Kampot - Bokor Mountain

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An 8.00 pickup for the start of our trip today. Transferred by one mini bus to a café to wait for another as is the norm in this part of the world, and then around town for a couple more pickups. Ten of us in total making the trip. Apart from us the average age would be under 25 so starting to have some concerns about holding them all up if the trek up the mountain is very difficult.

On arrival at the entrance to Bokor National Park we are transferred to a dual cab ute with bench seats in the tray. The Cambodian Government have transferred the rights to the park to a Chinese company so we have to use their vehicles because of some insurance issues whilst they are constructing a new road to the top of the mountain. Kim and I were lucky enough to secure seats inside. So in and on the ute we had ten tourists, a driver, a guide and a park ranger. The road construction is massive with a very good wide sealed road being built all the way up (32km). At the top they are building hotels and casinos.

After about twelve kilometers the ute stops so we can begin our trek – it looks very steep. Just before we were about to start, Kim and I found a new best friend, the guide said that by paying the driver some extra anyone that didn’t want to do the walk could stay in the ute. I couldn’t get my wallet out fast enough the price of $2.50 each to avoid an hour and a half trek through a jungle up a very steep mountain seemed too good to be true. The other eight plus guide and ranger disappeared into the bush and we drove up through some fairly impressive road construction for about 10km where we pulled up and waited for the others. It was a bit cooler now that we were fairly high up the mountain so we had a comfortable wait. Just looking at the sweaty bodies and red faces when the others got there was all Kim and I needed to see to know we had made a very wise investment in the bribery and corruption that is Cambodia.

Back onto the ute, yes this time we were sitting on the bench seats along the side of the tray (thought it was the least we could as we had not done the walk). Bad choice – about 5 km further on we hit what could only be described as a wall of water. The very heavy rain lasted only a couple of minutes but it was enough to thoroughly soak us –at least now we looked as wet as the rest of them and could almost pretend we had walked. As sudden as the rain started it stopped and everything was completely dry again except us.

At the top of the mountain we got our first glimpse of the ruins of the old hill station which is what we had come to see only to have it immediately spoilt with the sight of the new hotel they are building. A little further on there are more foundations being poured right next to the old catholic churc ruins. Our guide informs us that this is the site for a twelve storey hotel. I am glad we came when we did it is all going to be ruined and all to meet the gambling pleasure of Chinese and Vietnamese.

Our first stop is the old Palace Hotel and Casino. What was once obviously a grand hotel right on the cliff-top is now in ruins. Everything except solid concrete has been removed yet it is still an impressive sight. Just in front of the casino is a parapet wall before a near vertical cliff of several hundred metres. The story is that many a gambler has cut his losses by doing a big jump. It is also said that the Khmer Rouge forced people to jump off the cliff.

After wandering around the ruins for an hour or so during which time some fog rolled in to add some fantastic atmosphere to the photographers paradise that Bokor is, it was back in the ute for the return to the walking track – with a short cut this would be a 30 minute trek. Kim and I decided that we could do this part just for the experience, really how hard could it be to walk 30 minutes down hill. It was very very steep and we were even more certain that we had made the right decision on the up-hill leg, Kim didn’t like the slipping and sliding down the hill so it was time for mini melt down number 2. As with Rabbit Island what did she expect me to do? We both ended up smiling! Needless to say we made it to the bottom in one piece and only a couple of minutes behind the others. (Two of them had opted for the car ride down). It was then back in the ute for the trip down the rest of the mountain, transfer to a minivan and back to our hotel about 3.00 for a very much needed shower and drink.

The second part of our tour started an hour later at 4.00, a sunset cruise on the river. The tour is run by an Australian and includes Australian wine which Kim was very happy about and barbecued prawns. A couple more beers for me and it was a very pleasant way to end the day. We didn’t see the sunset as a tropical storm was coming so we rushed back to try and beat the rain, didn’t quite make it but it wasn’t too bad. It was interesting watching all the fishing boats headed out to sea for their nights work. Up to half a dozen of them were lashed together steaming out so that one person could steer whilst the others had tea as well as saving a bit of fuel.

A few drinks with the others on the tour followed. An early night for Kim and a late night for me!

All in all a great day.

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