Merl Pkay Camping
"Watch the Stars" — Rustic Tents and A-Frames Under Kampong Chhnang's Night Sky
Photo: Matthew DeVries
Merl Pkay Camping — Quick Facts
- What is it?
- nature — "Watch the Stars" — Rustic Tents and A-Frames Under Kampong Chhnang's Night Sky
- Where?
- Kampong Chhnang , Cambodia
- Entry Fee
- Camping and hut rates by arrangement; countryside meal sets available
- Opening Hours
- Overnight stays; day visits possible
- Time Needed
- One night minimum — the stars are the point
- Best Time
- Dry season (November–April) for reliably clear skies; new-moon weekends for the darkest viewing
- Don't Miss
- A Milky Way you simply cannot see from Phnom Penh, over a silent grass valley
What to Expect at Merl Pkay
Stargazing First
Far from city glow, beneath the Tuek Phos foothills, the campsite is built around its night sky. Evenings run to a simple rhythm: countryside dinner, campfire or BBQ, then hours of genuinely dark-sky stargazing from grass fields wide enough for everyone to lie back.
Sleep Simple, Sleep Clean
Accommodation is rustic but tidy: pre-set tents with bedding, wooden A-frame huts (some with en suite bathrooms), and shared washrooms kept in good order. A communal open-air dining pavilion serves hearty Khmer meal sets, or you can bring your own food and borrow a grill.
Daytime in the Foothills
Days fill easily — kite-flying and games on the open fields, fishing, short nature trails, and the district’s waterfalls (Tmor Kral, Anlung Svay) a countryside drive away.
How to Get to Merl Pkay
The campsite is in the Tuek Phos foothills, roughly 100km / 2.5 hours from Phnom Penh.
- By car: A high-clearance vehicle is recommended for the final access track
- Book first: Contact the campsite by phone or Facebook before travelling — capacity is small and meal sets are prepared to numbers
Practical Tips
- Time your stay to a clear-sky forecast and ideally a new moon
- Nights get genuinely cool in December–January — bring a layer
- Bring a headtorch, power bank and cash; this is proudly off-grid territory
- Popular with Phnom Penh families on weekends; weekdays are near-private
Nearby Attractions
- Mountain View Camping — the neighbouring hilltop campsite, if Merl Pkay is full
- Tmor Kral Waterfall — the district’s community-run falls, a fine pre-camp afternoon
- Keat Farm — bottle-feeding lambs on the way in or out
Nearby Attractions in Kampong Chhnang
village Ondong Rossey Pottery Village
The Village That Gave the "Pot Province" Its Name
village Kampong Chhnang Floating Villages
Phoum Kandal & Chong Kos — Life on the Water, Without the Tour-Bus Crowds
other Farmhouse Resort & Spa (Smiling Gecko)
A Farm-to-Table Resort Where Every Stay Funds Rural Cambodian Futures
experience Keat Farm (Sheep Field)
A Thousand Sheep in the Cambodian Hills — the Country's Pioneering Flock
Useful Links
Practical Info
- Entry Fee
- Camping and hut rates by arrangement; countryside meal sets available
- Opening Hours
- Overnight stays; day visits possible
- Time Needed
- One night minimum — the stars are the point
- Best Time
- Dry season (November–April) for reliably clear skies; new-moon weekends for the darkest viewing