Cambodia: Waterfall hopping in Ratanakiri

We fell in love with the natural beauty of the hidden treasures of Ratanakiri, which are off-the-beaten-track and unbeknownst to the tourist crowds. So, since Ratanakiri is home to stunning waterfalls we decided to do waterfall hopping.

Cha Ong Waterfall in Ratanakiri

Cha Ong Waterfall

We went there during the rainy season and we could only visit 4 waterfalls as some roads were not accessible – very slippery, very muddy. On our way to the falls, I felt like I was traveling back to the earliest beginning of the world when the big trees were kings. We saw a lot of plantations and some impenetrable forest. The air was cold, thick and sluggish, and there was no joy in the brilliance of the sun.

Ratanakiri

The water level of each waterfall was huge and strong, and the sound was impressive. The waterfalls were all gorgeous, refreshing, cool and each one is picture perfect.

If walking through dense jungle and lush green canopies is your idea of fun, then waterfall hopping in Ratanakiri should be on your Cambodia’s bucket list. So to help you on your next adventure, here’s our top 4 best and more accessible waterfalls in Ratanakiri for you to discover.

Ratanakiri

Ratanakiri

Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall

It has 7 steps and it is located in a deep jungle surrounded by beautiful landscapes. The water flows throughout the year. On the way to the waterfall, you will see villages and mines. You can also visit the zircon gemstones mining company.

Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall in Ratanakiri

Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall in Ratanakiri

Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall in Ratanakiri

Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall in Ratanakiri

Ou’Sean Lair Waterfall in Ratanakiri

Ka Chanh Waterfall

The waterfall is 12 meters high. One of the main attractions there is the suspension bridge right before the waterfall – great photo on the hanging bridge. There were also traditional houses in the area for you to explore. Once there, we got some amazing pictures and truly enjoyed the experience. For us it is the most charming waterfall.

Ka Chanh Waterfall

Ka Chanh Waterfall

Ka Chanh Waterfall

Katieng Waterfall

It is about 10 meters high and it’s in an interesting geological formation which has resulted in a cave forming into the cliff that faces both sides of the water. The highlight there is the elephant ride on the top of the waterfall, and feeding and bathing the elephants.

Katieng Waterfall

Katieng Waterfall

Katieng Waterfall

Katieng Waterfall

Katieng Waterfall

Katieng Waterfall

Cha Ong Waterfall

Cha ong waterfall is amazing and our favorite because you can go behind and explore a bit – there’s like a huge cave behind the waterfall. It is surrounded by such splendid nature and it is very jungle like.

Cha Ong Waterfall

Cha Ong Waterfall

Cha Ong Waterfall

Cha Ong Waterfall

Cha Ong Waterfall

Cha Ong Waterfall

Cha Ong Waterfall

Taste of Home: Jardinière de légumes

Our dining table is always a hangout for a bowl of greens as we enjoy this healthy dose of vegetables in our everyday meal. In spite of the countless health benefits we can get from eating salads, we love it simply because we can always go creative with the way we eat it.

Jardinière de légumes

One of our favorite salad dishes is “Jardinière de légumes”. In English, it means “vegetables from the garden” but personally, I prefer the French name – it sounds fancy, sweet and sophisticated. lol.

This salad is easy to make – I just toss whatever fresh and organic vegetables I could find at the Green O’Farm greengrocer then drizzle it with homemade lemon yogurt mustard mayo sauce, one of our favorite salad dressings. Jardinière de legumes is bursting with nutritious ingredients, and full of delicious flavors and textures.

Jardinière de légumes

Voilà! This simple, budget, vibrant salad in minutes with lettuce, peppers, avocado, green apples, cucumbers and shallots truly makes a perfect dinner! What could be easier?

Ingredients:

Jardinière de légumes

• lettuce
• 1 small avocado, cube
• 1 small green apple, cube
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
• 1 big size shallots (red onion), cut lengthwise
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and cube
• Kampot black pepper, freshly crashed, to taste
• salt, to taste

Lemon yogurt mustard mayo sauce

• lemon juice of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kampot red pepper, freshly crashed, to taste
• salt, to taste

Lemon yogurt mustard mayo sauce

How to prepare:

1. In a small bowl, toss together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, plain yogurt, olive oil, pepper and salt. Mix until well combined. Chill until serving.
2. In a large bowl, toss together all the vegetables.
3. Serve, share and enjoy.

 

Taste of Home: Moist chocolate cake

It really has been a long while since I baked a cake. Up until now, I wasn’t motivated to bake cakes since my husband and son don’t like sweet or sugar and cakes. But what is life without cakes?

Nevertheless, each time I read Rhonda’s (my blogger-friend) blog post on cakes, I feel like I want to give baking another shot again. So, I tried to narrow down the culprit first before I started baking – what is it about the cake that they do not like – the sweetness, the cake itself,…?

Moist chocolate cake

One day, I just mix the ingredients up until I found the mixture that appeases them. Indeed different strokes for different folks.

This time, I baked chocolate cake. In my recipe I only used 1 rice cooker cup of sugar. I used soft butter and cream cheese, and good quality coco powder – it really makes the difference. The cake is super easy to put together. It is light, moist, and just sweet enough with a delicious chocolate taste.

Moist chocolate cake

We had it at tea time and I was over the moon that they loved it – my son had 3 slices of cake and my husband had a big slice. I’m bowled over because I can bake cakes now for family parties. This cake recipe is truly a keeper!

Ingredients:

Chocolate cake

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cup of cocoa powder
• 5 tablespoons refined white sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup hot water

Chocolate Buttercream cheese frosting:

• 8 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cups of softened butter, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups coco powder
• some milk
• 1 tablespoon of icing sugar

Moist chocolate cake

 

How to make the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Prepare the cake pan – butter the cake pan including all the sides and edges. Sprinkle some cocoa powder on it and shake the pan off to spread the cocoa powder. Top out the excess.
3. Sift all the dry ingredients – flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
4. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl before adding it into the mixture in order to prevent adding a bad egg to your ingredients. Better to throw out an egg than have your whole recipe/ruined what you are preparing.
5. Combine all the melted butter, milk, olive oil, honey and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Mix thoroughly.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
7. Slowly pour in the hot water. Mix and make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (without a moist crumbs).
9. Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool.

How to make frosting:

1. Put the cream cheese and softened butter in a mixing bowl. Whip until it becomes fluffy.
2. Add in coco powder. Mix well.
3. Add a couple of tablespoons of milk. Mix. Keep adding milk until you get the desired consistency. The amount of milk you add would really vary. Just eyeball it and trust yourself.
4. Add in sugar. Mix until everything is well combined and smooth.

Putting together:

• Spread frosting evenly onto the cake.
• Serve and enjoy!

 

Cambodia: Sightseeing Tour in Mondulkiri

The morning had arrived for the start of another countryside adventure in Mondulkiri, an eastern province and most pristine province in Cambodia. It is known as the “Wild East of the country” with its high hills, deep valleys, wild jungles, amazing waterfalls, off-roading and elephant’s adventure.

Amazing Mondulkiri

Dreamy

After enjoying a leisurely tasty breakfast, we hopped into our tuktuk to begin our whole day sightseeing tour. Our first stop was at the Bunong (Pnong) Village – the Bunong people is the largest aboriginal Cambodian ethnic group, who are believed to have been living in Mondulkiri area for about 2,000 years. Once there, we learned their culture, custom, tradition and way of life. I have learned that Bunong people have a strong link with their environment and they follow animism – they believe that everything (animals, plants, hills, mountains, stones, jars, etc) has a spirit.

Behind me is a house of the Bunong people where 7 families live.

Wooden jars made by Bunong people

We drove further for about 45 minutes to visit Bou Sra Waterfall, the largest waterfall in Mondulkiri. It is surrounded by beautiful, dense tropical forests, rich with diverse wildlife. It has 3 layers: The first layer is 12 meters high and 15 meters wide. The second layer is 20 meters high and 20 meters wide, and the third stage couldn’t be reached because it is surrounded by dense thicket. We spent about 20 minutes wandering around the 1^st layer of waterfall. Standing nearby for the photograph, we could feel the fresh spray coming from the water crashing down. While meandering around, we spotted a kaleidoscope of charming butterflies swopping by. However, at that time the bridge leading to the 2^nd layer of the waterfall was broken, hence we weren’t able to see it. Then, we hiked up to the mountain to see the main source of the waterfall then we descended back to our tuktuk. It seems that it’s the grandest waterfall we’ve seen throughout the area.

The first layer of Bou Sra Waterfall.

The second layer of Bou Sra Waterfall.

From the top of Bou Sra Waterfall

From the top of Bou Sra Waterfall

Beautiful butterflies around the waterfall area

The forest surrounding the waterfall.

The Eco-park surrounding the waterfall

Overlooking the main source of the waterfall

Next, we went to the “Sea Forest”. We reached the area at around 11.10 and spent about 30 minutes there. We enjoyed the splendid view and fresh air. We saw many hills and more hills carpeted with green as far as our eyes could see. I like the place, it’s wonderful and it’s good for the soul!

The “Sea Forest”

pristine and peaceful

Life is beautiful!

From there, our guide drove us to the coffee plantation, one of the places we were looking forward to visit in this trip since we both love coffee, like Angkor coffee which is locally produced. Before roaming around, we had coffee and coca-cola for Pete while resting for a while as it was noon-time. The plantation is huge, though and it seems it is adapting polyculture or mixed cropping as different crops such as coffee, avocado, durian, rambutan, etc. were growing in the same field. We tried a fresh coffee bean – it tasted good and juicy.

Coffee plant

Have you seen a Durian tree before?

It was already 1.30pm, then we proceeded to the “Sunset Hill” and Phnom Doh Krokom Pagoda. This place is popular for its great sunsets and for its incredible view of the town and the surrounding hills covered with thick trees. The atmosphere was nice and we surely enjoyed the views!

at The “Sunset Hill”

at The “Sunset Hill”

Before heading back to our hotel, we stopped in a shop near a gas station for some quick shopping. It was around 3PM and we were famished so we quickly grabbed some potatoes and shrimp crisps. We got back to our hotel just before a mighty tropical storm hit the town, so lucky!

Reading our favorite book on a chilly rainy night, was a perfect end to a great day in Mondulkiri.

 

 

Cambodia: Great time in Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

For this year’s summer break, we decided not to travel outside the country but to explore the Northern provinces in Cambodia – Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri, for two reasons:

• First, this year (2018) marks our 10^th year here in Cambodia and we hadn’t been there yet.
• Second, between Disneyland and jungle trekking, hubby and son were more excited about the latter option.

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

We stayed in Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel for a couple of days, located in Banlung amidst tropical greenery. It’s about 20 minutes (depending on the condition of the roads) by a 4×4 off-road vehicle from the city centre. It might be a little far from the city, but that is what makes this place so special – in the middle of the beautiful wild nature, very calm environment and friendly and helpful staff, for a relaxed holiday.

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

We went there last week (still low season; rainy season); luckily, we’ve got the entire resort just all for ourselves. It was very nice and very quiet.

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

The way to the hotel was quite difficult but it could be said to be an adventure. During the rainy season (May to November), sometimes the roads are not passable as it’s very slippery and very muddy. During the dry season (December to April) the road is no problem.

The way to the paradise

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

During our stay, we were given a room with a pool and mountain-view. Our room was cozy and clean. What I liked the most with our room was the balcony, because of the serene view it offered of the surrounding mountains combined with the sounds of the not-so-far-away jungle.

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

This paradise resort is close to the major attractions of the town such as lake, waterfalls, gem-mining (zircon gemstone), and local village. It also offers reasonable prices for the tour to these places.

Yeak Loam Lake, a volcanic crater lake

Waterfalls in Ratanakiri

Waterfalls in Ratanakiri

Every day, after I woke in the morning, I walked around the vicinity and saw all the beauty around. It’s very refreshing! After the family awoke, we had breakfast in the restaurant then we swam in the pool with a view. Later, we started whatever activity we wanted to do for that day.

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

The staff was nice and polite. They helped us with our tours and were always caring. The owner was amazing – friendly and positive. She arranged everything for us – the things we needed and the things we wanted. They ensured that we were happy throughout our stay. They definitely did all their best to help us and made us feel comfortable and at home. I think that’s one thing what made the atmosphere of this place so welcoming and lovely.

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

The food was delicious and I think it has the best cuisine in Ratanakiri Province. They serve both local and western foods. Tea and coffee was free all day!

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

The setting is real paradise – with breathtaking view and positive atmosphere around. After a couple of days, we felt at home; and we were quite sad to leave and wished we could have stayed longer. Throughout our stay, everything we wanted in a holiday was there. Indeed, it was a perfect peaceful getaway.

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Ratanakiri Paradise Hotel

Little Lilly travel tips:

• Upon arrival, the hotel offers free pick up from the bus station to the hotel. If you wish to go to the city center, it offers transfer for $3 (one way) since it is quite far away from the town.
• There was no hot water as it’s not connected to the power supply system, but we managed it.
• The internet was very slow – or worse – but that didn’t matter at all to us, for who can ask for a good hotel in the jungle, in the mountains, in a far-away-province in Cambodia and then expect perfect wifi?
• There are organic pepper and Zircon stones available (for sale with a reasonable price) in the hotel. If you wish to get some souvenirs.