AsiaLIFE

The announced closure of the road to Bokor is sure to affect guesthouses, tour agencies, and restaurants in nearby Kampot. Lis Meyers explores how the sleepy town is working around the closure of its most famous attraction.

The sudden announcement that the road up Bokor Mountain would be closed until mid-2010 caught many the local Kampot businesses off their guard. While the road has been re-opened, first for Chinese New Year and then for day trips, its immediate future remains unsure. As part of its plan to develop a luxury resort at the top of the mountain, Sokha Hotels is rebuilding the road that leads up to the mountain, forcing a 30-month closure of the famous hill station. With many tourists passing through the town on their way to and from Bokor, it is only natural that local businesses would be concerned about how this recent development might affect them.

Bad for Business

No one in town is happy about the closing of the mountain. All those interviewed were worried by the recent closing. International tour companies are cancelling bookings with Kampot guesthouses, altering their itineraries now that the road is closed. Already there seem to be fewer people in town and along the waterfront. Without the draw of Cambodia's famous hill station, visitors may be inclined to stay for shorter periods or perhaps bypass Kampot entirerly and opt for Kep or Sihanoukville instead.

"It's going to hurt - it's got to," says Dom Price, owner of Rikitikitavi restaurant and guesthouse. "There are lots of other things to do, but it's very much the major draw to Kampot." Despite the closure, Kampot's most popular guesthouses, such as Les Manguiers, Rikitikitavi, and Bokor Mountain Lodge, are still fully booked nightly, turning away numerous hopefuls each day during the high season. They have yet to see any major decline in business and believe their guesthouses will continue to be popular. As tour companies have cancelled, the rooms are being snapped up by independent tourists.

Nevertheless as many of these guesthouses cater to expats who visit Kampot frequently, it remains to be seen how the closure will affect the backpacker joints. Angela Vestergaard, owner of Blissful Guesthouse, a popular backpacker retreat, says it is difficult to say anything about the fate of her business, adding that "only time will tell."

A Silver Lining

"Bokor is two or three kilometres from Kampot," says Mark Lindesay, the manager of Bokor Mountain Lodge. "It is not integral to Kampot. Kampot itself has its own charm." Mark stresses the potential benefits of the closure. "It will help focus attention on Kampot town itself. I think Kampot has a lot more to stand up on than just Bokor Mountain," he says.

Local businesses are increasingly looking towards the river, as the area's big natural resource, as well as to nearby pepper plantations, rapids, and caves. Soklim, widely acknowledged as the biggest and best tour operator in town, has been particularly active in finding a whole range of new activities to offer in Kampot. According to Khey, who works for Soklim, these alternative tours are growing in popularity.

The company introduced a daily sunset cruise down the river. The cruise lasts approximately two hours from 3.30pm or 4pm to sunset for US$3. Soklim's cycling and trekking takes people up the rapids and includes mountain bikes, guides, and a boat trip for US$10. The company also offers a Kampot countryside tour offering a chance to see the lesser-known attractions the area has to offer, including visits to a nearby ancient wat, salt fields, and a pepper plantation, followed by a lunch break at Kep and trip to Rabbit Island for US$10.

Day-trips to Rabbit Island, which include snorkelling and Frisbee, cost US$15. Soklin plans on purchasing a larger, two-level boat within the next month in anticipation of large demand for these tours. Mark Norris, owner of Jasmine restaurant, also feels optimistic about Kampot's future. "I have been finding that more people come for other reasons aside from Bokor," he says. He highlights Phnom Penh expats who come to get out of the city for the weekend and travellers who come looking for a more subdued slice of Cambodia.

The Future Bokor

Despite the effects of the closure, local businesses are looking forward to the long-term development of Bokor and believe that despite grumblings from tourists and businesses alike, its development should be put into perspective. Mark, from Bokor Mountain Lodge, is positive about Bokor's development as a resort. "I think anyone doing something to re-associate the place with something more enjoyable and enlightening has to be a good thing for the local economy and town," he adds referring to the resort's chequered past.

The road's previous state of disrepair meant that the road would have to be closed at some stage for upgrading. An easy and accessible route up the mountain should facilitate more tourism once it is finally completed. Part of the revenue from the resort is due to be spent on the national park, according to Mark from Bokor Mountain Lodge. This should help to promote tourism in the area.

Got to Get to Bokor?

For those who just can't wait two and a half years to see Bokor or want to see it as it is now, there is another way. While the road may be barred, Bokor is not completely off-limits to those with a little determination. Soklim Tours offers a two-day walking tour up and down the mountain. Trekkers spend about five hours hiking up the mountain and then spend the night at the hill station. A seven-hour trek the following day culminates in a visit to Bokor's rapids and a sunset river cruise back to the town of Kampot. Private tours for two to three people are US$50 per person, while larger group treks for six to seven people are around US$30 each. Meals, water, accommodation, guides, and an armed ranger for security purposes are included in the price.

Alternatively, just bide your time and wait for the road to open again. After all part of Kampot's charm is in sitting and waiting. Maybe that is why the town's business people are taking the closure so phlegmatically. As Don says, "Give it time and it will be open again." Mañana, mañana.

Soklim Tours
Tel: 012 514 630 / 012 719 872
www.soklimtours.com

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