PHNOM PENH; Visiting the Khnorng Phsar natural tourism site has never been easier, thanks to significant infrastructure upgrades.
It was once a seven-kilometre, three hour, tractor ride to the base of the mountain, but a new road means nature-lovers can now drive themselves to the start of the lush, green walking track.
Khnorng Phsar is located at the three-way intersection of Kampong Speu, Koh Kong and Pursat provinces.
The natural protected area is part of the Rolak Kang Cheung community in Tasal commune, Aural district, Kampong Speu province. Local community members are now embracing tourism services as a preferred alternative to illegal logging and hunting.
Chanthet Thanarack, director of the Kampong Speu provincial environment department, noted that during the dry season, the area sees up to 1,000 tourists per month, with numbers tapering off during the rainy season.
At Khnorng Phsar, visitors can enjoy incredible sunrises and sunsets, camping, wildlife spotting and swimming in waterfalls.
More than 200,000 of Kampong Speu’s 700,000 hectares are designated as protected areas. These include three national parks — Preah Suramarit-Kossamak Kirirom, Bokor and the Cardamom Mountains — along with the Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary.
Within these areas, nine protected area communities have been established, including Rolak Kang Cheung (home to Khnorng Phsar) and the Kao Doun Tei community, which features Cambodia’s only natural hot spring, according to Thanarack.
The Rolak Kang Cheung area spans over 2,000 hectares, with the boundaries clearly marked to protect the forest and its rich biodiversity.
The new road to the area was constructed on the orders of Prime Minister Hun Manet, who visited the community last year.
He instructed that the area should be developed into a “model community” for local economic development, balanced with sustainable natural resource conservation.
The community members now provide multiple services for guests, including catering, motorcycle transport for visitors or luggage up and down the mountain, and tent rentals for overnight stays.
Community members are also trained to assist tourists in emergencies.
“The community members and rangers have received first aid training from the Red Cross,” said Thanarack.
“They are trained in six subjects, including treating heatstroke, snake bites and choking. Nearly 50 people, including our tour guides, have already completed the course,” he added.
He described the community’s growth as essential for forest and wildlife preservation. As members pivot toward tourism services, there is less incentive to engage in logging or poaching, leading to a decline in such offenses.
“Crimes have decreased significantly due to the involvement of the local community. We now conduct joint patrols together,” he added. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
