Botum Sakor National Park

Botum Sakor National Park (Khmer: ឧទ្យានជាតិបុទុមសាគរ) is located in southwestern Cambodia within Koh Kong Province along the Gulf of Thailand. Established in 1993, the park covers approximately 665 square miles (1,725 sq km), making it one of Cambodia’s largest national parks.

The protected area stretches from coastal mangrove systems and estuaries inland to lowland evergreen forests, rivers, and rolling hills. Botum Sakor forms part of the greater Cardamom Mountain landscape, one of Southeast Asia’s most important biodiversity strongholds, and lies near other significant protected areas including Kirirom National Park and Southern Cardamom National Park.

The park is best known for its remarkable diversity of habitats and its role in protecting one of the largest remaining tracts of coastal rainforest in mainland Southeast Asia. Visitors are drawn to its remote wilderness, scenic rivers, mangrove-lined waterways, and opportunities to experience Cambodia’s natural landscapes beyond the country’s famous cultural attractions.

The combination of rainforest, coastline, wetlands, and estuaries creates an environment rich in wildlife and ecological significance. Although access remains limited in some areas, the park offers a glimpse into ecosystems that have largely disappeared elsewhere in the region.

Geographically, Botum Sakor National Park encompasses a striking variety of landscapes. Dense evergreen forests dominate much of the interior, while extensive mangrove forests fringe coastal estuaries and tidal rivers. Rolling hills, freshwater wetlands, grasslands, and river valleys add further ecological diversity.

The park receives abundant rainfall due to its proximity to the Cardamom Mountains and the Gulf of Thailand, supporting lush vegetation throughout much of the year. Numerous rivers flow through the park before reaching the coast, creating productive habitats that sustain both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.

Wildlife within Botum Sakor National Park is exceptionally diverse. The park supports Asian elephants, sun bears, clouded leopards, leopard cats, dholes, and several species of deer. Primates such as pileated gibbons, long-tailed macaques, and pig-tailed macaques inhabit the forests.

Birdlife is particularly rich, with hornbills, kingfishers, broadbills, eagles, and numerous migratory species recorded throughout the park. The coastal and mangrove habitats provide important nursery grounds for fish and support marine species that utilize estuarine environments. Reptiles, amphibians, and countless insect species further contribute to the park’s biodiversity, making it one of Cambodia’s most important wildlife refuges.

Botum Sakor National Park plays a crucial role in conserving Cambodia’s coastal forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitats. The park protects ecosystems that are increasingly threatened by deforestation, development, and habitat fragmentation throughout Southeast Asia. Its forests provide critical habitat for endangered species while helping maintain watershed functions and coastal resilience.

Ecologically, Botum Sakor is often compared to protected rainforest landscapes such as Khao Sok National Park and Taman Negara National Park because of its rich biodiversity and extensive forest cover. Through its rainforests, mangrove ecosystems, rare wildlife, and coastal beauty, Botum Sakor National Park stands as one of Cambodia’s most valuable natural treasures and a vital component of Southeast Asia’s conservation heritage.