Located in Preah Vihear province, it is Cambodia’s largest waterfall
with 26m of tiered rock-face and goes by three names – the Sopheakmit
waterfall, the Lbak Khoun waterfall and the Preah Nimith waterfall.
Sitting slap bang on the Cambodian-Lao frontier, the upper Mekong
waterfall is a spectacle to behold, as its turquoise-blue stream
cascades over a gauntlet of limestone rocks, frothing and churning as it
races downstream.
Located in Preah Vihear province’s Preah Lean Community Forest, it is
Cambodia’s largest waterfall with 26m of tiered rock-face, and goes by
three names; the Sopheakmit waterfall, the Lbak Khoun waterfall and the
Preah Nimith waterfall.
Previously, due to poor infrastructure leading to the waterfall, both
local and international tourists who wanted to see the beautiful view
had to travel via Laos to visit the site.
But a recently constructed road has now opened up this attraction for
tourists and locals in Cambodia, says Kong Vibol, the provincial
tourism department head.
Previously, due to poor infrastructure leading to the waterfall, both
local and international tourists tourists who wanted to see the
beautiful view had to travel via Laos to visit the site. The water is at
its most clear and calm between November and May.
“This cascade has been in Preah Vihear since the province was established in 1964. But at that time we did not have good infrastructure to reach there, it was quite hard to develop the community.
“According to primary school books, we call it Lbak K houn.
But the
name Sopheakmit emerged when Steung Treng province officials brought
tourists to the place and famous singers began writing songs using the
name Sopheakmit.
The name Preah Nimith occurred when the local community
worked with tourism department to change its name back to the original
one,” Vibol says.
He said that though the road is dusty and difficult, Preah Nimith
waterfall welcomes visitors all year round, but between November and
May, the water is at its most clear and calm.
To reach the waterfall, drive from Preah Vihear town on National Road
9 through the deserted Prey Long forest to Chhaeb II commune’s Dorng
Plet village and continue on the dusty road roughly 65km from Steung
Treng town.
Source - PhnomPenhPost
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