The Cardamom Mountains: Cambodia's great rainforest
The Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia hold one of mainland Southeast Asia's largest remaining rainforests. Here's what lives there and how visitors can explore it.
The Cardamom Mountains stretch across southwest Cambodia, from near the Thai border towards the coast. Covered in dense evergreen forest, cut by rivers and waterfalls and largely roadless, they form one of the largest remaining rainforests in mainland Southeast Asia.
Why the Cardamoms matter
The mountains' remoteness protected them for a long time. Today they are a stronghold for species that have vanished from much of the region and a vital water source for the coast and lowlands. Several protected areas cover the range, including national parks in the central and southern Cardamoms and wildlife sanctuaries further north.
Wildlife
The forests are home to many threatened species, including:
- Asian elephants
- pileated gibbons, whose songs carry through the forest at dawn
- sun bears
- clouded leopards
- dholes, or Asian wild dogs
- the rare Siamese crocodile, which survives in a few remote rivers
- hornbills and many other birds
Seeing large mammals is unusual, as they are shy and the forest is thick. Signs such as tracks, calls and camera-trap photos shown by guides are more common than sightings.
Ways to visit
- Chi Phat: a community-based ecotourism village on the Preak Piphot river, with guided treks, overnight camping and mountain biking.
- Tatai: jungle lodges along a river near Koh Kong, a comfortable way to experience the forest.
- Areng Valley: a remote valley known for its rivers, communities and crocodiles, best visited with experienced guides.
- Multi-day treks: specialist operators run treks deeper into the mountains.
Conservation
The Cardamoms have faced logging, poaching and land clearing. Conservation groups work with the government and local communities on ranger patrols, wildlife rescue and alternative livelihoods such as ecotourism. Travellers who book community-based trips help show that a standing forest is worth more than a cleared one.
When to go
The dry season, from November to April, is easiest for trekking. In the rainy season, rivers rise, trails become slippery and leeches are common, but the forest is at its most lush.
What to bring
- Long, light clothing and good boots or trail shoes
- leech socks in the wet season
- insect repellent
- a head torch and a light rain jacket
- cash, as there are few ATMs in the area