Brave the ghost-movie vibes: The "abandoned old hotel" in the fog of Cambodia’s Bokor Mountain

▲When heavy fog rolls in, the entire ruin becomes shrouded in an extremely spooky mist.

Reported and photographed by Chen Hanyin / Cambodia

Ruins enthusiasts must make a pilgrimage to Cambodia’s "abandoned gambling city" on Bokor Mountain. Located in Kampot Province, Bokor Mountain is a local summer retreat known for its stunning scenery and cool temperatures. During the French colonial period, officials regarded it as a prime location and built facilities such as hotels, churches, and casinos. After the turmoil of war, these buildings are no longer resplendent but have instead taken on a desolate, abandoned look—now a hotspot for today’s ruin tourism.

▲The abandoned old hotel has been preserved to this day and become a popular attraction.

▲Even locals come here to pay homage.

An ancient hotel, the Bokor Palace Hotel, was built in 1925 on the edge of a cliff, offering breathtaking views. The long-neglected building is now dilapidated, with moss and rust covering its peeling walls, and only the beams still struggling to hold up the structure. Bokor Mountain, with an altitude of over 1,000 meters, is often covered in thick fog. On bad weather days, the hotel can barely be glimpsed through the mist, while overgrown weeds nearby add to the eerie atmosphere.

▲For visitor safety, recent renovations have been carried out inside to prevent falling bricks or tiles.

▲The ruin by the cliff looks like it's teeming with ghostly figures.

In addition to its historical background and various bizarre legends, the site has also gained fame through movies. Hollywood thriller City of Ghosts and Korean horror film R-POINT were both filmed on Bokor Mountain. The misty old hotel serves as the perfect backdrop for a horror movie scene. If you plan to visit, it’s best to leave quickly before the fog rolls in—you might just encounter something unexpected.

▲Even in broad daylight, the place feels incredibly eerie.