Khmer Angkor Driver>>Kampot, Cambodia

From the turn of the century through the 1960s, Kep was Cambodia's ‘premier beach town,’ drawing holiday-makers to its breezy shores and sporting the luxurious ocean side villas of Cambodia’s privileged class. Nowadays, the old villas are in ruins and Kep is known more for its oceanfront crab shacks and relaxed tropical atmosphere. A few short, picturesque slivers of sand dot the shore including Kep Beach where many of the guesthouses and restaurants are clustered. For the moment Kep still has a rustic ‘out of the way’ feel to it - jungled mountains, quiet beaches, local crab shacks and a quickly growing number of guesthouses and restaurants. Kep is a place to relax by the seaside and use as a base to visit nearby Rabbit Island, and explore the national park, nearby caves and rural countryside. Only a 35 minute drive from Kampot, many make a day trip of Kep, dropping over for a seafood lunch or dinner.

Set with picture perfection on the Kampong Bay River near the base of the Elephant Mountains, the provincial capital of Kampot City is of quite a different character than the much more heavily touristed beach town of Sihanoukville. Quiet lanes, classic Colonial period architecture as well as very few tourists all lend Kampot a quaint, welcoming, small town ambiance. Visitors come to Kampot for a taste of provincial Cambodia, for the relaxed atmosphere and to use the city as a base for touring the countryside and as a stepping stone to the nearby beaches and islands of Kep, the Bokor Hill Station and the rest of southeastern Cambodia. For those interested in charitable, community and volunteer work, Kampot offers several opportunities, some with NGOs and other organizations doing things such as teaching English, assistance with disabled people, reconstruction projects, etc. (See ‘Things to Do and See’) Come the end of the day in Kampot, the place to be is one of the little riverside cafes and pubs overlooking the Kampong Bay River - relaxing curbside over a glass of wine, watching the sun slowly set behind the Elephant Mountains.

Getting to Kep

KAMPOT to/from KEP

The road from Kampot to Kep is paved, smooth and picturesque. It’s a 25km, 30-45 minute trip from Kampot though scenic Cambodian countryside. Have your camera ready. From Kampot, follow the road east to the White Horse Monument. Bear right at the monument (straight goes to Kampong Trach.) At the next main turnoff (a small roundabout,) turn right onto the oceanfront road to the Crab Market or continue straight to Kep Beach. Motodups from Kampot start at about $3-$4 one way and $8-$10 round trip. Tuk-tuks run about $8-$15 for a round trip depending how long you spend in Kep and number of passengers. Package tours to out of Kampot often include a visit to other nearby destinations such as Rabbit Island, the caves and a pepper plantation. 

PHNOM PENH to/from KEP

Road Large sections of National Route #3 (NR3) are presently under construction, passable but rough. Currently the best route from Phnom Penh to Kep is to follow National Route #2 south to Road 22 at Takeo. Turn right and follow about 10km to NR3 (the corner with the market.) Turn left at NR3 and proceed about 7km to the fork in the road at Road 31, which is in excellent condition. Take Road 31 and continue south to Kampong Trach city. Turn right at Kampong Trach town and proceed to Kep. 

Getting AROUND Kep

Motorcycle and Bicycle Rental Motorcycle rental: 100cc ($4-$7/day) and 250cc ($5-$10/day). Sovann Sakor (012-608345) and Ratanak Kongkea (099-791679) in Kep both rent motorcycles and bicycles.

Kep Dining
Kep is famous for its fresh seafood, especially the crab, which is absolutely excellent - literally straight from the ocean to your plate. No visit to Kep is complete without at least one fresh seafood lunch or dinner at the oceanfront. The Kampot Pepper Crab is a local culinary classic - fresh crab fried or steamed with generous bunches of fresh green and black Kampot pepper corns and served cracked.

Traditional dining venues include the Crab Market, a dozen rustic wooden oceanfront crabshack restaurants, most with a very local, friendly atmosphere, wonderfully unsophisticated dining at the water’s edge. At Kep Beach, picnic platforms line the road and another group of platforms line the oceanside park near the Big Crab statue. Just find an empty platform, sit down and the seafood vendors will come to you. Most of the vendors have English language menus. Place your order and they’ll have your seafood cooked and served within 10 minutes.


Almost all of the hotels and guesthouses in Kep have restaurants and bars, many quite good. Most serve a wider variety of dishes than the local vendors including western and international dishes as well as fresh seafood dishes. Several guesthouse restaurants are located along Road 33a within a few hundred meters of the oceanfront road traffic circle.

After dark, most of Kep closes down, though a few places such as Breezes on the beach, Riel Bar near the oceanfront road intersection and some of the guesthouse restaurants can be open into the late evening. The seafood shacks at the Crab Market stay open as late as 10PM or 11PM.

Botanica Inspirational world kitchen with an eye for presentation. Indonesian ‘Coconut Tumeric,’ Belgian ‘Vol-au-vent,’ Indian ‘Madras,’ Peruvian ‘Bistik a la pobre,’ other foods from around the world. Selection of Belgian beers (Leffe, Hoegaarden, Stella, Verboden Vrucht). Inventive shakes, mixes and cocktails. “Botanica Restaurant, bringing the taste of the world closer to you!” Wifi.

Tel: +(855) (0)16-562775 

Architecture of Kampot
Though suffering a bit the ravages of time, the architecture of Kampot is pleasantly provincial, a mix of red tile-roofed shophouses and old French colonial government buildings. Kampot has been an active settlement for centuries but the location and layout of the modern town was established during the French colonial period in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. Many of the buildings along and near the river were constructed during this period. The south end of town harbors several European-style buildings including the governor’s mansion and the old prison. Most of the other colonial era buildings employ the classic 2-storey ‘Chinese shophouse’ design, many displaying European design elements. Unlike many other Cambodian cities, the shophouses are often individuated in design and facade, lending to Kampot town’s quaint air.

Bokor Hill Station

Tours to Bokor are perhaps the most popular out of Kampot. The Bokor Hill Station on Phnom Bokor (Bokor Mountain) is a mountaintop collection of buildings (hotel, casino, church, royal residence, etc.), constructed by French authorities in the early 1920s as a complement to the already popular Kep resort area. In the 1990s a travel author referred to Bokor as ‘the eeriest place in the world’, and it lives up to that reputation. In its time, Bokor was an elegant getaway for French officials and foreign visitors to old Indochina - a classic colonial ‘hill station’ located in the mountains to allow foreigner visitors accustomed to more temperate climes to escape the tropical heat. But years of neglect have left ghostly ruins - vestiges of a different age, often shrouded in fog and clouds. One thing that the years have not changed is the absolutely spectacular view of the coast and the cool (sometimes cold) mountain air. Bokor Mountain is heavily jungled and trip beyond Bokor, including jungle trekking, can be arranged. Wild elephants and other jungle animal are occasionally seen. The is a small guesthouse near the hill station with $5 rooms, good toilets and very few other services. It can get cold on the mountain, especially at night. Bring warm clothes. News: The road up Bokor Mountain and the area of the old hill station are currently undergoing a development project, including refurbishing the casino and hotel and the addition of a new hotel complex. The area was initially closed to all visitors, but then access was allowed irregularly, sometimes limited to tour groups or trekkers only. As of June 2010, access was again partially open to visitors but limited to trekking up at least part of the mountain. Overnights at the mountain top guesthouse are also possible. Organize a trek through one of the local tour operators. Access rules will probably change again. Check with a local tour operator for the latest information. The Park Office and turn-off to the Hill Station are 37km west of Kampot on National Route 3. 
 

Caves near Kampot

Limestone mountains (‘phnom’) dot the landscape between Kampot and Kep. Many contain limestone caves, some adorned with exotic rock formations, and almost all containing Buddhist shines. Make sure to bring a torch and wear shoes suitable for climbing on rocks.

The caves of Phnom Chhnork - Cave #1 Pre-Angkorian ruin set in a limestone cave amongst stalagmites and stalactites that are slowly growing back into the ruin. Small, 4th-5th century AD brick structure associated with the ancient state of Funan. A bit of carving is still visible. Look for the limestone formations near the entrance of the cave in the shapes of elephants. Cave #2 The entrance is about 300 meters from Cave #1 in the same limestone outcropping. Very little in the way of formations, but quite deep, requiring climbing over piles of rock and through small openings. Small shrine.

The cave at Phnom Sla Ta'aun Plain by comparison to other caves, but still an interesting climb. Look for the huge rock balanced in a hole in the ceiling. Small shrine.

The cave at Phnom Sasear, also known as the ‘White Elephant Cave.’ Located next to an colorful pagoda. The stairs up the side of the outcropping provide a beautiful view of the countryside, especially during the wet season. The cave contains a shrine at the base of a limestone formation alleged to resemble a white elephant. 

 

Countryside/Area Tours

Kampot and Kep provinces harbor some beautiful rural countryside just outside the town areas - bucolic scenery, rice paddies and water buffalos with white egrets riding their backs, countryside pagodas and little villages filled with traditional stilted houses. There is some very nice rural scenery along the road between Kampot and Kep. Keep your camera at the ready. Tour operators offer full and half day area tours the can easily be customized to your requirements, often including visits to the caves, a pepper plantation, Kep, Rabbit Island, Kampong Trach and a sunset cruise on the Kampong Bay River.

Kampong Trach

Kampong Trach is the district that borders Vietnam. The road trip from Kampot to the main town passes though some picturesque rural areas. There is a new side road to Kampong Trach town that skirts the base of Phnom Voar, (where the victims of the 1994 Khmer Rouge kidnappings were held.) These mountain areas of Kampong Trach were one of the last Khmer Rouge holdouts. Kampong Trach town is small and relatively uninteresting. The area’s main attraction is a series of limestone caves and tubes that have been carved into a nearby mountain. The roof of a large cave in the center of a mountain has collapsed, making a small, enclosed jungle. Pagodas and shrines have been built amongst the caves, providing for some excellent photo possibilities. Bring a flashlight and wear good walking shoes.

From Kampot, take the Kep road, bear left at the White Horse Monument and follow to Kampong Trach. After a few kilometers the road changes to badly broken pavement. The side road mentioned above requires a left turn onto a graded dirt road about 7 km past the White Horse Monument. It is not a straightforward route and it may be better if you go with a guide. Set aside the better part of a day for the trip to the caves and back.

Kampot Pepper and Pepper Plantations
Kampot pepper, grown in Kampot province, has been renowned for more than a century as some of the highest quality pepper in the world - its distinct flavor and pugnacity, intense but light taste with fresh lingering aromas has long been a prized as an essential spice in the finest French kitchens. It is also featured in local Kampot/Kep cuisine such as Pepper Crab (local crab fried in black or green pepper corn) and beef steak in fresh pepper corn sauce. At the beginning of the 20th century the Kampot plantations were in full operation and Cambodia was exporting more than 8000 tones of pepper annually. In 1960, there were 1 million pepper poles in Kampot. But the wars from the 1970s through the 1990s put an end to regular production for almost 30 years. Production was renewed in the late 1990s but faced new challenges. Pepper plantations now dot Kampot province. Most general Kampot area tours pass through the pepper plantations near Phnom Voar. The plantations of Angkor Chey near Phnom Voar offer a particularly good look at the process or growing and preparing the pepper. And it’s a good place to buy the Kampot pepper straight from the source.
Kep Beach

A single, kilometer-long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula, bounded by rocks at either end and the oceanfront road along the back. Coarse sand, shallow, warm water. Very average swimming beach. But still lounge, have an oceanside seafood meal and enjoy the cool sea breeze. Dining platforms and seafood vendors line the road behind the beach as well as the oceanfront further down the road near the Big Crab statue. The beach can be quite busy on weekends, but often deserted during the week. The road through Kep traces the coastline to the beach and then circles back on itself. Sometimes cars and vans must pay admission to drive the oceanfront road along the beach area (2500R-5000R). Motorcycles and pedestrians are free. Be aware that the oceanfront road along the beach area is a one way street and the police do occasionally enforce the law.

Khmer Cultural Development Institute 
Located in Kampot town. Local school of traditional Khmer music and dance for young Cambodian students. The school allows visitors to observe the students in practice and occasionally holds formal performances.. Check the bulletin board in front of the school for visiting hours to observe practice sessions and performance announcements. Whether attending a training session or a performance, donations are welcome.
 

Massage

Akashi Café - Massage at Akashi Café  For problems such as backache, neck ache, joint and nerve pain, Loss of mobility, etc. Work on the points, lines and nerves. 10 years experience. $12/session (1-1/2 - 2 hours) By appointment only. Located in Kampot at the Akashi Café. Call Michael at 012-423180
 

Kampot Massage by the Blind on the river road in Kampot near Bokor Mountain Lodge offers foot and body massage and Japanese Shiatsu-style massage by seeing-impaired masseurs and masseuses. $4/hour.

Tel: 012-662114
Rabbit Island

Rabbit Island is a small tropical island located about 20-40 minutes south of Kep by local boat. The island is blessedly undeveloped and lacks most services except for some rustic bungalows and a couple of rudimentary beach shack restaurants. Secluded white sand beaches dot the edges of the island, backed by a hilly coconut palm interior. Most services are near the west side beach. The surrounding waters are relatively clear and warm, offering some snorkeling opportunities around the rocks. Coral is scarce but colorful fish abound. You can stay on the island or make a day trip of it - go in the morning, lounge on the beach and return to Kep in the afternoon. Rooms/bungalows on the island run $10 or less. Arrange a boat trip to the island through your guesthouse in Kampot or Kep or just go to the Koh Tunsay Boat Dock in Kep town next to the Long Villa Restaurant (see Kep map on page 113.) Boats are almost always available. A round-trip trip to the island and back runs $20 for the whole boat, so bring some friends to split the cost. The round-trip price is the same whether you stay a few hours or a few days. Tour operators and guesthouses in Kep offer day packages starting at about $7/person inclusive.
River Trips

River boat trips out of Kampot on the picturesque Kampong Bay River are becoming more popular. The tour companies and many of the guesthouses (Little Garden Bar) are offer several different sorts of boat trips including short sunset trips upriver to the Tekchhou Rapids; longer cultural/wildlife/eco trips upriver, often combined with trekking in the National Park; downriver trips to the ocean to explore the beaches and sand spits near the river’s mouth; do a bit of ocean swimming; photograph the fishing boats at work or go ocean fishing. A couple of the tour operators including those listed can supply fishing gear. Boat trips are relatively reasonably priced and the tour operators are generally amenable to customizing the trip to your requirements.
Tekcchou Resort and Zoo

A long-popular local picnic area on the Prek Chha river near a set of rapids with riverside dining platforms and lots of food/drink vendors. Though the cool rapids and river breeze can be quite pleasant, the new river dam/hydroelectric project just upstream of the rapids have diminished both the atmosphere and popularity of the area. Nearby Asian-style mini zoo displaying a variety of local fauna. 8km. Good road. Officials sometimes collect an entrance fee, especially at peak times. At last report, $3 for foreigners and 1000 riel for Cambodians.

Trekking around Kep 
Offering a fairly easy hiking experience, a trail/service road snakes through national forest land around Kep Mountain - the small mountain near the tip of the peninsula between Road 33a and the Kep town area. The gently sloping trail winds past a couple of old pagodas, though light jungles where you may spy monkeys or other wildlife, and provides many picturesque overlooks along the way. Kampot and the Elephant Mountains can be seen in the distance from the northwest viewpoint, and the trail on the other side of the mountain provides some striking views across the valley to a pagoda on the next mountain and the beaches in the distance. The trail is actually a small, dirt service road that rings the mountain in an 8km loop, part of the road in pretty good condition, some narrow and overgrown. Suitable to hike of for a mountain bike or dirt bike. The trail is most easily and conveniently accessed from the road next to Le Bout du Monde and Veranda Guesthouse. The hiking is fairly easy, but wear stout shoes and take water and mosquito repellent.

Last updated 05/10

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