Ream National Park — Attraction in Khaet Preah Sihanouk

I'm currently on my way back from what was possibly the most pointless hike I've ever been on. It was an hour long walk up a dusty trail lined with rather sad looking shrubbery and thorns that seemed to have the conscious intent to embed themselves into my skin. The natural delights that we saw along the way consisted of a tree that was the grand total of one hundred years old or something, a termite mound that looked like it had been empty for a decade - the reason for which I can only assume was a suicide pact by the termites, who were so completely bored by their surroundings that they decided it better that they participate in a real life game of Lemmings. Following that, we stumbled across a tarantula nest. No tarantulas to be seen mind, just some leaves and a hole in the ground that we were told definitely did currently contain arachnids of the most exotic variety. Past the second middle aged tree, we finally reached the summit and stopped to gasp at the astonishingly sublime panoramic view of leaves, branches, and a discarded flip flop.

For a second I thought it was all an elaborate Khmer joke and that the jolly ranger would walk us around one more corner to see the true beauty on offer. Alas, the joke was on me. The only reward that came was when I reached into my left pocket to find the banana that had been given to me at the beginning. The banana was black and soggy. I ate it anyway and thought about what I wanted to happen to the people that had rated this place with anything more than minus 4 stars on TripAdvisor.

I highly recommend a visit to this truly magical natural wonder. Especially if you're decidedly suicidal. There's a big drop from a rock, and apparently the non existent tigers will eat you if you fall, which at least increases your chances of success in departing this world.

Oh, I did get to wear a magnificent hat along the way, in which I think I look...

We visited the park from Sihanoukville and, rather than take a tour, we organised the trip ourselves. This involved haggling for a taxi for the day ($35) and paying our own way once we arrived at the park. We wanted to do the walk, but there had been a lot of rain overnight, so the park ranger advised we take the boat tour through the mangroves instead. This cost $30 for two people and was well worth it. We had a boat to ourselves and spent around two hours on the river, seeing all kinds of wildlife, including hornbills, a sea eagle, egrets, and some small grey rail-like birds. But the highlight was when we arrived at the viewing tower and saw a troupe of Douc langur monkeys swinging throigh the trees. Then, while at the top of the tower, we saw a stork in the distance. The whole area was also full of amazing dragonflies. And the peace and quiet was astonishing, particularly when you realise the park is right next to Sihanouk airport. Of course, we were incredibly lucky to see so much and, if you decide to visit, you may see more or nothing at all - nature isnt something you can turn on and off like a tap. But, for us it was a truly...

We rented motorbikes in Sihanoukville and went there on our own. Was expecting something like the national parks in Thailand, but there was literally nothing to see here... just a very dusty dirt road, some road workers, a half finished luxury resort deep in the jungle and an overpriced beach resort. I think there were two restaurants marked on Google Maps, one of them was the beach resort. We decided to check out the other one instead, but that turned out to be a half finished project, just some ruins at a dead end that had been overgrown by jungle... Well, the tarmac road from the highway up until the checkpoint was very new and a nice drive with the bikes, but that was about it. Save yourself a disappointment and explore the beaches surrounding...