Chambok Community Ecotourism Site
A 40-Metre Waterfall Run by the Village That Protects Its Forest
Photo: K
Chambok Community Ecotourism Site — Quick Facts
- What is it?
- nature — A 40-Metre Waterfall Run by the Village That Protects Its Forest
- Where?
- Kampong Speu , Cambodia
- Entry Fee
- Community entry fee plus optional guide, ox-cart and homestay charges
- Opening Hours
- Daylight hours; homestays for overnight visitors
- Time Needed
- Half a day for the trail and falls; overnight for the full homestay experience
- Best Time
- June–November for the most powerful falls; December–May for easier trails and gentler swimming
- Don't Miss
- Swimming below the main falls knowing the entry fee built the village school well
What to See at Chambok
The Waterfall Trail
A walking trail winds from the village through dense bamboo forest — cool, shaded and loud with birds — to a series of three cascades, the highest dropping around 40 metres. English-speaking local guides sharpen the walk considerably, pointing out forest plants, wildlife signs and the bat cave with its hundreds of residents.
Community-Based Tourism Done Right
Chambok is the case study Cambodian ecotourism projects get measured against. A portion of every entry fee goes into a community development fund — it has built wells, supported the school and funded a women’s association — while the rest pays fair wages to the guides, cooks and homestay families you’ll actually meet. Choosing Chambok over a commercial resort is itself a conservation act: the village’s income now depends on the forest staying standing.
Beyond the Falls
Ox-cart rides, bicycle rental, picnic spots, birdwatching and simple village homestays with home-cooked Khmer meals round out an overnight — the version of the visit that supports the community most.
How to Get to Chambok
Chambok commune is in Phnom Sruoch district, about 110km southwest of Phnom Penh, adjoining Kirirom National Park.
- By car: Around 2–2.5 hours from Phnom Penh via National Road 4, turning off towards Kirirom
- Combine with Kirirom: The park entrance and the pine plateau are next door — Chambok’s waterfall and a Kirirom viewpoint make a natural pairing
Practical Tips
- Hire the local guide — it’s the point of the model, and the walk is better for it
- Wear proper footwear; the trail is rocky and root-crossed in stretches
- Wet season brings the falls to full thunder but also leeches and slick rock — long socks and care
- Book homestays ahead through the community where possible, especially for groups
Nearby Attractions
- Kirirom National Park — the pine-forested plateau bordering the site
- vKirirom Pine Resort — the activity resort inside the park
- Phum Domnak Domrey Resort — family resort in the same foothills
Nearby Attractions in Kampong Speu
nature Kirirom National Park
Cambodia's First National Park, Pine Forest and All
nature Phnom Aural
Cambodia's Highest Peak — and Its Toughest Trek
other vKirirom Pine Resort
Zip Lines, Pine Forest and Cool Mountain Air Inside Kirirom National Park
nature Tree Top Viewpoint
A Six-Kilometre Pine Forest Trek to Kirirom's Cliff-Edge Panorama
Useful Links
Practical Info
- Entry Fee
- Community entry fee plus optional guide, ox-cart and homestay charges
- Opening Hours
- Daylight hours; homestays for overnight visitors
- Time Needed
- Half a day for the trail and falls; overnight for the full homestay experience
- Best Time
- June–November for the most powerful falls; December–May for easier trails and gentler swimming
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