Preah Monivong National Park

National park in Cambodia

Preah Monivong Bokor National Park
Bokor National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
On Phnom Bokor
Location in Cambodia
Location	Kampot Province, Cambodia
Nearest city	Kampot
Coordinates	10°51′43″N 104°01′56″E / 10.86204693°N 104.03222455°E / 10.86204693; 104.03222455
Area	1,544.58 km (596.37 sq mi)
Established	1993
Governing body	Ministry of Environment
Website	https://kampot.city/bokor_national_park

Preah Monivong Bokor National Park (Khmer: ឧទ្យានជាតិព្រះមុនីវង្ស បូកគោ, pronounced [ʔuʒiən ciət prĕəh muniːvuŋ]) is a national park in southern Cambodia's Kampot Province that was established in 1993 and covers 1,544.58 km (596.37 sq mi). In 2003, it was designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park. It is located in the Dâmrei Mountains, forming the southeastern parts of the Cardamom Mountains. Most of the park is about 1,000 metres above sea level and the highest peak is Phnom Bokor at 1,081 metres, also referred to as Bokor Mountain.

History

The Dâmrei Mountains was formerly a Khmer Rouge controlled area, but in 1993, Preah Monivong National Park was inaugurated along with most other national parks in Cambodia. It is one of two ASEAN Heritage Parks in the country.

Preah Monivong National Park is well known for the abandoned Bokor Hill Station, a remote settlement build by the French colonialists in 1921. They also built a Catholic church nearby in 1928, a very rare sight in Cambodia. The park is named after King Sisowath Monivong who used to visit the area and eventually died here in 1941. Monivong ordered the construction of a Buddhist temple in the area in 1924.

In recent times the national park has become a popular tourist destination and now includes Thansur Bokor Highland Resort, a large luxury hotel built in 2012. In 2010, a large statue of Lok Yeay Mao was constructed in the area. Lok Yeay Mao is a mythic heroine from Cambodian Buddhism and is said to protect travellers, hunters and fishing men. At 29 metres, it is the tallest Yeay Mao statue in the country.

In 2019, the government released a "Master Plan for Bokor City Development Project until 2035", by which 18,987 hectares of the park are to be developed for residents, tourism, and businesses.

Flora and fauna

Forest types in the park include dipterocarp, deciduous, tropical evergreen and mangrove forests. Burretiodendron hsienmu, a threatened species, is also found in the park. A study by the University of Maryland found that the park had lost about 9% of primary forest between 2001 and 2019, with deforestation continuing in 2020 and 2021.

Park animal species include elephant, pileated gibbon, gaur, banteng, Indian civet, dhole and Asiatic black bear. Bird life includes chestnut-headed partridge and green peafowl.

Gallery

View towards Kampot and the Gulf of Thailand from Phnom Bokor
Stone formations with offering sites
Lok Yeay Mao Statue
Wat Sampov Pram (Buddhist temple)
Catholic church (1928) near Bokor Hill Station
Crinum asiaticum in the park

References

^ "Preah Monivong "Bokor"". World Database on Protected Areas. Protected Planet. 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
^ "ASEAN Heritage Parks". ASEAN. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
Thansur Bokor Highland Resort
Carruthers, Marissa (9 January 2021). "Will Cambodia's Kampot lose its soul to tourism development?". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
^ Humphrey, Chris (25 February 2021). "'A disgrace': Luxury housing plans threaten Cambodia's Bokor National Park". Mongabay. Retrieved 29 August 2023.

External links

v t e Protected areas of Cambodia
National Parks	Botum Sakor National Park Central Cardamom Mountains National Park Hun Sen Russei Trep National Park Kep National Park Kirirom National Park Koh Rong Marine National Park O'Yadav National Park Phnom Kulen National Park Preah Monivong National Park Ream National Park Southern Cardamom National Park Vensai Siempang National Park Virachey National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries	Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary Chhaeb Wildlife Sanctuary Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Sankos Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Thnout-Phnom Pok Wildlife Sanctuary Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary Prek Prasab Wildlife Sanctuary Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary Sambor Wildlife Sanctuary Sanka Rokhavan Wildlife Sanctuary Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary Sre Pok Wildlife Sanctuary Stung Sen Wildlife Sanctuary Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary
Protected Landscapes	An Long Pring Ang Trapeng Thmor Angkor Banteay Chhmar Boeng Lomkod Boeng Prektub Boeung Prek Lpov North Tonle Sap Phnom Krang Dey Meas Prasat Bakan (Kampong Svay) Preah Vihear Roneam Daun Sam Sambor Prey Kok Temple Yak Oum-Yakara
Multiple Use Areas	Boeng Chhmar Multiple Use Area Boeng Yeak Laom Multiple Use Area Dong Peng Multiple Use Area Kbal Chay Multiple Use Area Phnom Neang Kong Rey Multiple Use Area Prek Toal Multiple Use Area Punchearkrek Multiple Use Area Samlaut Multiple Use Area Sorsor Sdam Sat Tor Multiple Use Area Stung Sen Multiple Use Area Tonle Sap Multiple Use Area
Natural Heritage Sites	Phnom Tbeng Natural Heritage Park Phnom Yat Natural Heritage Park
Other	Boeng Tonle Chhmar Tonlé Sap Biosphere Reserve Stung Treng Ramsar Koh Kae Protected Resort
Former protected areas	Roneam Daun Sam Wildlife Sanctuary Snoul Wildlife Sanctuary

v t e ASEAN Heritage Parks
Brunei (1)	Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park
Cambodia (2)	Preah Monivong National Park Virachey National Park
Indonesia (7)	Gunung Leuser National Park Kerinci Seblat National Park Lorentz National Park Way Kambas National Park Kepulauan Seribu National Park Wakatobi National Park Bantimurung – Bulusaraung National Park
Laos (1)	Nam Ha National Protected Area
Malaysia (3)	Gunung Mulu National Park Kinabalu National Park Taman Negara National Park
Myanmar (8)	Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary Inlay Lake Wetland Sanctuary Khakaborazi National Park Lampi Island Marine National Park Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary Natmataung National Park
Philippines (9)	Mount Apo Natural Park Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary Mounts Iglit–Baco National Park Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park Mount Makiling Nature Reserve Mount Malindang Range Natural Park Timpoong and Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary
Singapore (2)	Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Thailand (7)	Ao Phang Nga National Park, Surin Islands and Similan Islands Kaeng Krachan National Park Khao Yai National Park Khao Sok National Park Tarutao National Park Hat Chao Mai National Park and Mu Ko Libong islands Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park
Vietnam (10)	Ba Bể National Park Bái Tử Long National Park Chư Mom Ray National Park Hoàng Liên National Park Kon Ka Kinh National Park U Minh Thượng National Park Bidoup Núi Bà National Park Vu Quang National Park Lò Gò-Xa Mát National Park Ngọc Linh (Kon Tum) Nature Reserve
Association of Southeast Asian Nations Centre for Biodiversity

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