Happy Elephant Bungalows

I meant to stay three nights, but ended up extending twice so I could do the tours. Mr Moth and his family made me feel welcome and took care of everything I needed. I ate really well, from noodles and pancakes to sour soup, and the place has a relaxed backpacker feel. I noticed a couple of geckos in my room at first and worried about the insects and wildlife, but I didn’t see another one after that. It never became a problem, and I think you’d find similar at places costing five times as much. The hot shower was a treat too, especially as it was my first one in Cambodia after three weeks. Some older reviews mention no hot water, but that’s changed. Thanks, Mr Moth and family ❤️

The tours were adventurous and everything was organised efficiently. The staff were friendly throughout, and we had a great time with happy elephant bungalow. I’ll definitely return!

If spiders in the bathroom or beetles getting into your hair would bother you, you may want to spend more for a hotel. For $5 a night, you get a cold shower, slippery floors and a mosquito net with holes. On the plus side, the food is good, it’s quiet, and the place looks great. A good fit if you care more about what you do during the day than where you sleep.

We had a really good stay and thought it was good value. Any problems were dealt with quickly. The huts are rustic, and we shared ours with geckos and ants, which wasn’t a surprise in Mondulkiri. The mosquito net had some extra holes, but I wasn’t bitten much. The bed was comfortable and the fan did a decent job keeping us cool. It’s just outside town. From the roundabout where our bus dropped us, the walk with bags took about ten minutes, and it’s manageable if tuk tuk drivers are being cheeky. Food is served at reception and was okay, though average for the price, so you might prefer eating in town. Klang was the beer on offer, and tasted much like Angkor and Cambodia. We rented scooters from Oromis for $7 a day to visit the waterfalls. One got a puncture within the first 100 metres, but staff replaced it without charging extra. If insects or cat-sized geckos really scare you, this might not be the right place, or province, or country.