Kompong Chhang province
For travellers heading up to Siem Reap by boat, the bucolic province of Kompong Chhnang, just two hours by bus to the northwest of Phnom Penh, may be their first glimpse of the Cambodian country side.
Crossed by three major transportation routes: the Tonlesap River as it winds up to the Tonlesap Lake and finally connects to Siem Reap, the slow and infrequent railway line to Battambang, and of course the well-paved main Highway Number 5 which most tourists use to make a hurried trip to points northwest.
It would be a shame to only glimpse this region from the highway -- the boat and the train offer better, more leisurely views -- but for those with time in their schedule, an over-night stop here is a good way to make the best of getting from point A to point B. Especially after a long stay in Phnom Penh, they're sure to find Kompong Chhnang a welcome breath of fresh air.
Many of the Cambodians you meet hustling on the streets of Phnom Penh came from regions like this, but those that have stayed 'down on the farm' are mostly doing an honest day's work outside the tourist industry, and they welcome western tourists as a guests rather than walking ATMs. Fittingly, the provincial capital doesn't have any ATMs at all -- even the mechanical kind.
The word 'Chhnang' refers to the clay pots the region is known for producing -- in itself, a bit of a yawn unless you're really enthusiastic about earthenware. But the real reason (and probably the only practical reason) to stop over is to visit the provincial capital, also called Kompong Chhnang, sitting on the banks of a beautiful watershed, which provides the province with much of its abundant year round fishing and agriculture, and hosts a huge community of 'river-dwellers' who live, work and conduct commerce on floating houses without any pressing need to set foot on dry land. Across the river, a half-day tour of the countryside, under the pretext of taking a look at some crumbling old temples from the 7th and 8th centuries, makes for a laid back and very un-touristy tour.
