Still progressing rapidly
November 12, 2012 2 Comments
There are rapid changes happening all the time up Bokor Mountain. The road from the visitor’s center to the waterfall is finished. There is a new canteen food court type establishment at the top of the waterfall. The waterfall is still nice but the whole area is completely ugly at the moment. Aside from the canteen, there has been mass clear-cutting off all the trees in the area to make way for what looks like a bunch of new residences.
Workers have vacated the old Bokor Palace Hotel and now the structure stands as it always has but with a new grey coating plastered on every surface. Even the nice old tile was covered so that only a boring grey shell remains.
There is a massive new paved loop from the Thansur Bokor Casino all the way to the waterfall. At the moment there is nothing to see but forest (which is nice).
There is new construction of a low cost hotel not far from the old Pagoda. The employees of Thansur say that there will be 600 rooms with some as low as $15 (more for gambling, I guess the plan is).
Driving up towards the female sitting Buddha (new parking area in front)
Front of the sitting Buddha (forgetting the the Black Palace across the road)
Driving up the new ramp to the foot of the Buddha
In front of the Buddha
Ribs of a new warehouse looking hotel going up (who designs these things?)
Always packed at Thansur with more minivans these days than Lexus’
New building going up beside Thansur
New residences being built behind Thansur
New residences going up behind Thansur
New residences going up behind Thansur Bokor
The old church lost in a maze of new roads and buildings
West side of Thansur
Closer view of the new hotel “ribs”
Closer view of the new hotel “ribs”
Closer view of the new hotel “ribs”
Approaching Thansur Bokor from the Back
Road behind Thansur Bokor Casino
It’s all over folks; Happyland is here
Yes, this is what Bokor National Park has become…
Wide open road looping from Thansur around to Popokvil waterfall
Clear cutting around Popokvil waterfall
Popokvil waterfall area with canteen in the background
New canteen building above the Popokvil waterfall
The end of the road past Popokvil – wall of trees
East side of Bokor Palace Hotel
Main room in Bokor Palace Hotel
View from up top Bokor Palace Hotel
View of refurbished upper west wing
Front of refurbished Bokor Palace Hotel
Front door of Bokor Palace Hotel
View from the west
Refurbishing the ranger station
Satellite view of the current progress
Constructing Cambodia 
I was planning to visit,but after seeing these photos I am disgusted at the tranformation and will not be going.
Wow, they’ve really managed to mess this up big time. I saw it in 2009 and was already dismayed at the over-development. Now they’ve really ruined the whole charm and historical feel of the place. Such a shame, and a big loss of potential tourists. But more gamblers I suppose… yay.