Photos by francescolastrucci I reached the idyllic village...
Photos by francescolastrucci I reached the idyllic village of Chi Phat, Cambodia, after three hours on the road from Phnom Penh and two hours upstream on the river to the core of the Cardamoms. This little community of about 500 families is in the center of the rainforest and is a successful story of conservation.
The Cardamom Mountains were once a stronghold for Khmer Rouge fighters, a no-man's-land where, until recently, outsiders were banned. Now a few environmental organizations and a handful of locals are in a race against the clock to save the longest remaining stretch of untouched rainforest in Southeast Asia. The men who once fought the rebels now host and welcome travelers. They assured me that there is still hope that this beautiful rainforest can be preserved.
While working on a story on this environment, I found myself crossing the river several times a day, especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon when the light was good. I felt the perfect sense of serendipity in my laid-back encounters with locals, like with these two young Buddhist monks who were chatting with me while taking their daily bath.
Follow me francescolastrucci for more places, daily life, and stories around the world. #cambodia #environment #rainforest
اینستاگرام National Geographic Travel
The Cardamom Mountains were once a stronghold for Khmer Rouge fighters, a no-man's-land where, until recently, outsiders were banned. Now a few environmental organizations and a handful of locals are in a race against the clock to save the longest remaining stretch of untouched rainforest in Southeast Asia. The men who once fought the rebels now host and welcome travelers. They assured me that there is still hope that this beautiful rainforest can be preserved.
While working on a story on this environment, I found myself crossing the river several times a day, especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon when the light was good. I felt the perfect sense of serendipity in my laid-back encounters with locals, like with these two young Buddhist monks who were chatting with me while taking their daily bath.
Follow me francescolastrucci for more places, daily life, and stories around the world. #cambodia #environment #rainforest
اینستاگرام National Geographic Travel
