The Rattanakiri Province is located in northeastern Cambodia and its name is a derivative of two Cambodian words, combined to mean ‘place of gems and mountains’. The province’s capital, Banlung, is located in the central highlands approximately 600 km from Phnom Penh. Most of the inhabitants of Ratanakiri are indigenous minorities and ethnic Cambodians make up only 10-20% of the total population. The majority of the native peoples of Ratanakiri are subsistence farmers, planting rice, corn, and pumpkins. Some grow additional cash crops such as peanuts or cashews. This is a great place to experience rural Cambodia as the whole region is lush and green and there are numerous tribal villages that can be visited.