mellimoon

I visited here nearly two weeks ago and arrived one day too late to visit the ‘Bokor National Park’.If this is your prime purpose for visiting Kampot, let me tell you the latest news is that Bokor National Park is shut for the next two years, due to it being bought and the buyers are building roads and resorts.

Beautiful place take you swimming gear with you, as it’s nice to take a swim here

I think initially this started off all well and good, but about 2 years ago a Thai person was attacked by a tiger there and now have put lots of precautions into place. For instance all the tigers are tied up with a chain, they looked drugged (though I’m not a hundred percent certain they are). When you arrive one of the volunteers takes your camera and you by the hand, places you by the tiger, quickly takes a photo then moves on to another tiger, then to another, until you have photos of yourself with about 5 different tigers and then leads you out of the area, leaving you a bit disorientated, thinking ‘what exactly was this all about’ not having any time to think or appreciate the fact that you’ve just touched a tiger. When they lead the tigers back to their cages everyone is told to stand right back from the tigers and then after the last tiger is led out your allowed to take a picture of yourself walking back with that tiger.
This all seemed so unnatural, I felt very dissapointed by the way everything was done. I came here hoping to be amazed to see tigers roaming around not feeling bothered by us and happy to let you touch them. Instead I saw tigers moping around tied up by a dish of water having to have their photo taken with them every minute or so.