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46<br />
PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO CAMBODIA<br />
3<br />
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM<br />
<strong>Cambodia</strong>’s wildlife areas have disappeared<br />
as a result <strong>of</strong> the ravages <strong>of</strong> logging.<br />
Endangered species in <strong>Cambodia</strong> include<br />
three species <strong>of</strong> gibbon, several species <strong>of</strong><br />
wild dog and wildcat, leopard, tiger, Asian<br />
elephant, Sumatran rhinoceros, Thailand<br />
brow-antlered deer, kouprey, giant catfish,<br />
Indian python, Siamese crocodile, and<br />
estuarine crocodile. As <strong>of</strong> 2001, 23 <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Cambodia</strong>’s mammal species and 18 <strong>of</strong> its<br />
bird species were endangered. <strong>Cambodia</strong><br />
has a problem with the illegal hunting <strong>of</strong><br />
rare species, something to keep in mind<br />
when shopping in the markets.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re has been some progress in environmental<br />
tourism and attempting to<br />
preserve what is left. In Kratie, for<br />
instance, fisherman no longer use grenades<br />
to fish, thereby killing the endangered<br />
river dolphins. Yet there is also a lot to be<br />
worried about, including the rapid development<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong>’s coastline and<br />
nearby islands, particularly around Sihanoukville.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is a great deal being built<br />
there, and the developers are almost<br />
entirely unregulated.<br />
ECO-TOURISM IN<br />
CAMBODIA<br />
With the construction <strong>of</strong> the brand-new<br />
road from the Thai border at Koh Kong-<br />
Hat Lek (near Trat), the Cardamom<br />
Mountains, one <strong>of</strong> the last areas <strong>of</strong> forest<br />
wilderness in mainland Southeast Asia, is<br />
set to become the scene for eco-tours, with<br />
Koh Kong as its base. This is something<br />
“Heritage Friendly” Establishments<br />
that will have to be managed very carefully,<br />
if it is to do more good than harm.<br />
Hoteliers have also begun to adapt to the<br />
ec<strong>of</strong>riendly trend, opening ecoretreats and<br />
a few carbon-neutral options. See “<strong>Best</strong><br />
Ec<strong>of</strong>riendly Hotels & Nature Retreats” on<br />
p. 6 for a few <strong>of</strong> our top picks.<br />
In Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, there are<br />
more and more opportunities to enjoy one<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong>’s most remote areas. <strong>The</strong><br />
heavy jungle is home to 12 different<br />
Khmer Loeu ethnic minority groups. On<br />
the way, you can stop in Kratie and go<br />
dolphin spotting on the Mekong (p. 148).<br />
<strong>The</strong> rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins<br />
break the surface every now and then, but<br />
they remain powerfully shy.<br />
Wild Asia (www.wildasia.net) is a social<br />
enterprise working to support the conservation<br />
<strong>of</strong> natural areas and the communities<br />
dependent upon their resources. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
have a big presence in <strong>Cambodia</strong> and their<br />
website is an up-to-date source <strong>of</strong> on-theground<br />
environmental initiatives across<br />
the country. Buffalo Trails (www.buffalo<br />
trails-cambodia.com) operates tours on<br />
the Tonle Sap Lake and in the surrounding<br />
countryside. Based in Siem Reap, they<br />
specialize in sustainably run day trips<br />
where they aim to let tourists discover the<br />
beauty <strong>of</strong> the countryside and daily lives <strong>of</strong><br />
local families. Pepy Tours (www.pepy<br />
tours.com) is actually part <strong>of</strong> a wider<br />
NGO and environmental education project<br />
(PEPY stands for “Protect the Earth,<br />
Protect Yourself”). <strong>The</strong>y run a variety <strong>of</strong><br />
Much <strong>of</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong>’s ancient history has been lost, thanks to its violent past and<br />
the continued looting and trafficking <strong>of</strong> Khmer artifacts. To help prevent this,<br />
look for the “Heritage Friendly” logo. This logo was created by the Heritage Foundation<br />
(www.heritagewatch.org), an organization working to preserve Khmer<br />
antiquities and culture. <strong>The</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> the logo indicates that a business or<br />
organization has met certain standards that help protect <strong>Cambodia</strong>n heritage.<br />
Travel to <strong>Cambodia</strong> is good, but responsible travel is even better.