Welcome to Kandal

Kandal is the small province that surrounds but does not include Phnom Penh. A typical low lying plan, it is not more than 10m above sea level. The Tonle Sap and the Mekong Rivers border the province and its capital is a small town called Ta Khmau, just south of Phnom Penh.

While its more famous attractions are Oudong and Phnom Chisor, there are a few little day trips that can be easily achieved from Phnom Penh.

Mekong Island

It is hard to believe that barely a stone’s throw away from bustling Phnom Penh is a place that time forgot. On the island in the middle of Mekong River, houses are built on stilts, the area is green with paddy fields, and the ox cart weaves by fruit orchards and vegetable farms.

Mekong Island is best known for its silk weaving villages where the women set up their looms under their houses. While it is possible to buy fabric here, most of the production goes to stores in Phnom Penh. During the dry season, food stalls are set up on a sandy beach at the island’s north end, a highly popular destination with the locals

Boats sail from Sisowath Quay in Phnom Penh for a half day trip. Otherwise, drive across the Japanese Friendship Bridge for the ferries to the island.

Silver Smiths

South of Oudong are a number of silver smithing villages which date back to the 17th-19th centuries when Oudong was the capital city. As silver was extensively used by the Cambodian royalty and the rich in rituals and ceremonies, these villages of artisans sprung up to create exquisite silverwork for the court.

These villages have survived the Khmer Rouge years and the artisans continue to live and work here, using tools that have barely changed.

Clay temple

Just south of Phnom Penh on the way to Kien Svay is a temple made completely out of clay. Located in the village of Koh Slaket, this temple was built over five years by a team of volunteers under the guidance of a hermit monk named Ros Ly using massive amounts of clay dug out from a nearby canal

There are Bayon type heads on the roof, Buddha images and bas-relief of dancing asparas, all molded from clay. Urban legend has it that the reclusive monk emerged from a forest with instructions to build the temple.

Phnom Tamao

The Phnom Tamao wildlife sanctuary is the country’s foremost sanctuary and home for animals rescued from poachers and traffickers. A cross between a zoo and a safari park, it has been upgraded in recent years and is well one of its way to becoming one of the region’s best run animal sanctuaries.

The are vast areas dedicated to a large tiger population, and the elephants in residence sometimes show off their painting skills. There are sun bears and the rare Siamese crocodiles in rehab. Wherever possible, these animals are returned into the wild once they are recovered. The sanctuary also operates a breeding program for globally threatened species. This is a link to a video segment on CNN’s 360 program about the Phnom Tamao sanctuary.