Is another world compared with the rest of Cambodia, a windswept landscape of rolling hills and pine trees, inhabited by hardy minority peoples. It is the most sparsely populated province in Cambodia with  just two people per square km, half the 35,000 people come from the Pnong minority. Wild animals are more numerous, including elephants, bears and tigers, although the chances so seeing the tigers are about as good as winning the lottery.

Sen Monorom the grandly named provincial capital, is in reality an over ground village, a character-filled community hemmed in by hills on all sides. Set at more than 800m, when the winds blow it’s noticeably cooler than the rest of the country. The slow pace of life makes it the ideal base from which to lazily explore the surrounding attractions.

The real beauty of Mondulkiri is exploring by motorbike or on foot under your own steam, following small paths and seeing where they lead. Many end up in chunchiet villages, but it is unfair to single any place out, as the influx of visitors could destroy the character. Waterfall feature prominently around the province, including Monorom Falls, the closet thing to a public swimming pool for Sen Monorom, about 5km northwest of town and the Romanear ands Dak Dam Waterfalls, both very difficult to find without a guide.
Bou Sraa Falls, a bauble drop into a jungle gorge, is one of the largest waterfalls in Cambodia and famous throughout t he country. This is the one most make for, although the 37km road out here has long been known as the bastard child of the devil himself, involving driving through not one, not two but three rivers.