Bokor National Park & Hill Station

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Today we scootered over to Bokor National Park to see the Hill Station which is one of the things recommended to see whilst in Kampot. Getting to the entrance of the park is a relatively short drive but from the entrance to the top takes quite a long time. The road is good but very windy - probably a lot of fun for motorbike enthusiasts.
On the way up we stopped to look at various view points and a giant, sitting lady Buddha.
The park has been leased out for the next 99years and the Chinese are levelling large areas and constructing huge complexes. This is a real shame as it means there’s no longer any trekking available through the park and it risks the wildlife here including elephants, tigers, sun bears, mongoose, hornbills and other threatened animals.

The hill station is where the French colonials used to come to try and escape the oppressive summer heat. Long since abandoned the area was seen as an important strategic site for battling sides during the numerous civil wars in Cambodia. It’s become a tourist attraction as the empty buildings, surrounded by the fog which lies over the mountain, are eerie.
Although all the new construction is spoiling the atmosphere for many visitors.
The first building we looked around was an old Catholic Church, behind which is a great viewing point.
From there we headed over to the old casino & hotel which has recently been refurbished by the Chinese. As with many of the new buildings in the area it looks deserted but there were a few staff around.
From here we headed down to Sampov Pram wat (5 boats wat). Just outside the entrance is a local restaurant that provided us with noodles for $1.50 each.
After eating we explored the Wat which is in pretty grounds and has great views over to the sea.
The park is also famous for its waterfalls but being dry season they had dried up so not something we saw.
On the way back down the mountain we stopped at a building opposite the large, sitting Buddha. This turned out to be part of the Black Palace, built in the 1930s by the Cambodian King. We walked down the path past the first building and were pleasantly surprised to find another 3 buildings in the jungle. It’s amazing how quickly the jungle takes over and we enjoyed exploring these old Art Deco buildings.

Once back in Kampot we relaxed on comfy chairs with a drink before heading off for dinner. We ate at the recommended ‘Divinos’ restaurant. This lovely Italian is run by Italians and whilst pricey is delicious (we found 1 pizza & a salad to share was plenty).

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Photos

Monks
Walking along as we left our hotel

The misty mountain
View from near the large Buddha statue