I’ve had some good luck with timing along my travels. I wanted to go to the abandoned French hill station of Bokor while in Kampot in Southern Cambodia, and chose the first day of the Chinese New Year to do so. Normally the main road is closed due to construction, and anyone who wants to visit the hill must start the day out with a serious 3 hour hike just to get to the top. But because it was the holiday, construction had ceased for a couple days, which allowed us to drive all the way to the top, and even get in a scenic jungle trek just for the hell of it. Lucky!

The area was abandoned in 1972 and has remained uninhabited ever since. There’s a Catholic church and an old post office but the highlight of the trip is what is left of Bokor Palace. It’s a four-storey building that housed a ballroom and casino and is now in ruins and covered with a creepy orange lichen. The fog increased as the afternoon passed and was literally rolling in through the windows, creating a super-eerie ambiance. There’s a local tale that exists which claims that people would sometimes lose all their money gambling at the casino and, seeing no other solution, would throw themselves off the cliff behind the building. Stories like this only helped to add to the spooky vibe.

Sadly, there is major development happening up in the hill station. Our guide proudly showed us where the foundation for a major five-star resort has been laid. Rumors for a golf course exist. Considering that the allure of the hill station is the fact that it’s deserted and atmospheric, I’m afraid that the addition of a resort will definitely take away from all that and make it less desirable to visit. But, in Cambodia, money talks.

The abandoned church.

What is left of Bokor Palace.

Orange lichen growing over many of the surfaces.