Kampong Cham is the capital of the province of the same name and the
third largest city in Cambodia. With its Mekong River location and
relatively close proximity to Phnom Penh (123km) and Vietnam, Kampong
Cham has always been an important trade and transportation hub. The
highway from Phnom Penh is in excellent condition-you can get here in
just under two hours by road or by the bullet boats that are a main mode
of transportation between towns on the Mekong River. Either way it's a
nice fide, with views of the rural countryside or river area, depending
on which way you go.
The town itself is quaint and charming with
its bustling morning river scene and wide boulevard streets beside the
river. There are a few worthwhile attractions nearby and with it's
location on the way by boat or road to Kratie, Mondulkiri, Rattanakiri
and Stung Treng Provinces; it's a nice jump-off point. Kampong Cham is a
mix of the old and the new, with a new temple being built in and around
old ruins and the big ferry boats taking people and goods to the other
side of the Mekong, right next to the construction of the first bridge
ever built here.
Because there is little foreign investment and
no massive tourism (almost every foreigner who comes here is a
backpacker), this city is quite poor with a few modern buildings, though
not lacking in French architecture from the colonial period. It is
similar to many other Cambodian cities, being rather dirty, with garbage
a common sight. The people of Kampong Cham are very friendly and open
to engaging with tourists. If recent projects seem to be improving the
state of things here (relative to other Cambodian cities), remember that
both PM Hun Sen and former Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara are
originally from this province.
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