Banteay Chhmar
Banteay Chhmar was established in 2006 by an NGO called APLC (= Agir pour le Cambodge) and currently is supported by Global Heritage Fund.
“We, Banteay Chhmar Community People want tourism development that requires strongly involvement, supported and recognized by all stakeholders, in order to make the community developing all sectors in sustainable manner on social, culture, economic and environment” – CBT Members in January 2008
Banteay Chhmar is located in Banteay Meanchey Province in the Northwest of Cambodia. Banteay Chhmar was established in 2006 by an NGO called APLC (= Agir pour le Cambodge) and currently is supported by Global Heritage Fund.
Banteay Chhmar consists of a XII century Angkorian temple complex. One of its masterpieces is the so called ‘Temple of the cat’ which is to be renovated by the Global Heritage Fund. It also contains both barays (rectangular water reservoirs) from ancient times and from under the Pol Pot regime. Visitors can explore the temples and barays and do a picnic there. Food will be prepared by a local women’s group. Apart from that visitors can also discover the surrounding rural life by ox-cart, bicycle or Koyun, meet with village people and spend a night in a traditional wooden homestay. To complete people’s interests there is a Mekong Silk center nearby the ecotourism site, too, in which visitors can pursue the process of gaining silk products and can finally buy local products there.
CBT/Community Based Tourism Products and Services include homestays, ox-cart trips, bicycle and Koyun rental, picnic inside the temples or along the baray prepared by a trained women’s group, performances of traditional music, a rice show and English-speaking local guides. Community-based ecotourism can help conserve natural beauty and local culture while improving rural livelihoods.
Contact info
T. + 855 (0)12 435 660, +855 (0)92 599 115 / +855 (0)12 237 605; +855 (0)97 723 7605 / +855 (0)12 435 660 E. cbtbanteaychhmar@yahoo.com – tathsophal@yahoo.comW. www.agirpourlecambodge.org