About Takeo

Statistics 1998

• Area:           3,563 km²
• Population:    790,168 
• Pop.density:  221.8 inh./km²
• ISO-31662:   KH -21 

The Province is divided into 10 districts:

1. Angkor Borei
2. Tramkak
3. Samraong
4. Bati
5. Kirivong
6. Preykabs
7. Borie Chulsar
8. Koh Andet
9. Doun Keo
10. Treang

Takeo province, the cradle of Khmer civilization, is home to important temples, scenic spots and picnic areas popular with Cambodian tourists. Yet it’s seemingly been forgotten by the cash-strapped government in terms of its potential for cultural tourism. And as a result, it is sadly overlooked by foreigners. Surrounded by Kandal, Kampot and Kampong Speu provinces, with Vietnam flanking it to the southeast, the temples of Takeo are especially popular with Phnom Penh residents on day or weekend trips. But archeologists and local officials say there is much to draw international cultural tourists to the region — if the roads can be fixed, and if the government and tourism industry begin to promote the area. Foreign interest and investment has long been concentrated on the Angkor Wat area, with its splendid ruins dating back to the 9th through 12th centuries. New investment is helping to restore the Angkorian-era ruins of Sambor Prey Kuk in Kompong Thom.Takeo’s ruins, however, stretch from 500 BC to the 13th century. Our province is the birthplace of Khmer civilization, and there is strong potential for tourist attraction. Takeo’s significance is well-known to archeologists, both in Cambodia and around the world. Recent research indicates the ancient walled city of Angkor Borei may date back 2,000 years. That’s important because it would place the roots of Cambodian civilization much earlier than had been suspected — and well before the arrival of traders from the Indian and Roman empires.

Contact with those two great civilizations had long been credited with sparking the beginnings of Cambodian civilization in the Funan empire, which stretched from the Cambodian heartland to
Vietnam between the 1st and 6th centuries AD.

Visitors to the area now must patch together a series of bus, boat and motor rides to visit Angkor Borei or any of the nearby temples.

Two prominent Cambodians are hoping to make that easier, by convincing foreign donors to invest in developing Takeo’s cultural tourism–something the Cambodian government is not likely to be able to afford to do soon.

“Takeo is a great place with temples built in every period, even before [the Christian era and in addition to the many ruins that are still visible which the archeological remains of 13 “underground” temples were recently discovered.

It is stimated that there are several hundred temples yet to be explored, built between the 5th and 12th centuries. One Takeo pagoda, Wat Romloak, dates back to the 5th century, with a pond built in the 7th century.

Some sites will hold special significance for practitioners of Hinayana Buddhism, which arose in Takeo in the 7th century. A famous Buddha from that era is now on display in thedisplay in the

National
Museum.
 

Other sites likely to draw tourists include the 13th-century Ta Prohm Temple and Tonle Bati resort, Tamau Zoo, Neang Khmao temple, and Phnom Bayang.

Takeo tourism is the province’s wealth of temples and abundance of scenic picnic spots which ranks it third behind Siem Reap and Sihanoukville for tourist potential.

Welcome to Takeo!