Prey Veng is quite a sleepy Cambodian

Prey Veng is quite a sleepy Cambodian province that just happened to have one of the countries
busiest highways running straight through it-National Highway No 1, which links Phnom Penh and
Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. It is a small but heavily populated agricultural region located on the
east banks of the mighty Mekong. The name of the province means literally tall forest, but
actually doesn't refer in any case to lush forests as most of them were chopped down in the past
30-50 years. Also rubber played once a big economical role in this province, but since the war
took over the country the plantations are no longer commercially viable.
There are little places of significance to see nowadays, but during the pre-Angkorian times it must have been one of the most
populated and lively areas of the country. One of the earliest pre-Angkorian Kingdoms was located in the area around Ba
Phnom.
Geography of Prey Veng
Prey Veng province is 4,883 square kilometres big. It's located in the South of the country and
is bordering to the North with Kampong Cham, to the West with Kandal, to the East with Svay
Rieng and to the South with Vietnam. The province consists of the typical plain wet area for
Cambodia, covering rice fields and other agricultural plantations (rubber plantations in former
times). The province also features two of the biggest rivers of the country the Tonle Bassac and
the mighty Mekong.
Prey Veng History
In early Christian era, the province was a major center of the Kingdom of Fu-nan, between economic and political capitals of
the country what were Oc Eo (now in the Vietnamese province of An Giang) and Angkor Borey (in the Cambodian province
of Takeo).
However, with the advent of Chen-la, the hub of the Kingdom moved farther west, to Koh Kerand Angkor and the region lost
its importance.
In the 15th century, the Khmer emperors, under threat from the Siamese (former name of people current Thailand) decided
to resettle back to the east, to O’dong, Luvek then Phnom Penh. Prey Veng did favor them as it was too close to another
danger, namely the Annam. Never less they formed an army at Ba Phnom in 1473 to defend against an invasion of Siam.
Under the French protectorate, the colonial authorities saw potential of the region in terms of agriculture and fishing and its
proximity to the French colony of Cochin China. Mass deforestation took place, to create land for agriculture.
In 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took power, the province experienced its first famine, until 1977. Thousands of people in
Prey Veng Province were killed by the Khmer Rouge and buried in mass graves.
As the Vietnamese army advanced in January 1979, the region regained its position and became one of the first areas of
Cambodia liberated from the Khmer Rouge.
Climate
The country has a tropical climate - warm and humid. In the monsoon season, abundant rain allows for the cultivation of a
wide variety of crops. This year-round tropical climate makes Cambodia ideal for developing tourism. Travelers need not to
fear natural disasters such as erupting volcanoes or earthquakes, and the country is not directly affected by tropical storms.
Climate: Cambodia can be visited throughout the year. However, those plans to travel extensively by road should be avoided
the last two months of the rainy season when some countryside roads may be impassable. The average temperature is about