Kampong Chhnang (translation: port of pottery), famed for it’s golden clay & potteries has more to offer for the passing tourist and photographer, which vibrant floating Vietnamese village and a colourful night market. It’s distance from the capital makes for an excellent side trip, overlooked by the masses.
- Potteries
From Kampong Chhnang, it’s a ten minute drive to the potteries town at the foot of golden clay mountain. Here you will find several locals spinning their wheels turning the unique golden coloured clay into vases and other ornamental items, which make ideal gifts for the visiting tourists. This area also produces pots for the locals, often hung on small trucks and transported nation wide. Locals are more than happy for to pose for photo opp’s spinning their wheels with the chance of making a sale.
- Floating Village.
Only 20 minutes boat ride from the ferry crossing lies a local Vietnamese floating village. On the Kampong Cham side, the village looks quite industrial. Some residence have land dwellings, others further from town live in their boats. Grab a boat from the ferry port or head towards the Tonle Sap and hire a local to row you around at sunset, an excellent option to end your day.
A second option would be to visit Kampong Loung, one hour from town. This would be an ideal stop off if your heading to Battambang.
- Night market.
During daytime, Kampong Chhnang seems a sleepy place with one or two local restaurants and a seven eleven. As the light falls, the town is transformed to a vibrant market selling local produce and an abundance of street food stalls.
- Ferry to Kampong Leaeng District.
On the opposite side of the Tonle Sap river lies Kong Rei Mountain. Formed by a volcano creator, these formations are home to a few temple structures and some small villages. If you want to escape the crowds and indulge in the local khmer life, this one of those spots! The ferry takes zig zagging route through the Tonle Sap river islands, quite an experience in it’s self. Once you reach the port head towards the hills where you will find the villages and a few red brick temples.
- Infrastructure developments.
The authorities are constructing a road from Kampong Thom to Kampong Leang then a bridge over to Kampong Chhnang. This will drastically reduce journey times from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. It will also open up Kampong Chhnang to increased tourism. I’d recommend visiting sooner to get that laied back feeling of this interesting town. Kampong Chhnang is ideally situated to be part of our multi day photography workshop around the Tonle Sap.