Family Camping Adventure to Preah Khan Kampong Svay Archaeological Complex
As a treat to the team who have supported all those events and trips that SAM INSPIRE has managed successfully. A Family Camping Adventure to Preah Khan Kampong Svay Archaeological Complex located in Preah Vihear province was made hosted to all these event support team and their friends and family.
Family Camping Adventure to Preah Khan Kampong Svay Archaeological Complex is a two day one night learning, exploring, familiarizing and fun trip fully paid and managed by SAM INSPIRE. In addition to Preah Khan Pong Svay or Bakan temple itself, the trip also covers several other historical and cultural site such as Spean Kompong Kdei ancient bridge in Siem Reap and Sambo Prei Kuk archaeological complex in Kompong Thom.
This guided grand family trip started from a meeting point at Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort, national road 6. We all of 40 plus including adults and kids boarded the bus and headed off Eat to explore the first planned spot which is Spean Kompong Kdei ancient bridge. Since the trip was joint by a few professional national tour-guide, we got to get a resourceful introduction of the trip and what to expect.
Upon arrival at Kompong Kdei ancient bridge, Mr. Nhoem Sidet, our tour guide made a site introduction and showing us all the details. Here is a full video of his sharing in local Khmer language.
After the visit and taking pictures around, we continue our bus trip toward Kompong Thom province. Again, on the way we have a lot of fun, and knowledge sharing as well as local music instruments played by our music talent, Mr. Byy Meam and his mates.
We stopped for lunch at SamRos Prey Pros restaurant in Kompong Thom. The lunch served as family set menu deliciously.
After having our proper lunch, we continued our trip toward the temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, the archaeological site of ancient Ishanapura which is a UNESCO listed site on 8th July 2017. The archaeological site of Sambor Prei Kuk, “the temple in the richness of the forest” in the Khmer language, has been identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the Chenla Empire that flourished in the late 6th and early 7th centuries AD. The property comprises more than a hundred temples, ten of which are octagonal, unique specimens of their genre in South-East Asia. Decorated sandstone elements in the site are characteristic of the pre-Angkor decorative idiom, known as the Sambor Prei Kuk Style. Some of these elements, including lintels, pediments and colonnades, are true masterpieces. The art and architecture developed here became models for other parts of the region and lay the ground for the unique Khmer style of the Angkor period.
He we started exploring the complex from the Northern group of temples of Chrey temple, through to the central part of the Lion temple and ended at Yeay Poan temples at the Southern part.
After having a complete visit of this Kompong Thom provincial archaeological complex. We headed North on national road 62 to Preah Vihea province where our final destination of Preah Khan Kompong Svay temple group located.
It took us almost 2 hours to reach Ta Saeng village. Due to the road construction, our 45-seaters bus got broken and stuck. This given situation, in order to arrive at our camping place in front of Bakan temple, we have to switch from bus drive to Koyoan drive (local trucks) instead.
Here is a video that we had fun during the bus got stuck. This is one of a local customs that people play music to pray for something.
Once we have released our bus, we left the bus in the village and took Koyoan to our camping site safely.
At our camping, we had a full body roasted cow for our evening food and party. Security personnel and some village people were invited to the evening. Some of us, party all over the night, even in the rain. Local traditional music instruments including Tro (String music device), Sko Dai (hand drum) and more were played for dance and sing.
Though, we had a big evening, we all woke up early and had our coffee little breakfast. After that we start exploring the main Preah Khan Kompong Svay temple of Bakan temple. The tour was conducted by Mr. Nhoem Sidet, our local Khmer and English speaking professional tour-guide.
Bakan temple is amazing. It is like a centralized masterpiece of Angkor architectures and arts are all there. What is sad and shocked about this Preah Khan Kompong Svay temples is the severe ruining and devastating of the temple structures and carvings. All these destructions are not mainly caused by wars, or nature, but by LOOTING of the sculptures and sold those overseas.
We all were impressed by this hidden gens and also super saddened by those losses. We continued to explore other smaller temple such as Prasat Preah Stoeng / Ta Prohm temple, Prast Chaktokmouk, a four-face statue, and Prasat Mebon, a four-Garuda temple located in a large Baray meaning ancient Water Reservoir. And we ended our temple visit at Prasat Domrei temple, which is a small temple on a hill at a Bank of the Baray.
We continue our trip by the local trucks to reach our awaited A/C bus in the village. We loaded our stuff in the bus compartments and head off to the next destination. From here, in the bus was super peaceful, everyone was so tired, so all took a deep nap.
Due to most of everyone had already visited Koh Ker temple complex, everyone agreed that we skip this tours even it was on our way and one of our planned sites to see.
Our driver took a shorter way via Stoung market. We did not much today, we just enjoy the music and drink on board of the bus. Before reaching Stoung, we stopped for lunch on the way at a simple place.
The trip finished safe and sound at our starting point at Courtyard hotel in Siem Reap. We bid goodbye to each other and everyone start posting videos, photos in both of the private group chat and on their social media account.
Looking to do similar trip itinerary like us, we strongly recommend to follow our experience but best to have a smaller vehicle and group size.
If you would like to seek for some assistance of this two day one night camping adventure to Preah Khan Kompong Svay trip planning, we are more than happy to support.
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