The Cardamom and Elephant Mountains ranges, stretching along the west coast, are densely forested and sparsely inhabited, one of the last forest wilderness areas in mainland southeast Asia.

By way of contrast to areas of Cambodia such as the Tonle Sap lake region, the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains ranges, stretching along the west coast, are densely forested and sparsely inhabited, one of the last forest wilderness areas in mainland southeast Asia.

Isolated by their remoteness and rugged terrain and forgotten during years of conflict in Cambodia, the Cardamoms have at their core a virtually undisturbed forest covering over 10,000 square kilometres.

Conservation study teams have found the forest ecosystem to be virtually intact, with animals and plants potentially new to science, and relatively high densities of globally threatened species such as gaur, pileated gibbon and tiger, and the critically endangered Siamese crocodile.

As a result of tireless work to increase local eco-awareness, many local people – previously hunters – are now working as rangers, supported by local conservation organisations, and helping to protect these precious resources.