Virachey National Park spans the northern sections of Ratanakiri and Stung Treng Provinces of Eastern Cambodia.
This is an enormous park covering 3,325 km² established in 1993. Most treks barely put a dent in it. The park is under constant threat from illegal logging and poaching, but the worst threat of all is the talk of a Chinese-funded road being bulldozed across the southwest corner. No road plans have been announced to date, and a trek to the "holy grail" of Phnom Veal Thom rewards the hardy traveller with jaw-dropping views of the wild and unexplored mountainous borders with Laos and Vietnam. Views to the south open out onto the vast hilly jungle spilling down to the Sesan River and the Brao and Kreung villages that dot the river's edge.
Until 1903 the entire mountain massif (which is the lower extremity of the SE Asian massif which plunges down from Tibet, belonged to Laos. But the French decided to make Stung Treng Province a part of Cambodia and to designate the high mountains as the border between Laos and Cambodia all the way east to Vietnam.
From 2004-2008 the World Bank sponsored a protection program here, but pulled out in 2008. According to the park rangers, not a single patrol went out in all of 2009 and the same can likely be said of 2010.
Evergreen forest, bamboo forest, high grasslands, and river valleys.
Gibbons, pig-tailed macaques, douc langurs, sun bears, great hornbills, clouded leopards, and Asian elephants occur in the park. Whether or not tigers and leopards still exist is unknown. Speculation that the Javan rhino persists deep in the unexplored region along the Laos border is probably unfounded.
Very rainy (and leechy) during the summer, cool and dry during the winter (Dec-Mar, which is the best time to visit)
A national park fee must be paid to enter the park. Soukhon Thon is the head park ranger and warden for ecotourism: http://viracheyecotourism.blogspot.com/ Email: soukhon07@yahoo.com, khonvnp.kh@gmail.com
- Veal Thom Grasslands
- Brao Minority Villages
The 7-day trek (a kind of mini-Annapurna) to Veal Thom Grasslands
Handicrafts might be on offer at some of the minority villages you visit. These attractive scarves and whatnot are very inexpensive and purchasing one or two might help to boost the confidence of the villagers in the concept of eco-tourism.
Your jungle-cooked food will be surprisingly delicious. As for meals before or after the trek, Gecko House, near the intersection by Parrot Tours, makes some good pizzas and salads.
If you want booze in the jungle make sure you request or bring it.