About Mondulkiri Province
Mondulkiri province is a magical place, full of great natural beauty and untamed landscapes. It is the most sparsely populated province in Cambodia, despite being the largest in land area. With miles of lush rolling hills, majestic waterfalls and some of the largest protected forest areas in the country. The variety of plant and wildlife species is astounding, with new evidence of extremely rare and some newly discovered species. Great conservation efforts are being made and the promotion of ecotourism can hopefully keep the area clean and green.

The Seasonal Cycle Of Mondulkiri
In early spring ( March – July), the first rains color the grass lands fresh green, early summer rains help cool the hottest time of the year. Many wild fruits and flowers attract a variety of colorful birds and butterflies. Most major festivals are held in this season and the harvest avocado begins. Mondulkiri is the only place in Cambodia cool enough for avocados. The monsoon rains peak from mid August till the end of September, in that period, all Waterfalls are at full force. In autumn some trees start shedding their leafs. Around mid November, the cold north east wind starts blowing onto the hills, drying up the landscape before the next spring rains. Wild grass fires are common at this time of year, you can often see them in the distance as their light up Mondulkiri’s cold winters nights.
The Sen Monorom area highlands offer a comfortable break from the tropical heat of Cambodia all year round. Don’t forget to bring a light jumper / fleece to wear on cold nights.

The Bunong hill tribe - Mondulkiri's largest Indigenous People.
The Bunong people have been living in the hills and jungles of Mondulkiri for centuries, their unique culture includes a tradition of taming wild elephants for work and transportation. No one knows how long ago this custom had began. In fact, the Bunong themselves are an anthropological mystery, their origin not clear. They speak an independent Bunong dialect, which is only slightly influenced by Khmer language. The Bunong practice an ancient, animist religion. Spirits can be seen as a reason for both luck or misfortune.

If you would like to read more about the Bunong peple. You can download a copy of The “Bunong caretakers of the Cambodia’s ancient forest” here.

The Complete Travel Guide To Mondulkiri

You will start driving north on highway 7 which has a connection to the Mondulkiri Highway 76 in a small town called Snoul.  Sen Monorom is 512 km away from Phnom Penh. It usually takes 6 – 8 hours to cover, depending on speed and season. The road is now upgraded and most of it is in good condition. Highway 76 is expected to be fully paved by the end of 2010.

Public Bus:
Rith Mony bus service has a direct line to Sen Monorom. Taking  the bus, you will have your own seat. But it is much slower then other means of transport as it often stops along the way.
Where? The Rith Mony company’s station 137 CD St. 118. You can also catch the bus as it drives out of Phnom Penh ( in front of Calamette hospital).
Cost: R 25000 – 35000 ( $ 6.25 – 8.75 ).
When? buses depart daily at 7 30 am.

Minibus / shared taxi / pick up trucks:
The fastest way to get to Sen Monorom is by minibus / taxi. You must remember that in Cambodia , it's considered normal to share the front seat between 2 passengers, the back seat between four. If you need some more space to yourself, you can always buy an extra seat.
Where? At the Mondulkiri taxi station on street #80 ( see map).
When? All transport leaves from Phnom Penh daily between 7 – 8 am.
Cost: Tickets are at the moment between R35,000 – 50,000 ($ 8.75 – 12.5 ). prices go up and down a little along with shifting fuel prices. All Taxies / vans can be chartered for the journey. A Toyota Camri can be charted for $80. For reservations call 012 230 272 / 011 49 44 49.

The back of the truck can be cheap and fun, though it is a bit of a dangerous experience, it all depends on how loaded the truck is (usually a huge mountain of stuff !!) and what you get to sit on (pineapples or durians – Ouch!!). You must hold on tight and consider precautions against sunburn and rain.

Siam Riep - Mondulkiri
From Siam Riep there’s no direct transport to Sen Monorom, it is best to first travel to Kampong Cham and catch onward transport the following morning. However, it is possible to travel from Sen Monorom to Siam Riep in one day. You need to get off at the junction in Skun and then catch another bus going to Siam Riep.

Kratie - Mondulkiri
There is a single direct mini bus leaving daily from Kratie to Sen Monorom. You can also take any bus from Kratie to Phnom Penh, get off at a town called Snoul and then catch the Mondulkiri bus there, the bus / mini bus would arrive at Snoul around 12 - 1 pm.

Ratanakiri - Mondulkiri
The road from Ban Lung continues south until Lumpat district, from there to Koh Niek it is basically just a path in the jungle.
It is  possible though, to hire moto drivers to do this route, it's takes a whole day and they usually charge around US 50-60. Otherwise, you can also take the bus from Ratanakiri to Phnom Penh, get off at a town called Snoul and catch the Mondulkiri bus there.