Ratanakiri

Around 375 miles from Phnom Penh lies the province of Ratanakiri which has been dubbed the ‘wild east’ of Cambodia. A beautiful region with mountainous and forested landscapes making it a great spot if you’re looking for soft adventure activities away from the buzz of the main tourist centres. Here life is taken at a slower pace and on your travels you may meet the Jarai, Kreung and Tampuan hill tribes who reside here, practicing a way of life that is centuries old and, for the most part, untouched by the modern world.

One of the highlights of the region is a visit to Yeak Laom Lake, lying in the crater of an extinct volcano it offers a tranquil and charming oasis surrounded by pristine jungle. Popular activities in the area include elephant trekking, visits to tribal villages and hikes to waterfalls for a refreshing dip. 

It was Ratanakiri's Srepok River that was depicted in the seminal war film Apocalypse Now, where Martin Sheen travels upriver into Cambodia in search of renegade Colonel Kurtz.