insight cambodia travel

Ratanakiri Travel Guide

General Information
Ratanakiri is located in Cambodia’s far northeast bordered by Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east, Mondulkiri to the south, and Stung Treng to the west. This rural rugged province is a 70% ethnic minority, which are known as “Chunchiet”. Ratanakiri was as recently as 2002 seriously off the beaten track but has since been “discovered” step by step.

Still, while you won’t get any bragging rights for coming here, it’s well worth the effort to do so, and once you get away from it’s capital Banlung you won’t run into too many other tourists. So Ratanakiri is still a remote province in Northeastern Cambodia worth to visit. The word “Ratanakiri” itself is a derivative of two Cambodian words, which are combined to mean “place of gems and mountains.” The word comes from the Sanskrit words Ratna (gem) and giri (mountain).

It’s quite dusty capital, Banlung, is located in the central highlands of the province, approximately 365 miles (586 kilometres) from Phnom Penh and reminds one of a wild western city, even if it’s the wild east. Its wide red laterite roads are bordered by new, recently build houses replacing the older ones. The centre of the town features a lively marked with all the needful things.

Lomphat is a small town in the southern plains, which was once the former capital of Ratanakiri. There are a few other small towns like Ta Veng and Voen Sai. The province is getting more and more popular for thousands of tourist every year. Especially for those, who seek a close contact to originality, hidden roots of ethnic groups and abundant wildlife. Therefore the Ecotourism abounds, due to lush wildlife and remote tribal villages. Most of the inhabitants of Ratanakiri are indigenous minorities.

Ethnic Cambodians make up only 10-20% of the country’s total population. Remnants of an ancient volcano exist near to Banlung in the form of a crystal-clear lake that was formed after the active volcano went dormant. There are also a few ancient lava fields that testify to the fact that the area was quite lively at one time. Beautiful waterfalls, clear rivers winding through stretches of jungle, and rolling hills that meet mountains near the Vietnamese and Lao border provide a full agenda for nature lovers. Non-structured, low-impact, custom trips to outlying villages and natural areas can be organized (strictly by yourself or with help from a guesthouse).

There is a few foreigners living in Banlung you’ll definitely meet while walking in the streets you can ask for actual tour offers, prices etc (change spontaneously). You will soon realize that this area hasn’t seen a lot of tourists in the past. If you will visit the hill tribe people in the further areas outside of Banlung, don’t be surprised if they look appalled at you. They just haven’t seen many, if any, foreigners.

Yeak Laom Volcano Lake: This beautiful place is not far from town and is great for a swim, picnic, or hike around the crater rim of the old volcano. Due to the lake’s tremendous depth of 48 meters, its water is exceptionally clean and crystal clear. The lake is almost perfectly round and measures around 750 meters in diameter. It has a small informative local museum thrown in to boot. In 1995 the governor of Ratanakiri officially set aside a 5,000-hectare (12,350-acre) protected area, of which the lake is a part, and in 1996 got help from the International Development and Research Centre of Canada and the United Nations Development Program to develop an effective resource management program.

This area represents Cambodia’s finest attempt at preserving a site. Full-time rangers work to ensure the area is protected. They receive regular training and have put up signs throughout the area reminding people not too littler, wash clothes or toilet in the lake. That’s amazing for Cambodia. The main swimming and picnic area features a nice wood deck that’s great to use for a jump into the crystal clean water. Nearby, park rangers erected a couple of examples of hill tribe construction in the form of non politically correct bride and groom homes, where the man gets the elevated home (his status in the relationship) and the woman has the one nearer to the ground.

A few hundred meters down is the Cultural and Environmental Centre, which has information about area history and displays of local hill tribe tools and handiwork. They also sell some of the handicrafts made by the hill tribes: musical instruments, beaded belts, shirts, and hats. From the centre you can take a nature trail around the entire crater rim. King Sihanouk had a chalet built on the shores of the lake and used it during the 1960s. It was destroyed in the 1970 war between the Lon Nol government and Khmer Rouge guerrillas.

You can still see the remnants of this and also-indifferent spots around the lake-trenches that held gun emplacements during the fighting. The original inhabitants of the area are the Khmer Leu hill tribe people, who have always recognized the lake as a sacred place, home to the spirits of the land, water, and forest. Here those spirits interact with humans and, according to the local legend of Yeak Laom Lake, fabulous, spiritual aquatic beings reside here.

The surrounding forests of the area are also said to be the home of spirits and therefore can’t be cut. This helps to explain why the hill tribe people took so strongly to the idea of protecting the area. It’s very easy to get there – just go east from the Independence Monument circle 3 km to the Hill Tribe Monument circle (two indigenous figures) and go right for about 1,5 km to the entrance gate. The local hill tribe community connected to the lake get to collect an entrance fee, giving them a source of income and revenue for protecting their resource. It?s US$1 per person and a few hundred riels for a motorcycle.

Geography
Ratanakiri is situated on the north – east plateau (approx. altitude around 200-400 metres), 636 Km from Phnom Penh. It is bordering Vietnam on the east, Laos PDR on the North, Steung Treng province on the West and Mondulkiri on the South. There are two bigger rivers crossing the province ( Sre Pork and Sresan River ). The total area of Ratanakiri is about 10,782 square kilometres.

Population
There are 8 different hill tribes ethnic groups in Ratanakiri. Most of them live in the deeper jungle, on the hills and covered mountains in small separated villages. Usualy they make their living through traditional ways of cultivation ( shifting agriculture), hunting and collecting fruits from the forest is a must. These old cultures believe in spirits, derived from their animism beliefs. In the whole province there are 63,333 male and 64,774 female with a total of 128,107 inhabitants living. This is 11.8 inhabitans/km.

Climate
Ratanakiri Province has a climate like the other areas in the country, there are 3 seasons : – Rainy season: June – October (<27c) – Cool season: November- February (>24c) – Hot season: March- May : Temperature: from 20c -32c Ratanakiri’s average temperature throughout the year is definately lower than in the other areas of Cambodia (except Mondulkiri Province).

Economy
The vast majority of the indigenous peoples living in Ratanakiri are subsistence farmers, who are planting rice, corn, pumpkins etc. Some of them grow an additional catch crop such as peanuts or cashews. There is quite a number of wealthy Cambodians and Vietnamese, who own large plantations surrounding the capital of Banlung. Most of them plant peanuts, coffee, or cashews.

Additionally, Ratanakiri boasts hundreds of square miles of lucrative rubber plantations, of which rubber is mostly exported to neighbouring Vietnam. Due to the present reconstruction of the Cambodian National Highway 19, which runs through the center of the capital of Banlung, the area’s trade with Vietnam will soon rise. Anyhow Ratanakiri is so sparsely populated that the Provincial capital does not have an adequate market compete to other provinces of Cambodia. But in mineral wealth alone, Ratanakiri boasts gold, gemstones, granite and onyx. Fertile red soil, water sources, wild animals and quality hardwoods abound and the weather and scenery are perennial assets.

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   Bob SFO 
 2023-11-05
 
 
  Great tour of Angkor Wat
We requested a 3-day tour with Lekh and we were very happy with our experience. Lekh is very knowledgeable and provided a great tour. I had been to Angkor Wat several years ago and this visit was to share the experience with a family member. Lekh took us to several interesting temples that I missed on my prior visit. The pace of the tour was perfect. Plus, Lekh was very good at avoiding the crowds and taking us to the perfect spot for photos. I would definitely recommend Lekh for anyone wanting to visit Angkor Wat.
  
 
       
   Becky M 
 2023-08-23
 
 
  Excellent
Lekh was the BEST tour guide ever. My son and I did a tailored trip seeing four temples. The knowledge Lekh had was immeasurable and he explained everything with impeccable English in as much detail as was necessary for the heat, time of day and need. He is also a budding photographer and managed to cajole my teenage son into having photos all day, when normally he only allows one! if you are lucky. Lekh made the whole experience a pleasure and when we go back we will look him up again. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
  
 
       
   WillTravelSingapore 
 2023-03-23
 
 
  Perfect Angkor Temple experience!!
We had an amazing tour with Lekh - he took such great care to ensure that we had an optimal experience! If you plan to visit Angkor, don’t hesitate to book a tour with him, you will definitely not be disappointed!!! First off, the communication was extremely good. Lekh replied to all our questions very fast and with very helpful answers. He understood immediately what we were looking for and put together a perfect tour just for us. In the preparation of our visit, he was very flexible to accommodate a change we made in our plans, and he carefully monitored the situation at the temples, so that when one part was not accessible due to a royal visit, he changed the itinerary so that we didn’t miss anything. Then, when we were on the tour, he did a fantastic job explaining everything to us. I’ve been at the temples before, but thanks to his explanations, knowledge of history and culture, I now have a much better understanding of the historical context and the significance of the art and architecture. More than that though, Lekh knows the temples so well, that we always knew where the best spots for pictures are, and when to go to have less crowds. Thanks to that, we have so many amazing pictures of the beautiful temples without people! Finally, Lekh and his driver made sure we always drank enough water, and stayed refreshed with cold towels. They treated us to juicy coconuts and showed us local treats like the palm cake (very yummy) and the special BBQ pig. We felt very welcomed like the in company of friends. A big thank you again to Lekh!!!
  
 
       
   Boracay99 
 2023-02-20
 
 
  Excellent
I made a 3 Day Tour and it was excellent, very competent and frendly. There was nothing negative. Beautifull. Highly recommended.
  
 
       
   Connector47927127529 
 2023-01-23
 
 
  Highly recommended
We had an amazing day visiting the temples with Nol and our lovely driver. Everything from booking the trip to hotel pick up to visiting the temples was very well organised and we had an excellent day. Nol’s knowledge of the temples, Hindu and Buddhism religions and local history was extensive. We had a full day but it was nicely paced and we never felt rushed or hurried. We had a great stop off for lunch and we were also treated to a local delicacy of palm sugar and rice cake which was delicious. All in all, a fantastic day which was very good value. I would like to thank Nol and our driver for a great and memorable day. We would highly recommend this company.
  
 
       
   Shremz 
 2023-01-23
 
 
  Superb Guide, Amazing Service, Unforgettable Experience!
Lekh is the most amazing guide ever! While my husband had been in Siem Reap before, this was my very first trip to Cambodia and Lekh made sure that we saw everything that needed to be seen (and could be seen based on our schedule) in Siem Reap. My husband was even impressed with the sites as Lekh took us to both the very "touristy" places (i.e. Angkor Wat Temple) but also less "touristy" but just as amazing places within Angkor (though arguably everyone also wants to see the Tomb Raider temples). To start off the trip, Lekh and his wonderful colleague who was our driver picked us up from our hotel lobby in an air-conditioned SUV. They had plenty of ice cold water and cold towels ready for us throughout the entire trip. These little things are important given the heat as well as the amount of exploring that you will do with Lekh. Don't worry if you are worried about the tour being too tiring, Lekh will plan the tour exactly to your needs and base it upon how much (or little) you wish to do. We had to make a number of last minute changes on both days due to various reasons and Lekh was perfectly accommodating and able to get us back to the hotel when we needed (even on short notice) and still managed to squeeze in all of the sights that we originally signed up to see. Lekh's colleague was always waiting for us at the end of our exploring so we were picked up immediately after each of our adventures in an air-conditioned car with ice cold water and a refreshing towel waiting for us. Lekh also took us to explore truly local cuisine in the local villages throughout Angkor. He also made sure (at least to the best of our knowledge) that we were not "ripped off" because we were tourists. He handled all of the negotiations on costs and we had some of the most delicious local cuisines that we never would have had an opportunity to try had we explored the sites and area on our own. For example, we had a delicious huge portion of roasted pig (more than enough for 4 people), vegetables with locally made sauces, a local dessert consisting of coconut pieces and what I would call 汤圆 filled with palm sugar, and cold Angkor beers for US$ 5. He also introduced us to palm fruit and a local omelette dish filled with minced pork and fish. None of these dishes were offered in any of the restaurants that we went to in Siem Reap (or perhaps we just did not know what to order) and we were only able to try them because Lekh knew where to bring us and how to order. Lekh is also extremely knowledgeable about the history of the temples as well as of Cambodia. He was very communicative and able to show us all of the popular and not so popular sites and explain the background of everything. He was also able to answer any and all questions that we had about Cambodia. It was so interesting hearing about Cambodia's history from Lekh's perspective as well as the stories of the neighboring countries and their interaction with Cambodia. None of this information can be easily found in the history books or online websites, they are stories you can only get from locals who grew up in Cambodia during those times. Unfortunately, 2 days (especially with various unexpected obstacles) was not enough time for us and we will definitely be back to explore more of Siem Reap. We are very much looking forward to having Lekh as our private guide again and cannot wait to return!
  
 
       
   Domee 
 2022-12-08
 
 
  3 Days of Angkor Wat and Floating Village
We did a 3 day tour with Lekh and visited all the main temples including Angkor Wat as well as some lesser visited but equally beautiful temples. We also visited the amazing floating village Kampong Phluk. Lekh was a great guide. Very knowledgeable about history and knew all the best areas to visit and take pictures. We travelled around in an air conditioned van which which was so nice because it gets super hot and muggy walking around the temples. He provided ice cold bottled waters and cold towels, which were a lifesaver! He was flexible with the tour and made adjustments according to what we wanted. He also took us to some cool markets that only locals go to and we got to try some local delicacies like stuffed frog which was super tasty! Definitely recommend.
  
 
       
   Jacquelyn Sunsh... L 
 2022-12-01
 
 
  Fantastic experience
We had an excellent time on this tour! We were able to see such a wide range of temples - hidden and overgrown, popular must-see, small and off the beaten path. Lekh was a great tour guide - so much knowledge not just of the temples but of Cambodian ancient and modern history and politics. He also served as an excellent photographer and conversationalist. Definitely recommend!
  
 
       
   Christie L 
 2022-11-28
 
 
  An absolute must! No need to look any further and it made our Ankor experience the best it could be.
This was the best decision we made regarding visiting the Ankor complex. A private guide gives you so much more insight and Lekh is AMAZING!!!! His knowledge, stories and personal detail are on point and make the visit so much more worthwhile. He knew the best order to visit temples, how to avoid crowds and the best places to take photographs. He is an excellent photographer himself and it felt like we had our own personal photographer with us! Walking round the temples is tiring. Every time we got back in the car it was chilled and we got cold towels to freshen up with which were a godsend. Having a private tour means you can go at your own pace and Lekh is THE best. Thanks for everything 🙏
  
 
       
   Chm061987 
 2022-11-24
 
 
  Amazing places, great guide.
We have made our 2 days trip with Lekh and we have been really really happy about this. Lekh is a really professional guide and can give an answer to any question you have. I could notice love and passion in his eyes while walking around the temples and this reflects how positive your experience can be by visiting these amazing places with someone who really loves his job. Recommended!!!