Chi Phat - ecotourism destination in Koh Kong

Update on my previous articles about ecotourism sites in Koh Kong province Koh Kong the ecotourism destinations and Why Areng valley a special site, I would like to bring you to another site in the same province called Chi Phat. Chi Phat was featured in Lonely Planet 2010 as the top ten sustainable tourism destination to visit list!

Chi Phat Profile: it used to be the illegal logging hub where all luxurious wood were cut and commercialized. Wildlife were poached, hunted and eaten. The Organization called Wildlife Alliance turned this site into ecotourism site in 2007. The turn helps many local people to earn incomes through tourism activities. They stopped hunting but becomes a local guide, cooks, boat operator, homestay owners, and management committee.

Activities can be done at site:

• Destinations for mountain biking, hiking, trekking, bird watching, sunrise and sunset cruising, kayaking and camping
• Few waterfalls in the commune, the nearby are Chhay Khpos and Chhay Chrey, the further one at O'Mlu is called O'Mlu waterfall
• Burial jar site and old coffins of about 500 years on the cliff
• Camping sites inside the forest
• A rowboat along the stream like 3D at Vong Kroch to Stung Proit
• Lobster catching tour at night and firefly tour.

A tourist enjoyed sunrise bird watching tour on a row boat along with Stung Proit. At the point, a boat with an engine is not allowed, only row boat!I love this the most! (the stream looks like a 3D view over the quiet foggy morning)

LG Sophia_20 and mom at Chhay Khpos waterfalKayaking in the mist along the streamFresh lobster from the streamGirls before kayakingKayakingLG Sophia_20 and a friend enjoyed the kayakingWhat a way to kayak!Mountain Biking at Chi Phat

Camping site at Vong KrochRecommendation:

• Best time to visit is Nov - May (May, there are fresh durian in this area, including other fruits)
• Should book in advanced for accommodation, food and other arrangements
• Very famous among European and American tourists for trekking and camping in the southern cardamom mountain, locals only go to waterfalls
• Either accessible by road trip or boat. Boat trip takes about 2hours along the stream but is beautiful. Road trip takes about 30mns.
• They just added some more activities, and you can find Cocktail in this small village.
• The village is rather small, worth a tour by bike.

Recognition and awards:

According to Wildlife Alliance the organization who has been supporting this local Community Based Ecotourism initiative, Chi Phat has been recognized globally:

• The New York Times: Travel Section featured the region (April 2011).
• Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 annual publication and in the Wall Street Journal: The Koh Kong Conservation Corridor as one of the Top Ten Regions in the world.
• Lonely Planet: Chi Phat the best community-based ecotourism destination in Cambodia (guesthouses, restaurants, and outdoor activities run by locals).
• Wall Street Journal-Asia: “poverty was the root cause of wildlife and forest loss in the Cardamoms … ecotourism offered the possibility both of alleviating poverty and leading villagers to see value in the nature surrounding them.” 
• Other awards: from Dubai, Vietnam and the ministry of tourism Cambodia
• You can read more about Chi Phat Chi Phat  

Fun facts about Chi Phat:

• When we just started, there is no phone reception - when we want to communicate home, we have to drive up the hill and talk on the phone
• No road to Chi Phat, we had to take cargo boat which is so noisy and spent 2.5hours on the stream
• Later, the road was built - through the sugarcane plantation (private farm)
• The office used the long bamboo to attach the antenna for the walkie talkie
• Chi Phat is a name of the former novice who came to live here first
• The new visitor center is made from Bamboo, designed by a German architect - the organization bought a piece of land from local to give it to the community. 
• Now, people can say hello to you, many young people and kids can speak English - don't be surprised!
• There are 200 rooms of home-stays and guesthouses that run by local people.
• Last by not least - Chi Phat survived the two significant threats: 1) Australian titanium mining company, 2) the sand dredging company.