Traversing the northern reigns of Cambodia can be difficult at the best of times but heading out of Siem Reap in the early morning, we were enthused at the prospect of taking the ‘new’ highway built to Ratanakiri! A few bumpy hours into our 7-hour drive, crammed in the back on the van next to the locals and their chickens, we began to wonder how bad the old road must have been if this was considered an upgrade. We held firm and as the sun began to drop, we reached our destination. Ratanakiri (translated to Gem Mountain) is a secluded province adorned with lush forests, pristine rivers, and abundant wildlife… an area still well off the tourist trail.
Accommodation here can be quite tricky, but we were lucky enough to stumble across a homestay online a few days earlier. When we arrived, it was evident that our host was overjoyed to have some new visitors, showing us about town before bringing us deeper into the mountains to his beautiful home. The next day, he arranged for a scooter to be delivered and we set off to explore this picturesque province.
Arriving shortly after the wet season, we were met with immense cascades and epic waterfalls. We began at Katieng Waterfall as it was the furthest from our accommodation. Turning off the main road, we quickly realised my riding skills would be put to the test. The dirt roads had become mud slides, forcing even the locals to walk alongside their scooters and motorcycles, but I just but I just kicked off my shoes and dug my heels in as we went… 2 slow speed crashes later, I conceded the locals were right. The waterfall was stunning, even with the water colour resembling the surrounding mud, and we were able to walk around into the cave behind the falls to cool off. Backtracking, we reached Kachanh Waterfall but on arrival I came to realise one of my thongs (flip flops) had fallen somewhere along the mud, so we slipped and slid and retrieved it before heading down the stairs to these falls.
For me though, the nicest falls in the area was Cha Ong Waterfall, just north of town. The sketchy climb down had us dropping into a gorge full of lush forest with every hue of green you could imagine; the place was beautiful! In contrast to the expansive jungle leading away from the falls, behind was a dark cave where the gorge enclosed around it. After a few more day wandering around town, we jumped on another bus to the province of Mondulkiri.
Mondulkiri's ethereal appeal, famed for its Elephant Sanctuary and fascinating indigenous cultures, made this a memorable stop. The Mondulkiri Elephant Project is a fantastic organisation with three major goals. The first is to keep a forested valley from being logged. Second, they give a safe haven for the elephants who have been rescued. Finally, to assist the local indigenous Bunong people. They rescue elephants from the tourism industry and pay their owners a living income to relocate them to a lush jungle where they may graze freely, instead of traversing roads with the weight of two humans on their back.
They collected us early morning from our cabin on the outskirts of town and were soon dropped off along a fence line up in the hills. They only had a rough idea where the elephants were, so we set of hiking to find them! An hour in we came across the first two beautiful females and armed with some fresh bananas, we got to interact with them up close. A truly amazing experience, but the day was just beginning, as we continued our journey to the base camp of the sanctuary.
Reaching the hut with our new elephant friends in tow, we were greeted by a young monkey eager for some fruit! It was clearly lunchtime as we were soon joined by two more elephants including the matriarch, and after a lunch full of banana trees and lychees, it was time to head down to the river for an afternoon cool off. Riding on the backs came do serious harm to an elephant’s joints, but in the river, it was time to jump up and help with a good back scrub. I was astounded at how cautious and careful they were for such a large animal! To this day, being able to share this moment with them goes down as one of the best experiences of my life, a heart-warming experience where you can interact with these gentle giants responsibly and support their conservation efforts.
Mondulkiri has so much to offer beyond just the elephants, and we spread the rest of our time exploring the town and surrounding jungles, including Sen Monorom, an epic multi-tier waterfall which was easily the most powerful we had seen so far. Knowing our plan was to enter Vietnam at the southernmost border crossing, we finished our time in Cambodia back along the coast in Kampot. Kampot and Kampong Trach returns to the rich mixture of limestone cliffs and caves, along side farmlands. A beautiful ending to our time in a wonderful country. After such recent tragedies, it was so nice to be able to support local communities and eco-friendly establishments that promote conservation efforts. Together we can ensure a lasting positive impact on Cambodia's environment and culture.
