Prey Ta Chey is an emerging eco-tourism and community-based tourism site in Svay Rieng province, offering visitors the chance to experience traditional Cambodian rural life, engage with local communities, and immerse themselves in the area’s natural beauty. 

Located in Trapeang Phloung Village, Baty Commune, Bavet District, it lies about 35 kilometers from Svay Rieng town and only 7 kilometers from the Vietnam border, just off National Highway 1. Covering approximately 404 hectares within the Prey Kokir community forest, it serves as both a natural retreat and a living cultural landscape.

History & Development

Prey Ta Chey was established in 2017 through the efforts of local community forest members, the Santi Sena NGO, and provincial authorities. The initiative was designed to promote sustainable eco-tourism while protecting the forest and improving local livelihoods.

What sets the project apart is its strong emphasis on community ownership, ensuring that local families benefit directly through employment, homestays, organic farming, and forest conservation. At its core, Prey Ta Chey is built on a sustainability model, encouraging responsible tourism that safeguards biodiversity, supports organic agriculture, and fosters environmental stewardship.

Activities & Experiences

A visit to Prey Ta Chey offers a wide variety of authentic rural and eco-friendly experiences. Guests can stay in homestay accommodations built in traditional Cambodian style, enjoying warm hospitality from local families. Dining is another highlight, with meals prepared from fresh, organic produce grown by villagers, allowing visitors to savor the true taste of rural Cambodia.

Nature lovers can enjoy boat rides across ponds, wetlands, and marsh waterways, observing seasonal birdlife and aquatic ecosystems along the way. Community activities such as farming, traditional craft-making, and cultural exchanges create a genuine bond between visitors and villagers. For those seeking adventure, guided walks through forest trails showcase native plants, sustainable forestry practices, and ongoing conservation efforts.

Cultural & Environmental Significance

Prey Ta Chey is not just a tourism site but also a testament to the heritage of stewardship within Cambodian communities. It illustrates how traditional livelihoods can integrate with modern conservation practices to protect the environment.

Beyond ecology, the forest holds cultural and spiritual value, with ties to ancestral worship and animist traditions that highlight the deep connection between people and the land. For visitors, the site also functions as a living classroom, where lessons about biodiversity, organic farming, and rural resilience come to life through direct experience.