Banteay Meanchey Province

Banteay Meanchey is located in the far north-west of Cambodia, on the border of Cambodia and Thailand. There are three neighboring provinces, including Oddar Meancheay and Siem Reap to the East, and Battambang to the south. The Banteay Meanchey province itself has had an interesting history. It was originally part of the massive Khmer empire until the 17th century, when Siam conquered Cambodia. From then until 1907, Siam combined the entire province with its neighbor, and they were both known as the Sisophon province. Another change then occurred in 1907, when control of the area was handed over to the French colonists, and it was then included as part of the Battambang province. Finally in 1988, Banteay Meanchey was separated from Battambang, and was lucky enough to be given its own name and districts.

The climate in Banteay Meanchey is particularly interesting. The area experiences a significant amount of rainfall per annual, generally above 800mm each year, making it a tropical area, with plenty of rain forests and wildlife thriving in the variable environment. Contrasting the rain, an average temperature of about 31 degrees Celsius provides for particularly humid, sticky atmospheric conditions. The humidity is most noticeably felt by tourists to the region, who come from countries where sun equals hot temperatures, and rain equals cold temperatures. For this reason, visitors may be wise to plan their trips with regard to the current season. November to February is an ideal time to travel, as this is the cool season, and hence travelers will be less impacted by any potential climatic differences.

As is typical throughout Cambodian provinces, Banteay Meanchey has an economy based almost solely around horticulture, agriculture, and marine activities. Statistics from Tourism Cambodia indicate that over 90% of the area’s GDP is generated through farming related products and services, with a further 6% – 7% being based on fishing and trading. This may seem unusual given that the province is land locked from all sides, however the rivers and lakes throughout the region provide ample supply of produce to the locals who live there. As is standard in most of Cambodia, the generally accepted currency is the Cambodian Rial, but the United States Dollar is also holding an increasingly influential position as the currency of choice for some vendors.

Approximately 5 percent of all Cambodian resident live in the Banteay Meanchey province. This represents a comparably small proportion of people to other provinces, at approximately 800,000 people. Despite this however, infrastructure in area is somewhat developed, mainly due to its neighboring partner Thailand. Roads run in and out of the area, but for this option you will require either your own vehicle, or a shared taxi. A train service is operated from the neighboring province of Battambang, taking over 30 hours per trip. Given the unreliability of the Cambodian transport infrastructure and services, this is not the recommended route of travel.

Once you have made your way in to the region, a number of activities are available to tourists. These are generally attractions taking advantage of the local skills and disciplines. Handcrafting and weaving, which are both popular in the region, can be seen in progress along with a number of tourist shops selling the handmade goods after they have undergone the production process. Tourists are advised to check their country’s regulations on bringing foreign wood products back in to their country from Cambodia, as the woods used in these practices can sometimes be considered a biological risk.

Attractive Places in Banteay Meanchey Province

Banteay Chhmar

Banteay Chhmar temple: built between 12th and 13th centuries and currently becomes the main tourist attractive place.

Banteay Torp (Banteay means Base, Torp means Army): used to be the biggest army base and currently becomes the historical war site which attract many tourist too.

La Ang Phnom Touch: natural and cultural resort site- many constructed buildings copying from ncient style for both local and international tourists.

Phnom Bak and Phnom Chen Chung: natural and cultural resort site

Banteay Neang: historical sites and colonial buildings