The Dangrek massif
In the north of the country, the Dangrek massif marks the border with Thailand. Over 300 kilometers, it rises from the plains to the heights. However, it does not try to break altitude records, with peaks ranging from 400 to 500 m. Its highest point, Phu Khi Suk, reaches a modest height of 753 meters. It forms the intersection between Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. The massif is composed of mountains of sandstone mixed with slate and silt - a granular compound in which quartz is mostly found. A forest badly damaged by illegal logging on the Cambodian and Thai side still covers it in part, unfortunately the fauna is no longer very present, disturbed by the presence of man. The Dandrek range has a particular historical importance. Perched on a hill, some 500 meters above sea level, stands the temple of Preah Vihear, a vestige of the Khmer Empire dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and which was the subject of territorial disputes with Thailand. Dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, now a Buddhist temple, it consists of 800 meters of sanctuaries connected by stairs and causeways. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. But the Dangrek is also known to have been on several occasions the refuge of persecuted populations or Khmer Rouge maquisards. In 1975, it was the last area to resist the Khmer Rouge after the fall of Phnom Penh, and hosted many refugees from the Pol Pot regime in the following years. Sadly it was also one of the last areas controlled by the Khmer Rouge after their defeat.
The highlands of Ratanakiri
In the northeast, the high plateaus of Ratanakiri, with an altitude of 250 to 1,500 m and formed mainly of basaltic rocks, cover a large area near the Laotian and Vietnamese borders. Ratanakiri has a unique geographical diversity in Cambodia: hills with rounded peaks, high plateaus, plains with watersheds, and high mountains. At the northern end of the province culminates the Annamite range, which also covers part of Laos and Vietnam. Two main rivers run from east to west, the Tonle San and the Tonle Srepok. Both tributaries of the Mekong, they contribute greatly to the biodiversity of Ratanakiri. Covered by forests, the region has an amazing variety of plant and animal species. If you stay in Cambodia long enough to go into unexplored areas - as you will need at least a week to fully enjoy it - Ratanakiri will satisfy your adventurous instincts. But although it has long been out of reach of human influence, this pristine nature is now in danger. Deforestation, poaching and mineral extraction threaten the ecological balance of a region where almost half of the territory is now a protected area. Sparsely populated, the region is mostly composed of farmers who cultivate mainly to feed their families. There are important rubber and cashew nut plantations. Very isolated because of the lack of roads and navigable waterways, the influence of the government and the application of its measures is uneven, making Ratanakiri a kind of end of the world where lawlessness still has a good day ahead.
The Mondolkiri
To the east, the Mondolkiri high plateau, made of grey sandstone, reveals in places a crystalline base. Located immediately south of Ratanakiri, Mondolkiri is also a very isolated province, and the least populated of Cambodia. Its name, literally translated as "meeting of the hills", evokes its geography, with peaks between 190 and 1,000 meters in altitude. Covered by the tropical forest, Mondolkiri shelters an ecosystem of a rare richness. We can meet there at the bend of a path a bear of Malaysia or a tiger. Its numerous rivers, the most important of which are the Preaek Chhbaar and the Preaek Te, are dotted with powerful waterfalls, especially in the rainy season. The most remarkable is undoubtedly the Bou Sra waterfall, in Pich Chinda district, about 43 km from the provincial capital Senmonorom. Made famous in Cambodia by a popular song, it is popular with Cambodian tourists. Two of its three floors are open to the public and a zip line delights thrill seekers. Senmonorom and Romnea, close to the city, are two other spectacular waterfalls that are easy to access. Unfortunately, as in Ratanakiri, illegal logging and poaching threaten the natural balance, and have led to the designation of protected areas. A visit to Mondolkiri requires a certain amount of effort; the region is only accessible after a long journey on bumpy roads from Kratie province.
The Cardamoms
In the southwest, the Cardamom range culminates at 1,813 m with Mount Aural, which is also the highest point in Cambodia. It constitutes a real wall between the coast overlooking the South China Sea and the alluvial plain of the Tonle Sap. To the west, it becomes the Kiriom plateau, then the Elephant range, ending on the coast. Mount Bokor, with its 1 045 m, is the most prominent peak. A part of the Cardamoms is also located on the Thai territory, extending its peaks on the province of Chanthaburi. Dense tropical forest predominates on the slopes of the western side, which receives up to 5,000 millimeters of rain per year, while the eastern slopes, protected from the rain, are a more arid area descending to the central plains. The mountains are sparsely populated, giving way to abundant wildlife and wilderness, except for a portion of the eastern slopes, where pepper and cardamom are grown. The rivers flowing down the slopes of the Cardamoms are an important source of water for the central plains below, and a direct source of life for a population of hundreds of thousands. Like the Dangrek, the steep Cardamom Mountains played an important role in the country's history, sheltering some of the last Khmer Rouge refugees in the forest until the 1990s and beyond.
The Central Plain
Occupying about 75% of the country's surface, the alluvial plain is crossed by the Tonle Sap River, the lake of the same name which covers a large part of the territory, and by the Mekong River. The Mekong River originates in the highlands of Tibet and splits into four branches from the capital: the Upper and Lower Mekong, the Tonle Sap and the Bassac. The Tonle Sap and the central plain have a rather unique annual rhythm. Indeed, the current of the Tonle Sap reverses every year, flowing 6 months of the year from the Mekong to the lake (from the southeast to the northwest), and during another part of the year from the lake to the Mekong (from the northwest to the southeast), then to the South China Sea. The seasons are punctuated by the vagaries of this unique natural hydraulic system. During the rainy season, Tonle Sap Lake quadruples its surface area, thanks to the overflow from the Mekong River, whose flow increases considerably with the melting of the snow. The floods bring the necessary elements for the numerous crops that provide a living for the inhabitants of Cambodia, which is still essentially agricultural today. The waters of the Tonle Sap and the Mekong are among the richest in fish in the world. However, in the 1980s, uncontrolled logging of Cambodian forests led to erosion rains ending their course in the Tonle Sap, whose bottom has risen. This event has significantly impacted the ecosystem of the central plains, which are no longer as nourishing.
The sea front
The Gulf of Siam coastline, Cambodia's access to the sea and maritime trade, covers 17,237 square kilometers, and is spread over four provinces: Sihanoukville, Kampot, Koh Kong and Kep. The coastline is estimated to be between 435 and 450 kilometers long, according to various estimates, none of which is officially accepted. A succession of bays with golden sandy beaches rather suitable for swimming, it is interspersed with more rugged rocky parts breaking this monotony. The sea water often rushes inland, leaving peat-covered soils in its wake. Mangrove trees are the most common vegetation, giving way in some places to mangrove, which can be found almost everywhere, and to other forms of semi-aquatic vegetation. There are 60 coastal islands, 23 in Koh Kong province, 2 in Kampot, 22 in Sihanoukville and 13 in Kep. Most of them are close to the coast, except for two small groups of islands further away. The islands off Koh Kong consist of sandstone massifs formed in the Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, while the western islands, close to the Kaoh Pao River delta, are much flatter and covered with mangroves.
