#Cambodia - Tractor rides and hiking to reach Oral Mountain’s peak

Though Oral Mountain is the hightest peak in Cambodia, even those without trekking experience won’t find reaching the summit hard. But the real obstacle to the summit is the tricky road journey before, with the use of a tractor almost essential.

Nearby Srae Ken village is home to about 300 Suoy Malou indigenous families. They use tractors as their daily transportation as their village does not have paved roads.

“When tourists reach the villages, we provide a tractor to take them anywhere, whether waterfalls or the peak of Oral Mountain. As you see, the road in the villages is quite hard for vehicles to drive on. Here, aside from bicycles and motorbikes, only tractors can transport materials, people and tourists,” said Theang Soth, one of a handful of local guides from Srae Ken Community, where tourists start their journey to the mountain.

It is 8km from Srae Ken village to a waterfall named Prek Snar at the mountain’s foot – a journey that takes more than two hours for tourists on a tractor driving down an unpaved road.

Soth, 47, a local guide for more than 17 years, told The Post: “One tractor can take seven to eight people, and normally we have one driver and one or two guides to help during the difficult journey. We charge $35 per guide for a day and tractor hire costs $50 per day.

“Some people come to visit a few places and then go back home – most of these people are from around Kampong Speu province. Others stay overnight, trekking from one waterfall to another on the same stream. A one day trek is not enough to explore all the waterfalls.”
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Muth Pech drove his tractor with a large family from Thpong district and carried a speaker on his shoulder playing loud music.

“We came for bathing and lunch together then we are going back home,” he said, as he took the family to Prek Snar waterfall, which has a slope resembling a water slide that plunges into a 1.2m pool.

Soth is also a good chef, and he prepares lunch in the jungle with basic equipment.
“Tourists order food with us, such as two chickens for six people, and we cook them in the forest with condiments, ingredients and rice. Normally we do chicken sour soup and grilled chicken that is enough for several people,” he said.

Soth takes his guests on a more than two-hour walk after they get off the tractor.

“From the lower stream, we visit Smounh cave where we have installed beds to relax. We also visit Bak Kanhchherl, Steung Kroul and Korki creeks, which all have cascades. If people want to see all the waterfalls, spending just one day is not enough,” he said. 
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For benefit of the whole Srae Ken Community, authorities and locals are working to build a pebble trail that will make access easier.

“We are very happy to see construction vehicles building a road in front of our homes. We’ve never seen such a nice roads in our villages,” said Chhem Chhim, Srae Ken Community chief, which was founded in 2004 in Oral district’s Trapang Chhou commune.

“When we have a new road, Srae Ken Community is going to welcome more visitors who wish to visit Oral Mountain and it will bring ecotourism jobs for our people.”

While guides cook for visitors, all expenses are the responsibility of tourists, including meat, vegetables, condiments and steamed rice.

Source - PhnomPenhPost 

#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

#Indonesia - Sidoarjo turns mud waste area into tourist destination.

Lusi Island is set to become the latest tourist attraction in Sidoarjo regency, East Java.

The reclaimed island, which is a result of mud dredging from Porong river estuary, will be part of Mangrove Restoration and Learning Center's area managed by the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry alongside local administration and the public.

Since 2015, the ministry has built many facilities in the area, which include pedestrian track, observatory tower, a management office, toilet and water management installation.

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 “[The island] is good for mangrove tourism. It will also have karamba [floating fish enclosure] next year,” said the ministry’s directorate general for Territorial Sea Management Brahmantya Satyamurti to tempo.co.

Set on a 94-hectare of land, the island also hosts Tambak (fish farm) Wanamina. However, a large part of the island has not yet been developed. 

Brahmantya said the island was initially created to become a mud waste area for Porong River and not designed for tourism. Therefore, to turn it into an ecotourism spot, it will need sufficient sanitation, as well as clean water facilities and food and beverage stalls.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost 

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