Virachey National Park, National park in northeastern Cambodia
Virachey National Park is a protected forest area in northeastern Cambodia, covering parts of two provinces with terrain that shifts from lowland plains to mountain ridges. The landscape is shaped by rivers, hills, and dense forest that changes character depending on elevation.
Virachey was established as a national park in 1993 by royal decree, one of the first major protected areas created under Cambodia's new protected-area system. It is one of only two Cambodian parks listed as an ASEAN Heritage Park. Administration lies with the Ministry of Environment, and illegal logging remains a threat to its flora and fauna.
The park lies in the traditional lands of the Brao people, an ethnic group of the Cambodia-Laos border area documented by anthropologist Ian G. Baird. The park's Khmer name, Virachey, means "victory" and is written វីរៈជ័យ in Khmer. The area is also home to other indigenous communities of Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces.
The town of Banlung is the most practical starting point for visiting the park, where local guides and tours can be arranged. Road conditions change significantly with the seasons, so planning ahead and dressing for variable weather is a good idea.
Large parts of the park have never been systematically mapped, and rangers still occasionally come across waterfalls and landscapes that were not previously recorded. This makes it one of the least documented protected areas in Southeast Asia.
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