Friday, October 16, 2015

Sen Monorom and Pulong Village, Mondulkiri, Cambodia - 11 & 12 October 2015

The Virak Buntham Phnom Penh-Mondulkiri minivan (US$13 p.p. each way) left Phnom Penh's Night Market area at 7:30 AM, but it took over an hour for us to leave the city proper as we were stuck in traffic. Many people, like us, were leaving Phnom Penh during Pchum Ben to visit other provinces or towns. The minivan by-passed the town of Kampung Cham, which shaved off a good 2 hours of the drive. Still, with 2 rest stops of about 40 minutes total, it took us about 6 hours to arrive in Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri's largest town and main gateway to many of its attractions. The sky was overcast, and there were a few afternoon showers when we arrived. The little town seemed like a ghost town as many shops were closed for the holiday; traffic was almost non-existent.


After checking in at a guesthouse in Sen Monorom (US$8/night with hot shower), I went out to scout for a 2D/1N tour for the next day. My first choice was the Tree Lodge's Mondulkiri Project, but because their tours have become too large and popular, the operators were too proud and busy to respond to my inquiries. Before long, I came across the Green House Bar and Restaurant and was pleased with their 2D/1N tour package. Their US$65 p.p. rate included spending time with Asian elephants, staying overnight at a bona fide Bunong village, and jungle trekking to see waterfalls. All meals, water, and transport were also provided. The Green House Bar and Restaurant's tour rate was fair and lower than the tours offered by many NGOs in the vicinity, including the over-rated Mondulkiri Project. As a non-profit initiative, the Green House Bar and Restaurant funnels business opportunities and income to various Bunong families in the Pulong and Putong village communities. The operators strive for an equitable distribution of earning opportunities in the Bunong communities so that everyone (guides, cooks, drivers, hosts, mahouts, etc.) benefits from these tours. Please support them if you go to Mondulkiri. Their contacts: 76A, Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri, Cambodia; www.elephantcommunityproject.org; visit.elephantcommunity@gmail.com, and (+855) 973 626 644 / 017 905 659

Day 1 (AM): Pulong Village
After breakfast at 8 AM on October 12, we left the Green House Bar and Restaurant in Sen Monorom on a minivan and headed towards Pulong Village. Our Bunong English-speaking guide, Heng, took us on a tour to see a couple of traditional Bunong houses and interpreted for us when we had questions for the female owners. Heng also took us around the community farm to see where wild rice, bananas, sweet potatoes, and other crops were cultivated.

Above left: A resin tree; Above right: An edible flower of the resin tree ~ sour taste

Above right: Banana tree stumps ~ snacks for the elephants

Next post: Pulong Waterfalls and Asian Elephants, Mondulkiri, Cambodia - 12 October 2015

Previous post: Pchum Ben ~ Festival of Souls (Phnom Penh, Cambodia) - 10 October 2015

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