A fancy French hill station provides a relaxing stop

Cambodia is hot, busy and chaotic. We had only been in the country two days and already we had worked that out. But then we discovered Kampot – a small town set on the banks of the Praek Tuek Chhu River.  It is chilled, serene and beautiful.

We are here to visit the Hill Station in Bokor National Park, a now deserted series of buildings built by the French in the 1920s as a luxury holiday destination for those with money.  It was abandoned long ago but you can now do day tours around the decaying buildings.

Our bus arrives early for the two-hour drive to Bokor. The Hill Station, set in the national park, comprises a church, an old casino, temples and a palace. There is also a very large hotel/casino that has been built to make the most of the growing interest in this part of the world.

The ‘station’ is up so high that clouds continue to roll over us – one minute we can see a giant Buddha statue on the opposite side of the road, the next it has disappeared completely as the scene in front of us is covered in mist.

But this only adds to the atmosphere of the abandoned town.

The most interesting part of the tour is the old casino. Three floors of what was no doubt in its day absolute opulence but which now stands derelict. You can walk through the building exploring the various levels and trying to work out what each room might have been used for. 

And of course there are amazing views out across Cambodia from each floor of the building – at least there would be on a clear day. We manage to catch glimpses of the views between the parting of the clouds but for the most part all we a blanket of white surrounds us.

Our tour includes a sunset cruise along the Praek Tuek Chhu River. So, for about two hours, we sit on top of an old timber boat and watch as the sun sets over the river. There is a short stop at a bar along the way where you can do all sorts of water activities, including jumping off a rope and into the river

Back in Kampot and we decide we really should check out the local market – we do like to support the local economy afterall.

This turns out to be a little harder than we’d anticipated.  Have I mentioned how hot it is Cambodia? And the markets are located somewhere in the centre of town – not easy to find. AND we struggle to find a tuk tuk. Not one tuk tuk drives past us. There is something very pleasant about being in a town with so few tourists that there are no tuk tuks, until you are lost, that is.

We finally find the markets and are well rewarded for our patience. The market is huge, and definitely worth a look. Even if you don’t like markets, this one is interesting for the craftsman dotted throughout the stalls working on their next masterpiece. 

Sadly we were only in Kampot for two days, it’s a perfect place to chill out for a week.

Fast Facts

We travelled in 2016.

We stayed at Vibola Guesthouse.

We were here for two nights.

Was it long enough? It was long enough to see the sights, but this is the kind of place you could just chill out for a week or two.

Highlights: The casino at the Hill Station, the sunset cruise, cocktails overlooking the river, watching the jewellers at work in the market.

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