The places I want to go

Introduction to Japan

When you hear the word 'Japan', what do you think of? Does your mind fill with images of ancient temples or futuristic cities? Do you see visions of mist-shrouded hills or lightning-fast bullet trains? Do you think of suit-clad businessmen or kimono-clad geisha? Whatever image you have of Japan, it's probably accurate, because it's all there. But you may also have some misconceptions about Japan. For example, many people believe that Japan is one of the world's most expensive countries. In fact, it's cheaper to travel in Japan than in much of North America, Western Europe and parts of Oceania. Others think that Japan is impenetrable or even downright difficult. The fact is, Japan is one of the easiest countries in which to travel. It is, simply put, a place that will remind you why you started travelling in the first place.

If traditional culture is your thing, you can spend weeks in cities such as .......Kyoto and Nara, gorging yourself on temples, shrines, kabuki, ō (stylised dance-drama), tea ceremonies and museums packed with treasures from Japan's rich artistic heritage. If modern culture and technology is your thing, Japan's cities are an absolute wonderland - an easy peek into the future of the human race, complete with trend-setting cafés and fabulous restaurants. Outside the cities, you'll find natural wonders the length and breadth of the archipelago. From the coral reefs of Okinawa to the ski-resort of Niseko, Japan has more than enough natural wonders to compete with its cultural treasures. Then there's the food: whether it's impossibly fresh sushi in Tokyo, perfectly battered tempura in Kyoto, or a hearty bowl of rāmen in Osaka, if you like eating you're going to love Japan.

MONDULKIRI PROVINCE

Mondulkiri province is situated in the eastern highland and forms part of the plateau and mountains region. This province is chock full of natural beauty, with thickly forested mountains, powerful waterfalls and the lush greet rolling hills of the western side. Add to that the communities of hill trips people who are not affected by mass-tourism. The Sen Monorom is a quiet and beautiful town nestles into the hills; it has a lot of potential develop into a centre for intrusive eco-tourism. With its 14,682km² of land area and a population of 38,833, comprising 19,687 males and 19,147 females. The province consists of 5 districts, 21 communes and 90 villages. The district of Sen Monorom constitutes the urban portion of the province.


Mondulkiri means “Meeting of the Hills”, a suitable names for such a hilly province. Nestled against Cambodia’s eastern border, Mondulkiri really is another Cambodia, with scenery and a climate quite unlike anywhere else in the country. In the dry season it is a little like Wales with sunshine; in the wet season, like Tasmania with dreadful roads. There are endless grassy hills with the occasional clump of pines huddles together against the winds. At an average elevation of 800m, it can get quite chilly at night, so carry something warm.

Mondulkiri is the most sparsely populated province. Almost half of the inhabitants come from the Pnong minority group, other minorities making up much of the rest of the population. The lack of people adds to something of a wild-east atmosphere and there are certainly a lot of wild animals in the remoter parts of the province, including tigers, elephants, bears and leopards.

There has recently been an influx of refugees returning from the Thai border area, which has pushed

the province forward a little. Rice farming is picking up, but hunting remains the profession of choice for many minorities. Roads are bad throughout the province, but several have been earmarked for improvement, which could speed up travel in the next couple years.

Sen Meonorom, the provincial capital of Mondulkiri, is a charming little community set amid rolling hills. The centre of town, a village really, has tow lakes, leading some dreamers to call it” The Switzerland of Cambodia”. The area around Sen Monorom has plenty of minority villages and picturesque waterfalls, making it pleasant places to pass a few nights. Many of Pnong people from nearby villages come in to Sen Monorom to trade and the distinctive baskets they carry on their back make them easy to distinguish from the immigrant Khmers. High winds billow throughout the year and it can get pretty fresh at night, So bring some warm clothing.

Bou Sraa Waterfall

This double-drop waterfall is one of the largest in Cambodia and famous throughout the country. it is an unforgiving 37km journey east of Sen Monorom, but the reward is worth effort. The upper tier of Bou Sraa drops some 10m and the lower tier drops 25m.

Monorom falls
This small waterfall is the closest thing to a public swimming pool for Sen Monorom. It has an attractive location in the forest about 3km northwest of the town. Walking there, head straight on beyond Sihanouk’s abandoned villa and when the trail eventually forks, take the left-hand side.
Chrey Thom Waterfall

Locates at Sen Monorum District in 43-kilometer distance from the provincial town. During the dry season, the waterfall has 15-meter height and two-meter diameter, and during the rainy season, the waterfall has 11-meter height and eight-meter diameter. The waterfall surrounded by plantation of Sro Lou and there is a big and brandy tree of Chrey. The Provincial Tourist office in cooperation with the territorial authority has arranged this waterfall spot as the tourist site instead of Boo Sra waterfall that unable to be accessible during the rainy season.



Rum Near Waterfall

Locates at Sen Monorum District in 10.5-kilometer distance from the provincial town. The waterfall has good location, which is closed to the industrial plantations like rubber, coffee, cashew, mango, Avocado and Pres as well. During the rainy season, the waterfall has five-meter height and 10-meter diameter, and during the dry season, the waterfall has six-meter height and eight-meter diameter only. At the waterfall, there are many big trees projecting the cool shadow to the

Visit Angkor Wat Temple

Prepare for the divine inspiration! The temples of Angkor are the perfect fusion of creative ambition and spiritual devotion. The Cambodian god-kings of old each strove to better their ancestors in size, scale and symmetry, culminating in the world’s largest religious building - Angkor Wat, and one of the world’s weirdest - the Bayon. The hundreds of temples surviving today are but the sacred skeleton of the vast political, religious and social centre of an empire that stretched from Burma to Vietnam, a city that, at its zenith, boasted a population of one million when London was a scrawny town of 50,000. The houses, public buildings and palaces were constructed of wood - now long decayed - because the right to dwell in structures of brick or stone was reserved for the gods.

The temples of Angkor are the heart and soul of the Kingdom of Cambodia, a source of inspiration and national pride to all Khmers as they struggle to rebuild their lives after years of terror and trauma. Today, the temples are a point of pilgrimage for ails Cambodians, and no traveler to the region will want to miss their extravagant beauty.

Saffron robed monks queue during an event at the ancient site of Angkor.



Stone statues of the fifty-four mythical gods who hold a naga at the South Gate to Angkor Thom, many of which have been decapitated by thieves and vandals.



Sunrise silhouette of Angkor Wat through trees.