Ghost Town at Bokor Hill Station
Trip Start
Mar 30, 2006
1
18
85
Trip End
Jun 30, 2006
Kampot / Bokor Hill Station, Cambodia
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Getting there is a bumpy 2-hour ride (what ride doesn't seem to be bumpy in this country?!) up the mountain (Bokor is at 1070m). We did the trek in the back of a pick-up truck with 4 other backpackers. (We heard that there were 12 people on the previous trip, 8 in the back & 4 on the back seat inside the pick-up, so we were happy to be a small group). So this road is exceptionally bumpy. It was once paved and now the pavement is no repair and has huge holes everywhere (where there is any left). The route though is beautiful and leads up through the jungle, that a feloow traveller pointed out was very "jungly" as one would expect a jungle to be! The air had that "rainforest smell" that I remember from the rainforest section at the Vancouver Aquarium and got noticeably cooler as we got nearer to the top.
We were able top stretch our legs on a short walk through the jungle on the way to the top. Our guide walked around with an axe to hit against trees--the knocking sound would keep the wild boars away. The only wildlike we saw on the walk was a spider and a carnivorous plant!
At the top we were greeted with an impressive view of the countryside and the coastline (when it wasn't hidden in the mist) and the empty, crumbling buildings. The largest was once a hotel and casino. You can walk through the ruins and imagine the splendour that once was and then the battles that raged (some of the windows are blocked with bricks and bullet holes visible around the building). The Khmer believe that the building is inhabited by ghosts and apparently the "Do no sleep here" sign at what was once the reception is due to this superstition (and not because of squatters).. Ironic that a building that once invited people to occupy its rooms for sleeping, now forbids it!
The terrasse of the hotel is built on the cliff. This cliff has seen many deaths: gambler suicides and then Khmer Rouge deaths.
After the equally bumpy ride down (even bumpier, because we were driving faster), we stopped at the river near some light rapids for a swim. We hadn't come prepared for swimming, but the water was simply too tempting--and anyway, Cambodian girls bathe fully clothed, so I would do the same. The water was clean, clear and relatively warm (warmer than our showers!), just beautiful and a perfect refreshment at the end of the day. What made it more interesting were the local kids (mostly boys) playing in the river at the same location. They would fearlessly ride down the rapids, disappear underneath rocks in the water and reappear on the other side and wash: shampoo down the hair and body and then jump in the water... did I say the water was clear?!
The day was not over yet though. The last part of our tour (for which we paid 10$--more than other tours, but well worth it), was a sunset river cruise back to Kampot. Sounds kitschy, but the river was so calm and quiet after the roads we'd been on recently. And rivers have lives of their own. We saw fishermen, some small boats transporting things, kids bathing near the river's edge and beautiful scenery along the way. It was wonderful. The cold drinks waiting for us in the boat were of course very welcome as well!
