For other motorcycle trip reports in Cambodia, hop over to Stefan’s Cambodia Log.

For the latest news on Cambodia, check out the online edition of Phnom Penh Post. If you need up-to-date information on the roads, you can try asking in GT-Rider forum (requires registration).

Cambodia Country Maps provides an accurate travel map of Cambodia. You should be able to find it at most book stores in Cambodia. You may have heard of the Cambodia Gecko Map from other travelers. I have compared both the maps and found them to be similar. You would not go wrong with either choice. Travelers who wish to get hold of a Cambodia travel map in their home countries may want to check out the Cambodia travel maps from Amazon.com.

Cambodia Country Map (2006 Edition)

14 Sept 2008 Update: GeckoMaps informed us that the Cambodia Country Map above is actually a copy of their Gecko Cambodia map. They hope that travelers would support the original.

If you need some help packing for your trip, head over to Motorcycle Trip Packing Checklist.

To prepare yourself for the trip, I also recommend reading and watching some related literature. Not only does it provides greater insight into the country, it also helps to get you into the ‘mood’. Here are a few recommended books and videos:

Books

1. When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge by Chanrithy Him
2. The Gate by Francois Bizot
3. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig
4. Hun Sen

Videos

1. The Shining
2. R-Point
3. Apocalypse Now Redux (1979)
4. The Killing Fields (1984)
5. City of Ghosts (2002)

I arranged for a motor to bring me to the killing fields of Choeung Ek which is located 15km from central Phnom Penh. Between 1975 and 1978, 17,000 people held and tortured at the S-21 (Tuol Sleng Museum) were transported to the extermination camp at Choeung Ek. Today, all that remains of the grim past are multiple disinterred pits and a memorial stupa filled with skulls.

After the gloomy trip, I returned to my guesthouse and ordered lunch. While waiting for my food, I picked up a book from the shelf. The title of the book was Hun Sen. The prime minister of Cambodia was to keep me occupied for the rest of the day. It’s a recommended read to anybody who’s interested to know more about the amazing life of Hun Sen and the history of Cambodia.

Memorial stupa at Choeung Ek where more than 8000 skulls are stored

Tuong Sleng Museum which I visited during my earlier Cambodia trip

My mess of books and maps

Day 9 (Phnom Penh)

I spent the whole day on a Phnom Penh walking tour. Phnom Penh has a few markets worth visiting. Psar Thmei (Central Market) is a yellow dome shaped building which sells jewelleries, fake branded apparels and watches, photocopied Lonely Planet guides, food and much more. The place is spacious and easy to walk around. Psar Tuol Tom Pong (Russian Market) is another market to visit if you are looking for clothings and souvenirs.

Everyday delicacies at Psar Thmei (Central Market)

I also visited Soriya shopping center. Even though I am not the shopping center type, it’s easy to spend hours in the building. Just buy a drink, stand by a corner and watch the world goes by. It’s interesting to see Cambodians (probably rural folks visiting the capital) fascinated by automated elevators, things we take for granted in our city lives.

Well, this is the end of my Northeast Cambodia trip, my second visit to Cambodia in 6 months. With its friendly locals, beautiful sceneries and charming villages, it’s hard not to like this country. But I guess it’s time for me to embark on other journeys. Goodbye, Cambodia.

Sunset by the Mekong river

The bad thing about riding before sunrise is the cold. I had my jacket zipped up to my neck and yet I could not ride faster than 30km/h without trembling. But the reward is you get the road to yourself. So despite the freezing winds, I would say it’s my favorite time of the day for riding. Besides, there is the sunrise to look forward to. You know that as the sun rises, you would get warmer. Knowing that things will get better puts me in a good mood. What about the blazing afternoon sun? Well, it gives me a good tan and a good sweat. I like to think that I can slim down in this way.

The plan today was to ride all the way from Sen Monorom back to Phnom Penh. The distance might look great but I was able to make good pace because of the good-conditioned tarmac roads. I left my guesthouse at 6am and reached Suong at 11am . As I didn’t want the repeat the roads I have taken, I turned left for highway 11 instead of continuing west to Kampong Cham. Besides, I heard Prey Veng has some nice rubber plantations by the roads which would make for a pleasant ride.

At 1pm, I reached Neak Loeung (or Neak Leuong) where I would cross the Mekong River to continue the journey back to Phnom Penh. As I understand, the government is building a bridge across the mighty Mekong at Neak Loeung. But it’s obviously still in construction as everyone was using ferry system. After lunch and a short rest, I crossed the river at 145pm.

Taking the Neak Loeung ferry across the Mekong River

Traffic was heavy on the road back to Phnom Penh. I finally reached Phnom Penh and by 4pm, I found myself a guesthouse. I headed back to Angkor Motorcycles and paid up US$72.50. The friendly boss gave me a half day discount of US$4.50 for returning the motorbike early. But I was made to pay US$14 for the tools I lost. The rest of the night was spent cleaning up my dusty gears – helmet, GPS receiver, shoes and watch. For my jacket, jeans and other dirty clothings, I sent them to a nearby laundry service. I was surprised by the wonderful  job they have done when I received the cleaned clothings the next day.

View from my guesthouse – Sunset at Phnom Penh

Nested in a hilly province, Sen Monorom boasts beautiful scenery and cool weather. The charming capital of Mondulkiri is very laid back and makes for a pleasant place to laze for a few days. And laze around I did. I took it easy and gave the usual attractions of waterfall and elephant trekking a miss. Energetic travelers can consider visiting Monorom Falls and Bou Sraa Waterfall, both of which were highly recommended by the locals.

I woke up at 7am and visited the morning market. The buzzing locals and sweet aroma of food filled my senses. In no time, my stomach started groaning. Expertly avoiding the zipping motorcycles whose views were blocked by overflowing baskets, I let my nose be my guide (hope it doesn’t remind you of the movie Perfume). I was richly rewarded with barbecued banana and glutinous rice wrapped in slightly charred banana leaves. This simple delicacy cost me 200R. Excellent value for money!

Morning Market

After my morning roam, I took a ride around town. I came across a few temples and an abandoned airstrip. Back in town, I noticed that a stage was set up near the roundabout. A few people were rehearsing some songs on the stage. They were Asian looking but were too fair-skinned to be local. I approached one of them and was told that they were Christian evangelists from Korea. Apparently, they will be having a concert in the evening.

I spent the rest of the day napping and reading The Gate by Francois Bizot. To be honest, I think it’s slightly over-hyped. In my opinion, When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge by Chanrithy Him is a better book if you want to know what the locals have went through under Khmer Rouge.

Rolling hills of Sen Monorom

Sen Monorom airstrip has been closed since 2000

Christian evangelists performing at Sen Monorom

I had a restless sleep, waking up a couple of times in the middle of the night. The staffs at Rattanak Hotel had told me that it’s easy riding to Mondulkiri and they had done it many times. They offered to be my guide. I declined, not so much because of my desire to ride alone, but because I didn’t want to spend the extra money. Yes, I am that tight.

By 6am, I was packed and ready to move off. I had difficulty finding the pier at Lumphat. Luckily, helpful locals directed me to the right track. The pier is not located along the main housing stretch but is located further down Tonle Srepok river, towards the south eastern direction. To get there, keep left when you reach the junction at N13 30.269 E106 58.621 (right brings you to the main town). Continue following the road until you see a small grocery and fuel shop at N13 28.670 E107 00.493. The ferry is located just further down the descending road. I paid 5000R to the boatman. The GPS coordinates across the river is N13 27.927 E107 00.399.

Tonle Srepok river of Apocalypse Now fame. The Death Highway awaits across the river.

At 8am, I officially started my Death Highway ride. Barely 20 minutes into the ride, my motorcycle suddenly stopped. Before I could get down from my motorcycle, three youngsters arrived and stopped by my stationary bike to see if they can help. I gave the electric start a try and the motorcycle purred into life. Ah, nothing was wrong with the motorcycle, the engine stall was probably a result of my poor clutch control. I chatted with the youngsters and found out that they were heading for Koh Nhek. Since Koh Nhek is the only town one will hit before reaching Sen Monorom, I decided to join them.

On some stretches, the road was uneven with rocks while on other stretches, it was soft and sandy. Whatever it was, the riding was not easy and I was restricted to a speed of less than 30km/h. Because of the road conditions, it’s important to maintain proper control of the motorcycle to prevent skidding. Apparently, my companions had problems with the roads as well. Skidding and dropping the motorcycles were common and I often waited patiently behind them while they picked up their bikes. When they were ready to move again, I followed.

On one occasion, my motorcycle wouldn’t start and my new friends rode ahead, unaware of my situation. I had no idea what’s wrong with the motorcycle, it just refused to start. Moments later, I heard the sounds of motorcycle engines. My friends came back for me! Together, we tried push starting the motorcycle but to no avail. We moved our bikes to a shaded area before attempting to troubleshoot the motorcycle. When they asked for my tools and spare parts, I told them I had none. I was ashamed of my ill-preparedness.

Moments later, another local stopped by our motorcycles. The Cambodian speaks some English and according to him, he’s both a bike mechanic and a tourist guide. He immediately took charge of my broken motorcycle. After 30 minutes, he suggested going back to Lumphat for spare parts. Needless to say, I was disappointed. The three youngsters bade their farewell and left. For some reasons, I had to give the Honda Degree another go. I pressed the electric start. Beautiful music filled my ears and a foolish grin appeared on my face. The time was 10am.

I soon discovered that my new companion was also going to Sen Monorom to visit his uncle. I decided to follow him. The guide was a fast rider, perfectly at ease with the rough terrain. In no time, we over took the three youngsters. Along the way, I saw a few small villages and its rural inhabitants. Coming from a urban city, it’s hard for me to imagine that there are people living in such remote parts of the forests.

At 110pm, we reached Koh Nhek. We had a short rest at a sugar drink stall. The roads after Koh Nhek were excellent, certainly a welcomed change for tired riders from Lumphat.

At 4pm, we reached Sen Monorom. I gave the guide a generous tip and found myself a guest house. At the guest house, I asked the staff if the rooms come with air conditioning. She stared at me with curious eyes and informed me that I wouldn’t require air-conditioning in Sen Monorom. Right, I forgot I was in high altitude area. I asked the same question in Sapa. The things I never learned.

Here are some GPS coordinates which I recorded between Lumphat and Koh Khek. Hopefully, it would be useful for fellow riders.

• N13 23.149 E106 59.933
• N13 14.154 E107 04.449
• N13 04.577 E107 02.517

My three riding companions

My new guide

My guide’s motorcycle ran out of petrol and he borrowed some from me.

In less than an hour, we reached Kachon (N13 58.305 E106 53.331). After paying US$1 for admission, I was led to the Tompuon cemeteries located inside the jungle, a short distance from the village. According to Tompuon customs, families are buried together and tombs are companied with effigies of the deceased. Wealthier families have concrete tombs and shelters. Not very sure if it will be disrespectful, I asked the guide if I could take some photos. He nodded and I quickly snapped some shots.

Tompuon cemetery

We went back to the boat for the ride back. The Chinese village (N13 57.912 E106 48.079) is located just across the river from Voen Sai. This is also the village where the guide lives. The villagers belong to the Chinese dialect group of Hakka and they can still speak the language.

The guide took me to a Chinese school and told me that one of the teachers at the school is a Malaysian Chinese but she’s back in Malaysia for vacation. It would be interesting to know how she came to be a teacher in this remote region of Cambodia.

I noticed that there were no school children around and the guide explained that there was a wedding going on and the village were celebrating. He also told me that the 300-strong Chinese community still practices Chinese traditions like celebration of the Lunar New Year. During the new year, they would take a break for 8 to 9 days and visit nearby towns like Ban Lung.

A Chinese school

At 1230pm, I was ready to leave the place. The friendly guide offered me some glutinous rice filled with red bean paste wrapped in banana leaves. They were delicious and filled my stomach for the trip back to Ban Lung.

Back in Ban Lung, I took a short rest before moving off again at 2pm. I decided to find Bai S’rohk waterfall but had trouble with the roads. There were multiple forks and junctions which were all very confusing. Feeling unsure of the roads I had chosen and knowing that the waterfall is a good 32km away, I gave up the search.

Looking for Bai S’rohk waterfall. Are these rubber plantations?

I headed off for Kah Chahng waterfall (N13 41.542 E106 59.357) which was easier to find. The waterfall seemed popular among Cambodians as there were quite a few families relaxing by the pool.

Kah Chahng waterfall

At 4pm, I decided I was done for the day. On the way back to Ban Lung, there were policemen stopping motorists and checking their papers. Luckily, they ignored me. I had an early dinner at American Restaurant. I spent the rest of the day wandering around before retiring for the night.

Hill Tribe Monument at Banlung

I woke up to a chilly morning. Voen Sai, Chunchiet cemeteries, volcanic lakes and waterfalls were in my agenda. But I knew it would be impossible for me to squeeze in all the sights in one day. Voen Sai is 35km northwest of Ban Lung and the Chunchiet Cemeteries at Kachon is a further one-hour boat ride away. Lumkud volcanic lake is 63km to the east of Ban Lung. The waterfalls are scattered in the south and located as far as 35km from Ban Lung. Well, I will just plan and improvise along the way.

My first stop was the protected area of Yeak Lom (or Yak Loum or Yeak Laom). Located 5km east of Ban Lung, Yeak Lom lake (N13 44.009 E107 00.974) is believed to be created 700,000 years ago as the caldera of a large volcanic crater. The indigenous inhabitants of the area, the Khmer Leu hill tribe people, have long considered the lake as a sacred place where spiritual creatures reside. I reached the lake before 7am and both the ticketing booth and visitors center were closed. There was nobody around. It was peaceful. The beautiful lake was a pristine blue and exceptionally clear.

Almost perfectly round, Yeak Lom lake is 45m deep and 750m in diameter.

After Yeak Lom, I attempted to make my way to Lumkud Lake. But 10km and 30 minutes later, I decided to head back. The roads were quite bad and I didn’t want to end up spending 6 hours for the trip. There were other sights which I was more interested in. Voen Sai was one of them.

Road to Lumkud Lake

I reached Voen Sai (or Ven Sai or Virochey or Virachay) town at 10am. Located on the southern banks of Tonle San river, Voen Sai (N13 58.313 E106 48.793) is the place to organize visits to old Chinese settlements and Chunchiet cemeteries. To reach these places on the northern banks of Tonle San river, a boat is necessary. It was not easy trying to make arrangements as most of the guides and boatmen do not understand English. I met a few tourists and they were on an organized tour from Ban Lung. I was about to leave when somebody shouted at me. It was a boatman who can speak Mandarin and some English. I took his offer to take me on a one-hour boat ride to Kachon. For US$15, he promised to show me the Chunchiet cemeteries belonging to the Tompuon minority and a Chinese village.

Voen Sai and Tonle San river.

My guide and boatman

I woke up at 430am and started planning for the day’s ride. I originally wanted to do a short 1-2 trip to Laos since the border is so close to Strung Treng. But Angkor Motorcycles would not agree to accept my international driving permit in place of my passport, unless I leave with them a hefty deposit of US$1000. Without the attraction of Laos, I couldn’t decide if I should stay the night at Strung Treng. In the end, I thought I should just make my way to Strung Treng anyway and decide later.

I left Kratie at 630am and reached Phnom Sambok temples just before 7am. According to guidebooks, there are three levels in the temple. The first level is the living quarters, second level houses a reclining Buddha and the third level provides a view of the Mekong River. Unfortunately, I was unable to find out as I quickly left the place when a nun started shouting at me.

To my pleasant surprise, the roads (Highway 7) to Strung Treng were in pretty good condition. It was unlike what Adventure Cambodia had described. While the roads were a little deserted, there were no potholes or bomb craters. The roads must have been rebuilt recently. I made it to the Strung Treng / Ratanakiri junction (N13 25.986 E106 04.513) at 1015am and reached Strung Treng town at 1045am. I had a ride around town and along San River before I broke for lunch at Sunn Tha restaurant. The noodle dish I had was excellent. After a short rest, I decided to continue for Ratanakiri. Hopefully, I will get the chance to visit Strung Treng again and cross the northern border to Laos.

Excellent meal at Sunn Tha restaurant in Strung Treng town.

At 1130am, I headed back to the Strung Treng / Ratanakiri junction before turning left for the 125km stretch along Highway 78 to Banlung, the capital of Ratanakiri province. If you are wondering if Kampong Cham town, Kratie town and Strung Treng town are capitals of the provinces in the same name, you are right.

Did I mentioned that the roads from Kratie to Strung Treng were deserted? Well, the roads from Strung Treng to Ratanakiri were even more so. Not to mention, the roads were very bumpy and uneven. There were loose gravels all around. I rode standing on the pedals most of the way and while progress was slow, I had great fun.

At 2pm, I discovered that my trash bag was torn, the elastic hooks were loose and stuck to the chain. To make things worse, my bag of bike tools from Angkor Motorcycles were missing. They must had dropped out when the trash bag broke. I cursed myself for not securing my items properly. I removed the stuck elastic hooks and decided to backtrack a little to see if I can find the tool bag. But the motorcycle wouldn’t start. Electric start and push start do not work. I was at a loss. I am not a mechanic. It’s 210pm and I was still half way from Banlung. It’s turning dark soon. I took a drink of water and started looking around for appropriate trees where I can tie my hummock for the night. I electric started the motorcycle again. The engine came to life! A rush of feelings came over me. Wow, what a momentous event. The time was 215pm. GPS coordinates N13 36.569 E106 30.696. Altitude 296 ft.

I backtracked feeling optimistic. Of course, I was disappointed. I made my way for Banlung again. While a little dusty, the next 60km was easy and I made good time.

Road to Ratanakiri

I reached Banlung at 4pm. I headed for Rattanak Hotel and was met with friendly staffs who spoke good English. After a quick wash, I roamed the town. Urban development had clearly left Banlung behind. There were piles of rubbish lying around the market. There were no asphalt roads and a passing vehicle will cough up smokes of dust. Adds to the charm you may say.

At 540pm, I settled at Labiensak Hotel for dinner. I don’t know if I am too early but I was the only person eating there. I spent the rest of the night reading some books and making plans for tomorrow.

Banlung in Ratanakiri. Does it look like a scene out of a war movie?

After the morning ride, I returned to Kampong Cham town for a short rest. I also visited the internet shop located near Caltex fuel station to send a few emails. By 10am, I was ready to move off.

To get from Kampong Cham to Kratie, the common road to take is Highway 7. The distance between the two towns on Highway 7 is to 216km and you will pass by Snuol town along the way. A quicker alternative that shaves off half the distance is to turn left for Highway 73 (some maps labeled it as Highway 75) at the T-junction (N11 50.817 E105 45.772) located near a petrol station along Highway 7. The T-junction is located around 29km from Kampong Cham town. After around 58km into Highway 73, you will hit the charming river town of Chhlong. From there, you turn right and follow the river road to Kratie, which is another 31km away.

While traveling along Highway 7, I took the opportunity to visit Chup rubber plantations and had a short rest. A short break was indeed required as the roads deteriorated soon after that. My magnetic tank bag even came off a few times because of the bumpy roads.

Petrol time

Passing through a village

At 230pm, I reached Kratie covered in dust. I must be the most miserable looking tourist Heng Heng Hotel has even seen. It did not help that I asked for the cheapest available room. Anyway, I quickly washed up and had lunch. Since it was still early, I explored the town before heading north (N12 35.973 E106 00.924, 14.3km from Kratie roundabout), hoping to catch the Irrawaddy dolphins. As I heard, these rare freshwater dolphins are most active in the early morning or late afternoon hours. In the end, I did see a few of these dolphins breaking the surface of the water but they were always too far away for me to have a good look.

Colonial looking building in Kratie town

Looking out for Irrawaddy dolphins.

I returned to Kratie town and had an early night sleep, not realizing that it was Christmas Eve.

Sunset at Kratie

While waiting for my motorcycle to be ready, I had an early lunch of Loc Lac. Loc Lac is supposedly a famous Khmer dish of sauteed beef served with rice, green pepper, onion and some sauce. It was pretty good, if a little salty. At 11am, Angkor Motorcycles declared my motorcycle fit for adventure. I first filled the tank at a nearby petrol kiosk. After paying US$8 for the petrol and taking a photograph of the friendly PTT staffs, I set off for Kampong Cham.

Friendly petrol kids posing for a photo

Alas, 10km into Highway 6, I found out that my odometer was not working. I briefly considered continuing with the journey but decided that a working odometer was worth the backtracking. Angkor Motorcycles apologized for the mistake and quickly sorted out the problem. I set off from Phnom Penh again at 1230pm.

Basically, there are two ways to reach Kampong Cham. One is take Highway 6A from Phnom Penh to Skuon before turning right and following Highway 7 to Kampong Cham. An alternative route is to to follow the road by the west bank of Mekong river. Take a look at your Cambodia map and you will understand I am talking about. I opted for the former route as I wanted to visit Skuon, a town famous for fried tarantulas. But no, I did not eat it. Because you see, I just had my lunch and I was not feeling well and.. alright, alright, I wimped out. For those who like a description of its taste, Rhymer described it as:

“Well, you might expect it to be crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle and that’s not a bad start. The legs are pleasantly crunchy and have little flesh in them. Then you get to the head and body which have a delicate white meat inside, rather like a cross between chicken and cod. These bits are quite moreish and the only downside is that, after munching a few, you can develop little spider fur balls in your throat. But then there’s the spider’s large, globular abdomen. This is the only really disturbing part of the animal: it’s full of a dark brown paste that includes everything from eggs to the heart and spider excrement.”

Anyway, I reached Kampong Cham at 3pm and found a room at Mekong hotel. The hotel was huge and two can have a game of tennis in the corridors. I spent the rest of the day wandering around town and relaxing by Mekong river. I slept early at 9pm.

Creepy snacks. Fried tarantulas at Skuon aka Spiderville.

Day 2 Part 1 (Kampong Cham)

I woke up early at 5am and went to the river to wait for sunrise. With the soft glow of the morning sun upon the Mekong river, it is easy for one to admire the beauty of our surroundings and forget the worries of life.

Sunrise at Kampong Cham along Mekong river. On the right is the Cambodia’s first bridge to span the Mekong River.

There are a few attractions around Kampong Cham. Wat Nokor, Phnom Bproh, Phnom Sray, Tuk Chha ancient ruins, Phnom Teat Broh, Phnom Teat Sray, Wat Han Chey and a few rubber plantations are places to fill your time. Adventure Cambodia gives good road directions to these places of interest.

Nokor Temple

Not for the faint-hearted

Phnom Teat Broh

To my pleasant surprise, Angkor Motorcycles provided me with a basic set of bike tools, which would come in helpful if my motorcycle is to break down. I also requested an additional screw driver to mount my Garmin GPS receiver which was provided with no questions. However, I was slightly disappointed when I found out only after riding for 10km that the odometer was not working. I rode back to the shop for repair. No big deal I guess, I was not in a hurry and it was partly my fault for not checking earlier.

For your reference, Angkor Motorycles is located at #92 Eo, Street 51 (between street 172 and 174). They can be contacted at telephone numbers 012 722098 and 012 222205. Their fax number is 023 986333 while their email address is angkormotorcycles@yahoo.com. Managed by Khann Cheng, Angkor Motorcycles rents and sells motorcycles including AX-1, Degree, Baja, XLR, XR and Dream 100. They accept credit cards but you have to pay a rather hefty premium for the service. US dollars is still the preferred mode of payment.

Angkor Motorcycles

Honda Degree 250 – my scrambler of choice. If you are wondering about the condition of the motorcycle, the photo was actually taken after the ride.

Map of Cambodia and route taken

The roads near Phnom Penh are in good condition. However, these tarmac roads gradually deteriorate into dirt and gravels as you traveled further away from Phnom Penh. Of course, the Death Highway between Banlung and Sen Monorom is on another level altogether. But with the road constructions that have been going on around Cambodia, things might improve in the near future.

Road building in earnest

I wonder if every vehicle will try to keep to the left lane

Better part of the Death Highway

In Cambodia, it is easy to know that you have arrived at a major town or city. In almost all the towns and cities I have visited, there is always a monument with a roundabout. It also serves as a good point of reference for us to get our bearings.

Monument with roundabout

As usual, you will find helpful road signs and kilometer stones along the way.

You should not have problems finding petrol in Cambodia. If you do not see petrol stations in villages, you can still find stalls by the road sides selling bottled petrol. Remember to top up your tank whenever you can, especially if you are not sure of the distance to the next village.

Since I brought along my Garmin GPS receiver during this trip, I tracked my routes and took down my waypoints. If you would like a copy of the files, just post a comment and I will send the download link to your email. The size of the file is around 1.7MB.

Unfortunately, remote Northeast Cambodia is often skipped by travelers, who during their limited stay in Cambodia, prefer to focus their time and energy in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. Some might passed by Kampong Cham, Kratie and Stung Treng on their way to the Cambodia Laos border at Dom Kralor. However, few would make the long journey to Ratanakiri or Mondulkiri.

Tucked in the corners of Cambodia, Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri are seldom part of the traveler’s circuit. Depending on the road conditions, a bus ride from Stung Treng to Ratanakiri can take up to 10 hours. Similarly, the bus ride from Phnom Penh to Mondulkiri can take up the same amount of time. Onward journeys from these provinces are difficult because of the lack of proper road infrastructure. Visiting these provinces usually means returning via the same road taken to reach them.

There is, however, a road connecting Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri. Sometimes, the road is known as The Death Highway. No, it is not named because of heavy traffic or hairpin bends. It is named because of the terrible road conditions and the remote surroundings. In fact, calling it a road is inaccurate. The Death Highway is effectively a cow path with multiple branch-offs, which turns from soft sand to a nightmare of muddy trails during the wet season. Because of the narrow paths and the river crossing involved, only motorcycles and ox-carts can traverse the path.

The northeast Cambodia loop looks like a natural progression after my previous rides in Vietnam and Cambodia. As a standalone trip, I can be more adequately prepared by spending more time on trip planning and bringing proper equipment like hiking shoes, full-faced helmet and GPS receiver. Lonely Planet Cambodia discourages ‘the average traveler’ from attempting The Death Highway. Sounds like one more reason to take the plunge.

The Northeast Cambodia Loop trip report is divided into thirteen parts:

1. Introduction (You are here)
2. Route
3. Motorcycle
4. Journey, Day 1 & Day 2 (Part 1)
   
5. Journey, Day 2 (Part 2)
6. Journey, Day 3
7. Journey, Day 4 (Part 1)
8. Journey, Day 4 (Part 2)
9. Journey, Day 5
10. Journey, Day 6
11. Journey, Day 7
12. Journey, Day 8-9
13. Resources

Disclaimer: This trip was taken in December 2006. The information is provided ‘as is’ with no warranties and confers no rights. Please feel free to post a comment.

For other motorcycle trip reports in Cambodia, hop over to Stefan’s Cambodia Log.

For the latest news on Cambodia, check out the online edition of Phnom Penh Post. If you need up-to-date information on the roads, you can try asking in GT-Rider forum (requires registration).

Cambodia Country Maps provides an accurate travel map of Cambodia. You should be able to find it at most book stores in Cambodia. You may have heard of the Cambodia Gecko Map from other travelers. I have compared both the maps and found them to be similar. You would not go wrong with either choice. Travelers who wish to get hold of a Cambodia travel map in their home countries may want to check out the Cambodia travel maps from Amazon.com.

Cambodia Country Map (2006 Edition)

14 Sept 2008 Update: GeckoMaps informed us that the Cambodia Country Map above is actually a copy of their Gecko Cambodia map. They hope that travelers would support the original.

If you need some help packing for your trip, head over to Motorcycle Trip Packing Checklist.

To prepare yourself for the trip, I also recommend reading and watching some related literature. Not only does it provides greater insight into the country, it also helps to get you into the ‘mood’. Here are a few recommended books and videos:

Books

1. When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge by Chanrithy Him
2. The Gate by Francois Bizot
3. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig

Videos

1. The Shining
2. R-Point
3. Apocalypse Now Redux (1979)
4. The Killing Fields (1984)
5. City of Ghosts (2002)

I reached the main road from Bokor Hill at 930am and proceeded along highway 4 back to Phnom Penh. The ride back was uneventful except for a sudden rain which found me seeking shelter at a petrol station together with other motorcyclists.

After the rain had subsided, I continued back to Phnom Penh. I returned the motorcycle to Lucky! Lucky! at 130pm and was given a slight discount for the early return.

Something behind the mist?

Bokor Casino

Visibility is poor with all the mist

And the cold wind blows..

Not the best path for a motorcycle

Inside one of the crumbling buildings on Bokor Hill

Abandoned church on Bokor Hill