What's actually up there
The old hill station was built by the French in the 1920s as an escape from the heat, abandoned during the war years, and left to the weather. What remains:
- Le Bokor Palace — the grand building everyone photographs. It is described online almost universally as an abandoned casino; it was built as a hotel. It has been restored rather than left ruined, which disappoints some visitors and relieves others
- The old Catholic church — a small stone church from 1928, still standing, weathered to a rust colour. The most atmospheric thing on the mountain
- Wat Sampov Pram — a pagoda a few minutes from the old buildings, with statues gradually being reclaimed by lichen
The modern resort and casino opened in 2012 and sits incongruously alongside all this. You generally cannot wander inside.
Popokvil Waterfall is a short drive on, and charges a small separate fee — reports put it around $0.50. It is impressive in the wet season and modest in the dry.
The views, when the cloud lifts, run out over the coast. On a genuinely clear day people report seeing as far as Phu Quoc.
Getting up
- It's about an hour from Kampot on a good sealed road — one of the better roads in the country
- By rented motorbike is the classic way. The road is wide and well surfaced, but it is long, steep and often wet at the top
- By tuk-tuk works and many drivers will do it, though it's a hard climb for a small engine
- On an organised half-day tour from Kampot, usually bundled with a stop or two
- There's a petrol station near the bottom by the entrance. Use it
Entry to the park has historically been free, with only the waterfall charging. Reports conflict and a gate and booth exist, so there may be a fee by the time you read this. Carry a little cash either way.
When to go, and what to wear
The top is genuinely cooler than the coast and frequently inside a cloud. That is part of the appeal — the ruins in mist are the whole picture — but it does mean:
- Bring a layer. People arrive in shorts and regret it
- Expect wet roads and poor visibility in the rainy season, roughly May to October
- Mornings are usually clearer; cloud tends to build through the afternoon
- See the best time to visit Cambodia for how the seasons run
Honest expectations
There are no real hiking trails up there, which surprises people expecting a national park in the walking sense. It is a drive, with stops. Monkeys along the road are common and should not be fed.
If you want a proper walk instead, the loop in Kep National Park is eight flat kilometres through jungle and takes a morning.
Doing it from Kep
Bokor is usually sold from Kampot, but it is perfectly doable from Kep — around an hour and a half each way. If you're staying with us, ask and we'll help you sort a driver out.