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Region: Western Cambodia> Province: Oddar Meanchey>Location: Anlong Veng

Anlong Veng sights and attractions

Pol Pot's Grave - An unusual attraction

Walking distance from the border

Description
For an organisation famed for its secrecy, one shouldn't be surprised that the exact circumstances behind Pol Pot's detah remain murky. Depending on who you talk to, he was murdered by his erstwhile comrades, poisoned by the Thai military, suffocated due to illness or died in his sleep -- just to name some of the better known theories.

What is known is that once he died in April 1998, his body was cremated on a pile of old car tires bringing to a close the life of one of history's worst genocidal maniacs -- unpunished.

The grave is a simple affair, though take a close look and you'll see the metal wire that would have been part of the tires. There is also a small shrine here recently added by a Thai businessman, who, upon paying homage to Pol Pot, dreampt the correct lottery results and won a mozza. Note the small statues of Pol Pot and his wife inside the shrine.

Towards the rear of the enclosure there is a pile of smashed porcelain - Pol Pot's toilet apparently.

Overall, it is one of the more bizarre attractions in Cambodia, odd yet telling that the grave has not been vandalised in any way whatsoever.

Ta Mok's House - Fantastic view

Around 3km from border

Description
From the border crossing, a dirt road runs along the escarpment, with the first stop being the remains of Son Sen and Ta Mok's houses.

Ta Mok (also known as the Butcher) was known for many things, brutality amongst them, but looking at his house, architecture was not his strongpoint. Located right by the edge of the escarpment, the views are simply spectacular, but the house -- a greying concrete cinderblock with wire-mesh windows and graffitied interiors is anything but.

Before you reach Ta Mok's, you'll pass the remains of Son Sen's shack. Son Sen, once Pol Pot's closest advisor was murdered along with eleven members of his family on Pol Pot's orders. After they were dead, he had the bodies run over by a pick-up out the front of Son Sen's house. Very little remains of Son Sen's house, though the driveway is still there.

Beside Ta Mok's house there is a small guesthouse with some very well appointed salas kitted out with hammocks. Simple bungalows are $5 a night.

Pol Pot's House - Creepy cellar

Around 8km from border crossing

Description
Pol Pot's House, as with Ta Mok's is set near the edge of the escarpment. Although Ta Mok's house has the better view, it is still worth perservering out to visit this house.

Pol Pot's house has been substantially damaged, though there remains a cellar/bunker that you could crawl into if you are suitable disturbed, and along the ridge there in an empty dam that Pol Pot had constructed.

The house is within substantial grounds and there are a number of other minor points of interest including Khieu Samphan's office and a number of guard's offices. There are also more lakes filled with dead trees, just adding to the overall eerie feeling of the whole place.

The surrounding area remains heavily mined. Do NOT under any circumstances stray from the cleared paths.