#Cambodia - Authorities pump water into Angkor Wat complex

A current hot spell has led to the Angkor waterways drying up.

The Apsara Authority is pumping water into the moat and ponds at Angkor Wat during the current dry spell.

Apsara spokesman Long Kosal yesterday said that Cambodia is being affected by the El Nino phenomenon which is causing extremely hot weather leading to severe water loss due to evaporation. He said this has seriously impacted water management in the Angkor area.

“Groundwater and surface water is very important to maintain the beauty and environment in the Angkor area, especially Angkor Wat temple,” he said. “So to maintain the right level of water in the moat and ponds around Angkor Wat temple requires proper water management.

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Mr Kosal said the authority is pumping water into the southern pond at Angkor Wat to maintain its water level and will do so for the northern pond after current archaeological work in it are complete.

“We are pumping water from Siem Reap river which is the only major source of supply for the Angkor area,” he added.

Phoeun Sokhim, deputy director of the Department of Water Management at the Apsara Authority, yesterday said that the moat surrounding Angkor Wat is losing more than 10,000 cubic meters per day due to evaporation and into the ground.

“Although the water evaporation is high, it does not affect the level of water in the Angkor Wat moat, because the moat contains more than one million cubic meters of water which is maintained through regular pumping,” he said.

Mr Sokhim noted that the Apsara Authority has also restored an ancient waterway system to help water flow from the Angkor Thom moat to maintain the water level in Angkor Wat moat.

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He added that Apsara Authority is also regularly cooperating with the Siem Reap Water Supply Authority to manage the amount of underground water being pumped to address shortage in the area.

Mr Sokhim said any excessive pumping of underground water can impact the soil which poses a risk to conservation of temples in the Angkor area.

Kol Putra, a tourist guide at the Angkor area, yesterday said he supports the Apsara Authority’s actions to maintain the water balance in the Angkor Wat moat.

Mr Sokhim noted that the Apsara Authority has also restored an ancient waterway system to help water flow from the Angkor Thom moat to maintain the water level in Angkor Wat moat.

Source - Khmer Times

#Cambodia - Exploring wetland along upper Mekong River in Stung Treng

Trees with aerial roots exposed over the water, white sand islets dotted across limpid water, Irrawaddy dolphin pools and critically endangered fish breeding pools among braided channels and flooded forests; these are just some of the attractions drawing tourists from around the world to the upper Mekong River during dry season.

North of Stung Treng province’s Stung Treng town is a wetland area of 14,600ha extending nearly 40km along the Mekong river straddling the Cambodia and Laos border.

It is designated under the Ramsar Convention – an international treaty working for the conservation of wetlands – as a Wetland of National and International Significance.

Every monsoon season whole forests are submerged under water, before re-emerging when the rains pass and the swollen Mekong river returns to the confines of its banks.

“The flooded forests are rich with natural resources and ecology, especially huge fish holes and endangered birds. The Ministry of Environment works hard to protect the Mekong wetland,” says Un Porsoeun, Stung Treng provincial tourism department director.

He says that with the area’s abundant natural resources, there is a big market for eco and adventure tourism on the Mekong river to experience limestone rocks, water rapids, endangered birds and flooded forests with aerial root trees.

During dry season, when the majority of the water subsides, white beach islets surrounded by pristine water protrude from parts of the river bed, creating perfect spots for camping. 

Camping on the river’s beach is a popular activity for both local and international tourists.

 “In some areas, communities build huts on the river’s beach. 

In fact, Koh Han Community Based Ecotourism [a tour group operating in the area] built many huts for tourists. In this area, there are flooded forests and rare birds,” says Porsoeun, adding that he only works with “operators who help promote and raise awareness of tourism connected with nature”.

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In the area there are many nature focused attractions, including the Mekong Bird Resort, Koh Khe, Koh Han and Koh Langor – a group of islands – and Thala Barivat district’s Anlung Chheuteal, an area in which the Irrawaddy dolphin lives close to Cambodia and Laos border.

“This Mekong river trip is my favourite. And though it’s a bit of a challenge as I can’t swim, I love seeing Irrawaddy dolphins, visiting flooded forests, as well as camping and bathing in the river,” says 24-year-old Heang Hana, a furniture vendor who visited the area with a tour company.

The area’s most unique attraction, however, remains its Romchek trees, that sit gnarled and twisted in the direction of the Monsoon water flow.

“We are unique from other areas as we have Romchek trees that visitors want to see with their aerial roots,” Porsoeun says. ''

Upper Koh Khe and lower Koh Khe are located 30km from Stung Treng town. Due to water levels, the former is only open to the public between October and May and the latter between January and May. 

Source - PhnomPenhPost

15 lakes across #Indonesia in critical condition

Indonesia - Lake Toba, in North Sumatra 

Fifteen lakes in Indonesia are in critical condition, according to a government official.

National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) head Bambang Brodjonegoro said that currently lakes were facing issues concerning water volume and quality, which had decreased significantly as a result of environmental degradation, often caused by human activities such as pollution, logging and illegal fishing. Bambang sees polluting or dumping garbage into lakes as a dangerous habit that can worsen the condition of lakes.

“When [people] see water, whether a river or a lake, they see it as a garbage bin, not as something to protect,” Bambang said during a meeting at the Environment and Forestry Ministry in Jakarta on Tuesday as quoted by tempo.co.

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Among the 15 lakes in critical condition as noted by Bappenas are Lake Rawa Pening in Central Java, Lake Rawa in Banten, Lake Batur in Bali, Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Lake Kerinci in Jambi, Lake Maninjau and Lake Singkarak in West Sumatra, Lake Poso in Central Sulawesi, Lake Cascade Mahakam-Semayang, Lake Melintang and Lake Tondano in North Sulawesi, Lake Tempe and Lake Matano in South Sulawesi, Lake Lomboto in Gorontalo, Lake Sentarum in West Kalimantan, Lake Jempang in East Kalimantan and Lake Sentani in Papua.

Source - TheNation

Vietnam - Ha Giang draws tourists and travellers

A view of impressive terraced rice fields in Vietnam’s northernmost province of Ha Giang

THE breathtaking landscape created by imposing karst mountains and impressive terraced rice fields, together with the unique ethnic culture of the local Hmong people, has turned Vietnam’s Ha Giang province into a magnet for tourists and travelers.

The country’s northernmost province is home to the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark – the first Global Unesco Geopark in Vietnam.

In 2016, the province released a resolution on policies to promote tourism development. These policies support individuals and enterprises who invest into hotels, resorts, restaurants, community tourism and cave tourism.

At present, there are 20 tourist companies with representative offices in the province. In addition, more than 200 restaurants, 618 hotels with nearly 6,000 rooms, and 37 cultural villages offering community tourism have contributed significantly to provincial tourism development. 
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 Last year, among the 1,150,000 tourists to visit Ha Giang, 250,000 were foreigners. Total revenue from tourism reached more than $43 million. 

This has helped Ha Giang stamp itself on the country’s tourism map. It is one of 24 national key tourism spots and has been selected by the international press as one of the most interesting destinations in Vietnam. 

However, receiving an increasing number of tourists each year, there are many remaining matters that could harm further tourism development. 

While a limited traffic network at some places are inaccessible, poor tourism infrastructure is sometimes unable to satisfy tourists’ demands. Viet Nam News/Asia News Network

Source - PhnomPhenPost 
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Indonesia - Seven fun things to do in Munduk, Bali

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan temple in Bali

Bali has long been one of the world’s dreamiest travel destinations, romanticized as a place where the beaches are pristine and life is simple. Yet, visitors to the Island of the Gods are often shocked by the amount of garbage, traffic and congestion that plague much of it.

Bali has become almost synonymous with concerns about overtourism, from the strain on resources to the degradation of local culture to an overwhelming amount of trash. Some even say the responsible thing for travelers to do is to boycott the island.

If you do decide to go to Bali then getting off the beaten track to places such as Munduk can be a great way to combat the problems of overtourism. It will also help distribute the revenue generated from tourism more evenly throughout the island. However, before leaving your home country you may want to research Bali packing lists to get an idea of some travel items that can help keep you safe and make your trip more enjoyable.

Munduk is a fascinating place because it is so different from much of the island. Situated up in the mountains of Bali’s interior, there is no surfing, diving, or nightlife here. Instead, it is a place to bask in the quiet, witness more traditional culture, and enjoy the cooler temperatures. Even though Munduk is small, travelers will find plenty do in town and the surrounding areas.

 Red Coral waterfall in Munduk, Bali


The interior of Bali seems to be filled with waterfalls -- people plan whole trips around seeing as many of them as possible -- and the area around Munduk has several to choose from. The best part? You don’t need a guide or transportation to get there; instead, you can walk straight from your hotel in town to a few different falls. Or string them together for a nice half-day hike that starts and ends in the middle of town.

There’s a lot of confusion about the names of the different waterfalls in the area, which is not helped by the lack of signage. But paths just outside of town connect three falls, and the trail begins right on the main road in Munduk. From there, you can follow Google Maps to get to each waterfall. There are even some tiny coffee shops along the way where you can take a break to sample the famed Munduk coffee. The paths are relatively flat so the hike generally isn’t too strenuous, but be prepared to climb steep steps up and down to the falls. If this DIY hike doesn’t give you your fill of waterfalls, you can reach many others in the area by car or motorbike or on a guided trek.
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Munduk is situated near two twin lakes, Tamblingan and Buyan, the ends of which nearly touch. Rainforest-covered slopes rise straight up from the edges of the water of both lakes, and there are great views to be had from above them. The main road runs up the west side of Lake Tamblingan and then along the north edge of Lake Buyan. It makes for a nice motorbike ride, or you can park and get off to stroll around. There are also several restaurants overlooking the water near where the lakes almost touch, and it’s well worth stopping for a meal or coffee to give yourself more time to enjoy the view.

Lake Tamblingan in Bedugul, Bali

Next to Lake Tamblingan is Tamblingan Nature Recreation Park, where you can organize a canoe ride (they also run guided hikes in the surrounding area). Local women paddle the unique dugout canoes, which are made up of two outriggers attached to each other, so all you have to do is float along and take in your surroundings. The trip takes you past the lake’s forested edges and right by Pura Hulun Danu Tamblingan, a beautiful temple that sits on the water. For such a stunning place, very few tourists seem to come here, so it’s also incredibly tranquil.

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Fine arts department succeeds in halting oil- drilling project to conserve ancient temple complex

THE FINE Arts Department plans to expand Phetchabun’s Si Thep Historical Park and create a buffer zone in order to protect the newly discovered archaeological site in the area. It will also make preparations to register the newly found ruins for World Heritage Site status. 

Anandha Chuchoti, director-general of the Fine Arts Department, said that he has told the regional fine arts office to draft a five-year roadmap to reform the park’s management and extend the conservation area to cover the new archaeological site.

He visited the historical park after learning about ECO Orient Resources (Thailand)’s plan to drill for petroleum just 100 metres from the ancient Khao Klangnok temple complex, which is situated outside the perimeter of the historical park. 

Though the drilling project has been suspended due to opposition from the Fine Arts Department and the public, Anandha said moves to protect the Si Thep Historical Park from heavy industries and mining projects must be stepped up. 

“The Fine Arts Department is totally against any plans to drill within archaeologically important areas, because such activity can have a negative impact on the ancient stupa and other historical sites that have not been discovered yet,” he added. 

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 “This year, the department will also push for the park to be granted a World Heritage Site status by Unesco [UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation], so the park’s conservation and management can be improved,” he said. 

The Khao Klangnok site was unearthed between 2014 and 2017, and archaeologists believe the ancient stupa – constructed with red laterite bricks – was built during the Dvaravati era in the 8th or 9th century. 

The 20-metre high and 4,096-square-metre wide stupa is believed to be the largest temple from the Dvaravati era to be found in Thailand. 

Buffer zone necessary

The archaeologists have also recently discovered that this stupa is part of a much larger temple complex. The 24 small hills around the site were found to be small pagodas and most are situated outside the historical park. 

In order to ensure better management and stricter conservation measures, Anandha insisted that the park’s perimeter be extended and a buffer zone created to protect the core archaeological sites from encroachment and harmful projects. 

“I want to ensure that locals living in the area are not affected by the extension and the buffer zone. 

“The department will conduct public hearings first to ensure public participation and ensure local communities benefit from the conservation efforts,” he said. 

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 “People will be allowed to live and conduct daily activities in the buffer zone and only activities that will have an adverse impact, such as heavy industries and mining, will be prohibited.” 

Meanwhile, ECO Orient Resources’ manager Navin Phantham said his company had complied with public opinion and agreed to stop drilling for petroleum. However, he called on the department to mark out the exclusion zone clearly, |so his company’s operations can carry |on. 
“We want the Fine Arts Department and Mineral Fuels Department to cooperate and clarify where our company can drill for oil. We have a business to run,” he said. 

Navin added that his firm has a valid concession to drill for oil in the area, but since crude oil is not below the surface everywhere, it has to explore first before it can open a new oil well. 

Source - TheNation