IntroductionCambodia Photo Mondulkiri is an eastern province of Cambodia, which is the most sparsely populated province in the whole country although being the largest province in Cambodia. The province is chock full of natural beauty, with thickly forested mountains, powerful waterfalls and the lush green rolling hills of the western side. Despite the growing deforestation, especially due to the valuable minerals remaining in the deep red, fertile ground, Mondulkiri has still one of the biggest successional woodlands of Cambodia. Except being in Sen Monorom, you’ll find deep pure jungle, with a huge variety of flora and fauna. You may also find gigantic and beautiful waterfalls, where you can take an empowering shower, such as the impressive Bou Sraa.
Sen Monorom is the provincial capital and doesn’t show up as a typical Cambodian town, while it is the only town the province has to speak of. With approx. 7500 inhabitants, 20 guesthouses, 12 restaurants, 3 bars and no post office it is often compared to American Wild West frontier towns. Concerning the quietness and beauty of Sen Monorom people from other parts of the country move here and therefore the land price doubled from 2006 to 2007.The town of Sen Monorom is the best base camp for travellers who want to explore the surrounding areas. A quiet but beautiful town nestled into the hills; it has a lot of potential to develop into a centre for non-intrusive eco-tourism. At present, it’s very undeveloped, which gives you a feeling of going somewhere off the beaten tourist trail. Add to that the communities of hill tribe people, who are not affected by mass-tourism, as they are in neighbouring Thailand, and you have an area that is very attractive to the adventure traveller.
Also interesting is the variety of languages being used: Khmer, hill tribe languages, Vietnamese and Lao. 80 percent of the population in Mondulkiri is made up of ten tribal minorities, with the majority of them being the Chunchiet from the tribe of the Phnong. The remaining 20 percent are Khmer, Chinese and Muslim Cham. Most of the population lives off the land, planting rice, fruit trees and a variety of vegetables. Others grow, coffee, strawberries, rubber and cashew nuts. More and more houses are built in the typical Khmer style. Visiting the hill tribes you still can find the traditional Phnong houses. In the houses you can find traditional gongs and big jars, whereby the last ones are said to be more than a thousand years old. There are various sorts of gongs used for different occasions. Jars and gongs are among the most valuable possessions in an indigenous community, whether in traditional, spiritual or material terms. During the Khmer Rouge Regime those objects were buried in hidden places in the jungle and in many cases they still wait in the ground.
GeographyMondulkiri province is situated on the South - East plateau (approx. altitude around 200-1000 metres), it’s capital Sen Monorom is about 375 Km from Phnom Penh. It is bordering Vietnam to the East and South, Ratanakiri to the North, and Kratie province to the West.
Beside a bunch of smaller rivers, which grow quite big during the rainy season, there are two bigger rivers crossing the province ( the Preaek Chhbaar and the Preaek Te River ). The total area of Mondulkiri is about 14,288 square kilometres.
Cambodia PhotoPopulation
80 percent of the population in Mondulkiri is made up of ten tribal minorities, with the majority of them being the Chunchiet from the tribe of the Phnong. The remaining 20 percent are Khmer, Chinese and Muslim Cham. Most of the population lives off the land, planting rice, fruit trees and a variety of vegetables. Others grow, coffee, strawberries, rubber and cashew nuts.
Usually they make their living through traditional ways of cultivation (shifting agriculture), hunting and collecting fruits from the forest is a must. These old cultures believe in spirits, derived from their animism beliefs. The population density has a total of 44,913 inhabitants (22,890 male and 22,023 female). This is 3,14 inhabitants/sq km.
Climate
Mondulkiri province has a climate like the other areas in the country, there are 3 seasons:
- Rainy season: June - October (<25c)
- Cool season: November- February (>20c)
- Hot season: March- May : Temperature: from 20c -30c
Mondulkiri's average temperature throughout the year is definitely lower than in other areas of Cambodia (except Ratanakiri Province).
The Khmer LoeuThe Khmer Loeu are the non-Khmer highland tribes in Cambodia. The Khmer Loeu are found namely in the northeastern provinces of Rattanakiri, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri and Crate. Most Khmer Loeu live in scattered temporary villages that have only a few hundred inhabitants. These villages usually are governed by a council of local elders or by a village headman. The Khmer Loeu cultivate a wide variety of plants, but the man crop is dry or upland rice growth by the slash-and-burn method. Hunting, fishing, and gathering supplement the cultivated vegetable foods in the Khmer Loeu diet. Houses vary from huge multi-family long houses to small single family structures. They may be built close to the ground or on stilts. The major Khmer Loeu groups in Cambodia are the Kuy, Phnong, Brao, Jarai, and Rade. All but about 160,000 Kuy lived in the northern Cambodia provinces of Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, and Stoeng as well as in adjacent Thailand.
Northeast Cambodia is home to many ethnic minority groups and boasts beautiful landscapes with abundant wildlife.
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.