Virachay National Park Travel Guide

Virachay National Park is a park of forests, waterfalls and hiking trails in the northeastern Cambodian province of Ratanakiri. It is a major priority for conservationists in Southeast Asia due to the illegal logging that goes on here.

The park also partly occupies Stung Treng Province and can be accessed via Stung Treng Airport. Virachay National Park has a diverse landscape that consists of dense lowland and montane forest, bamboo groves and upland savannah, and reaches to heights of 5,000 feet. Elephants, tigers, clouded leopards and many endangered monkey species all inhabit the park along with ethnic minority tribes.

On the bird and reptile front, Virachay National Park has the elusive Germain’s peacock pheasant along with the great hornbill, the red-collared woodpecker, and the Siamese fireback. Freshwater crocodile, tortoise, and otters also reside here. Ethnic minority groups include the Kreung, Brao, Kavet, Lun, and Lao peoples as well as ethnic Chinese and Khmers.

The major attraction in Virachay National Park is the trekking, which is best done with an experienced local guide, yet you shouldn’t expect to see all the endangered wildlife mentioned. Banlung is the nearest town and comes with decent accommodation options, some restaurants and a bar.

Getting There & Away

Virachay National Park is 25 miles northeast of Banlung and is best accessed by taxi or scooter. Banlung itself is about 3 hours east by road from Stung Treng, which has an airport with flights from Phnom Penh and around Southeast Asia. The bus ride from Phnom Penh to Banlung goes via Stung Treng and takes all day.