This definitely is the must see attraction when you come to Kampot. This is the biggest mountain in the area that you can see from the riverside. You have to drive 10-15min from Kampot Town to the National Park entrance and have free entry. You can easily spend a whole day exploring this haunted gorgeous mountain. This mountain also has the best road in Cambodia which is 32km long and takes you 1,100m up with stunning views.
Three Favorite Things About Bokor National Park
Exploring Abandoned Bokor Church and other old structures like Black Palace
This church and the abandoned buildings are from French Colonial days (1920). Bokor was originally a small resort town and now it is an abandoned ghost town. All these buildings were permanently abandoned after Khmer Rouge (Genocide). You really get the haunted feeling especially on a cloudy day when you see bullet holes all over the walls of these old broken buildings.
TIP: When you go to the church walk up the trail behind the church, you will find the most beautiful view from the overlook through the clouds.
Sampov Pram Pagoda
This is a stunning place and definitely a must see functional astonishing Temple which is located on the top of the mountain so the views from there will not disappoint you!
Popokvil Waterfalls
A few gorgeous falls come after a little hike. Make sure you walk to the bottom of the falls, Its super fun exploring around. If you travel during the dry season be ready that the falls are probably pretty much dry.
Other Activities
-Gambling in a Fabulous Casino
-Exploring Tea Farm
-Watching monkeys
-Lok Yeay Mao Monument
-Beautiful overlooks to go
-Haunted Black Palace
-Rice fields
-Bokor Hill Station
-Hikes all around the mountain
Getting to Bokor & Getting around
Best way to go up to Bokor mountain is by a motorbike/scooter when you can enjoy the gorgeous view while driving 32km up to the mountain on the best road in Cambodia. You can get a scooter from town for 4usd and a dirt bike for 20usd per day so it is not expensive! If you don’t feel like driving you can also get a tuk tuk driver to drive you around the park. Even after thousands of times visiting this park, I enjoy the drive so much. Roads in Cambodia are not the best and in this National Park you really get to enjoy driving. You can stop in many places on the way to the top of the mountain and see little Kampot town from so many ankles. You can also see all the way to Vietnam (Phu Quoc Island).
Watch Out For
Take a jacket! When you get to the top it is surprisingly cold when you drive through the clouds
If you go on a cloudy day it might be so misty at the top of the mountain that you can’t see more than a couple of meters when you drive (You can see the difference in my photos).
Watch out for monkeys when you drive.
Remember to take proper clothes if you want to go to the Temple.
Sadly, Chinese and Cambodians have now invested in the National Park and they are building a “new town” on top of the mountain which will change the place a lot so if you have a chance, go see this gorgeous park before it has all changed.
Great article. Thank you. Now I am thinking of visiting Bokor National Park))) I have seen and visited an old Catholic Dome and Buddist temple. But where are waterfalls?
And do you know, is Bokor open now for visiting?
Wonderful ?
Nice article. Dont know if you know, but if you carry on past the water fall. There is a trekking path that runs to another waterfall. 20kms Its signed but looks under used