Explore Activities in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains

One of the region’s must-sees, we visit Tatai Waterfall every second day as a regular tour. In addition, you can ask for a private trip for your party if you are four people or more (subject to boat and guide availability).

If the waterfalls are mighty and not easy to access in the rainy season, the lower water flow makes the falls very friendly and enjoyable to explore during the dry season (Dec to May).

Some degree of fitness is necessary to be able to fully enjoy this tour.

Away from the tranquility of Canvas & Orchids Retreat, the thunder of the majestic Tatai Falls reveals the river’s true power as it drops six meters to the rocks below.

Depending on the tide, you leave at 10 am for a 45-minute ride to the falls.

Turning into a tributary you head into the heart of the Cardamom rainforest accompanied by the far-off sounds of exotic birds and its secretive wildlife. Within minutes you are at journey’s end, gazing down into the turbulent waters of the waterfalls.

Soon it’s time for lunch. Maybe take a few moments for a natural hydro-massage and a refreshing drink as you find some shade for a picnic and open your senses to the sights and sounds of the jungle. We will also have some kayaks available for you to try out for some extra fun and adventure.

After leaving the falls, depending on the season, we might stop at the mouth of a small river where you can kayak to a traditional Cambodian farm where you will see rice fields and tropical fruit trees.

Another highlight of the area, we visit The Mangrove Forest every second day as a regular tour. In addition, you can ask for a private trip for your party if you are four people or more (subject to boat and guide availability).

Prepare yourself for a full day of new experiences! Leaving around 10 am, depending on the tide, you will cruise towards the coast, deep into the mangroves, to experience the calmness and natural bounty of this watery paradise.

Colorful birds might also be just flying over the mangroves as you navigate.

Depending on the season, your local guide might suggest some quiet “beach time” on a sand barge that surfaces upon the low tide, close to the mangrove forests.

We will serve food & drinks en route as you glide down the waterway. You could also visit our small village of Koh Andet, located next to the Resort, where you can see our pagoda and the small school we actively support.

Heading back to Canvas & Orchids, you may ride on the boat or paddle back on your kayaks!

Join us on our daily sunset cruise on the River Tatai to admire Cambodia’s bold, bright, and colourful sunset. It’s the perfect way to transition into evening and start your night with a spark of magic.

Cruising the Tatai River at sunset is the perfect way to start your evening. This relaxing sunset cruise is offered on a daily basis.

This can also be organised on a private basis for four guests or more (subject to boat and guide availability).

Leave your worries behind and cruise off into the Cardamoms’ stunning sunset aboard our boat.

Watch in awe as the sun paints the sky with colours that change from brilliant blues to deep yellows, oranges, pinks and reds. The spectacular changing light of sunset will add a whole new dimension to your Canvas & Orchids Retreat experience.

Cruises the waters of Tatai River with its warm ocean breeze as the descending darkness embraces you in the lush green of the rainforest. The misty mountains appear closer as the tropical sun dips to the horizon and transforms the skies into a colourful spectacle.

Before the sun sets, with the calm waters and the natural sounds of the rainforest enhancing your relaxed mood, you can sit back and relax with a glass of wine or soft drink and indulge your senses on an unforgettable sunset river cruise. Toast the end of a perfect day in paradise as the sun’s flare dies down and the velvet darkness of night descends.

Following a quick, energising early morning coffee, grab your camera and we’ll venture into the rainforest, listening to its symphony on our dawn jungle trek. You’ll kayak upstream, then hike through the lush jungle witnessing all the incredible flora and fauna that can be found there.

The Dawn Jungle Trek is offered on a daily basis for two guests or more.

It’s your time to shine if you’re a bird watcher or early riser!

Enjoy firsthand the sights and sounds of the jungle as you venture forth into the undergrowth with your camera and experience the beauty of one of the world’s largest rainforests.

This trek offers a taste of the true jungle, an opportunity to observe small wildlife and birds, with the added bonus of some early morning exercise. You’ll get a real sense of achievement, whilst enjoying the early morning coolness of your beautiful surroundings.

After an early coffee in Canvas & Orchids Restaurant kayak upstream in the small channel right behind Canvas & Orchids Retreat. Shortly after stepping onshore, there’s a fairly steep ascent to hike for about an hour. Near the top, we’ll take a short break in a clearing to rest and enjoy the surroundings before returning to the lodge just in time for breakfast.

You may spot snakes, scorpions and spiders on the hike; some of which may be poisonous. However, there’s nothing to worry about as these creatures are shy and left alone will avoid human contact. Respect for nature and a live and let live policy are adopted.

Canvas & Orchids Retreat invites you to immerse yourself in the local culture with a walk into the life of the Khmer people on Koh Andet Island. Meet locals, view traditional Cambodian architecture, and see what it’s like to live a life on the river and in the jungle.

The walk around the Koh Andet Island is offered all-year-around for two guests or more (subject to guide availability).

Formerly a refuge from the Khmer Rouge, Koh Andet (Floating Island) is where Canvas & Orchids Retreat is located. Today it is also a peaceful home to a dozen farming families.
While you might be tempted to be cocooned in the comfort of your tent, we strongly encourage you to share and learn about the lives of our neighbours. Meeting people from different cultures is one of the best reasons to step outside your tent. Cambodia is an enticing country, and the Khmers are graceful and charming, always ready to greet you with a big smile.

Take the opportunity to open your phrasebook, and practice the local language.

Taking a good portrait shot can be a photographer’s biggest challenge, but it’s not just about camera settings. Encounters with people and making friends with your subjects makes photography even more rewarding. The most important thing is to like the people, respect them and be genuinely interested in them.

This informal but deep experience will surely enrich your stay and memories.

Outdoor adventure lovers, lace up your hiking shoes and join us for a trek in the Cardamom Mountains. See Cambodia as you’ve never seen it before, with gorgeous views of the rainforests and rivers below.

You can choose this Jungle Hike during the dry season (Nov to May) if you have a good fitness level.

Prepare your hiking boots, put on some sunscreen, you’re about to embark on a jungle, mountain discovery.

At 6.30 am, your guide will take you on a soft but challenging discovery, starting with a kayak ride to the small channel across the Resort. Your hiking starts at a small waterfall. You can be sure that your guide will notify you at the slightest sign of wildlife trace or presence.

After a two-hour hike, you would stop by the stream to rest and have breakfast.

This waterway is where we could spot several nocturnal animals, and occasionally, we can be lucky to spot some wildlife hunting for their food in broad daylight – the Asiatic Wolf or Dhole, the Clouded Leopard or the Sun Bear.

In the ’70s, after the Khmer Rouge regime, this part of The Cardamom Rainforest (Phnom Kravanh) was severely deforested and its wildlife heavily poached.

For 25 years, with the rigorous efforts of committed non-government organizations (NGOs), such as Wildlife Alliance, who tirelessly worked side by side with the government body, these forests have been allowed to regrow.

Your local guide hails from a family that used to hurt these forests, and now, they find livelihood and enjoyment in protecting it. Enjoy the hike!