Neptune River Bungalows

Koh Kong City and Province

The area got its name from the Kong Island (koh = island), so does its capital – simply called “Krong Koh Kong” = City of the island Kong. Although Kong island is Cambodia’s biggest island, it is a bit tricky to recognize it as such. It is so close to the mainland, that its backwaters consist of dense mangrove marshes. This very feature applies to wide areas of the province’s “inner” coastline with countless estuaries – the Cardamom Mountains to the north provide water for a great number of rivers and wide estuaries. The actual coastline is often hidden in dense mangrove forest. The effect of the tide and the seasons are responsible for a dynamic routine of inundation, that applies to most of the country’s low lands, that are in fact sediments of the mighty Mekong. Koh Kong province is still!!! almost entirely covered by natural jungle and represents, including Thailand’s wild east and Cambodia’s Kompong Speu province, the biggest contiguous forest of mainland South East Asia. The town was for many years one of the most isolated places in Cambodia and it is in many respects closer related to Thailand than to Cambodia proper. And you have the questionable pleasure to deal with 3 different currencies; Dollar, Baht and the Riel…

Koh Kong wildlife

Koh Kong is one of the most original, pristine and densely forested regions in SEA. The primeval jungle is the last retreat for a great variety of species, that once were widespread in entire SEA. Up to recent times there are lots of documented an undocumented sightings of higher mammals. Most people will probably never encounter a tiger. We do not actively undertake safaris and encourage people to leave the path of responsible conduct while in the jungle and the region.

Facts: 120 species of birds, 120 species of butterflies

extant species
Sun Bear		The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is a bear found in tropical forest habitats of Southeast Asia. It is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN as the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout Southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for the sun bear. It is suspected that the global population has declined by more than 30% over the past three bear generations.
Crocodile		Siamese Crocodile(Crocodylus siamensis) is a freshwater crocodile native to Indonesia (Borneo and possibly Java), Brunei, East Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. The species is critically endangered and already extirpated from many regions. Its other common names include: Siamese freshwater crocodile, Singapore small-grain, cocodrilo de Siam, crocodile du Siam, buaja, buaya kodok, jara kaenumchued, and soft-belly. Despite conservation concerns, many aspects of C. siamensis life history in the wild remain unknown, particularly regarding its reproductive biology.
Asian Elephant		The Indian Elephant, Elephas maximus indicus, is one of four subspecies of the Asian Elephant, the largest population of which is found in India. This subspecies is also found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Laos, Peninsular Malaysia, Burma/Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. The other three subspecies of the Asian Elephant are the Sumatran Elephant (E. m. sumatranus), Sri Lankan Elephant (E. m. maximus) and Borneo Elephant (E. m. borneensis). The Indian Elephant was assessed as an endangered species in 1996 by the Asian Elephant Specialist Group. Indian Elephants are threatened by poaching for the ivory of their tusks, by the loss of habitat due to human pressure on forested areas and due to human conflict. The isolated populations of wild elephants in individual wildlife sanctuaries are also threatened by loss of habitat.They are used for moving logs and giving people rides.They are rewared with fruit.
Water Turtle		Southern river terrapin - The southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis) is a turtle of the Batagur family found in Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia. Many Asian turtles are in danger because of the thriving trade in animals in the region, where a species' rarity can add to its value on a menu or as a traditional medicine. The species was thought to have disappeared in Cambodia until it was rediscovered in 2001. Conservationists eventually began tagging the animals with tracking devices and monitoring their nests, and King Norodom Sihamoni personally ordered their protection. Its eggs were a delicacy of the royal cuisine of Cambodia; In 2005, it was designated the national reptile of the Cambodia in an effort to bring awareness and conservation for this species.
Clouded Leopard		The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN. Its total population size is suspected to be fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a decreasing population trend, and no single population numbering more than 1,000 adults. The Malaysian common name for the clouded leopard means branch-of-a-tree tiger. The clouded leopard is the smallest of the world's big cats, and it is believed to be a potential evolutionary link between the big cats and small cats. In spite of its name, it is not that closely related to the leopard.

more on wildlife

The Chicken Farm Road

NEPTUNE PUB is in the Chicken farm road – officially, that is…..Koh Kong has had, as many other places in Cambodia, a noticeable deficit in terms of administration. For a long time Cambodians were compelled to busy themselves with more basic affairs – from the early seventies to the end of the nineties. As the country slowly returns to normality, things are being taken care of in a rather easy going fashion, often due to the simple fact that there aren’t enough skilled people at hand. Still, Koh Kong has developed remarkably during the last decade and so has the whole country . Streets, though still tend to be numbered rather than to have names. In our case there seemed to be neither. It is a long winding road, that leads out of town and into nothingness and oblivion. A number of guest houses and pubs were established – many came and went – with lots of foreigners around. “Can you get me to my guest house, please? It is in this long…..ah yes – the Chicken Farm Road.” Some distance behind everything else there used to be (probably they are still there) a few Karaoke parlours and brothels flocking with girls of disputable age. Most people would probably never have known about it, though. A proper amount of daring was required to get yourself into exploring the area, especially at night. The road was so gloomy, that you would not even have guessed, there is anything at all. You needed to tell a Motodub driver that you want to visit such an etablissement. He’d get you there – and just a few moments after leaving the end of the world behind you, you would arrive at a dimly red lit place that rather resembled a pillaged and deteriorated mad house than a place with focus on the arts of physical love…Having said that, we have here a further allusion on the name’s meaning, since the location seemed more suitable to house animals than young ladies. Brothels with (in particular too young and inexperienced) girls are colloquially called Chicken Farms in many countries in Asia. In our case, with obvious lack of alternatives, the entire street even came to be named as such – there is no problem with that for Cambodians anyway. The awesome and funny thing about it is, that the name is now (kind of) official at Google-maps. see the map below…. The author is been living in Cambodia for more than ten years and has seen places, that are even harder to take…at least for people from temperate origins.

Location of Chicken Farm Road

Chicken Farm Road, former Neptune Adventure Pub location