Luxury holidays in Kirirom National Park

Kirirom – the name means ‘happy mountain’– is Cambodia’s first national park. It’s a biodiverse adventure playground home to gibbons, elephants and, luckily for us, eco-tourism. A three-hour drive from Phnom Penh, it’s the sort of spot where you’ll leave the hectic pace of city life behind and discover unspoilt rivers, waterfalls, pine forests and lashings of crisp mountain air. Feeling leisurely? You’ll love orchid spotting, foraging, kayaking, tubing and wild swimming. Is your tempo more Tomb Raider? Lace up your hiking boots for mountain-biking, jungle trekking or anti-poaching expeditions with the park rangers.

When to go

The Cardamom Mountains in Kirirom National Park get Cambodia’s heaviest rainfalls which can mean Glasto-like mud levels. The best time to visit is during the dry season, which runs from November to April.

Getting there

  • Planes

    Two and a half hours’ drive away, beachy Sihanoukville is the nearest airport, with flights to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh in Cambodia, as well as Hong Kong. Phnom Penh, a three-hour drive away, has good regional connections to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
  • Automobiles

    You need a Cambodian driving license to navigate the country’s outlaw roads but, trust us, you’ll want to leave the driving to the professionals. Arrange a private car or taxi from Phnom Penh (three hours) or Sihanoukville (2.5 hours) to reach the national park.