A country normally famous for its ancient temples and fascinating architecture, Cambodia is also home to an extensive network of national parks and wildlife reserves, which cover a little less than half of the whole country. It’s exciting to know that such large havens for wildlife exist, teeming with animal populations.
Phnom Kulen National Park
Birthplace of an empire, the Phnom Kulen Park has the bonus of lost temples – a dramatic flair appreciated by many. Features in movies such as the original Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, this area hides lost cities and reclining 16th Century Buddha statues within its jungles; a great place to visit when looking for Siem Reap things to do.
Kirirom National Park
This elevated national park is a three-hour journey from Phnom Penh – just isolated enough to make for a great getaway. From mountain biking to trailblazing through lush pine forests, the scenery is hard to beat. In the 1960s, the Kirirom area was marked for city construction, before the plight of civil war put rest to the idea. Yet, the area sees frequent business for hiking, whose trails offer unblemished sights of the Elephant and Cardamom mountains.
Virachey National Park
One of the largest parks in the country at a total area of 3325 sq. km, this park has not been completely explored as of yet, stretching its boundaries towards its neighbour countries Laos and Vietnam. It is full of rare leopards, elephants, and bears, and although chances of spotting the creatures themselves are rare, you’ll likely hear them in the distance.
Bokor National Park
When staying at a property like the Anantara Angkor Resort, you may have a certain urge to visit the charming older architecture, such as what you’ll find at the abandoned French hill station of Bokor. Now part of the park in total, this area was at its peak during the 1920s-1930s, and the allure lies on cold misty mornings when a slightly haunting atmosphere covers the place.
