On top of Bokor the forest opens onto a wide, windswept plateau of scrub, rock and boggy grassland, and out of the mist appear the ghosts of a French hill station. The old Bokor Palace Hotel, opened in the 1920s, stands empty and blackened, its grand rooms open to the wind, and nearby a small Catholic church, also abandoned, sits on a rocky outcrop looking out over the sea. In the fog, which comes in fast and often, these buildings look like the set of a horror film, and indeed they have been used as one.
The hill station had a short and turbulent life. It was abandoned by the French in the 1940s, briefly revived in the 1960s as a resort for Cambodia's elite, and then fell into the hands of the Khmer Rouge, who held the mountain into the 1990s. Fighting took place around the hotel, and the plateau was heavily mined. It was cleared later, but it is still wise to stick to roads and paths. The ruins of a royal residence, known as the Black Palace, lie on the slopes nearby.
Today the plateau is also home to a large modern resort and casino, along with new buildings and roads, which has changed its character considerably. But there is still much to see: a huge statue of Lok Yeay Mao, a guardian spirit revered by Cambodians, stands near the road; the Wat Sampov Pram temple, named after rock formations said to resemble five boats, sits at the edge of the cliff with views over the coast; and Popokvil waterfall, a short walk from the road, is impressive in the rainy season.
The riding on the plateau is relaxed, with roads winding between the sights, often in thick fog, so use your lights and take care. There is little in the way of services, apart from the resort, which has restaurants and a fuel station, though it is wise to arrive with a full tank from Kampot. The air is cool, sometimes cold, and the weather changes in minutes, so bring a jacket and rain gear. Go up early or late in the day, when the low sun and drifting fog make the old buildings look their most haunted.