"Don’t even bother visiting Bokor Plateau. It's natural beauty has been corrupted by a massive hotel and casino built atop the mountain." My roommate, Drew, and I had read negative reports about this famous attraction in southern Cambodia. Even one of the more popular travel writers on the web steered his readers clear of Bokor Mountain. Nonetheless, we decided to give it a shot. Our faith in Bokor National Park was rewarded by a spectacularly scenic motorbike ride up the mountain, several fascinating historic sites and amazing views at the top of the plateau (an area of level high ground). The winding roads and breathtaking views of the Gulf of Thailand can make for a dangerous combination (keep your eyes on the road!), but we managed to stay safe by taking it slowly and stopping frequently to admire the scenery.
As we neared the top of the mountain, we stopped to visit one of King Sihanouk's (former king of Cambodia during the 20th century) homes that overlooks the ocean. The place must have been a wonderful retreat in the past, but now it is nothing more than ruins with impressive graffiti murals and plant overgrowth. We also stopped to marvel at the 29-meter (about 95 feet) monument to Lok Yeay Mao, an ancient divinity in Buddhism.
