Bokor's ghosts - March 29-30, 2007

The tropical heat descended on Phnom Penh with a sweaty vengence, and after a week of 40+ degree heat, I decided to head south toward the coast and hopefully find some nice beaches. First stop was Kampot, a charming town set along a river with the Bokor mountains providing a picturesque backdrop.

Pretty French colonial buildings and surprisingly good restaurants (for such a small town) make this community a favourite among expats and travellers, but my main reason for coming was to visit the abandoned French hill station perched at the top of the Bokor mountains. Ghosts or no ghosts, I was determined to spend the night there to give myself enough time to explore.

The trip up the mountain was gruelling -- the treacherous dirt "road" had more potholes than swiss cheese and after three hours on the back of a small moto, my back, bum and legs were sore. But as the clouds rolled in and the dampness swirled around us, I was thrilled to feel cool, refreshing air for the first time since landing in Cambodia.

Best of all were the eerily empty, well preserved remnants of a thriving French community - complete with a casino, church, post office, police station, villas and a grand hotel that sat at the edge of a 1,000 metre cliff, offering breathtaking views of Cambodia's coastline.

Beautiful tiles and ornate cornices still grace the interior of the hotel, providing a glimpse of the pomp and grandeur enjoyed by the French over 60 years ago. As I walked from room to room, I tried to imagine the wealthy guests drinking, cavorting in the ballroom (pictured below), and wandering out on the terraces to enjoy the view.

My moto driver / guide explained that the casino used to be located in the grand hotel, but was eventually moved to a different building after several distraught guests pitched themselves over cliff after losing their life savings. I'm sure that the wind whistling through the open windows and the mist creeping through the hallways were actually their ghosts!

As the night began to fall, I headed to a little hill close to the church to watch the sun set and then back to the guesthouse where my moto driver cooked a delicious dinner. All in all, a fun, yet somewhat creepy outing!