One Small Town to another- Koh Ker – Kampong Thom – Kampong Cham

There was a period in Cambodia I felt like a zombie. Hit the road riding a few hundred Kilometer then go temple ruin hunting, find food, find a place to stay and repeat everything again the next day. Seeing too many awe inspiring temple in Cambodia can dull the senses and that was what partially happen to me.

From Preah Vihear I went to Koh Ker which was really a very small town? No maybe a street would be more correct but luckily there was a guesthouse. Koh Ker for one night which was 12 USD so I had to run quick. Once checked in and rested a bit by 3pm I started riding into the temples.

I starting to feel that Siem Reap Angkor Historical Park entry fee is cheap. USD 37 per day but so many temples to see whereby out in the countryside it is USD10 per entry and usually it equals to a single small to medium size temple in Angkor Historical Park.

Also the temples outskirt are usually not as intricate or grand. Of course the size can be quite large and unique but reality is, Kor Ker was just a seven tiered pyramid. The temple is unique and one of a kind in Cambodia but the long distance journey getting there to see stones stacked on stoned. For a moment it can be a bit bored after so many intricate temples ruins exploration in Cambodia 

Koh Ker Temple in Cambodia 

View from the Top of Koh Ker 7 Tiered Pyramid Temple

One interesting observation was the locals travelling all around their own country sightseeing, picnics around the temples and just enjoying the holidays. In a way it was good since the locals do not have to pay entry fee. I doubt they will come if they had to pay USD 10 per person.

From Koh Ker I ride to Kampong Thom. Half the time my mind seam to be drifting and daydreaming while riding cruising at 70km/hr. I seam to be able to do that now. Auto pilot ... I know its not good but somehow the landscape is just not that fascinating and my mind keep wandering of to never-land of possibilities of this travel.

So by Kampong Thom I was a little bit in a zen state. Zen mode, I went to see Prasat Sambur Prei Kuk and Phanom Suntok.

Prasat Sambur Prei Kuk was large in land coverage area and I had to use Bluey to navigate the path to go see one main temple to another. I don't know if it was thinking more about seeing the temples or just going around for the sake of seeing just because I paid USD 10 for the ticket. 

Most time I see another mound that look a bit like the rest, nothing that makes these ruins distinctively apart other than the large size and numbers makes it a grand place for tourism. 

Prasat Sambur Prei Kuk

Prasat Sambur Prei Kuk

Prasat Sambur Prei Kuk

The other half the time in zen mode means I was also playing pokemon on phone while seeing the temples. There are a lot of gyms & pokestop at tourist attraction place that rarely see another player.

Phanom Suntok was more fun having to ride uphill again with Bluey and the temple was a live one so worshipers were around but the carvings and statute were not of the ordinary. It was unique and ugly as well but still interesting for an hour of visiting. This temple was also free since its not part of a ruins so no USD 10 entrance fee. 

Ugly Statue Everywhere at Phanom Suntuk

Phanom Suntuk

Continue on the ride to Kampong Cham and halfway I met the mighty Mekong river for the first time. Visited one minor temple near the city called Nokor Bachey Pagoda which wikitravel said sometimes in the evening at 5pm there are students practicing the Aspara dance just to get used to being watch by the tourist before becoming a big performer. No luck on my part so no free authentic entertainment at the temple however it was still one interesting temple to explore.

Nokor Bachey Pagoda Temple

Nokor Bachey Pagoda Temple

I spend most time in Kampong Cham just walking to the river and the markets. There is something about the Mekong river that just draws me towards it, in all my travels around through Cambodia, Laos and Thailand I could never resist a ride along the Mekong. 

Bluey & the Mighty Mekong

Traveled on: Nov 2018