MONDULKIRI
Visiting Bousra Waterfall in Mondulkiri
About 40km east of Sen Monorom is Bousra Waterfall (ទឹកជ្រោះប៊ូស្រា). The road out there takes you through rolling highlands and past Bunong villages with some beautiful views over Mondulkiri. The waterfall is a popular spot to visit, especially for Cambodian tourists, and has seen significant tourism development over recent years, with boardwalks, a ticket office and a café.
If you are taking a car or tuk tuk from Sen Monorom, it will drop you directly at the ticket office, but we parked the motorbike we had hired from our accommodation just past the entrance.
The entrance is 2,000៛ (0.50) for Cambodian visitors and 10,000៛ ($2.50) for foreign visitors.
The waterfall
Bousra is a multi-tiered waterfall but you first see the river and large pools of water near the stalls. We saw a few people swimming here as it was less rocky and easy to reach.
To reach the main waterfall, we followed the stairs and boardwalks down around the waterfall. The boardwalks make it easy to take in the different viewpoints without slipping over rocks. Once the boardwalk ends, you can continue onto the rocks to swim beneath the waterfall or in the pools around the edges.
There is another level further downstream, but there isn’t a maintained path to it so it is generally not accessed by visitors.
We noticed quite a bit of outdated information online. Some sites mention a five-star hotel and a lift down to the waterfall, neither of which exist. The zipline that once crossed the waterfall is no longer operating either.
Our Visit
We arrived after a trip to Nam Lear and enjoyed a cold drink at the cafe before taking some photos in the water. It wasn’t so busy when we were there but we arrived well after lunch. Friends who had gone the day before, on a weekend, found it much busier.
Although the boardwalks make access much easier, we’d still recommend wearing sturdy shoes. The rocks become slippery around the water and even the boardwalk can be slick in places.
The waterfall is beautiful and I imagine that it is even more spectacular in the wet season. We enjoyed sitting back with a drink, dipping our feet in the water and taking some photos in front of the fall and easily filled in a couple of hours relaxing here.
Respecting Local Culture
The waterfall sits within the traditional lands of the Bunong people, as does much of the surrounding area. We encourage people to be respectful of that when visiting. It’s not really clear to what extent local communities benefit from the tourism here.
The waterfall attracts a mix of visitors, including families and monks. If you plan to swim, we’d recommend wearing a T-shirt and shorts, as this is the more common choice here. There are well-kept toilets and changing rooms at the entrance. There are also a number of stalls selling local produce and toys as you walk down to the waterfall.
Bousra Waterfall is well worth visiting if you’re spending a few days around Sen Monorom. It is more developed than other waterfalls we’ve been to, making it a good option for families or anyone who doesn’t want to scramble over rocks. We’d definitely pair it with a visit to Nam Lear on the same day, and if you’re driving back towards town in the late afternoon, there are some beautiful viewpoints to stop on the way.
We visited Mondulkiri in April 2025
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