Experience A Cambodian Ghost Town At The Deserted Bokor Hill Station

Bokor Palace Hotel and Casino

The colonial-style building was initially built as a grand hotel, later being used as a flashy casino and hotel during the rule of Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The drab and graffitied concrete shell still shows flashes of splendour here and there, but, for the most part, is a sad reminder of times gone by. Look around as you walk up the steps to the main entrance, thinking about how the now lonely lobby was once filled with laughter and gaiety.

The decorative floor tiles are pretty much all the beauty that remains, with the once-gorgeous guest rooms having been stripped of all furnishings and lavish features, bare walls in place of attractive décor and open spaces where luxurious items once stood.

A favourite haunt in the past for affluent Europeans visiting from the capital of Phnom Penh, all that haunt the hill station now are whispers from the past and the ghosts of happier, livelier times.

Step onto the grubby balconies and terraces and peer through windows that are now devoid of glass and enjoy the timeless views of the hilly countryside and natural landscapes. Admire how nature can always bounce back and see the contrast with the (lack of) survival of buildings constructed by mankind. Take a walk into the rear grounds and soak up the spectacular views from the top of the craggy cliff.

Bokor Church

Another deserted building on Bokor Hill is a small Catholic church. Formerly a revered place of worship, thick moss now covers the steps and lichen decorates the festering walls. Eerily peaceful, the bullet holes in the bricks tell a story of a less-than-peaceful past. The area’s tumultuous history has left many scars, with those at the church perhaps some of the most striking and startling. Religious buildings are supposed to be places of sanctuary, safety, and spirituality… seeing how a church was desecrated in the conflict really hammers home the brutalities that the area saw in its former life.

Veang Khmao / Black Palace

A short distance before the hill station, you can wander through the slightly creepy remains of a former royal summer palace – Veang Khmao. The name means the Black Palace, due to its original construction using black wood as well as bricks. Built in the 1930s, it was used as a summer retreat by the Khmer royal family, its elevated position allowing people to enjoy the cooler temperatures and beautiful natural surroundings. King Sisowath Monivong spent his final years living at Veang Khmao and it was later a favourite leisure spot of King Sihanouk.

The former shine has long gone, the palace having stood empty and unused for several decades. It is quite difficult now to visualize any regal trappings, with graffiti covering the inner walls and moss and weeds having well and truly taken over.