PHNOM SAMBOK RESORT

Is a sleepy Mekong River town situated on the east bank of the mighty river? It’s very picturesque with sandbars and big islands out front and bends in the river. Unlike in many towns around Cambodia, the war years were fairly kind to the French architecture and the roads, at least in the town itself. There are some nice-looking homes of French and Khmer style scattered about, adding to the pleasant feel of the place.

The rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins make their home in the Mekong River, just north of Kratie. With only around fifteen to twenty remaining, they are worth a visit. Whether you are just on a trip seeing the river towns along the Mekong or taking a full circuit trip around the east and northeast, Kratie is a nice place to spend a night or two.

Is the natural and historical resort, locates at Thmor Kre Commune, Kratie District in 11 – Km distance from the provincial town by the National Road No 7, then turning more 500 Meters to the mountain. Phnom Sam Bok is the cultural and main tourist resort of Kratie province. The resort has good location and assured safety for tourists to visit. Phnom Sam Bok has been arranged as the tourist resort since the Sang Kum Reas Ni Yum time. The special features of Phnom Sam Bok are:

- Closed to the western mountain foot, there is a big pond full of Clearwater and natural plants. The mountain has two peak, adull peak and a pointed peak. On the mountain top, we can view the beautiful scene especially the Mekong River.
- The mountain rich in big trees and birds.
- There is a concrete stair stretching from the mountain foot of Sam Bok very rich in gold. The local people there called the place at the mountain.

The legend said that one upon the time, there was a king named Cha Krey Sara Varman a son of Preah Bat Hathak Athi Reach Varman. After he was on throne instead of his father, he informed officials and high officials to find where having gold mine. The local people there called the place ‘Kan Leng Sam Bo Meas’ means ‘a place very rich in gold’. Long time after that, the word changed to ‘Phnom Sambok Meas’. Then only ‘Phnom Sam Bor’ until now.

The background of Phnom Sam Bok: At the beginning of the 15th century, there was a monk named Neak Voan, the student who has the same teacher to the monk, Neak Sen. Neak Sen is the teacher of crocodile, Nen Thun and he does neditation on the mountaintop of Sam Bok. The monk, Neak Voan has very strong ritual formulas and he is well known to the near and far local people. The local people accompany each other to learn ritual formulas from Neak Voan. Since that, Phnom Sam Bok becomes the worshipping place until now.