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Untitled Banlung information and Cambodia Travel Guide to Hotels and Guesthouses Cambodia Map
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 Banlung city Cambodia
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Banlung City is the provincial capital of Ratanakiri Province in Cambodia's mountainous northeastern corner. Heavily jungled and home to 12 different 'Khmer Loeu' ethnic minority groups, Ratanakiri province has a real edge-of-the-world feel to it. Most visitors to Ratanakiri base themselves in Banlung City from where they make excursions/treks to Khmer Loeu villages and jungle areas, waterfalls, gem mines, and Ratanakiri's famous Yeak Laom volcanic lake. The city of Banlung is fairly small but offers some interesting shopping and a few decent hotels.
Coming & Going:
Air from Phnom Penh President Airlines has flights to Banlung two or three times per week. Airport departure tax is $6 in Phnom Penh and $4 in Banlung. Motorcycle taxi from the Banlung Airport to your hotel is about 1000 riel for the 5-minute ride. 

Overland from Phnom Penh. There are two main legs to the trip, Phnom Penh to Stung Treng and then Stung Treng to Banlung. The first leg usually requires a ferry ride for part of the way in order to bypass the extremely bad road between Kratie and Stung Treng. Either: 1) Take a taxi (2 hours, 8000 riel) or ferry (15,000 riel) to Kampong Cham, and then take a ferry from Kampong Cham to Stung Treng (9 hours, $15), or; 2) Take a taxi (5 hours, 13000 riel) or ferry (5 hours, 30,000 riel) to Kratie, and then take a ferry from Kratie to Stung Treng (5 hours, $7). Once in Stung Treng take a shared taxi or truck from Stung Treng to Banlung (25,000 riel, 3.5 hours in the dry season. 5-10 hours in the wet season. 

Getting Around:
Motorcycle taxi (motodup), rental motorcycle and bicycle are the primary ways of getting around town and the immediate area. Motodups run 500 - 1500 riel almost anywhere in town and $7-$10 for the whole day (limited to the area around Banlung.) Good English speakers that also act as guides may charge more. A motodup from the airport to town is about 1000 riel. 

For motorcycle or bicycle rental, it is easiest to ask at your guesthouse or hotel. 100cc motorcycles are $5/day. There are very few 250cc bikes to rent in town but your hotel can probably find one for you. Bicycle rental is $1/day. There is also a bicycle rental shop near the monument in the center of town. Rental prices of trucks and 4WDs begin around $30-$40/day.

The repair shop just west of the central monument is the only place in town that can service big bikes. 
Attractions:
For nearby destinations a motodup or even driving yourself is relatively easy. But for more distant expeditions to Khmer Loeu villages, the gem mine, and into the jungle it is best to consult with your hotel/guesthouse for the latest information and conditions, and to arrange transport and guides.

Elephant Trekking/rides 3-hour - 1 day elephant treks to local waterfalls, Khmer Loeu villages and Yeak Laom Lake can be arranged through your guesthouse/hotel. 

Gem Mining As you may have guessed from the numerous gem dealers in town, Ratanakiri is a gem mining area. In the Bokeo mines 36 km from Banlung, miners work shallow tunnels extracting zircon, some of which ends up cut and on display in the Banlung shops. See rubber and coffee plantations, and visit the Sean Lae Waterfalls ('Seven Step Waterfall’) on the way. 

Hill tribe people and villages Ratanakiri has a population of about 60,000 'Khmer Loeu' people. ('Khmer Loeu' refers to all of various minority peoples of the different tribes and is a controversial term.) The Khmer Loeu are actually 12 different groups of tribal peoples (including the Tampuan, Krueng, Kavet, Kachok, Charay, Prouv, Phnoung and Lan), living in the jungle and mountains, still practicing many of their traditional ways including slash and burn agriculture, animism, traditional clothing and housing, etc. Tours and treks can be tailored to your requirements, but most guides suggest visiting more than one tribal village over two to four days to see different aspects of tribal life as well as the different peoples. Popular excursions include visiting Tampuan and Charay villages to see their distinctive cemetery totems and long houses, and Krueng villages to see their traditional farming techniques and unique 'boy high houses.' 

Phnom Svay and the Reclining Buddha Wat Rahtanharahm ('Wat Aran') sits at the base of Eisey Patamak Mountain about 1 km east of town. Follow the road past the wat and up the mountain. Just below the crest a large reclining Buddha sits amongst a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside.

Phsar Banlung. First thing in the morning, many Khmer Loeu people come to the Phsar Banlung wearing traditional "back strap" baskets laden with vegetable, fruits and forest products which they sell at the market. It can be an interesting and photogenic scene. Most have packed up and left by 10:00AM.

Markets and Shopping

The main market, Phsar Banlung, is a relatively unextraordinary traditional market offering the usual range of items for local consumption. There is one souvenir shop in front of the market, and food stalls set up in front of the market in the evening. . For most travelers' needs (soft drinks, water, beer, liquor, toiletries, snacks, souvenirs, etc.), the small drink shops next to the monument in the center of town carry most everything. 

Semi-precious gems and Khmer Loeu handicrafts and artifacts are Banlung's main souvenir offerings. The handicrafts are uniquely authentic - as likely made for use by local people as for the souvenir market - 'back-strap baskets', fabrics, gourd vessels, gongs and more. There is one souvenir shop in town located in the first row of shops in front of Phsar Banlung. The gem and drink shops on the corner next to the central monument have a few souvenirs, especially gourd vessels and baskets. Terres Rouges Lodge has just opened a boutique offering handicrafts and Cambodian silks.

Semi-precious gems mined in Ratanakiri (primarily amethyst, zircon, peridot and obsidian), are cut and polished in Banlung and sold as unset gems. Gem cutting/retail shops dot the main road and market area, and there is a cluster of shops near the central monument. Look for the distinctive glass display cases lined with bare yellow light bulbs. Know something about gems before you buy very much.
  FACTS.   
Communications:
International calls run from $1.30 - $1.70 per minute. Buy an 'Access card' for $5, $10, or $20 at the phone shop near the market. Use the card to make international calls either their at the phone shop or from the landline phone at most hotels. 
Money:
There are no banks or ATMs. No place in town accepts credit cards, though most of the hotels exchange currency and accept traveler's checks. Moneychangers are located on the road in from of Phsar Banlung.

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