Botum Sakor National Park

Botum Sakor is the largest national park in Cambodia. It is considered by the Wildlife Alliance organization as one of the world’s hotspots for biodiversity. For nature lovers, it is a paradise to discover. For those who enjoy trekking or seeking original travel experiences, this natural park offers a true adventure. Visitors can explore an idyllic landscape that showcases unique and wild animal species found nowhere else in the world.

History

Botum Sakor Park is managed by Cambodia's Ministry of Environment. With the participation of foreign companies, the Cambodian government has implemented a large-scale project in certain areas of the park since 1993. In 2010, they decided to clear approximately 36,000 hectares of the park for the construction of new roads, an airport, golf courses, eco-tourism sites, shopping centers, residences, and restaurants.

Geography

Botum Sakor Park is located in the Koh Kong province of Cambodia, with the nearest city being Sihanoukville. Situated on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, the park covers an area of 1,712 km² and stretches to the southwest of the Cardamom Mountains. The protected area spans across three districts of Koh Kong province: Kiri, Sakor, and Botum Sakor.

Botum Sakor National Park

Accompanied by a local guide, tourists often explore the park on foot or by boat. This is a delightful way to experience the park, allowing visitors to take their time to discover the charm and natural beauty of the reserve's biodiversity. Following hiking trails, they may encounter animals in their natural habitat. Trekking and kayaking remain the best tourist activities in the park.

The landscapes of Botum Sakor Park are particularly characterized by gently sloping plains, beaches, and grasslands, covered with evergreen vegetation like mangroves. Given its geographical location, the area is surrounded by the sea to the east, south, and west, and by the coastline to the north.

Botum Sakor National Park is home to a rich and diverse wildlife, including birds, amphibians and reptiles, insects, and mammals. It is a true habitat for biodiversity in the Koh Kong province.

Wildlife

The park hosts several mammal species. During your visit, you may find Asian elephants, Indochinese tigers, leopards (nocturnal?), gibbons, Asian wild dogs, turtles, and polar bears. The park is also inhabited by crocodiles and snakes such as cobras and Malaysian vipers.

Some animal and plant species in the park are so well-preserved that they are unique in the world and do not exist anywhere else. The park is home to many endemic and endangered species. Among them are the bonnet macaques, scientifically known as Hylobates pileatus. Bonnet macaques are one of the eight species of endangered mammals in the world. The park also shelters the large saltwater crocodile, a threatened species in Southeast Asia. Eight categories of highly endangered mammals, such as the fishing cat and pangolin, have recently been placed in the park.

The park hosts more than 533 species of migratory or resident birds. The white-winged duck, an endangered and rare species in Asia, also nests in the park.

Flora

The vegetation in this area forms a tropical forest belonging to the Dipterocarpaceae family. It is a swampy forest. The diversity of this vast vegetation includes a wide variety of flora, an impressive number of epiphyte species, and a large category of mangroves.

How to get there?

It is more convenient and enjoyable to visit Botum Sakor Park by boat. You can catch a boat from Andong Tuek, Sihanoukville, Koh Sdach, or Kron Koh Kong.