Mondulkiri - Cambodia - 5 things to do absolutely

Mondulkiri Province is very popular with travelers searching for wild and preserved lands. Located at 800 meters, this rounded province called the "Switzerland of Cambodia" is full of natural beauty, with thick wooded mountains, powerful waterfalls and green spruce hills. Waterfalls, hiking, elephant walks and meetings with ethnic minorities will punctuate your nature stay in Mondulkiri.

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1 - Discover the many waterfalls

From Sen Monorom, the provincial capital, we invite you to discover its surroundings and more especially its dense jungles where many roaring waterfalls are hidden, places that are a real invitation to relax and swim. Don't miss out on discovering:

- Bousra Waterfalls are the furthest from Sen Monorom but are the most impressive waterfalls in Mondulkiri with their 30 meters high and double cascade plunging into the jungle below. This superb waterfall offers you the opportunity to take a good invigorating bath after a hike in the jungle.

- Romanear Waterfall, located 18 kilometers from Sen Monorom, is very pleasant with its pools that form natural swimming pools where you like to cool off.

- Dak Dam Waterfall combines perfectly with Bousra Waterfall since it is on the same road. Dak Dam Waterfall is distinguished by its beautiful natural setting and its small pockets of water at the base which make it an ideal place for those who want to swim and splash around during picnics.

- Chrey Thom Waterfall falls 15 meters high into a vast pool shaded by tall trees. It is really superb just after the rainy season.

2 - The Elephant Valley Project

Elephant Valley Project is an NGO whose goal is to protect the elephants of Mondulkiri and raise awareness about mistreatment and the environmental dangers that weigh on the pachyderms, particularly their natural habitat in danger due to deforestation. The Elephant Valley Project does not allow visitors to ride on the backs of elephants. However, you are offered the opportunity to walk with them in the forest and observe them in their natural element. In doing so, you will learn a lot more about the behavior of elephants and also about forest ecology. Share a unique moment of complicity with the pachyderms by bathing and feeding them. Elephant Valley Project offers immersions that last from one or more days with nights on site. A beautiful ecotourism project that deserves to be supported!

3 - Discover the coffee plantations

Cambodian coffee is certainly less known than its Laotian and especially Vietnamese neighbors, the second largest producer in the world, but it does not lack flavor and its small production makes it a rare coffee, especially since the Phnong ethnic minority who cultivate most of the plots use an organic cultivation method supported by the Cambodian Center for Agricultural Study and Development (CEDAC). Located only 3 kilometers from Sen Monorom, visiting the coffee plantations will allow you to discover the entire coffee transformation process, from the tree to the cup, and to taste one of the most unique coffees in the world!

4 - Meet the ethnic minorities

Several ethnic minorities populate the wild territories of the region including the Phnong, who represent half of the population, and the Bunong people who practice animism and ancestor worship.

In the past, the Phnong and Bunong were called "mountain people" and this name is derived from the adoption of customs closely linked to nature from which they drew their resources to build their modest houses in the heart of the wooded hills. By going to meet them, you will discover their activities mainly focused on agriculture and in particular rice growing and livestock breeding. They are also gatherers and skilled hunters despite the damage caused by deforestation.

Appreciate their traditional houses which are almost systematically large jars and their traditional gongs. Animists will be surprised by their ancestral beliefs and by the fact that they attribute a spiritual soul to everything that touches their daily lives. Also, their religious ceremonies are closed to the public since only they can understand their meaning. These are meetings that will allow you to understand another Cambodia, deeper, and that will leave you with unforgettable memories.

5 - Go hiking

The best way to meet these ethnic minorities is to go hiking through the magnificent natural scenery of Mondulkiri where these people live in harmony with nature. Several hiking routes are available depending on your level of walking. From a simple stroll of a few hours to a trek of several days with nights at the locals' homes, all your desires for discovery on foot can be fulfilled in this beautiful region of Mondulkiri. Be careful to choose your season carefully by preferably choosing the dry season which goes from November to May.

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