Bokor Hill Station

Bokor Hill Station refers to a group of historic buildings constructed during the period of the French Protectorate of Cambodia as a temperate mountain resort and retreat. Situated atop Bokor Mountain within Preah Monivong National Park, the site lies approximately 40 kilometres west of Kampot in southern Cambodia. Established in the early 1920s, Bokor Hill Station was designed to provide relief from the intense lowland heat for French colonial officials and military personnel. Over the course of the twentieth century, the site experienced repeated abandonment due to war and political instability, followed by renewed interest in redevelopment in the twenty-first century.
The hill station is also known in popular culture, having served as a filming location for international productions, notably the final sequence of the film City of Ghosts (2002) and scenes from R-Point (2004).

Geographic and environmental context

Bokor Hill Station is located within the Damrei Mountains, a range long regarded as sacred in Cambodian cultural tradition. The elevated plateau offers cooler temperatures, heavy mist, and dense forest cover, creating a stark contrast to the surrounding coastal plains. Nearby natural features include the Popokvil (Povokvil) Waterfalls, situated to the north-east of the hill station, which vary seasonally from a light flow in the dry season to a powerful cascade during the monsoon.
The surrounding national park environment has contributed to both the isolation and the preservation of the site, limiting urban encroachment while also complicating access for much of its history.

Colonial origins and construction

The decision to build Bokor Hill Station arose from the needs of the French colonial administration and military. French personnel stationed in southern Cambodia faced extreme heat, humidity, and tropical disease, prompting the development of a high-altitude retreat similar to hill stations elsewhere in colonial Asia.
Construction began in the early 1920s under harsh and dangerous conditions. The remoteness of the mountain, combined with difficult terrain, heavy rainfall, and disease, made building work extremely challenging. Historical accounts indicate that approximately 900 labourers died within a nine-month period during construction, highlighting the human cost of the project.
The architectural centrepiece of the resort was the Bokor Palace Hotel, inaugurated in 1925. This grand structure was complemented by the Résident Supérieur’s villa, a post office, and a Catholic church, forming a self-contained colonial leisure enclave. The buildings collectively illustrate the lifestyle and recreational culture of French settlers in Indochina during the interwar period.

Early abandonment and political unrest

Bokor Hill Station’s first major decline occurred in the late 1940s, during the First Indochina War. Growing resistance to French rule, particularly from the Khmer Issarak movement, made the area increasingly unsafe. As a result, French authorities abandoned the hill station, leaving many buildings vacant.
Despite this, the site was not permanently deserted. In 1962, during the reign of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Bokor Hill Station was partially revived under the name Cité du Bokor. A new casino was established near the lake, along with the construction of Hotels Sangkum and Kiri. Additional structures, including an annex to the Bokor Palace, a mayor’s office, and a distinctive concrete parasol, were added during this period, reflecting a brief attempt to re-establish Bokor as a leisure destination.

War, conflict, and prolonged abandonment

The renewed life of Bokor Hill Station was short-lived. In 1972, the area was abandoned once again as the Khmer Rouge expanded their control over the region. The strategic location of Bokor Mountain made it militarily significant, and during the Cambodian–Vietnamese War in 1979, Khmer Rouge forces entrenched themselves there, holding out for several months.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Bokor Hill Station remained one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge. Landmines, insecurity, and ongoing conflict rendered the area inaccessible, contributing to further deterioration of the colonial-era buildings.

Transportation and access

Historically, access to Bokor Hill Station was extremely difficult. The original mountain road was steep, poorly maintained, and slow to traverse, with journeys reportedly taking up to 15 hours from Kampot.
Significant change occurred in the early twenty-first century with the development of modern infrastructure. By December 2011, construction of a new sealed road from National Highway 3 to the hill station was largely complete. The road was engineered with battered slopes and advanced drainage systems to reduce the risk of landslides, a persistent problem in the region. Improved access transformed Bokor into a feasible destination for tourists and investors alike.

Condition of the site in the modern era

For much of the late twentieth century, Bokor Hill Station stood abandoned, with buildings exposed to weather, vegetation, and decay. Although many structures remain roofless and heavily weathered, a substantial number are still standing, lending the site its distinctive atmosphere.
The strategic importance of the location continues to be recognised by the Cambodian authorities, who maintain a ranger station on the mountain. A small temple remains in active use, serving local visitors and pilgrims. Seasonal waterfalls and panoramic viewpoints have further enhanced the site’s appeal to visitors.
Approximately 10 kilometres before reaching the hill station lies Damnak Sla Khmao, commonly known as the Black Palace, a former summer residence of King Norodom Sihanouk. This structure, also long abandoned, forms part of the wider historical landscape associated with Bokor.

Redevelopment and tourism

In 2008, the Cambodian government granted a 99-year lease of the Bokor site to the Sokimex Group, marking the beginning of large-scale redevelopment. Plans included road improvements, restoration of historic buildings, and the construction of new infrastructure such as hotels, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and recreational amenities.
The redevelopment project was initially estimated at US$21 million for road and resort construction over 30 months. A major milestone was reached in 2012 with the opening of the Thansur Bokor Highland Resort, signalling Bokor’s re-emergence as a tourist destination.
Long-term plans project investment of up to US$1 billion over 15 years, with the possibility of further expansion into a larger urban development, often referred to as a future “Bokor city”, though detailed plans remain undisclosed.