• Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake is a 700,000 year old volcanic crater lake in the Yeak Laom Commune Protected Area. The lake itself, as well as the surrounding areas, are considered sacred by the local tribal minorities, and many a legend abound about this lake. There are docks on the lake, and swimming and picnicking are options here. There is also a hiking trail which winds around the lake. Along the trail there is a visitors centre displaying some objects and folklore of the local hill tribes. There is a entrance fee of 4,000 riel (US$1) per day for this area.

• Virachey National Park is about 37 kilometres northeast of town, and borders Laos and Vietnam. It's chock full of jungle and mountains, and hasn't been completely explored yet. In the wet season, not all areas of the park are accessible. The Ministery of Environment (Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Project) offers jungle treks into the park, guided by a park ranger and community guide. Their office is located near the center of Banlung.

By plane

Banlung has an airfield nearby, and flights on both Royal Phnom Penh Airways and President Airlines are available. Between them, five or six flights a week find their way up to this backwater province, and a journey on one of these will cost you around US$110 for a roundtrip flight. Be aware that at Pochentong Airport in Phnom Penh a US$6 departure tax will be levied on you (make sure you're sitting down when you read what the charge is when you board a plane to leave the country!). However, flights are prone to last minute cancellations, so allow for an alternate means of transportation in your schedule. Currently the runway is still a gravel strip, but there are plans to build a concrete runway, which would make cancellations in the wet season less frequent.

Overland

Overland travel to Banlung is now reasonably practical, but a popular way to travel to Banlung involves taking a boat up the Mekong river to Stung Treng, followed by a car journey to Banlung the next day. The road between Phnom Penh and Stung Treng has recently been upgraded and can be negotiated rather quickly, but the road between Stung Treng and Banlung is riddled with potholes, except in the wet season, when it is riddled with mudholes.

• After taking a boat, taxi or bus to Stung Treng, take a shared taxi or a truck to Banlung, which will cost you 15,000 riel in the back of the truck and 25,000 riel in the cabin of the truck. Shared taxi fares are negotiated, but generally much more expensive. The more people taking the taxi, the less money each of you will have to shell out, so taking one of these may only be the best option if you're in a group of three or four.

• As a more expensive option, a single day journey from Phnom Penh to Banlung is possible, taking a private taxi for about US$120. It's a 7 hour drive to Stung Treng, then a backbreaking 3 hours to Banlung. Some taxidrivers in Phnom Penh specialize in this trip, so they know the best places to stop along the way, and know how to deal with the terrible roads on the last leg of the journey. Your hotel/guesthouse will probably be able to help you out.

By boat

As mentioned above, a popular way to travel to Banlung involves taking a ferry first to Stung Treng.

• On a ferry from Kratie to Stung Treng costs approximately US$7 and should take about five hours.

The single best way to get around Ratanakiri province is by motorcycle, either by renting one and then driving it yourself, or by hiring one of the ubiquitous motodop drivers hanging all around town. Be mindful of the fact that almost no one outside the town will speak English, so it may be a good idea on hiring a guide (if you have your own motorcycle) to go with you to some of the villages.

• For motorbike rentals, the best place to do so is at the Ratanak Hotel, which is detailed below. Readily available are the smaller 110cc step through bikes for about US$6/day, these are the types that you will be seeing every Khmer driving. If you'd prefer a bigger bike, they will be able to track down a 250cc bike for US$10/day.

• You can also rent trucks or 4 wheel drive vehicles if you'd like, but the cost of renting them for a day (US$30-40/day) is often quite prohibitive.

Banlung's market, Phsar Banlung, is your standard Cambodian market, carrying everything you've come to expect from a Cambodian market. There are no banks whatsoever in Banlung, and since the guesthouses in town that will cash your traveller's cheques do so with a stiff commission, you should come here with enough cash to get you back to whatever major urban centre you're headed to next.

At the crack of dawn, many of the Khmer Loeu people come to the Phsar Banlung market laden with fruits, vegetables, and forest products from their villages. Not only is this a good shopping opportunity, it makes for a very photogenic scene (if you can get permission, of course).

Though tasty, there's nothing about the cuisine available to signficantly differentiate it from that available in other Cambodian towns and cities.

• Aside from restaurants located in guesthouses, one local favourite is the American Restaurant, which serves a variety of Cambodian and Western food. The staff are very friendly and engaging. Dishes go for from US$1.

• At the Breakfast Restaurant Cambodian breakfast dishes are served. It's a very noisy place, and inside it are four televisions that stay on as long as business is open.

• Le Jovial Jarai is the finest restaurant in town. It serves a variety of Cambodian, Thai, Chinese, and even some Western dishes. Included in the restaurant is a full bar.