Bokor National Park

Bokor Hill Station is a French colonial-era hill station and abandoned resort on the Phnom Bokor plateau in Kampot province, Cambodia, siting at over 1,000 metres elevation. It was established by the French as a cool retreat and contains derelict hotels, a casino and other colonial structures.

Today the site combines ruined colonial buildings, a small church and newer developments inside Bokor National Park; visitors come for the historic structures, sweeping sea and coastal plain views and cooler mountain climate. The plateau is often misty and offers short walks and viewpoints.

Construction and use date to the early 20th century when the French developed the site as a hill station; it declined during mid-20th-century conflicts and much of the original complex was abandoned before conservation and limited redevelopment in recent decades.

Bokor Hill Station sits on the Phnom Bokor plateau within Bokor National Park in southern Cambodia’s Kampot province, rising above the coastal plain and accessible by road from Kampot town.

• Climate: The plateau is often shrouded in mist and is considerably cooler than the coastal lowlands, making it a popular day trip from Kampot.
• Access: Access is by a winding road up the mountain; allow time for slow-moving traffic on busy days and sections of unsealed road.

What to See#

• Old Bokor Hill Station complex: The ruined French-era hotel and casino complex, notable for its 1920s architecture and dramatic coastal views from the plateau.
• Hilltop church and buildings: A small colonial-era Catholic church and a few other restored buildings that sit amid the plateau’s foggy landscape.

Bokor National Park covers much of the Damrei (Elephant) Mountains above Kampot, though most of its forest is closed to visitors, who keep to the plateau road and a handful of trails. The park still shelters pileated gibbons, bears and a long list of birds, but the wildlife is shy and the larger animals keep to the interior, well away from the summit. Mist settles on the plateau through much of the rainy season, when it is at its most atmospheric.

The main natural draw is Popokvil Falls, whose name means “swirling clouds”, within reach of the old hill station and at its best after rain. On the plateau, the French-era ruins, including the old Bokor Palace Hotel, the Catholic church and the Black Palace, now stand alongside a large modern resort and casino, new roads and housing developments that have cleared wide areas of forest since the mountain road was rebuilt. Stick to the roads and established trails when walking.

Bokor Hill Station sits in Bokor National Park above Kampot. From Kampot town drive up the sealed Bokor mountain road (the summit road branches off the main coastal/highway approach) - the mountain road is a paved climb used by cars and buses and takes roughly 45-60 minutes from Kampot depending on traffic and stops. There is parking at the summit area and short walks link the old hotel, casino and viewpoints.

• Time your visit to Bokor Hill Station for late afternoon/sunset when the clouds and coastal mist create the atmospheric views the place is famous for, but be ready for rapidly changing visibility.
• Expect limited services on the plateau outside peak times - arrange transport from Kampot (private car or organized transfer) rather than relying on public buses.
• Explore the abandoned casino, church and colonial ruins around the old station while you can, and if you want waterfalls (Popokvil), visit after recent rains when they're most impressive.