A PEACEFUL DAY AT CHROK LA EANG WATERFALL COMMUNITY
By Pierre
At 7 in the morning, my adventure buddy, Emily and I swapped the hustle and bustle of city life for a day at Chrok La Eang Waterfall Community in Pursat province, a 3-hour bus ride from Phnom Penh.
This was only my second bus trip in Cambodia; however, in comparison to the first one, this one was much better. My first trip was to Sihanoukville, which I found the way there was much more dangerous due to the ever-increasing traffic. Often, bus companies in Cambodia don’t leave or arrive on time; therefore, allow yourself around 1 hour each time you book a bus, especially if you have a connecting bus or other forms transport.
THE WAY TO PURSAT
On the road to Pursat Province, you will get a taste of the natural landscapes of the land of a thousand wonders. During the trip, your eyes will be occupied with the view of never-ending palm trees, rice fields, livestock and local inhabitants, which would keep you busy for the entire bus ride.
We arrived in Krakor district, Pursat Province around 10:30am, and transportation is needed to get to the Waterfall Community that is around one and a half hour away from the bus stop. On the spot, local people came and offered us variety of transportation. However, it is recommended to negotiate the price, because the price offered to foreigners is often a little higher than normal.
In Pursat province, the view is the polar opposite of what I would see in big cities like Phnom Penh. On the way from Krakor to the Waterfall Community, we were fully immersed in nature, though the road can be a bit dusty (face musks for the road is recommended); however, there were very few people on the road and plenty of animals to see.
Once we finally arrived at the Waterfall Community of Chrok La Eang, we were warmly welcomed by a tourism officer and the village chief of Bamnak. In this part of Cambodia, if you cannot speak Khmer, then English can be practical though limited.
THE WATERFALL
Once we bought the ticket and entered the site, we were immediately surrounded by the astounding greenery and the soothing sound of water flowing through the streams. This is an idyllic place for people who struggle with the Cambodian heat as the streams are only a few steps away for you to cool off.
And don’t worry, the site is able to accommodate many people; therefore, the huts by the river are spacious enough for you come to have a picnic with friends. Moreover, the locals will be delighted to meet you, as they did with me and my friend Emily.
PAGODA
After resting by the river, taking some pictures and meditating, Emily and I decided to visit a small pagoda nearby the river. The person in charge of the maintenance of the pagoda welcomed Emily and I warmly with a smile and invited us to enter. Once I entered the pagoda, I took a few moments to admire the sumptuous canvases that make up this pagoda.
After this superb adventure, filled with beautiful encounters and the discovery of splendid landscapes, we began our return journey back to Phnom Penh. On the way back, we had some rain, though the road remains accessible. When we arrived in Krakor District, we decided to take the mainstream bus back since we had not booked a return bus. Which I strongly recommend as the ticket was very affordable and very comfortable.
Overall, I loved the day. This was a trip that allowed me to “disconnect” from the busyness of urban life and get “reconnected” with Mother Nature.
