Phnom Sampov in Battambang Province
Phnom Sampov is the most amazing mountain look like the ship
in the sea surrounding by the view of green rice field and mountain in
Battambang Province, Cambodia. Being naturally created by the chalk, Phnom
Sampov might be caused by the movement of earth’s land million years ago pushing
from the underground to stand higher to the sky in the middle of low land area
in Battambang in the west of Tonle Sap Great Lake. Khmer people have been being
living around this mountain since the ancient times and transferred the tale
related to this mountain and surrounding mountain from generation to
generation. Once upon the time, a beautiful girl found the egg of crocodile near
Mekong River and took care of it until mature. This crocodile loves her very
much as its mother. One day, a prince lived near this region seeing mother of
this crocodile and promised to love her forever. However, the prince was not
honest with his mother since she is not a member of the royal family, so he
decided to get married to another princess in Chan Borey part of Khmer Kingdom
(Thailand today). During that time most area of Battambang today was part of
the sea similar to the geographical experts said that Battambang and area
around Tonle Sap Great Lake was surely under the sea millions years ago. With
the good arrangement for marrying to new beautiful princess in Chan Borey, the
prince took the wooden ship (Sampov in Khmer) with his guards to Chan Borey
through the sea over Tonle Sap Great Lake until they reached the sea above
Battambang today. Being so sad and angry to the dishonest prince, the girl’s crocodile
was so angry and went to stop the prince’s ship on the way. Then the wooden
ship of prince met crocodile on the way in the location of Phnom Sompov today.
Crocodile swam to hit the ship falling all materials to the sea and the sail
breaking to the sea, so the prince was so afraid and prayed for help. Being
special in magic, Neang Romsai Sork (Girl with long long magic hair) came to
help him by holding hand on her hair down to lower water down and down until
the sea becoming small known as Tonle Sap Great Lake today. Without water,
crocodile died near the ship becoming well-known as Phnom Kroper (Crocodile
look like mountain near Phnom Sampov). Materials falling to the sea also
converted to mountains. Cage of the duck and chicken became known as Phnom
Trung Moan Trung Tea (Cage of the duck and chicken look like mountains). Neang
Romsay Sork also died becoming mountain known as Phnom Neang Romsai Sork. The
broken sail falling to the sea (Kdaung Sampov in Khmer) became Phnom Kdaung. At
last from time to time, the wooden ship became Phnom Sampov today. All
mountains in the tale are not far from Phnom Sampov; all tourists could see
these mountains from the top of Phnom Sampov.
This year during Khmer New Year 2012, the trip was done
visiting Phnom Sampov in Battambang. Standing near National Road No. 10 or 57A,
Phnom Sampov could make all tourists feel that it stands in front of national
road if travelling from Battambang Town, but actually it is so near to this
smooth rubber road just repaired a few years ago. It is so wise to spend less
than one hour from Battambang Town through National Road No. 10 or 57A visiting
Phnom Sampov if everyone came to Battambang Province. It is so amazing and
exciting to see the appearance of Phnom Sampov in the middle of borderless
green rice field rarely seen in somewhere else. Living in Battambang since at
birth and travelling with father at his work in Rattanak Mondul for short
vacation since the young age as well as with family enjoying visit most of
natural tourism sites along National Road No. 10 until Pailin during Khmer New
Year, Phnom Sampov is surely the main interest in life. The sun shines in the morning with blue sky
while white cloud moving made the best view of Phnom Sampov as heart of
mountains in Battambang. Near the edge of mountain, many retail businesses are
friendly to welcome all tourists selling rich local food and souvenirs to you
with suitable prices. If everyone travels by motor or car, the parking lot with
low price is for you to use and pay for the service taking care of your
vehicles or if you do not wish to park in the land near mountain, all tourists
could drive your vehicle to the top of mountain on the other side through small
concrete path built by the generosity of Khmer people in foreign countries as
well as in Cambodia. Walking through the stone ladder, the good sculpture of
tiger’s head on the edge of ladder seems to welcome the trip to the mountain
top as the gate to the sky. Up and up, the green field was seen farther and
farther to the edge of the sky. The flexible ladder brought to the right place
for photographing the view under the shade of the green forest. The air blew
creating good feeling in the rural natural area. Then many smart monkeys on the
first step of the mountain top played so happy and ate the food provided by the
tourists. This place had several cars parking under the trees that some monkeys
were so naughty to climb on the car and motor; some reflected its face in the
mirror of motorbike and climbed back to the branch of the trees. There! The
road to one special place containing deep lower place to several caves like La
Ang Pka Sla (Pka Sla Cave), La Ang Kyol
(Kyol Cave), big Buddha statue, lion, etc. Here! Coming back from the
lower deep place with special view, the trip continued to the second step of
the top. Amazing! Continued walking lower down to the biggest cave known as La
Ang Stani (Stani Cave) through the stone naga ladder with other tourists,
everyone enjoyed photographing their photos with the natural view of the cave.
Oh! How beautiful it was! A kid, Brother Toch, came to help guiding this trip
from here. He told that there were several special characteristics in here.
First, the stone on the wall of the cave was known as Dam Rey Kandeung Sam Poan
(Elephants with Thousand of Bells) hearing like the bell ringing while tourists
took the stone to knock on it; the stone appearance was so similar to the three
head of elephants. Second, the stone on the wall of the cave looks like the
small green plants floating in the pond (Chork in Khmer) and it’s sure to be
the same as plants. Third, the trees were known as thousand years old tree
(Deum Poan Chhnam) and the Khlok fruit look like deep stone. After, going to
see the mountain protector, Nakta Phnom and taking photograph of a young guide.
He also showed the way of local people going down the mountain near Nakta Phnom
to log the tree. Finally, the human face look like spot on a tree was the last
special one in here. Later, photographing was done from the top of Phnom Sampov
over the surrounding view of mountain, green rice field, blue sky, smooth road,
flowers, etc. Just a small gift for a kid, 5,000 Riel, and thanked him very
much for being a good young guide. At last, going down off the mountain was
taken in the mid-afternoon through the shortcut. Release Stress! Enjoy Nature!
Visit Phnom Sampov, the Best Vacation for Life! “Good environment, good rubbish
management!”
By: POK Panhavuth
