Cambodia’s central Kampong Cham province’s idyllic rural life, bamboo bridge and wellness

A gentle breeze wafts through the air bringing a welcome respite from the morning’s clammy heat. Faint traditional music rings from one of several small villages that sprinkle the sweeping vistas of paddies and bamboo farms. Temple spires shimmer in the distance and the curve of the mighty Mekong River cuts through the landscape.

Viewed from the peak of Hanchey Hill, about 20km from Kampong Cham city, the serene setting instils a sense of calm – an apt setting for the Hanchey Eco Retreat Centre (HERC). In the making since late 2015, the retreat is a project spearheaded by NGO Buddhism for Social Development Action, which aims to plant Kampong Cham on the regional wellness map.

Made by workers from nearby villages using local bamboo, HERC looks set to be a game-changer for the area when the first phase of the hilltop retreat is unveiled in August. This will include a meditation centre, restaurant, swimming pool, reception building and 10 villas with private terraces. For now, two villas and the pool area open to guests.

HERC has captured the tone of Kampong Cham province, working in harmony with the area’s rural charm. A sense of stillness even settles on the provincial capital, also called Kampong Cham, which is home to a varied collection of architecture, from Chinese shophouses and French colonial buildings, to structures influenced by the New Khmer Architecture movement headed by Van Molyvann in the 1960s.

Its pristine promenade, by the Mekong River, makes a good spot for a sunset stroll, while the dainty city centre is dotted with manicured gardens, Angkor-style statues and water fountains that light up at night.

Kampong Cham’s most famous feature is its bamboo bridge – once the longest in the world at almost one kilometre long and capable of holding the hundreds of trucks, motorbikes, horses and carts and pedestrians that crossed it weekly. Connecting Kampong Cham city to Koh Paen, a small island in the middle of the Mekong that is home to about 1,000 families, the bridge was rebuilt every year after the monsoon rains and rising Mekong swept it away.