Tbeng Meanchey

Introducing Tbeng Meanchey

Tbeng Meanchey (pronounced tbai man-chey), often referred to by locals as Preah Vihear (not to be confused with Prasat Preah Vihear), is one of Cambodia’s more out-of-the-way provincial capitals. Sprawling and dusty-red (or muddy-red, depending on the season), it has the grid layout of a large city but, in fact, consists of little more than two parallel main roads, running north to south, on which dogs lounge in the middle of the day. There’s very little to see or do here, but the town makes a good staging post for the long haul to the mountaintop temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, 110 punishing kilometres further north.

Until 1999, because of Khmer Rouge activity, the only way in or out of Tbeng Meanchey was by air.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009