Banlung is a small town that is the provincial capital of the Ratanakiri Province, located in the north-western part of Cambodia. It borders Vietnam to the east and Laos to the north. The population of the Banlung area is small compared to other parts of Cambodia which makes it an excellent destination to see many of the beautiful waterfalls, green scenery and mountains that the province has to offer.

The town of Banlung itself may seem small and unimpressive; but it serves well as a base to travellers to see the many attractions that surround it. As it is predominantly used as a base by visitors, Banlung has a good range of guesthouses and hotels.

There are a few restaurants and cafés, most of which serve traditional Khmer food but it is possible to find some Western food on the menu at some establishments.

One of the best activities that you can do in the town of Banlung is visiting the market and the main street of the town. There are many gem shops lining the main street and you will find a dazzling array of precious and semi-precious stones that you can buy. The stones have been sourced from the surrounding mountains as well as being imported from places such as Sri Lanka. It is fun just to browse the gem shops and if you know how to haggle, you may be able to pick yourself up a bargain! The market also offers jewellery, wooden carvings and colourful clothing to purchase.

Outside of the town of Banlung, there are several attractions that visitors often frequent during their stay. One of the most beautiful and breathtaking is the Yeak Laom Lake. This lake is situated 5 kilometres to the south east of Banlung. It lies within a mountain and was formed by a volcanic eruption over 4,000 years ago. It reaches an astonishing depth of 48 metres during the dry season and has over 2,500 metres of path to navigate your way around it.

Just off from Yeak Laom Lake is a small Craft Museum that is home to some wonderful tribal handicrafts. There are no vendors here so if you are planning to spend the day here, it is best to bring your own food and drink. The entry fee is US$1 for foreigners and an extra 500 Riel to enter the museum.

Another worthwhile attraction in the vicinity of Banlung is the Eisey Patamak Mountain. Atop the Phnom Svay is a small Wat and a beautiful reclining Buddha who is thought to be “reaching Nirvana”. The statue has lain undisturbed for years and is renowned for giving visitors a great sense of peace. Eisey Patamak is very serene and gives some spectacular views of Vietnam and Laos in the far distance. The mountain lies 2.5 kilometres to the west of Banlung.

One of the most interesting and strange sights to see is the Veal Rum Plan. This means “Filed of Stones” in English and the area lies 14 kilometres to the north of Banlung. This attraction is essentially an almost perfectly circular area of stones that sits amid a forest. The stones are actually the remains of a cooled lava flow and the Cambodian people have a legend attached to this unique spot. It is said that a boy named Rum Plan flew his kite in the forest and it got stuck in a tree. He climbed the tree to retrieve his kite and fell to his death onto the black volcanic rock. The local Keung tribe believe that his body is buried in the forest and he protects the crops and the trees in the area.

If you love waterfalls, then the area around Banlung is the perfect place for you! There are five main waterfalls that visitors flock to when in the region. The first is Katieng Waterfall which is approximately 7 kilometres south-east from Banlung. The waterfall is 10 metres high and is set in lush forest. This is a great place to get some beautiful photographs. Next on the list is the wonderful Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall. This attraction has four steps that are each four metres tall and is surrounded by beautiful scenery. It is possible to strip off and take a dip in this waterfall. You can find Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall 26 kilometres to the south of Banlung.

Only 9 kilometres south of the town of Banlung is the Ou’Sensranoh Waterfall. The height of this waterfall is 18 metres and it is surrounded by stunning scenery. Many visitors to Ou’Sensranoh love to escape the heat of the day and take in some fresh air whilst listening to the songs of the many native bird species to be found there.

The final waterfall that must be on your itinerary is the Cha Ong Waterfall. You can find this waterfall 8 kilometres to the east of Banlung. The water that sources the Cha Ong stems from the Eisey Patamak Mountain. Since there is a rather large cavity under the waterfall it is a favourite for visitors. It is possible to get a unique view of the waterfall from behind by standing or sitting in the cavity.