Ka Chanh falls

Thick slimy mud makes the 10km Ka Chanh Falls is an hour-long odyssey of thrills and many spill. The little known resort provides a cash income for the Tapon. one of Ratannakiri's many ethnic minorities.

Mountainous Ratannakiri, Cambodia's wildest province, is over 600 km north-east of Phnom Penh with a population comprising only 25% ethnic Khmer. Recent years have seen an explosion in the number of 'eco-tourists' bringing much needed capital to local subsistence farmers and hunter-gatherers.

The Cambodian government is waking up to north-eat Cambodia's tourist potential. The success of eco-tourism projects in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia has inspired policies minorities designed to benefit the ethnic minorities most in need, and Ka Chagn Falls, designated a tourist resort in 2000, is just one of the sites controlled by a tourism community which ploughs profits back into the local community for development. Nget Pitou, a member of the Department of Tourism for Ratannkiri, said the policy makes money for local villagers without damaging the environment. "This hidden and beautiful place now plays a main role in attracting a lot of tourists," he said. "We want to keep the natural view and the nice environment to impress tourists."

The difference to the local Tapon has been very great. "We have Tapon girls selling entrance tickets because we want them to learn about social work." explained Pitou. "Moreover, we want to raise their standard of living too, because most of their work is farming. When they come here to work, they can get money to support their family... we want them to go to propagandise about the importance of tourist resorts to their friends and we want them to stop cutting down trees." Pitou said this is the best approach to educating local people as " all of the ethnic people accept their friends' ideas very much."


Ka Chanh, know a Leir in the Tapon language, is impressive. One first notices the roar of water, closely followed by a fine rainbow mist rising from the 15m drop. Trekking down the red-dirt path, past gnarled rubber trees and quaint thatched houses, a chorus of exotic bird announces each new visitor. Ticket seller Mom Mok plies his trade from a small booth at the end of the path. "Starting from October until April, a lot of tourists come to visit because, at that time, the green forest, rubber trees, traditional waterfall makes a very nice romantic view." he said. "People can enjoy a picnic with their family." Ka Chanh is at its most imposing in the rainy season, although only the courageous dare brave the Ratannakiri's mud bath. The dry season sees easy driving but a distinct lack of water.
Most visitors swim or sit under the lip of the falls, although the icy mountain water is bracing to say the least. Drinks vendors have no ice boxes, as a few minutes in the limpid water is enough to cool even the warmest beer.
Splashing happily with her friends, Miss. Ny, a domestic tourist visiting from Kampong Spue said her visit was well-worth the effort. "I was really happy and surprised when I arrived here." she said. "I didn't think that this place would be very beautiful because, when I first saw the Teuk Chrous Bram Pil Chorn [ the '7 Step Falls', another waterfall in Ratnnakiri]. it was not very pretty. Here it is very nice. We cannot forget the time we had here, we will remember forever. You know when we were eating and swimming together, we heard the sound of the waterfall like music, or like a lullaby which was singing to us very sweetly. Another souvenir we will not forget is the slippery pebble path we had to drive the bike down to visit here."


Travel Information - A warm welcome from the Topon and a breathtaking natural scene costs just 1000 riel ($0.25) for foreigners. Tourist buses are charged 5000 riel ($1.25) and private care 2000 ($0.50) Ka Chanh is 10km from Banlung. Ratannakiri's provincial capital.

Unsung Serenity

Timeless and sublime, the dusty approach to the forest temple of Prasat Prei Basack is without parallel. Flocks of birds lazily rise from a shimmering lake, cows and buffaloes lethargically chew their cud.

The mountain temple has a fascinating history, the temple originally went under a completely different name said Mr. Pout Yot, Chief of the Tourism Department in Svay Rieng.

"Before the name was Toul Prasat." he said. "Afterwards, many Vietnamese came to do business here. When they arrived over the border, they always stopped here to take a rest. Their pronunciation of Toul Prasat was not clear, so others heard it as Toul Basack. Today even Khmers call this place Toul Basack."

Mr. Ey Ry is Chief of the Culture and Fine Arts department in Svay Rieng province. He said Prei Basack was built in the early 6th century in Sambor Prek kuk style. The temple was apparently built to commemorate a military victory.

"Long time ago, the local king collected a mighty army to south-east of here," he said. "They camped on the site of Prei Basack soon became a religious center, welcoming Buddhists and Brahmans alike. Many monuments were constructed, though little remains today. Previously, three ancient temple stood on the hill, the largest. Toul Prei Prasat (Forest termite mound temple). was around 200m long. To the south stood Toul Kouk Sampov and Toul Ta-chorng.

Only the base of Toul Prei Prasat is left. The structure must once have been impressive. The clay walls that remain are still around 5 metres high. Ey Ry said the temple was destroyed by greedy French soldiers searching for buried treasure. They apparently forced Khmer prisoners to demolish the temple and dig deep into the loamy soil, A copper Buddha and gold weighing 14 kg was carted of.

The temples might be gone, but locals still fear and respect the spirits who dwell in the thick forest. Mr Choum Auy has lived at Prei Basack since 1979. He said people who come to visit this temple must abstain from speech so as not to anger the spirits.

" Even I am afraid to lose my way here." he said. "If you get lost , your friends will not be able to help you. Only by lighting five incense sticks and apologisng to the spirits can the spirits can you find the path again."

Mrs Sao Neun , 70 , complained the new generation no longer respect the supernatural forces at Prei Basack. "Untillrecently , people in nearby villages always went to pray and borrow a plate or bowl from the spirits before any celebration." she said. "Now, because people did not give back the plates to the spirits, the spirits aren't as helpful."

Prei Basack spririts must not be underestimated however. They still remain powerful, Neun said. " If a thief steals a cow or buffalo and brings it past Prei Basack they will lose their way." she said. "The owner will find the thief and get his cow back. This protection is why people in this village respect and thank the Prei Basack spirits. Whenever we want success in something, we alway go to pray there."

The spirits also protects vulnerable girls to a girl in Pre Basac." she warned "Anyone who does will be punished by the spirits."

Change is coming to Prei Basack. A new concrete temple has been constructed. Gaudy and crude, the concrete Wat only has kitsch appeal.

"The pitiless French Ruthlessly destroyed our original temple," said Pout "We have no other tourism sites in Svay Rieng besides Prei Basack so, to attract tourists, we built a small temple in 2005."


The surrounding forest is now managed to ensure the beauty of the environment. Towering Deun Chheu Teal trees provide shade while myriad birds chirp from the undergrowth, Few tourists chirp from the undergrowth. Few tourists visit, despite the tranquil setting.

" We used to get a lot of tourists from the local area." said Pout, "Now there aren't so many. Wed never have people from Phnom Penh. I think very few know about about this place."

The dearth of visitors has not put Pout off.

" We have more plans for the future." he said. " We will build toilets, bathrooms, rocking chars, hammocks, small cottages, and even a zoo."

Pride is a motivating factor for Pout.

"It's not just about money, " he said, "We want Prei Basack to get the recognition it deserves."

The Jungle House

Beneath the remains of a ruined house in the middle of the forest there is a silend underground house with the loud, sweet sound of bats as well as the sound of a water fall. The house, now in ruins, is that of the Cambodian Democratic leader, Ta Mok, Brother No. 1.

Hidden in the middle of the forest, with an ever green view is a tow of houses of Pol Pot Regime leaders such as: Eang Sary. Keiv Samporn, Sin Sein, Ta Mok, and Noun Chea and it is located at Cheung Phnom village. Tropang Prey commune, Along Veng District, Odormean Chey province.

We travel just 20km from Anlong Veng town to climb the mountain towards the Cambodia-Thai border and then we follow a path with a mine-warning sign which reads: " Please follow the villagers' path to avoid danger from mines."

At down, with fog all around in the woods, we can hardly see each other and there are some inspectors in the center of the path to protect visitors'sfety and to guide visitors to the zone. These inspectors are veterans of the Khmer Rouge and are very familiar with this place.

A dark, curly-haired man with blue T-shirt and ragged sharts. Mr. Gnagn, an ex-soldier of Pol Pot's leadin army who had served since he was 12 and used to a close person to Ta Mok said, "The tourists always visit here, Most of them want to visit Ta Mok's house at Kbal Tonsung and want to see the dark underground chamber and swimming place."

He stated that in the past, Ta Mok's underground house was a meeting hall for high leaders and was also a safe place for money. Above, was a relaxing place for Pol Pot in the evenings. In the Ta Mok era, this house was his own and it was very beautiful and luxurious with two rooms beneath. "Nowadays, the house is in ruins as the villagers, devastated the property after the Pol Pot's regime collapsed. When we turn right, we see a very huge basin with an undrground exit from Pol Pot's house. This veteran added, at the right is the swimming place of Ta Mok and his Chinese friends who occasionally visited him. Nearby there is a cottage which we can enter from Pol Pot's underground rooms by traveling about 100m and then we can go straight by the water fall path which was an escape route.

Dang Rek Mountain is a boundary junction between Cambodia and Thailand. At that time, Pol Pot's solders could freely enter and exit Thailand. Mr. Gnogn further added that inside Ta Mok's house there were planted some mango trees. The mango trees with a hole were the piace where he kept his wealth. "I did not know what was inside those holes; I just saw only two empty cases."added Mr. Gnogn.

We see a large field and there are a lot of stables and our guide told us that Ta Mok had hundreds of cattle which he gave away to families. To those who did not get cows he offered 5.000 Bhatt [ Thai currency] to run a business.

Mr. Gnagn added that even in the daytime here there are a lot of mosquitoes so the tourists have
to protect themselves from these insects which can cause dengue fever or malaria; they have to be careful about mines as well." Even I buried some of those mines; I forgot where I placed them. Now this is a tourism place where nearly 100% of all mines have been cleared by the Hello Trust Organization.

Only the damaged remains of this house where, the leader died on 15 April, 1998, still stand.

The head of the Tourism Ministry of Anlong Veng. Mr. Seang Sok Eang said, there are 15 places of the leaders of Democratic Cambodia which will be renovated into an historical tourism site for both foreign and local tourists to visit, more over, we want to show the younger generation what Pol Pot did in here in the past.

He added, we will protect this original area. like Ta Mok's House. which will be reconstructed in the original style. It is the last killing field of the Khmer Rouge regime and we also want to keep it so the younger generations of their parents and relatives.

Mr. Sok Ean said there were many significant places here such as the mine producing factory, on the Kbal Tonsoung Mountain, on the Pi Roy Mountain, Ta Mok's equipments, the clothes at Cheung Phnom village, Sre Kumroo [ The sample rice field]. the funeral place of Pol Pot. Ta Mok's grave, Teuk Chhum [ the junction of water]. the central household, [the house which was built on as stream], Sor Sor Yak house [ the giant pillar house]. Ta Mok's hospital, and Ta Mok School.
He added that the reason why the Pol Pot leaders built the houses on the Kbal Phnom Tonsoung was because they could easily and safety escape when the government's armies fought these place.

The property at Kbal Tonsoung strtched for 40 hectares, he added and that's why tourists want to visit at Anlong Veng because it is so unusual compared with other places and they want to seee how the Khmer Rouge's leaders live They are particularly surprised by seeing the big houses of Khmer Rouge leaders and how they lived nearby each other and in good style to protect themselves when they were at risk.

Mrs. Soka, a visitor from Phnom Penh said, "I am rally surprised. When I see Ta Mok's house as well as Pol Pot's. because they could find a safe place with a very good view; even the Kbal Tonsoung water fall. Where else to compares with that.

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