Ratanakiri

A small red-earth highland town in northeast Cambodia, with the mirror-clear Yeak Laom crater lake, nearby waterfalls and minority villages, and access to Virachey National Park.

Banlung is the capital of Ratanakiri Province in northeast Cambodia, set on a basalt plateau near the borders with Vietnam and Laos. It is known for its red dirt roads, rubber plantations, crater lake and waterfalls, and is home to Cambodia's highland peoples (the Kreung, Tampuan, Jarai and others). The town itself is small: in the morning, Banlung Market in the centre fills with minority women who have come down from the hills to trade, and Boeng Kansaign lake on the edge of town is pleasant for an evening stroll. The star attraction is Yeak Laom crater lake, about 5 km east of town: a near-perfect circle of clear green water ringed by forest, where you can swim and walk the lakeshore trail. Southwest of town are Ka Tieng and Kachanh waterfalls, with Cha Ong to the west; all three can be combined in a half-day by motorbike or hired tuk-tuk. In the rainy season (Jun–Oct) they are at their most powerful, but the roads turn to mud. About 40 km north, the town of Voen Sai is the base for boat trips along the Sesan River to Lao and Chinese villages and Tampuan cemeteries with carved wooden effigies, or for community-run gibbon-watching treks; Virachey National Park can only be visited on multi-day jungle treks through the official ecotourism programme. The dry season (Nov–Mar) is the best time to visit, though the red dust gets everywhere – bring a face mask. Buses and minibuses run direct to Banlung from Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Stung Treng (about 8–10 hours from Phnom Penh), and in town you can rent a motorbike or hire a car. Plan on 2–4 days; there are ATMs in town, but bring plenty of cash.

Top sights

• Yeak Laom Lake – A volcanic crater lake formed about 700,000 years ago. Its nearly circular surface is clear and emerald-green, surrounded by forest, and it…
• Ka Tieng Waterfall – The most scenic waterfall around Banlung, with a curtain of water falling from a roughly 10-metre basalt cliff and a cave behind it you can…
• Kachanh Waterfall – A 12-metre waterfall fed by a stream year-round, hidden in the jungle, with food stalls and viewing platforms; the most accessible of the t…
• Cha Ong Waterfall – A canyon waterfall about 18 metres high, pouring into a deep rock gorge where you can descend to the base and walk through behind the falls.
• Banlung Market (Phsar Banlung) – The provincial capital's central market, where women from ethnic minority villages carry bamboo baskets down from the hills in the early mo…
• Phnom Svay (Wat Eisey Patamak) – A hilltop temple and white reclining Buddha on a small hill west of Banlung, with views from the summit over red-earth plateaus, rubber pla…
• Boeng Kansaing Lake – A small lake in central Banlung with a walking path and food stalls around its shore, where locals gather for evening strolls and sunsets.
• Veun Sai & Sesan River Boat Trip – A riverside town on the Sesan River about 40 km north of Banlung, where you can take a longtail boat to visit Lao and Chinese villages and…
• Veun Sai Gibbon Trek – In the primary forest of Veun Sai-Siem Pang National Park, you can follow a community guide before dawn to track the calls of yellow-cheeke…
• Virachey National Park – One of Cambodia’s largest and most pristine national parks, where you can join official eco-tours for multi-day jungle treks.
• Bokeo Gem Mines – A hand-operated gem mining area about 35 km east of Banlung, where miners dig for zircon in deep shafts and visitors can tour with a guide.
• Kreung Villages – Traditional Kreung highland villages around Banlung, known for their stilt houses and the “love houses” built for unmarried young women.

Where to eat

• The Green Carrot – The most dependable backpacker restaurant in Banlung, serving Khmer food as well as pizza and burgers, open all day at…
• Banlung Reggae Bar and Restaurant – A Khmer eatery run entirely by one family from the Tampuan community; its Khmer curry is the most praised dish, and the…

Itineraries

• Kratie & Northeastern Red Soil Highlands – An off-the-beaten-path northeastern route featuring Mekong river dolphins, Mondulkiri forests, and Ratanakiri volcanic…