Although there are many towns scattered across Cambodia called Samraong due its common meaning ‘dense jungle,’ the largest one is the capital of Oddar Meancheay Province.
As the name implies, Samraong is an extremely isolated backwater that is only just beginning to pull itself from the murky depths of its war-torn past. Samraong was once a frontline in the brutal civil war that raged across Cambodia. There’s little infrastructure, and little to see, offering meager pickings for any traveler curious enough to get here.
Thus, while Samraong is the capital of the province, few tourists venture there, other than those crossing at O’Smach (very few) and those doing a loop up and around to Banteay Chhmar from Siem Reap (very, very few). Most people who visit Oddar Meanchey simply swing by Pol Pot’s grave at Anlong Veng, typically en route to Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province. In fact, most foreigners in Samraong are not tourists; they are there to do development work, a sector in high demand due to the poor living conditions and the abundance of unexploded ordnance and land mines in the area.
The easiest way to reach the town is by crossing from Thailand at O’Smach, 25 miles to the north, though some pass through Samraong on their way from Siem Reap to Banteay Chhmar temple in neighboring Banteay Meanchey province.
Orientation
Samraong is small provincial capital with little in the way of tourist infrastructure; on the spokes leading away from the traffic circle in the center of town are a a few guesthouses and restaurants but no internet cafes, ATM machines, or any shopping opportunities worthy of note.
Most likely you have arrived in Samraong with your own transportation, so getting around shouldn’t be a problem; if you arrived by bus, your only transportation option is motodop taxi, which will typically be people with motorbikes looking to make an extra buck rather than actual ‘taxis’.
Most restaurants and hotels are near enough each other and of similar enough quality that you can simply pop into one, decide if you like it, and if not move on to the next place.
Where to Go
These are all nearby attractions.
- Champei Waterfall: A resort scene is emerging around this beautiful waterfall and the dense jungle that surrounds the area some 20 miles from Samraong.
- Pol Pot’s house: (Tamu House) Though there is not much to see here, the house of the infamous ruler is at the end of a scenic drive through the jungle.
- Pol Pot’s grave: Another underwhelming site: a somewhat pathetic, yet befitting grave for the man who oversaw the murder and starvation of millions of Cambodians.
- Ta Mok’s House: The townhouse of Pol Pot’s number four man is well preserved and has so far been spared by graffiti artists.
- Khmer Rouge Memorial: A statue in the road commemorating the Khmer Rouge era.
When to Go
Samraong shares its tropical climate with the rest of Cambodia; a ‘dry season’ that lasts from November to May and a ‘rainy season’ that runs from June to October. Temperatures are relatively constant (i.e. hot) throughout the year but humidity can vary. There are times of the year that are noticeably cooler or hotter, and as is normal for a monsoon climate, times when heavy rain is nearly constant. Samraong is fine to visit during most of the year, though the hottest months from March to May can be too hot for comfort and the roads become impassible during the muddy monsoon season.
Humidity and rainfall may vary through the year, but Samraong is typically hot. Few visitors will experience something they would call cool. Temperatures in the day range throughout the year from above 100°F in the early afternoon to around 70°F at night.
The hottest time of the year in Samraong is toward the end of the dry season, when daytime temperatures can be dangerously hot. During the wet season, although copious amounts of rain are dumped on KSamraong with monotonous regularity, rainstorms and thunderstorms often last just one or two hours in the afternoon.
While monsoon rains may provide respite from the intense Cambodian sun, torrential rains wreak havoc on rural dirt roads, which become muddy morasses; travel to areas serviced by these roads can become difficult to impossible in the monsoon season months (June-October) for those without 4-wheel drive vehicles or off-road motorcycles.
Things to Do
Oddar Meanchey is best known internationally as having been one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge; the small border town of Anglong Veng features the Tak Mok’s house (a.k.a. ‘The butcher’), who placed “Brother Number 1” Pol Pot under house arrest, until he died shortly thereafter and was buried in a non-descript Anlong Veng Pol Pot’s grave.
Thus, while Samraong is the capital of the province, very few tourists venture there, other than those crossing at O’Smach (very few) and those doing a loop up and around to Banteay Chhmar from Siem Reap (very few). Most people who visit Oddar Meanchey simply swing by Pol Pot’s grave at Anlong Veng, typically en route to Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province.
The only attraction of note near Samraong is Cam Pey Waterfall, a beautiful waterfall surrounded by dense jungle some 20 miles from Samraong.
Getting There
The easiest and fastest way to reach Samraong is by crossing from Thailand into Cambodia at the border crossing at O’Smach. This deliberately created tourist town is located 25 miles north of Samraong, which can be reach via National Road No. 68. There are buses and taxis waiting at O’Smach. The nearest major airport is in Siem Reap, many hours by road to the south.
Getting Around
As for getting around town, Samraong doesn’t offer a wealth of transportation options; ask at your guesthouse if you have arrived without transportation and need assistance visiting any attraction nearby.
Where to Stay
As Samraong doesn’t attract many overnight visitors (at least not many westerners other than NGO workers), there is only a small selection of hotels and guesthouses for visitors, which are generally located in the center of town: all are located near enough to each other that it is possible to walk around town a bit to weigh your options.
Where to Eat
There are very few dining options in Samraong. A few very basic Cambodian restaurants near the center of town are basically your only options. That said, the location of the town near the Thai border mean that Thai culinary influences are found in local cuisine, leading to better food than one might expect.
Where to Party
There is almost no nightlife to speak of in Samraong, certainly not any catering to foreign tourists. There are a few local-style beer bars in town, which are basically open-air establishments that have attractive waitresses to serve beers and/or whiskey. If you hunt around a bit you may find one that doubles as a karaoke parlor, which has karaoke rooms for singing (typically only Khmer music) but also ‘karaoke girls’ who aren’t necessarily there to sing.
Where to Shop
There are very limited shopping options in Samraong. The town has a central market that is typical of most cambodian markets, selling nearly everything local’s need for their day to day lives, including ingredients for cooking and household supplies. There are some small shops selling other sundry supplies, but otherwise this isn’t much of a destination for souvenir shopping.