides per day with a range of approximately 1.5 m. The human population of Botum Sakor National Park is unknown. Disturbance is however known to be extremely high with an estimated 229 km² (~30 km²/year) of evergreen forest lost from 1997 - 2002 through illegal logging2. Although this large scale illegal logging has been halted in the last few years, the area is now under extreme threat of destruction under the pretext of so-called development1. A Chinese company named "Chinese Development Group Co" started the clearing of around 36.000 hectares of land in the district of Kiri Sakor in August 2010. This project, situated to the east of the peninsula, is officially worth US$5 billion and will include the construction of new roads, an airport, a port, a golf course, an ecotourism site and a large commercial area with residential living, hotels, restaurants and retail stores. There are serious concerns in the conservation community as well as in the local population that little, if any, international-standard environmental impact assessments were made prior to the approval of this massive development project, which is expected to last up to 25 years.
Wildlife in Botum Sakor National Park
Recent camera-trap evidence suggests that the area is home to several critically endangered species such as the Asian elephant, the Indochinese tiger, the clouded leopard, the sun bear, and other endangered species. Local poachers affirm that there is also quite a considerable population of pilaeted gibbons. Several kinds of snakes including charismatic species such as the king cobra and the Malay pit viper are regularly seen, and subsequently hacked to death by local residents, at local plantations. There is also a known small population of Siamese crocodiles in some of the parks creeks. As for the remote interior of the park, no scientific investigation has ever been carried out due to the area's extremely hard terrain. Although Wildlife Alliance conducts conservation and wildlife and forest protection programs within Botum Sakor National Park, poaching remains extremely rampant and it is generally believed that what this area of Cambodia, classified as one of the world's 25 top biodiversity hot spots by Wildlife Alliance, is destined to be turned into a ghost-forest unless radical measures are taken.
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Location: Boutum Sakor National Park, Cambodia

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Phnum Bokor National Park

Phnum Bokor National Park
Bokors in the religion of vodou are sorcerers or houngan (priests) or mambo (priestesses) for hire who are said to 'serve the loa with both hands', meaning that they practice both dark magic and light magic. Their black magic includes the creation of zombies and the creation of 'ouangas', talismans that house spirits.
The name Bokor can also refer to the leader of the Makaya division of Vodou (which originated in the Congo region) and Bokor also refers to the highest initiation rank in Dominican Vodou.

Description

Bokors are featured in many Haitian tales and are often associated with the creation of 'zombies' by the use of a deadening brew or potion usually containing poison extracted from puffer fish. This potion makes the drinker appear to be dead and thus he is often buried; later, the bokor will return for the "corpse" and force it to do his bidding, such as manual labor. The "corpse" is often given deliriant drugs, mainly datura, which puts them in a detached, somewhat dreamlike state. Its state is likened to being mind controlled. The person is alive but in a state where they cannot control what they say or do; at this point, when the person has been "reanimated" from the grave, or at least is moving about working for the bokor, they can be termed "zombies." However, some legends dispense with this more rational explanation, and have the bokor raise zombies from dead bodies whose souls have departed.
Also, bokors are said to work with zombi/zombie astrals - souls or spirits which are captured in a fetish and made to enhance the Bokor's power. Bokors normally work with Loas Baron Samedi, Kalfou, Legba and Simbi (snake loa) plus in some cases they are said to work with Grand Bois, the loa of the forest.
Bokors are similar to the "root workers" of voodoo and New Orleans voodoo. Some may be priests of a vodou house. Bokor are usually chosen from birth, those who are believed to bear a great ashe (power). A Bokor can be, by worldy terms, good or evil, though some sources (Judeo-Christian) consider him an evil version of a houngan.


Phnum Bokor National Park

Phnum Bokor National Park

Phnum Bokor National Park

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Location: Phnum Bokor National Park, Cambodia
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