A Cambodian adventure off the beaten track

• Image Credit: Supplied picture
• Following a 5km trek through the forest, the woods clear and open on to a stunning waterfall.

• Image Credit: Getty Images
• In South West Cambodia, at the base of the Cardamom Mountains.

• Image Credit: Supplied picture
• The Cambodian jungle is one the most diverse habitats in Asia, which includes everything from your standard gawking monkey to flying squirrels.

Community-based ecotourism centres in Koh Kong aid Cambodia's wildlife crisis by offering trips into the country’s unspoilt wilderness

• By Jade Bremner, 
• Gulf News and Alpha magazine
• Published: September 30, 2012

In South West Cambodia, at the base of the Cardamom Mountains, we’re greeted in Koh Kong by two moto drivers who zoom us along dusty red roads, past lush green vegetation, grazing water buffalos and farmers picking tea, to the Phipot River. Here, we cross the water on a dubiously fragile rickety ferry, made with two wooden canoes and some old planks, and head to the sleepy village of Chi Phat.

This shabby but charming gathering of brightly coloured huts, home to families living basic rural lifestyles, is as deep as a village can get into the jungle. It is flanked by one of the most diverse habitats in Asia, which includes everything from your standard gawking monkey to flying squirrels.

However, the nature here is severely threatened by illegal logging and hunting for commercial gain. In 2008, the Community Based Eco Tourism (CBET) centre opened to aid the survival of over 2,500 globally endangered plants, birds and other species in the area.

The centre runs eco activities for tourists with a sense of adventure. With the money gained, it provides sustainable income for the local community, so people don’t need to be involved in the illegal collection of natural resources.

We signed up for mountain biking, hiking and the chance to see animals such as the Asian elephant, Javan rhinoceros and Indochineese tiger, all of which can be spotted in the area.

The route began in a clearing and led us along wide paths lined with eerily shaped trees and bushes. “There were a lot of mines in this area that were left over from the Khmer Rouge,” says our guide, Narith. “They have been removed now, but a lot of the trees were destroyed in this area and have since been replanted by conservationists.” Looking at the fresh kindling sprouting from the grass, Narith can see the worried looks on our faces.

He assures us that there are no mines left in this area, “but a guide is highly recommended if going off the beaten track,” he says. The Cambodian Mine Action Centre predicts that there are millions of undetonated mines in the region. Our concerns subside as an Asian elephant wanders by to the right, chewing on some foliage. “It’s the snakes and spiders you want to watch out for in this area,” says Narith with a grin, as we venture into the dense forest where the terrain changes completely.

It gets extremely humid, slippery and muddy – the perfect conditions for leeches. Cycling along forest paths, the toothy black worms can smell our scent; we stop every 30 minutes for a leech inspection and pick a few off. “If you catch them quick, they don’t have time to suck,” says Narith, as he pulls a couple off me. Two hours later, and he’s forgotten to check his own skin, and two of the tiny leeches have turned into fat three-inch monsters on his knee and are sucking away at an old cut. He pulls out a lighter and burns them off.

There are a new set of challenges to overcome at every section. Severe wet-season storms have knocked trees across the pathway, and we find ourselves climbing over these logs with our bikes and getting caught in errant vines wrapped around them.

Narith speeds down a steep mossy path, bunny-hopping over boulders jutting from the path. We haphazardly attempt the same, crashing to the ground a number of times.

Narith stops suddenly, he’s caught in a six-metre spider web. To the right of him in the centre of the web is a giant wood spider – this menacing species is known to trap and kill small birds and has a vicious bite – it’s the first time we see our guide worried.

He gently removes a section of the web from his sleeve and sticks it to a branch, then another, then another. He’s got the face of a surgeon deep in concentration, one false move and it’s all over.

Finally, he’s free and it’s our turn to duck under the humongous spider web without disturbing the venomous creature. Hearts racing, we cycle over river bridges made of branches. As we cross them one by one, a section falls from under our feet and crashes into the fast-flowing water beneath. A moment later, our guide shouts “Snake!” and we see something slither off into the undergrowth.

We learn fast that you have to keep your wits about you in the jungle. After a gruelling 20km ride, with our energy waning in the damp heat, the terrain became even tougher. “We have to leave the bikes here and walk,” says Narith. “There is some climbing to do too.” We trek another 5km through the forest, the woods clear and open on to a stunning waterfall. Tonnes of water crash 12 metres through rocks into the pool below.

We scramble over the slippery boulders to the right of the waterfall, trying not to slip for fear of being swept away by the heavy current, if the impact of hitting the rocks doesn’t kill us first. At the bottom, without hesitation, we jump into the cool pool, and wash off all the mud from the morning’s ride.

Drying off, we tuck into a well-deserved lunch, prepared by CBET that morning – delicious rice, boar and egg, wrapped in a banana leaf, inside a jungle bamboo lunch box – and marvel at the view of the roaring river with dense greenery in the background. There’s been no sight of a rhinoceros or tiger, but we have witnessed Mother Nature in all her glory.

Fact Box

What else to do

If you’re looking for tamer activities, there are dozens of boat trips to try in the area. Choose from a traditional rowing boat or a kayak and venture into the mangroves, where you’ll potentially spot tropical birds such as Silvered Langurs, Long-tailed Macaques, Great and Oriental Pied Hornbills and Kingfishers. There’s also the possibility to go lobster fishing with a local fisherman who’ll teach you the tricks of the local trade – using a spear and a flashlight. If you catch one they’ll barbeque it for you when you get back. Both 4 Rivers Floating Lodge and CBET offer fishing and boating activities. For more details visit www.ecolodges.asia and www.ecoadventurecambodia.com

How to get there

Fly from Dubai to Phnom Penh with China Southern for as little as Dh2,700. From Phnom Penh take a bus from Mao Tse Tung Boulevard to Koh Kong town, the journey takes approximately five hours and costs Dh25. Alternatively, take a taxi from Phnom Penh, the journey takes three-four hours and costs Dh225. From Koh Kong town your guesthouse will arrange a short transfer.

Where to stay

For a slice of luxury stay at the 4 Rivers Floating Lodge in Tatai. This four-star secluded boutique lodge, set on the Tatai River, is surrounded by dense jungle and picturesque waterways with hidden waterfalls and intricate mangroves. This place takes glamping to new heights; here you can sleep under the stars in a giant tent, complete with showers, couches and a TV, while floating on a river platform. Rates start from Dh500 per night, visit www.ecolodges.asia for more details.

If you’re on a budget try a homestay (Dh10 per night) or a private ensuite bamboo bungalow hidden in the forest (Dh80 per night). Each comes with a mosquito net, fan and a cute balcony from which to watch the nature around you. Visit www.ecoadventurecambodia.com for more details.