Wat Sampov Pram atop Phnom Bokorfeatured
The story of Bokor National Park, like many of our history is a fascinating but unfortunate one. A major tourist attraction, and the historical site of the dramatic showdown between the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese in 1979, Bokor National Park was sold in its entirety by the Hun Sen’s government to the Sokimex Group for $100m. Now, the hauntingly beautiful 1920 French colonial hill station, often swathed in thick fog, is the home of many large hotels and a casino. Extravagant development project for this site includes many villas, gold courses, water parks, a cable car and many more luxuries, however, at the moment, the area near the hotel/casino looks nothing more than a large construction site.
Typical 2014 Cambodian construction, the new resort and casino is, pardon my language, a tacky piece of crap cheaply constructed, and an abomination to the historically rich and beautiful mountain. Sadly, as new development across the mountain gains pace, the opportunity to explore the mountain’s old relics, and its natural beauty unperturbed by modern structures may soon be a thing of the past. Having said that, I am a bit disappointed I wasn’t able to fully explore Phnom Bokor during the wet season. The beautiful waterfall, a grand sight to behold during the wet season was completely dry under the blistering April heat during my visit.
However, even during dry season, there are some sites worth exploring. Wat Sampov Pram, considered the highest Buddha pagoda in Cambodia, is a rustic temple (wat) one should definitely not miss out on regardless of weather condition. The name Wat Sampov Pram mean Temple of the Five Boats, a reference to the large, and flat rock formations nearby, 10 meters long by 10 meters high, these natural formations convey the images of boats, giving the wat its name. The local also tells of a legend associated with the unusual rock formation:
“Once upon a time there was a prince named Preah Thong. The young man’s father favored his younger brother and asked him to give everything over to his sibling, so Preah Thong decided to leave his own land and travel the world, taking a handful of loyal followers with him.
One day, Preah Thong docked his sailing boat at a large beach and spied a very tall Tlork tree. Tlork trees produce nuts which are both edible and can be used for waterproofing a boat, which was something he sorely needed to do, so he ordered his men to make camp near the tree. The next morning at dawn the prince was wandering the beach alone when he saw a group amusing themselves by the water, including a beautiful Nagini, or Naga princess. It was love at first sight for both.
Soon, the prince was proposing the Nagani introduce him to her father. “Hold my tail,” she commanded, and dived deep to the seabed to call on her royal father. The Naga king was delighted and granted a wedding for his daughter and the prince. But after staying in the country of the Naga for just seven days, the prince knew he wanted to claim a kingdom of his own and had to move on and explore the world with his new wife. Again, the Naga King gave his blessing. In fact, far from objecting, the king gave the couple five huge sailing boats laden with treasures fit for such a noble couple. Together with their now 500 followers, the couple sailed to a high peak and built a city there. Time passed, the water receded and mud and silt buried the boats, but time turned their masts and sails to stone. And they may still be seen today, reminding visitors of how people first came to Bokor Mountain. And that is the story of Wat Sampeouv Pram, the Five Sailing Boats Pagoda a story not known by many who visit Phnom Bokor.” -Leisure Cambodia
Entering the wat was a bit anticlimactic, it looks small in comparison to many others in the area. As I explored it in more details, I realized it is particularly more ornate than other small wats, with dragon-tail ornaments extending at the roof. The area is often moist and foggy, so the walls of the wat is discolored with age, but instead of diminishing its beauty, it gives the wat a mysterious vibe, creating a fascinating texture that seems to weave its own legend. I was infatuated with this small wat, but what really stole my heart, was the breath-taking view of jungle and sapphire sea from the small pagoda on the opposite side of the dragon-tail ornated wat.
Although the newly built hotel and casino were a structural eyesore, there were some newly constructed “items” that I did appreciate while exploring Wat Sampov Pram, namely, the large buddah statues that couldn’t have been more than a few years old.
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