Cambodia - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 505

Around Ban Lung
VIRACHEY NATIONAL PARK
In this Asean Heritage park (admission US$5) , one of the largest and wildest protected areas
in Cambodia, ecotourism is playing an important role in protecting the park from develop-
ment. (Cambodian authorities have already sold more remote regions of the park to Viet-
namese rubber plantations.)
The park has never been fully explored and is home to a number of rare mammals, in-
cluding elephants, clouded leopards and sun bears, although your chances of seeing any of
these beasts are extremely slim. However, you'll probably hear endangered gibbons and
might spot great hornbills, giant ibises, Germain's peacock-pheasants and other rare birds.
The Virachey National Park Eco-Tourism Information Centre ( 097 896 4995, 075-974013; vir-
[e-mail] ; 8am-noon & 2-5pm) is the exclusive operator of tours within the park
boundaries, offering two- to eight-day treks led by English-speaking, park-employed
rangers. The signature trek is an eight-day, seven-night Phnom Veal Thom Wilderness Trek
(1/2 people US$400/350 per person). Prices drop the larger the group.
VOEN SAI
Located on the banks of Tonlé San, Voen Sai is a cluster of Chinese, Lao and Chunchiet
(minority) villages. The Voen Sai area is known for Tompuon cemeteries, but most of
them are closed to outsiders these days - which is at least partially the result of tourists
flaunting behavioural protocols.
At the time of writing, the closest ceme-tery to Voen Sai open to visitors was an ethnic
Kachah cemetery in Kaoh Paek, a 45-minute boat ride upriver from Voen Sai. Expect to pay
around US$40 for the boat trip from Voen Sai, or about half that from Kachon, 10km up-
river (east) of Voen Sai. Tour companies in Ban Lung charge US$50 for an excursion
here.
Voen Sai is 39km northwest of Ban Lung on an unsealed but smooth all-weather road.
It is easy enough to get here under your own steam on a motorbike or with a vehicle.
English-speaking guides ask US$15 or so return to take you out here on a moto .