10:14 PM
Mondulkiri is an eastern province of Cambodia, which is the most
sparsely populated province in the whole country although being the
largest province in Cambodia. The province is chock full of natural
beauty, with thickly forested mountains, powerful waterfalls and the
lush green rolling hills of the western side.
Despite the growing deforestation, especially due to the valuable minerals remaining in the deep red, fertile ground, Mondulkiri has still one of the biggest successional woodlands of Cambodia. Except being in Sen Monorom, you'll find deep pure jungle, with a huge variety of flora and fauna. You may also find gigantic and beautiful waterfalls, where you can take an empowering shower, such as the impressive Bou Sraa.
Sen Monorom is the provincial capital and doesn't show up as a typical Cambodian town, while it is the only town the province has to speak of. With approx. 7500 inhabitants, 20 guesthouses, 12 restaurants, 3 bars and no post office it is often compared to American Wild West frontier towns. Concerning the quietness and beauty of Sen Monorom people from other parts of the country move here and therefore the land price doubled from 2006 to 2007.
The town of Sen Monorom is the best base camp for travellers who want to explore the surrounding areas. A quiet but beautiful town nestled into the hills; it has a lot of potential to develop into a centre for non-intrusive eco-tourism. At present, it's very undeveloped, which gives you a feeling of going somewhere off the beaten tourist trail. Add to that the communities of hill tribe people, who are not affected by mass-tourism, as they are in neighbouring Thailand, and you have an area that is very attractive to the adventure traveller.
Also interesting is the variety of languages being used: Khmer, hill tribe languages, Vietnamese and Lao. 80 percent of the population in Mondulkiri is made up of ten tribal minorities, with the majority of them being the Chunchiet from the tribe of the Phnong. The remaining 20 percent are Khmer, Chinese and Muslim Cham. Most of the population lives off the land, planting rice, fruit trees and a variety of vegetables. Others grow, coffee, strawberries, rubber and cashew nuts.
More and more houses are built in the typical Khmer style. Visiting the hill tribes you still can find the traditional Phnong houses. In the houses you can find traditional gongs and big jars, whereby the last ones are said to be more than a thousand years old. There are various sorts of gongs used for different occasions. Jars and gongs are among the most valuable possessions in an indigenous community, whether in traditional, spiritual or material terms. During the Khmer Rouge Regime those objects were buried in hidden places in the jungle and in many cases they still wait in the ground.
First Stage: The waterfall fall is 8 to 12 meters high and 15 meters
wide in rainy season and 10 to 15 meters wide in dry season.
Second Stage: The waterfall fall is 15 to 20 meters high and 20 meters
wide in rainy season and 18 to 25 meters high and 13 meters wide in dry
season. The second stage is 150 meters from the first stage.
Third Stage: The speed of waterfall is faster than the second stage.
This stage cannot be reached because it is in the thick forest. There
are no marked paths and dangerous wildlife inhabits the area.
The double-drop waterfall is very popular with the locals who use it as a bathing and picnic spot. Its top level is around 10m in height, and the lower level drops down 25m to the gorge. It is in a scenic and pristine setting and offers great photo ops. Nearby is the ethnic Phnong village called Pichinda which has a small guesthouse. Some snacks are available at the falls, but bring food if you would like something more substantial. Then we head northeast to Bou Sra. We never rode north on this road before and I am surprised that right behind the first hill it is getting rougher than most we have seen yesterday. We cross a small river on an improvised bridge and are charged 500 Riel each by a bunch of kids.
After that the road is getting somewhat smoother but still requires a lot of attention. There are deep grooves in the road, most likely left behind my heavy cars. Once you get into one of those it leaves you with only very few options other than just following it hoping not to get stuck. Yet the ground is solid and provides good grip for the tires. We keep going and after some time we do not see settlements anymore. The forest is relatively dense and in some places impenetrable. Both of us have to restart the bike a number of times and while we proceed with moderate speed it remains a challenge in many places to maneuver those relatively heavy bikes.
The way I start this bike many times is I put it on the stand, climb on the moto and start it from this relatively comfortable position, before I flap the stand and go. However, I realize that the stand is about to break off and can hardly support the bike anymore. The road is getting tougher; there are many rocks and countless obstacles, sometimes forcing us to ride next to the road. And hills are pretty steep in some instances. Overall we move quite slowly. After about 40 minutes we have a break. I try to figure how Pongro is riding down those hills and ask him. I learn that he controls the speed entirely with the clutch.
I am about to suggest using a lower gear. To demonstrate how he does it he takes the clutch clever and holds it tight. Oddly, at precisely this moment the clutch cable breaks. I does not take us long to realize that it is impossible to ride this bike without clutch. Ironically, today is the first day we go without the heavy set of tools and spare parts we usually carry and which includes a clutch cable. Pongro is still confident that we can manage to fix the bike here. Once in while people pass on small, old Honda's, sometimes badly overloaded but always very skillfully finding the way between all those rocks.
We learn that the way to Bou Sra is still longer than the way back to Sen Monorom. Furthermore the road is getting tougher from here. And it is very unlikely we find somebody there who can fix the bike.One of those guys stops for some time and Pongro borrows some tools and wire in order to try fixing the moto. The Phnong guy joins and for some time they try hard. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that this won?t work out.
First Stage: The waterfall fall is 8 to 12 meters high and 15 meters
wide in rainy season and 10 to 15 meters wide in dry season.
Second Stage: The waterfall fall is 15 to 20 meters high and 20 meters
wide in rainy season and 18 to 25 meters high and 13 meters wide in dry
season. The second stage is 150 meters from the first stage.
Third Stage: The speed of waterfall is faster than the second stage.
This stage cannot be reached because it is in the thick forest. There
are no marked paths and dangerous wildlife inhabits the area.
The double-drop waterfall is very popular with the locals who use it as a bathing and picnic spot. Its top level is around 10m in height, and the lower level drops down 25m to the gorge. It is in a scenic and pristine setting and offers great photo ops. Nearby is the ethnic Phnong village called Pichinda which has a small guesthouse. Some snacks are available at the falls, but bring food if you would like something more substantial. Then we head northeast to Bou Sra. We never rode north on this road before and I am surprised that right behind the first hill it is getting rougher than most we have seen yesterday. We cross a small river on an improvised bridge and are charged 500 Riel each by a bunch of kids.
After that the road is getting somewhat smoother but still requires a lot of attention. There are deep grooves in the road, most likely left behind my heavy cars. Once you get into one of those it leaves you with only very few options other than just following it hoping not to get stuck. Yet the ground is solid and provides good grip for the tires. We keep going and after some time we do not see settlements anymore. The forest is relatively dense and in some places impenetrable. Both of us have to restart the bike a number of times and while we proceed with moderate speed it remains a challenge in many places to maneuver those relatively heavy bikes.
Despite the growing deforestation, especially due to the valuable minerals remaining in the deep red, fertile ground, Mondulkiri has still one of the biggest successional woodlands of Cambodia. Except being in Sen Monorom, you'll find deep pure jungle, with a huge variety of flora and fauna. You may also find gigantic and beautiful waterfalls, where you can take an empowering shower, such as the impressive Bou Sraa.
Sen Monorom is the provincial capital and doesn't show up as a typical Cambodian town, while it is the only town the province has to speak of. With approx. 7500 inhabitants, 20 guesthouses, 12 restaurants, 3 bars and no post office it is often compared to American Wild West frontier towns. Concerning the quietness and beauty of Sen Monorom people from other parts of the country move here and therefore the land price doubled from 2006 to 2007.
The town of Sen Monorom is the best base camp for travellers who want to explore the surrounding areas. A quiet but beautiful town nestled into the hills; it has a lot of potential to develop into a centre for non-intrusive eco-tourism. At present, it's very undeveloped, which gives you a feeling of going somewhere off the beaten tourist trail. Add to that the communities of hill tribe people, who are not affected by mass-tourism, as they are in neighbouring Thailand, and you have an area that is very attractive to the adventure traveller.
Also interesting is the variety of languages being used: Khmer, hill tribe languages, Vietnamese and Lao. 80 percent of the population in Mondulkiri is made up of ten tribal minorities, with the majority of them being the Chunchiet from the tribe of the Phnong. The remaining 20 percent are Khmer, Chinese and Muslim Cham. Most of the population lives off the land, planting rice, fruit trees and a variety of vegetables. Others grow, coffee, strawberries, rubber and cashew nuts.
More and more houses are built in the typical Khmer style. Visiting the hill tribes you still can find the traditional Phnong houses. In the houses you can find traditional gongs and big jars, whereby the last ones are said to be more than a thousand years old. There are various sorts of gongs used for different occasions. Jars and gongs are among the most valuable possessions in an indigenous community, whether in traditional, spiritual or material terms. During the Khmer Rouge Regime those objects were buried in hidden places in the jungle and in many cases they still wait in the ground.
Busra waterfall is located in Pich Chenda
district about 43 kilometers northeast of Mondulkiri provincial town,
Sen Monorom. Busra is considered by many to be the most beautiful
waterfall in Mondulkiri. The waterfall is divided into three stages:
The double-drop waterfall is very popular with the locals who use it as a bathing and picnic spot. Its top level is around 10m in height, and the lower level drops down 25m to the gorge. It is in a scenic and pristine setting and offers great photo ops. Nearby is the ethnic Phnong village called Pichinda which has a small guesthouse. Some snacks are available at the falls, but bring food if you would like something more substantial. Then we head northeast to Bou Sra. We never rode north on this road before and I am surprised that right behind the first hill it is getting rougher than most we have seen yesterday. We cross a small river on an improvised bridge and are charged 500 Riel each by a bunch of kids.
After that the road is getting somewhat smoother but still requires a lot of attention. There are deep grooves in the road, most likely left behind my heavy cars. Once you get into one of those it leaves you with only very few options other than just following it hoping not to get stuck. Yet the ground is solid and provides good grip for the tires. We keep going and after some time we do not see settlements anymore. The forest is relatively dense and in some places impenetrable. Both of us have to restart the bike a number of times and while we proceed with moderate speed it remains a challenge in many places to maneuver those relatively heavy bikes.
The way I start this bike many times is I put it on the stand, climb on the moto and start it from this relatively comfortable position, before I flap the stand and go. However, I realize that the stand is about to break off and can hardly support the bike anymore. The road is getting tougher; there are many rocks and countless obstacles, sometimes forcing us to ride next to the road. And hills are pretty steep in some instances. Overall we move quite slowly. After about 40 minutes we have a break. I try to figure how Pongro is riding down those hills and ask him. I learn that he controls the speed entirely with the clutch.
I am about to suggest using a lower gear. To demonstrate how he does it he takes the clutch clever and holds it tight. Oddly, at precisely this moment the clutch cable breaks. I does not take us long to realize that it is impossible to ride this bike without clutch. Ironically, today is the first day we go without the heavy set of tools and spare parts we usually carry and which includes a clutch cable. Pongro is still confident that we can manage to fix the bike here. Once in while people pass on small, old Honda's, sometimes badly overloaded but always very skillfully finding the way between all those rocks.
We learn that the way to Bou Sra is still longer than the way back to Sen Monorom. Furthermore the road is getting tougher from here. And it is very unlikely we find somebody there who can fix the bike.One of those guys stops for some time and Pongro borrows some tools and wire in order to try fixing the moto. The Phnong guy joins and for some time they try hard. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that this won?t work out.
Bou Sra Waterfall - What to See
Busra waterfall is located in Pich Chenda
district about 43 kilometers northeast of Mondulkiri provincial town,
Sen Monorom. Busra is considered by many to be the most beautiful
waterfall in Mondulkiri. The waterfall is divided into three stages:
The double-drop waterfall is very popular with the locals who use it as a bathing and picnic spot. Its top level is around 10m in height, and the lower level drops down 25m to the gorge. It is in a scenic and pristine setting and offers great photo ops. Nearby is the ethnic Phnong village called Pichinda which has a small guesthouse. Some snacks are available at the falls, but bring food if you would like something more substantial. Then we head northeast to Bou Sra. We never rode north on this road before and I am surprised that right behind the first hill it is getting rougher than most we have seen yesterday. We cross a small river on an improvised bridge and are charged 500 Riel each by a bunch of kids.
After that the road is getting somewhat smoother but still requires a lot of attention. There are deep grooves in the road, most likely left behind my heavy cars. Once you get into one of those it leaves you with only very few options other than just following it hoping not to get stuck. Yet the ground is solid and provides good grip for the tires. We keep going and after some time we do not see settlements anymore. The forest is relatively dense and in some places impenetrable. Both of us have to restart the bike a number of times and while we proceed with moderate speed it remains a challenge in many places to maneuver those relatively heavy bikes.
Chrey Thom Waterfall
Chrey Thom Waterfall is located at Sen Monorum District in 43-kilometer distance from the provincial town. During the dry season, the waterfall has 15 meters height and 2 meters diameter, and during the rainy season, the waterfall has 11 meters height and 8 meters diameter. The waterfall fall us near a plantation of Srolao trees and a big, branchy Chrey tree.The provincial tourist service is working with the local authority to prepare this site as a tourist destination in place of Busra waterfall, which is inaccessible during rainy season.The Chrey Thom Waterfall is situated in Poules and Pouchhob Villages, Dakdam Commune, Oreang District; 20 km away from the provincial town. It can be accessed by the red pebble path.
There are more than 208 families living in the Chrey Thom area of 303.555 ha, whose main occupations are farming.The resort provides plenty of opportunities for picnicking, hiking, swimming, especially for visiting an ethnic village and purchasing some souvenirs beautifully produced by ethnic groups.Its main points of interest are a spectacular waterfall, dramatic mountainous forest, impressive undulating hills, and fresh air.Chrey Thom Waterfall is one of the loveliest Tourist Attractions in Mondulkiri. Tourists love spending a day at the site of this beautiful waterfall only for its natural beauty. Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri is a natural waterfall and is surrounded by lush green woods.
The travelers are amazed to see the plantation of Sro Lou around the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri. Another spectacle around the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri Is the huge brandy tree of Chrey which is standing there for quite a long time. The best part is that this waterfall can be visited both in the summers and the rainy season. Unlike the Boo Sra waterfall which becomes inaccessible in the monsoon, the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri has tourists coming to it throughout the year.The territorial authority of Mondulkiri along with the provincial tourist office has made special arrangements and taken measures to develop the site of Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri , for keeping the spot accessible throughout the year. While visiting the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri , the travelers can also visit another beautiful fall known a the Rum Near Waterfall which is also located .
There are more than 208 families living in the Chrey Thom area of 303.555 ha, whose main occupations are farming.The resort provides plenty of opportunities for picnicking, hiking, swimming, especially for visiting an ethnic village and purchasing some souvenirs beautifully produced by ethnic groups.Its main points of interest are a spectacular waterfall, dramatic mountainous forest, impressive undulating hills, and fresh air.Chrey Thom Waterfall is one of the loveliest Tourist Attractions in Mondulkiri. Tourists love spending a day at the site of this beautiful waterfall only for its natural beauty. Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri is a natural waterfall and is surrounded by lush green woods.
The travelers are amazed to see the plantation of Sro Lou around the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri. Another spectacle around the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri Is the huge brandy tree of Chrey which is standing there for quite a long time. The best part is that this waterfall can be visited both in the summers and the rainy season. Unlike the Boo Sra waterfall which becomes inaccessible in the monsoon, the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri has tourists coming to it throughout the year.The territorial authority of Mondulkiri along with the provincial tourist office has made special arrangements and taken measures to develop the site of Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri , for keeping the spot accessible throughout the year. While visiting the Chrey Thom Waterfall, Mondulkiri , the travelers can also visit another beautiful fall known a the Rum Near Waterfall which is also located .
