Frans & Claire’s travelogue

Bokor Casino - high rollers welcome!

Bokor Casino - high rollers welcome!

A once bustling and proud casino now stands in ruins atop Bokor mountain. No longer welcoming French colonialists and Cambodian royalty, but rather tourists on the lookout for an atypical experience in the shadow of Angkor Wat.

Danger Mines!

Danger Mines!

The contingent of soldiers currently living in the ruins of Bokor have a grim task ahead of them - clearing the surrounding hills of unexploded ordnance. Outside the old hotel is a small collection reminding tourists not to wander off to far.

Walk with me.

Walk with me.

Walking through the crumbling halls of the old Bokor Casino will trick your eyes into seeing ghosts ducking into doorways - try and go with a buddy.

Not a window left unbroken.

Not a window left unbroken.

Years of neglect and Khmer Rouge occupation has left not one window intact in the old casino at Bokor.

A place to pray

A place to pray

The old church at Bokor Hill Station survived the Khmer Rouge occupation and still stands proud.

Holy ghost

Holy ghost

Little remains at the long abandoned church of the Bokor Hill Station, but memories of weddings and buried souls.

No trouble obeying this sign.

No trouble obeying this sign.

I'm not sure what prompted the need for this sign, but I can't imagine a more inhospitable place to crawl into my sleeping bag than this dank, ghost-infested former casino.

Into the abyss

Into the abyss

Many a bust gambler is said to have taken the plunge over the cliff behind the casino.

The view from Bokor mountain.

The view from Bokor mountain.

When the fog subsides, visitors to Bokor are rewarded with magnificent views of the southern Cambodian coast.

The road to Bokor.

The road to Bokor.

The road to Bokor is undergoing some upgrades. A sturdy 4WD is necessary and some patience, as you might find it necessary to wait while a section of road is made passable.

Frans & Claire van der Lee

Frans & Claire van der Lee has been a member since 20 November 2007 and goes by vanderlee.

Currently in Bangkok.

Subscriber since February 2008!

We are on a year long journey around Asia. Frans is the photographer and Claire is the trip planner. We have recently been to Thailand, Bali, Laos, Vietnam, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Korea, Mongolia, and Japan are next! We are from Washington, DC and Frans is also a web developer with www.vanderleeMEDIA.com

You can also find Frans & Claire at www.flickr.co...nderlee/sets.

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