The Golden Triangle Rider

[JimCA2]

Last weekend did a 3 night 3.5 day ride up to Kratie (KroCHEH as Khmers might pronounce it) Left Pnh about 2:30PM to Kampong Cham. Two hours on perfect asphalt. Checked out the Temples of Wat Nokor at the entrance to Kampong Cham. Stayed in the Mekong Hotel but the Monorom behind it is better value. Both with moto parking and five to 10 dollars depending on AC.
Next day up early and continued east on the 7 to check out Prasats at Prey Nokor. TRIP (Tertiary Road Improvement Project) has done a lot of work east of Kampong Cham. Good hard pack country road network. From Prey Nokor we hit a waterfall north east of Srey Veang. Missed a turn in Srey Veang and wound up traveling west to the North South cut off from the seven to Chhlong. This is a good hardpack road however many vehicles and dusty. From Chhlong on the Mekong we headed north another 30K to Kratie. Stayed at Heng Heng 2 right on the riverfront, comparable to the Mekong. Took it easy the next day and went north to Sambor to Wat Sa-Sa Mouy Roy (100 Column Temple) overlooking the mekong. Then we headed south and took in some R&R at a spot where there are rapids. Nice refreshing water. Later in the afternoon still traveling south to Kratie we stopped and observed the Irawaddy fresh water dolphins. The next day we headed home along the Mekong. From Chhlong the road is good until you leave Kratie provice. Tho still good into Kampong Cham province it is a lot less maintained. This route is lined with many beautiful Wats and out of Kroah Chmar where the river bends to the south, there is a 100+/- year old colonial light house. We continued to the ferry Crossing at Treah and crossed the mekong. Traveling from Stung Trang (not to be confused with Stung Treng near Laos) we continued south to Han Chey where there is an old Temple on a hill overlooking the Mekong. Enroute to Han Chey there were some areas of Deep Sand. From Han Chey back to Kampong Cham the road is decent hard pack. This was a nice easy get away and more of a sight seeing trip.