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By no means can the crumbling old buildings at Bokor Mountain Hill Station compete with the grandeur of Angkor Wat, but this charming coastal town and stunning surroundings offer a look into Cambodia's more recent history:the one under the French rule from 1864 to 1953. |
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The wide river, mountains, lush nature and friendly people make this an ideal place for true relaxation. |
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It is well worth renting a bicycle or a motorbike for a day or two. It gives you the opportunity to peek into rural Cambodian life set amidst acres and acres of rice fields and pepper and fruit plantations. Main roads are most often well paved and have little traffic, roads into villages and further afield are generally dirt tracks. |
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Architecture
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Kampot has been the administrative center for southern Cambodia for hundreds of years and is home to a striking collection of colonial architecture - much of the movie City of Ghosts was filmed here. Especially the area around the Old Market, along the Riverside Road with the Governor's mansion and prison in the backstreets are worth a look. The characteristic 'Old Bridge' shows the wear and tear it has had to endure. The new bridge just to the north was inaugurated by Prime Minister Hun Sen in May 2007 |
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Darlaing |
Better known as a Leisurely Afternoon Stroll or Ride. A very popular passing of time, especially with fathers and their offspring. |
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Bokor Hill Station
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Set in Preah Monivong National Park, at 37km from Kampot, partially via a poorly maintained road, you find Bokor Hill Station. Bokor Hill Station is a mountaintop collection of buildings (hotel, casino, church, royal residence, etc.), constructed by French authorities in the early 1920s as a complement to the already popular Kep resort area. In the 1990s, a travel author referred to Bokor as ‘the eeriest place in the world’, and it lives up to that reputation. |
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In its time, Bokor was an elegant getaway for French officials and foreign visitors to old Indochina - a classic colonial ‘hill station’ located in the mountains to allow visitors accustomed to more temperate climates to escape the tropical heat. But years of neglect have left ghostly ruins - vestiges of a different age, often shrouded in fog and clouds. One thing that the years have not changed is the absolutely spectacular view of the coast and the cool (sometimes cold) mountain air. Wild elephants and other jungle animals are occasionally seen.
There is a $5.00 entrance fee to Preah Monivong NP, valid for one entry.
There is a small guesthouse on top with $5 rooms, good toilets and very few other services. If you are going to stay on Bokor, take food as the guesthouse has little to offer.
For adventurers, it is possible to rent 250cc dirtbikes for about $10.00 per day. Take Route #3 from Kampot to Sihanoukville to the well-marked turnoff. The ranger station is about a kilometer up the road. Badly broken pavement all the way up the mountain. For experienced riders, it’s a moderate dirt bike ride. It is painful but possible on a small 100cc bike. Bring warm clothes and enough petrol.
Local tour operator Sok Lim Tours offer a good value for money 1 day combination tour of Bokor, Tek Chhou Rapids and a sunset river cruise.
For more information and tours, check their website: |
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Boat Trips
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The sun sets behind the Elephant Mountains, and sunset river cruises are offered to view this often colourful spectacle. The ride from Kampot to the rapids at Tek Chou and back is most popular. Private boats are for rent at $10.00 per hour. |
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Tek Chou Rapids
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A picnic area on the Prek Chha river, about 8 km from Kampot town on a well paved road. Popular with the locals, especially on weekends. Some food and drink stalls. The rapids and river breeze make a pleasant cool down on a hot summer's afternoon. |
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Caves near Kampot
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Limestone mountains (‘phnom’) dot the landscape between Kampot and Kep. Many contain limestone caves, some adorned with exotic rock formations, and almost all containing Buddhist shines. Make sure to bring a torch and wear shoes suitable for climbing on rocks.
The caves of Phnom Chhnork
Cave #1 Pre-Angkorian ruin set in a limestone cave amongst stalagmites and stalactites that are slowly growing back into the ruin. Small, 4th-5th century AD brick structure associated with the ancient state of Funan. A bit of carving is still visible. Look for the limestone formations near the entrance of the cave in the shapes of elephants.
Cave #2 The entrance is about 300 meters from Cave #1 in the same limestone outcropping. Very little in the way of formations, but quite deep, requiring climbing over piles of rock and through small openings. Small shrine.
Phnom K’Chnor
Pre-Angkorian ruin set in a limestone cave amongst stalagmites and stalactites that are slowly growing into the ruin. Small, 4th-5th century AD brick structure associated with the ancient state of Funan. A bit of carving is still visible.
The cave at Phnom Sasear, also known as the ‘White Elephant Cave.’
Located next to an colorful pagoda. The stairs up the side of the outcropping provide a beautiful view of the countryside, especially during the wet season. The cave contains a shrine at the base of a limestone formation alleged to resemble a white elephant.
Sok Lim Tours organises an interesting 1 day trip to the caves, salt fields, pepper plantations, Kep and Rabbit Island. |
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Salt Fields
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Bring a visit to the salt fields and gain respect for that bowl of rice you eat every now and then. Heavy work in the baking sun. |
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Pepper Plantations
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Kampot is renowned for its' quality pepper. A local organisation is selling excellent quality pepper in beautiful raw silk bags to stimulate farmers to expand the pepper business. |
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Tek Chou Zoo
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Set amidst tropical fruit orchards, this Asian-style zoo displays a variety of local fauna. Animals seem well-fed and healthy and most appear to have large enough confinement. The zoo also boasts large collection of modern Khmer landscape decoration. Well worth a visit, especially when traveling with children. |
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Kep
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A collection of crumbling former holiday retreats built in the 1960s and a single, kilometer long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula. Dining platforms and seafood vendors line the road behind the beach. Busy on weekends but often deserted during the week. The road through Kep traces the coastline to the beach and then circles back on itself. |
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Rabbit Island (Koh Tunsay)
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An easily visited island near Kep - about 20-40 minutes from Kep by local boat. White sand beaches, coconut trees and relatively clear water. Snorkel around the rocks, no coral but lots of fish. There are now some very basic guesthouse facilities on the island. Sok Lim Tours organises an interesting 1 day trip to the caves, salt fields, pepper plantations, Kep and Rabbit Island. |
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Prek Ampil
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Prek Ampil is off of route 3, about five kilometers past the entrance to Bokor on the way to Sihanoukville. An abandoned and ruined set of 1960s villas along a 500 meter stretch of white sand beach, this must have been quite the weekend getaway before the civil war. Now, the entire beach has been taken over by a small community of seaweed farmers who ship their product to Malaysia. They're perfectly friendly seaweed farmers with a couple of drink stalls set up. This is a working beach, no coconut sellers or lounge chairs to be seen, but it offers a completely untrammeled alternative to the beach/ruins at the more popular Kep. |
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Cham Communities
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Cham Communities are in abundance in this area; while it would be rude to poke into everyone's houses, it is interesting to notice how the atmosphere changes from one village to the next as you pass between Khmer and Muslim areas. The mosques in the area are of fairly recent construction. |
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Kampong Trach
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Kampong Trach is the district that borders Vietnam. The road trip from Kampot to the main town passes though some picturesque rural areas. There is a new side road to Kampong Trach town that skirts the base of Phnom Voar, (where the victims of the 1994 Khmer Rouge kidnappings were held.) These mountain areas of Kampong Trach were one of the last Khmer Rouge holdouts. Kampong Trach town is small and relatively uninteresting. The area’s main attraction is a series of limestone caves and tubes that have been carved into a nearby mountain. The roof of a large cave in the center of a mountain has collapsed, making a small, enclosed jungle. Pagodas and shrines have been built amongst the caves, providing for some excellent photo possibilities. Bring a flashlight and wear good walking shoes.
From Kampot, take the Kep road, bear left at the White Horse Monument and follow to Kampong Trach. After a few kilometers the road changes to badly broken pavement. The side road mentioned above requires a left turn onto a graded dirt road about 7 km past the White Horse Monument. It is not a straightforward route and it may be better if you go with a guide. Set aside the better part of a day for the trip to the caves and back. |
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Massage |
Seeing Hands Massage: Shiatsu massage by seeing-impaired Cambodian masseurs and masseuses |
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Khmer Traditional Music School |
The students of the Khmer Traditional Music School perform for public free of charge. A donation is always welcome to support these disadvantaged children. |
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Vietnamese Border
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Continuing out of Kompong Trach, take the first right past the main bridge and about 20km later you'll arrive at Vietnam. This is the Ha Tien crossing, which has opened only recently to foreigners. Visas are not available at the border, arrange these either in Phnom Penh or in Sihanoukville. |
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