Phnom Kampong Trach

Phnom Kampong Trach is a limestone hill riddled with caves, and the sequence inside is what makes it: passages lead from the entrance through chambers with reclining Buddha shrines and stalactites, and then open into a large collapsed sinkhole where the roof has fallen in, leaving a green well of vines and trees with sunlight pouring down and the rock walls rising around. Further passages continue beyond. Local children guide visitors through for a small payment and know the routes. The surrounding karst country is dotted with similar hills, and the area is quiet farming land between Kampot and the Vietnamese border. It is usually visited from Kep or Kampot as a half-day.

What you actually see

• The collapsed sinkhole - an open green well with light falling in.
• Cave shrines - reclining Buddhas in the chambers along the route.
• Stalactites - formations through the connecting passages.
• Karst country - limestone hills rising from farmland outside.

When to go

November to March for dry going; the passages are wet and slippery in the rains. Midday sun makes the sinkhole most dramatic. Mornings are cooler for the walk in.

Honest expectations

Passages are dark, low in places and slippery; a torch and reasonable footwear matter. Children guide and expect payment, and several may attach themselves at once. There are no facilities. Bats and their smell are part of the experience.

Nearby

Kep lies southwest; Kampot is west.