Sisophan, or “Svay” as it is colloquially known, is the capital of Banteay Meanchey Province, though it has been surpassed in population and importance by Poipet, which lies closer to the Thai border.
Sisophan is located in Western Cambodia at the intersection of National Road 6, which connects Siem Reap (105km east) and Poipet (48km west), and National Road 5, which leads south to Batdambang (68km sw) and then east to Phnom Penh.
Sisophan is a relatively sleepy and uninteresting provincial town that sees very few foreign visitors, though it is worth stopping in if you need a place to spend a night and are turned off by the negative reputation of Poipet. There are a few interesting sights around the town, including a large seated Buddha, and if you have your own transportation or are relatively adventurous travelers, Sisophan can also be used as a launching point for trips north to Banteay Chhmar (50km), where the premier Angkor-era temples of Banteay Meanchey are located.
Sisophan may have little to offer tourists, but it can be a great relief for those who’ve spent the day dealing with the process of crossing the border from Thailand to Cambodia in Poipet. In the area surrounding the town, the Sisophon River cuts through the region near beautiful regions, such as La Ang Phnom Touch and Phom Chen Chung. For those who wish to escape the hustle and bustle of more touristy towns in Cambodia, Sisophan can also serve as a base of operations for a day of eco-touring into the region’s forests and mountains. Trekking can be arranged through travel agencies in Sisophan.
Orientation
Sisophan is relatively small provincial capital with little in the way of tourist infrastructure; near the center of town are a a few guesthouses and restaurants that cater to a mostly local clientele.
Most likely you have arrived in Sisophan by bus or taxi from Poipet, Siem Reap, or Batdambang. From the bus station to locations in and around Sisophan, the primary transportation option is motodop taxi, which will take you almost anywhere for a negotiable fee.
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
Nearby attractions:
- Banteay Chhmar: Homestay with CCBEN Banteay Chhmar - experience rural Cambodian culture and promote responsible economic development with a home stay in a rural village.
- Banteay Chhmar Temple: One of the most expansive Angkor-era ruins in one of the most remote areas of Cambodia.
- Ang Trapeang Thmor - Saurus Crane Reserve: A sanctuary for the endangered Saurus Crane as well as numerous other exotic waterfowl.
- Phnom Sruk Silk Village: Off the beaten path village, where silk weaving has become the mainstay of the local economy.
- Stone Carving Village of Choob: Easily accessible roadside shops selling a variety of inexpensive sandstone carvings.
- Poipet: Poipet Casinos - If you need to top up on cash they have ATMs; then you can gamble your way to destitution or simply hit the buffet.
When to Go
Sisophan 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. Sisophan is fine to visit during most of the year, though the hottest months from March to May can be too hot for comfort.
Humidity and rainfall may vary through the year, but Sisophan 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 Sisophan 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 Sisophan with monotonous regularity, rainstorms and thunderstorms often last just one or two hours in the afternoon.
Things to Do
If you wish to stay and explore the sights in Banteay Meanchey Province, it will prove to be a bit of a challenge as most are more remote than those in other provinces; the roads in Banteay Meanchey are some of the worst in Cambodia, which creates both challenges and opportunities (to get away from the tourist hordes awaiting you at Angkor).
While Sisophon, the capital of the province, has a few interesting attractions, including a large seated Buddha, the major provincial sites are in Banteay Chhmar, which typically requires an overnight stay. Fortunately there is a community based tourism initiative there to take care of you once you arrive.
For birders, the Ang Trapeang Thmor - Saurus Crane Reserve is located roughly 35 miles from Sisophan, an approximately 1 hour and 30 minute drive along bumpy dirt roads.
Getting There
Sisophan is located at the intersection of the National Road 5 and National Road 6. Road 6 connects Sisophan with Siem Reap (105km east), where there is an international airport linking to regional capitals; Road 5 continues south to Batdambang (68km SW) and then east to Phnom Penh. Sisophan is a major transportation hub for those crossing from Thailand at Poipet (48 km west).
Most people travel to Sisophan from Poipet after crossing the border from Aranyaprathet, Thailand. As Sisophan is located at the intersection of National Road 6, which connects Siem Reap (105km east) and Poipet (48km west), and National Road 5, which leads south to Batdambang (68km SW) and then east to Phnom Penh, it is very easy to reach from most major tourist destinations in Cambodia.
Those traveling to Sisophan from within Cambodia typically travel from Poipet (51 km), Siem Reap (105 km), Battambang (68 km), or Phnom Penh (350 km). Be advised, if departing Sisophan for Thailand, the border is open daily from 7am to 8pm and that you must arrange onward travel from the Thai side of the border independently once you are on the Thai side of the border (Cambodian busses and taxis may not transport passengers across the border, although some have made recent claims (late 2011) that it was possible to take a bus straight through - which is dubious).
Once in Thailand, your options for onward travel include hiring a private taxi from the border area directly to your final destination, or taking a taxi from the border area to the bus or train stations in Aranyaprathet town (approximately 10 km from the border).
Getting Around
Sisophan is not geographically expansive: nearly all of the hotels, restaurants, and transportation providers are within walking distance of one another, though there are motodop taxis here and there, which will take you around Sisophan town and nearby destinations for a negotiable fee.
Where to Stay
As Sisophon doesnt host lots of visitors, there is only a small selection of guesthouses and hotels to choose from, most of which are in the budget range. Nearly all of them are in walking distance of each other as the town is small and centralized, so you can check them out and pick the one you like best.
Where to Eat
There are relatively few dining options in Sisophan, particularly those that cater to foreign visitors. In addition to restaurants at the handful of guesthouses in town, there are a few restaurants that cater to a mostly local clientele, including a number of street stalls selling inexpensive local dishes.
Where to Party
There is almost no nightlife to speak of in Sisophan, 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.
Where to Shop
There are very limited shopping options in Sisophan. The town has a new market (Psar Thmei) 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. It is located 500 m up National Highway 69. There are some small shops located around the hotels but otherwise, this isn’t much of a destination for souvenir shopping.
It is quite possible that somewhere in town there are unscrupulous gem dealers offering “the deal of a lifetime” on emeralds from nearby Pailin. In general you should not buy gemstones in Cambodia unless you have the knowledge to appraise such stones; as in Poipet, in Sisophan you should not buy gemstones unless they come with magic beans.
If you are heading from Poipet to Siem Reap in a taxi, however, you will pass through the stone carving village of choob|| (seven miles (11 km) east of Sisophan), where shops alongside the road offer a variety of carvings at perhaps the best prices you are likely to find for such in Cambodia.
The other shopping opportunity worth checking out if you have your own transportation and the inclination to explore a bit, is the the village of phnom-sruk (Phnom Srok), where a partnership of NGOs and the Cambodian Government have trained several communities in the art of sericulture (silk harvesting) and silk weaving: cultivating mulberry moths, extracting silk, and then dyeing and weaving beautiful items, such as scarves and skirts. Learning how the villagers produce silk is quite interesting; supporting these rural communities is worthwhile, and picking up a memorable souvenir is priceless.
Need to Know
- What to do: An alternative place to spend a night near the border or stage an expedition to ancient temples or a bird sanctuary.
- Best time to go: the dry season (December to April) is best as secondary roads aren’t always passable when it rains.
- How long? There’s no reason to stay more than a day in Sisophan town.
- Trivia: Officially called Serei Saophoan, Sisophan is often referred to by locals as “Svay”.
- For who: Those looking for an alternative place to spend a night before or after crossing the Thai border or adventurous travelers planning self-guided explorations of northern Banteay Meanchey temples and countryside.