Leaving Siem Reap to Rovieng District

Sunday, 15 June 2025

Rovieng district is relatively remote, located in Preah Vihear, a northern province of Cambodia. There is a significant presence of Kuy indigenous people in this district although I did not have the chance to meet any. People rely on agriculture as their main incomes. Major crops include rice, cassava and cashew nuts. Rovieng is believed to have significant iron ore deposits and the local residents sadly told me that the Chinese have been taken everything.

Poverty remains a challenge in Rovieng and since it was historically a battleground during the Khmer Rouge era, unexploded ordnance (UXO) can still be a concern in some areas.

Rovieng district, like other areas in Preah Vihear, has a rich archeological heritage. Some of the sites are:
* Preah Chhor: Remains of an ancient laterite terrace.
* Wat Svay Damnak: A contemporary monastery housing ancient artifacts, including boundary markers.
* Other sites like Wat Pring, Wat Talek, Wat Sovannkiry (Phnom Dek), Thvear Temple, Boeng Temple, and Krapom Chhouk Temple.

My mission began with a shared taxi pick up at 1:50pm although the driver had told me the departure time should have been around 1pm. A typical thing when taking shared taxi across provinces. I am glad that it was a direct route and I had gotten my guest house booked beforehand, otherwise it would be a nightmare as I arrived around 6:30 pm instead of 5 pm and the place was getting dark with very few services including food. A friend suggested me to fast but my poor hungry tummy couldn’t do that 😃. I asked a few people around and found some dinner at Rovieng market. There were only 2 shops and the food was cold but anything was fine, really.

The guesthouse is called “Two Lions Guest House”, well known by everyone living there even all taxi drivers, simply because it is the only one in Rovieng with decent condition and a walking distance to Rovieng market. They offer two types of rooms, with a fan at $7.5 and with an AC at $10 per night. I got the earlier one and my room was on the first floor, old but clean enough, the mattress would sink. I would feel better sleeping on a wooden surface instead. The room did not have a 3 pronged socket for my laptop charger and I didn’t bring an adapter either as it has never been a problem travelling around Cambodia or most ASEAN countries because at least there is an extension cord available. I asked the owners, the young night guards but they had nothing to offer. Luckily, after walking around the whole place I found a suitable socket on a wall at the back of the property with an outdoor table and chairs. The only spot in the entire place I could charge my laptop. So, it became my regular spot that I sat at till 9 or 10pm most of the evenings. Grateful for it or it would be a waste of my energy to carry a laptop for nothing. Also grateful that there weren’t too many mosquitoes. That pretty much concluded my first day! 😊
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