Explore Ratanakiri – the diamond in the rough of Cambodia tourism

Cambodia is famous for its tourist attractions that not only have historical significance but are also favored by nature, but also have unique waterfalls. If you are a tourist for thethr first time to Cambodia, finding out these destinations in advance is really essential for your discovery trip.
So Threeland will learn with you through a main destination, Ratanakiri - a province famous for Cambodia tourism in the following article!

What surprises visitors when they first come to Ranatakiri?

In 1960, Ratanakiri officially became a province of the Kingdom of Cambodia during the reign of King Norodom Sihanouk. Banlung is the capital of Ratanakiri city, located in the highlands, along Highway 19 from Ou porng Moan just about 200 km from the Vietnam border. (Ou´ porng Moan-Banlung about 120km, Banlung-Vietnam 80 km)
This tourist destination is located on the northeast plateau, 636 km from the capital Phnom Penh. It borders Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north, Steung Treng to the west and Mondul Kiri to the south. This locality has two rivers that flow through the province (the Sre Pork and the Sresan).

It is a sparsely populated province, famous for its unique natural beauty and wealth of natural resources. Visitors are impressed with the beauty of undulating hills with flat plateaus and watersheds. In particular, this place also has volcanoes, rivers, and waterfalls, making it an ideal place for many tourists to visit. Forest cover varies by region, varying from the north with dense forests with lots of wildlife to the south with sparse forests with fewer animals. The natural resources here are very rich and diverse, from the rich volcanic soil to the fertile sandy soil downstream of the rivers.
Therefore, the potential for ecotourism development in Cambodia is great, so it is increasingly interested by the Government and new investors.

The Bor Keo district is famous as an area particularly rich in gems. It is only about 30 km from the capital Ban Lung, known for mining good quality zircon as well as peridot, amethyst, quartz and onyx. Zircon is the only mineral of Ratanakiri - this product looks like brown glass when found in the ground. But through processing they have turned the color of spices like saffron and turmeric, or a vibrant (and more valuable) blue.
Yoon Village is home to a community of gem miners. A special feature is that on the ground are marked with hundreds of holes half a meter wide. These large holes have absolutely no internal support and are up to 12-15 meters deep before reaching the water table. Although they are experienced people, it still feels suffocating to carry out work in buckets that fill the ground with Russian soil. These workers worked hard, drenched in sweat and covered in mud. They climbed out of the hole after two hours of hard work and looked exhausted.

Top 7 tourist attraction in Taranakiri in Cambodia tourism

1. Yeak Loam Lake

This is a popular tourist destination just 5 km away and located in the southeast of Banlung province. Lake Yeak Loam also means (crater) is the most beautiful lake of Ratanakiri formed by a volcanic eruption nearly 4,000 years ago. One thing not everyone knows is that the height of the lake is 50 meters with a depth of 800 meters. The diameter and promenade around the lake is up to 2,500 m, suitable for those who like to jog and relax. In it, two hundred meters of the track is an ancient wooden design building containing tribal crafts, the Museum of Crafts.

2. Mount Eisey Patamak

It located on the top of Phnom Svay is a reclining Buddha 2.5 km away. This place is a wonderful and extremely peaceful destination, it has been undisturbed and preserved for many years. Looking out, you will admire the panoramic view of Laos in the north and Vietnam in the east. This ideal location allows visitors to enjoy the charming serenity of the surrounding countryside that cannot be found elsewhere.

3. Virachay National Park

Advantage of distance because it is only 45 km from the north of Banlung province. Did you know that the total land area is 332,500 ha, extremely large. This area has a wide variety of forest plants and trees and a wide variety of animals and birds that increase the diversity and abundance of flora and fauna.

4. Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary

It is just 37 km south of Banlung. This reserve has a total land area of ​​250,000 hectares containing a variety of special animals and birds such as tigers, elephants, and rare red-headed vultures.

5. Cha Ung Waterfall

Cha Ung Waterfall is only 8 km west of Banlung province. This waterfall flows all year round bringing the majestic sight of Cambodia. Did you know that the abundant water that makes up this waterfall flows from Mount Eisey Patamak (Mount Svay). In particular, below this waterfall is a large hole, you can stand or sit to watch the waterfall from behind and breathe in the cool air radiating from it.

6. Kachang Waterfall

Kachang Waterfall is located very close, only 6 km from the north - west of Banlung. The exact location of this waterfall is in Kontung stream and empties into the Sre Pok River with a waterfall height of 12 m. This is also a waterfall whose water flows steadily and decreases all year round. You can admire the beautiful mist surrounding the waterfall. You can fully experience the feeling of bathing, watching the scenery and immersing in the diversity of nature. Exciting activities and experiences here will be extremely interesting and cannot be missed.

7. Katieng Waterfall

Katieng Waterfall is just 7 km north-west of Banlung. This waterfall is also located in Koutung Stream, below Kachang Waterfall with a distance of 3 km. Its height is quite small, 10m is not too high, so it will be extremely safe. The water flow is steady and decreases year round. Coming here, visitors can admire the beautiful natural landscape and rest to take pictures of colorful birds.