Ratings by backpackers :

Description : a small-town in the far est of cambodgia, surrounded by big grassy hills, villages, and some nice waterfalls

What to do ? walking, rent a motorbike and test your skill on shitty roads, take a swim in watching a waterfall, watch a plane landing on the "airport"

What you may not like ? basic room, basic food, the long way to reach the place

Where to stay ? kirium guesthouse for example, 5000 riel, single room

Where to eat ? At the guesthouse

What to see/visit ?  the grassy hills, minority villages, the 5 km away waterfall, the 40 km away impressive waterfall

Transportation ?
To Kratie via Snuol / 20000 riels / Truck / 7 hours / 1 per day, normally
To Phnom Penh / 30000 riels / Truck / 9 hours / 1 per day, early morning
The road has been opened since 2000, no kmer rouge activists anymore

Backpacker's Tips : Will Featherstone, UK (April 06)
« I visited Sen Monorom in late February 2006. I was interested to see a different Cambodia to what I'd seen already, and I thought the 'wild east' of Mondulkiri province was the place to go. I was concerned that the long ride to get there wasn't going to be worth the effort, as I'd heard there wasn't a great deal to do or see and it would be expensive. I very wrong. Aside from the incredible Angkor, Sen Monorom was my favourite town that I visited in Cambodia. Firstly it isn't that difficult to get there anymore as a new bus company based in Phnom Penh now runs a bus direct to it. Unfortuantely I forget the name, but the bus station is very close to the Olympic Stadium opposite a petrol station (I believe it's a Total garage). Cost was 10 USD, took 9 hours, bus leaves once daily at 7.30am (book as early as possible to get a seat, and you can also reserve the seat you want. Needless to say, do not reserve a seat at the back, is a tricky journey at times). We stayed in the great Pich Kiri GH in a nice bungalow (3 USD). The place is on the other side of the road from the GH the bus drops you off at. The staff were very friendly, the food was good, and they kept the generator on for most of the night. They offer elephant treks through the jungle (sparse as it is during the dry season and the excessive logging that has affected the province) for 20 USD for 1 person, 30 USD for 2 people, and 35 USD for 3 people (the price is per elephant, and includes lunch). I would highly recommend doing it as we had a superb day. The countryside is very different to anywhere else in Cambodia, and indeed from any that I saw in Indochina. The day starts in a small village, the elephants trek for a few hours, you have lunch in a beautiful part of the jungle for a few hours next to a waterfall where you can swim in the river, then it's another hour or two on the elephants back to the village. The day was great, but it's the people of the town and area that made the stay very special. Literally everyone we saw and spoke to were very friendly and I felt a genuine sense that they were pleased that you were there. There was a very different atmosphere to Mondulkiri that I didn't feel anywhere else in Cambodia. Remarkably I didn't hear once the words "Hello, motorbike?". Also the province is at high elevation (average 800m I think) so it's refreshingly cool. There is little to see in the town itself, a couple of lakes and a market, but walking around was very pleasant indeed. The waterfalls around the town are recommended. If you need to go on the internet in the town then there is one place you can do it, but I believe it was at least 3 USD an hour. To leave Mondulkiri, book the bus from the GH across the road from Pich Kiri. Be aware if you want to get to Siem Reap in a day by bus you can't (the guys we booked the ticket off told us we could). Get the bus to Kompong Cham (once daily 7.00am, 7 USD, 6 hrs), and then get the bus for 5 USD to Siem Reap at 8am the next morning.» 
 

Kratie / Phnom Penh

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