While not one of the most visited sites in Cambodia, the northeastern region, known as the Ratakari province, is home to beautiful, lush forests. Visitors can escape the hustle and bustle of the cities like Sihanookville and Phnom Penh, and spend their days lounging at waterfalls, trekking in the jungle, or even seeing true and authentic Cambodian Markets.
The capital city of the province is a small town known as Banlung. The city isn’t too large, but with a few streets of commerce, a relatively large central market, and some really cheap, while also really accommodating, guest houses, it is a great place to start your trip. For those looking for a guest house with a backpacker feel, try out the Lakeside Bungalows just west of town.
While the town itself is sleepy and fun, the most interesting sight in Banlung is the 700,000 year-old volcanic lake known as Yeak Loam. The shimmering blue lake is believed by locals to be a spiritual and holy sight, as well as the home to a monster (or magic creature) living in the nearly 100 foot depths in the center. The lake itself is around 1K long, and is completely surrounded by dense jungle.
