The Cardamoms Mountain Region is in southwest Cambodia’s Koh Kong Province. It’s home to the biggest contiguous rainforest in Southeast Asia, with many parts still inaccessible.
Fourteen major endangered species live here including elephants, sun bears, Irrawaddy dolphins and tigers. Aside from a few impoverished farmers growing cardamom and black pepper, there are few humans in the region.
The fact that it’s hard to get in and out of the Cardamom Mountains means that endangered wildlife live relatively unmolested here, but it also means poachers and illegal loggers can operate off the radar. An increased tourist presence makes it harder for these illegal activities to persist but inevitably brings on problems of its own.
The gateway to the Cardamoms is Chi Pat. It’s a mecca for outdoor pursuits like swimming in the river, hiking, rafting and cycling. Chi Pat is developing an outstanding ecotourism project that includes rehabilitating poachers as wildlife guides and rerouting profits into conservation.
Chi Pat presents great opportunities for tourists to experience the rainforest in a constructive, minimally invasive way. Future plans include launching kayaking excursions, installing zip lines for canopy tours, and putting together lengthy mountain-biking adventures.
Getting There
The easiest way to get to Chi Pat is by taking a speedboat from Andoung Tuek along the Preak Piphot River. Traveling overland is daunting, especially when roads wash out during the rainy season.
Need to Know
- What is It: A mountain range with the largest continuous rainforest in Southeast Asia.
- When to Go: Year round
- Nearest Town: Andoung Tuek (13 miles).
- Opening hours: 24 hours
- Entrance fees: No entrance fee, but charge for guide.