Hot springs
I've never been there and don't intend to go anytime soon but I thought you might be interested in this Soaking in Southeast Asia blog posting that visited Cambodia's only hot water spring that is known about. It's way off the beaten track, lounging miles from anywhere in Kompong Speu province, which people only really pass through anyway, on their way to Sihanoukville. If you want to seek it out and find out all about the healing properties of hot springs for yourself, be advised to read this article first so you know what to expect - it's not a site that will immediately grab your interest. Even those building the golf course and resort lost the will to carry on halfway through. There's very little consensus on the name so pick one of the following - Tai Teuk Pous, Ta Te Teuk Pus, Te Teuk Pus or Phnom Te. Click here. Happy soaking.
I found the article while I was searching for stilted villages in and around the Tonle Sap Lake. I've been to a few villages on the shores of the lake (ie. Kompong Phluk, Kompong Khleang, Kompong Luong, Chong Khneas, etc) but there are many more that are waiting to be visited, if only I had, a) the time and b) the necessary transport. My 'fisheries' insider tells me there are plans to develop more eco-tourism sites around the Tonle Sap Lake and beyond but the locations are yet to be confirmed and more details may be available by the end of the year. They didn't say which year!
I found the article while I was searching for stilted villages in and around the Tonle Sap Lake. I've been to a few villages on the shores of the lake (ie. Kompong Phluk, Kompong Khleang, Kompong Luong, Chong Khneas, etc) but there are many more that are waiting to be visited, if only I had, a) the time and b) the necessary transport. My 'fisheries' insider tells me there are plans to develop more eco-tourism sites around the Tonle Sap Lake and beyond but the locations are yet to be confirmed and more details may be available by the end of the year. They didn't say which year!
posted by Andy Brouwer at
3:22 PM
2 Comments:
Andy, I'm glad you mention this. As of now, it is the only known hot spring in Cambodia; and to clarify the khmer name of this place, it is called "Te Teuk Pous", the correct Khmer name for it. "Te" is pronounced tae like a long "a" sound (note Cambodian often spelled using the French sound, i guess due to French colonialism of the past. By the way, Te is the name of the wealthy lady in the legend who onwed this hot spring (there is a khmer legend about this place, like that of the Lady Penh who founded Phnom Penh), and Teuk Pous is the Khmer name for boiling water as the hot spring seems to appear.
Anyway, i hot spring is very popular with Khmer tourists who believe in the healing property of the the hot spring water for common skin diseases like psoriasis, and so on; and this place is slated to be developed for tourism in the near future. Anyway, hope I can help to clarify the Khmer name for this place as foreigners aren't sure of the local name given to this place. Again, the correct name is called "Te(pronounced 'tae', a long "a" sound, the Khmer way which borrowed from the French) Teuk (water) Pous (boiling), thus the name "Te Teuk Pous", meaning hot spring in English, of course. This name is translated from the Khmer writing that sound exactly like this, not any other way. Thank you.
This hot spring was originally owned by Lady Te, thus the Khmer name "Te Teuk Puos" (there is a Khmer legend about this hot spring). Enjoy!
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