Chi Pat, Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia

Chi Pat is a remote riverside village in the little explored Cardamom Mountains, with no running water and electricity is by generator only. It is an incredibly bucolic place, and being almost surrounded by rivers it is a playground of waterfalls and swimming holes carved out of the clean black rock. It is certainly laidback and has a distinct feel quite unlike any other place in Cambodia. With very limited land access the village is reached after a 2 hour long-tail boat journey up the Preak Piphot river. Sailing through mangrove forests, the relaxing journey passes occasional river edge villages and homes, and it is possible to spot birds and mammals coming to the waters edge to drink and feed.

Chi Pat is nestled in the southern valleys of the Cardamom Mountains which are South East Asia’s last true and most important wilderness area. With hidden valleys and lofty peaks that reach over 1,500m it is a landscape consisting of large expanses of intact lowland rainforest, where contiguous forest connects mountaintop to ocean, where pristine rivers cascade to the sea, and wildlife is still in relative abundance. The mountains and forests are home to many globally endangered species such as, Asian elephants, tigers, sun bears, monkeys, hornbills, flying squirrels, and the last remaining Siamese crocodiles.

On arrival in Chi Pat as you disembark from the boat you will notice a single dirt road through the village heading off into the forested hills, and a cluster of wooden shop-houses with a couple of small restaurants. As you walk along the road towards the village’s Community Eco-tourism Office you will pass cows, dogs and chickens wandering around, and receive a chorus of ‘Hellos’ from the inquisitive children. The Chi Pat Community Eco-tourism Project was set-up in early 2008 with assistance from Wildlife Alliance (formerly WildAid). The villagers traditionally made a living from logging and hunting. However, as these activities have now been outlawed the community is taking advantage of the wonderful natural resource on its doorstep to earn an alternative income from ecotourism. It is hoped this will enhance the long term conservation of the forest and pressure those who continue illegally logging and hunting the endangered wildlife.

Using Chi Pat as a base, single and multi-day trekking and mountain bike adventures into the pristine, forested Cardamom Mountains can be experienced. As well as the forests there are various other natural and cultural sites such as refreshing waterfalls, recently discovered mysterious ancient burial jars, bat caves, and wildlife. Taking row-boats along the surrounding rivers in the early morning stillness is ideal for bird watching. Staying overnight in Chi Pat, in basic guesthouses or homestays allows you to enjoy the wonderful hospitality of the villagers, and witness the rural Cambodian way of life. Whereas the multi-day tours go deep into the forest and include sleeping under the stars and eating camp food. This is a unique adventure in Cambodia!

A visit to the Chi Pat Community Eco-tourism project can last from 3 days up to a week or more. Round trips can be arranged from Phnom Penh, or as a stopover if you are traveling between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, or onto to Koh Kong and the border crossing with Thailand. To see our suggested tours which feature Chi Pat and the Cardamom Mountains please click here.

Below is a map showing the location of  Chi Pat as well as other community based tourism and eco-tourism sites in Cambodia.