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NORTHEAST CAMBODIA TO LAOS
Ratanak Kiri |
Strung treng | Preah
Viheah
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Bordering Vietnam’s central Highlands and Laos are the remote provinces of Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, both with thickly forested hilly terrain,
hilltribe people, and abundant wildlife. Commercial enterprises in
the region include logging gem mining and rubber plantations. A
fertile basalt plateau with red dusty soil lies between the Sesan
and Srepok rivers. The provincial capital of Sen Monorom is the best
reached from Vietnam ; Ratanakiri is accessible by air from Phnom
Penh. Over 80% of Ratanakiri’s population of 72,000 is classified
as hilltribe, mainly Jarai, Krunh, Brou, and Tampuan. The 12 ethnic
minority group are collectively called Khmer Loeu (highlanders), a
name coined by Sihanouk in the 1940s. Some of the groups are found
across the border of Vietnam’s Central highlands or in Southern
Laos. Many also
still wear traditional costume - Krung women in sarongs and
bare-breasted, Brou women with tattooed faces and ivory tusk
earrings in their elongated earlobes.
Less than 60,000 hilltribes
people now remain and their numbers are further threatened by a high
mortality rate from malaria, diarrhea and childbirth complications.
Their lives and livelihoods are now also threatened by the
encroachment of logging into their territory. So, although it would
appear that these hilltribe communities have little contact with the
outside world, it is likely that they wished the outside world was a
lot further away.
The recent history of Ratanakiri is not a happy one. During the
Vietnam War the province of Ratanakiri was devastated by American
carpet booming because it formed part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail,
which continued to run
relatively undisturbed by the wanton destruction.
However, the bombing not
only killed and injured many tribes-people, it also drove away the
animals they hunted and destroyed their farmlands.
The
Khmer Rouge used Ratanakiri as their main base of operations in the
early 1970s; when they came to power in 1975, the Khmer Rouge wiped
out at least half the tribal population. Most highlanders in
Ratanakiri are animist and practice slash-burn agriculture. They
farm rice and grow vegetable, and raise water buffalo and cows. They
also hunt, using crossbows with poison-tipped bamboo arrows.
Sacrifice to the numerous animal spirits of the forest is common,
and regularly performed for any special events such as marriage, the
construction of a new thatch-roofed hut, or a move to a new village
location. At these events a feast is held, a pig sacrificed and
large quantities of rice wine consumed. At these gatherings the
spirits believed to take a possession of certain individuals, who in
a trance lose their own personality and take on that of the spirit,
acting out a particular animist trait. Pries tesses regarded as the
spiritual healers contact ancestral spirits and relay dreams.
Highland women enjoy as much freedom as men. They are free to
divorce a husband who is cruel, and decisions on childbirth are the
exclusive domain of women. If an unmarriageable women finds herself
pregnant, she is not disgraced the man responsible, if not willing
to marry, must reimburse the woman’s family. The going rate is four
buffaloes, some pigs, a few chickens and rice wine.
Although some hilltribers don Khmer dress, others retain traditional
wear. Krung tribeswomen wear sarongs, go bare breasted, and
smoke-stemmed pipes. Brou tribeswomen have large pierced earlobes
and wearing earrings sculpted from chunky ivory tusks. Their faces
are tattooed and they wear bead necklaces and brass anklets.
Ban Lung, population 10,000, is
the principal town in Ratanakiri province, and lies 155 km east of
Stung Treng. There may be direct flights into Bang Lung. The hotel
in Bang Lung charges $5 a room; the town has a post office and bank.
You can get to Bang Lung in five or seven hours, but the road may be
washed out in the May - November monsoon season. In parts of
Ratanakiri, the only vehicles that move during the rainy season are
oxcarts and elephants.
TOURIST
ATTRACTIONS
Yeak Loam Lake
Yeak Loam Lake is situated 5 km.
south - east of Banlung. The Yeak Loam lake (volcanic crater) is the
most beautiful lake of Ratanakiri formed by a volcanic eruption
almost 4,000 years ago with 50 m. deep, 800 m. diameter and a
walking path around the lake of 2,500 m. Two hundred meters of the
track is a quaint wooden building housing tribal handicraft, the
Crafts Museum.
Eisey Patamak
Mountain
At the top of Phnom Svay is the
statue of a reclining Buddha, situated 2.5 km. Awesome and peaceful,
it has lain undisturbed throughout the years. Cast your eye outwards
to glimpse Laos in the north and Vietnam in the east, and enjoy the
spellbinding serenity of the surrounding countryside.
Kachang
Waterfall
Kachang Waterfall is situated
6km. north - west of Banlung. This Waterfall is located in the
Kontung stream and flows into the Sre Pok River. The height of it is
12 m. and the water flows and falls throughout the year. A beautiful
or magnificent landscape and huge amounts of fresh mist surround the
waterfall. The visitors can take a bath and sit to look at the
waterfall and other natural scenic beauties. or the visitors can
also go around to view other natural sights on foot or take an
elephants ride.
Katieng
Waterfall
Katieng Waterfall is situated 7
km. north - west of Banlung. It is also located in the Koutung
Stream, below the Kachang Waterfall, 3 km. The height of it is 10m.
and the water flows and falls throughout the year. The visitors can
see a beautiful natural landscape and take a break to take pictures
of the birds and then continue to the waterfall.
Ou'Sean Lair
Waterfall
Ou'Sean Lair Waterfall is
situated 26 km, South of Banlung. This Waterfall has 4 floors and
the height of each floor is 4 m. The water flows throughout the
year. Around the Waterfall are beautiful natural landscapes and the
visitors can go take a bath if they wish.
Ou'Sensranoh
Waterfall
Ou'Sensranoh Waterfall is
situated 9 km. south of Banlung. The height of it is 18m. and the
water flows and falls all the time. The visitors can go there rest
and enjoy the fresh air, or to se the forest and listen to the birds
' cries.
Cha Ung
Waterfall
Cha Ung Waterfall is situated 8
km. west of Banlung and it flows throughout the year. The source of
water creating this Waterfall flowed from Eisey Patamak Mountain (
Svay Mountain ) . Below this Waterfall is a big hole, visitors can
stand or sit to watch the waterfall from behind, and inhale he cool
fresh air stemming from it .
Veal Rum Plang
( stone field)
Veal rum Plan (stone
field ) is situated 14 km. North of Banlung. Stones cover the
surface of this place and a dense around it. The visitors can go
there and discover its beautiful attraction
Virachay
National Park
Virachay National Park is
situated 45 km. north of Banlung. With a total land area of 332,500
ha. It has varieties of plants and trees in the forest and many
different kinds of animals and birds.
Lumphat
Wildlife Sanctuary
Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary is
situated 37km. south of Banlung. With a total land area of 250,000
ha. there are special kinds of animals and birds like tigers,
elephants, red-headed vultures.
Ou' Chaloy
Ou'Chaloy is located in the Sre
Pok river It is situated 34km. south - west of Banlung. The tourist
recreation in Ou'Chaloy is only during the dry season.
Norng Kabat
Forest
Norng Kabat Forest is situated
23 km. north of Banlung. This place has a pond. the visitors can go
there to see the animals and birds which comes to at the pond
.Beside this the tourists can go visit the ethnic villages, ethnic
culture (tradition belief, festival, dancing, music),
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