Anlong Veng was the last capital of the last Khmer Rouge state and as such has a lot of Khmer Rouge based tourist attractions, such as the house of Ta Mok, the mass grave of Son Sen, and the death site of Pol Pot. It is here that you will also find the Bunker of Pol Pot, where the dictator spent his last months.
For everything you need to know about traveling around Anlong Veng check out our ultimate guide.
What is the Pol Pot bunker
The Pol Pot house/bunker is a large complex located deep into the jungles of the Anlong Veng region and the last major holdout of Pol Pot.
It is the only historical Khmer Rouge site of Anlong Veng that isn’t all that easy to get to. There is also scant information about it online, hence why we have decided to write this handy guide on how to get to the bunker of Pol Pot!
How do you get to the Pol Pot bunker?
After you see the sites of Along Veng town you will head up the mountain towards the Thai border crossing. The crossing is 13km north of Anlong Veng province and is opposite Si Sakat Province of Thailand. Ideally, you should have your own vehicle for this, but it is possible to rent motorbikes, tuk-tuk’s or cars to do this journey.
Once you are on the road to the Thai border there is a sign for Ta Mok’s house and Pol Pot’s bunker. This is where things get tricky! You cannot drive a car here and you will need to take a motorbike. Due to the conditions of the road, you will need a gear bike and the ability to drive off-road.
Should you not have said ability you will also need a driver.
Where can I rent a motorbike?
On the road going to the Thai border, there are places renting bikes for under $10 inclusive of a driver.
Driving to the Pol Pot bunker
You leave the road to the Thai border following the signs to the Along Veng peace observatory, but then take the right hand turn before going on to the observatory. You will then pretty much head straight, no matter how bad the road gets. Whether you have a driver, or not you will find yourself stopping a lot at the towards the end, asking locals “Pol Pot”? And then following where they point their hands.
The 6km or so is much harder on the way there than it is on the way back. During rainy season this may not be possible.
The whole trip is worth it if not just for the stunning mountain, jungle and lake views.
What is the Pol Pot bunker like?
It is basically a compound, with much of it being underground – like a bunker. There is a plaque put up the Cambodian tourism board detailing some information, but very little else. This is a raw off the beaten track dark tourism spot.
Is it worth visiting the Pol Pot bunker?
If you need your tourist sites without adventure and a bit vanilla it may seem underwhelming, but if you like being off the trodden path, a slice of adventure and raw tourism experience then visiting the last holdout of Pol Pot is very much worth it.
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