Kampot and Kep: Things to See and Do

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The quaint riverine capital of Kampot and the oceanside town of Kep sit along the coast a couple of hours east of Sihanoukville. The two are so close to each other that they share most of the same sights and attractions, though some are more convenient to one city or the other.

For example Bokor is closer to Kampot and the Rabbit Island ferry departs Kep, but as Kampot and Kep are only 30-40 minutes apart, even if you are in the ‘wrong city’ it ads little time. Kep Beach, Rabbit Island, Bokor Hill Station and countryside tours are perhaps the most popular day trips with tour operators offering competitive prices. There are also Angkorian ruins, caves, jungle trekking, bicycling tours, river cruises, secluded beaches, pepper plantations and more.

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.

Beaches

kampot-and-kep-things-to-see-and-do Kep Beach The most popular beach in the area. A single, kilometer-long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula, bounded by rocks at either end and traced by an oceanfront road. Coarse sand and warm shallow water. It’s a very average swimming beach but still pleasantly peaceful (no noisy jet skis yet) – a good place to 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. The beach can be quite busy on weekends, but is often deserted during the week. The road through Kep follows the coastline to the beach and then circles back on itself. Sometimes cars and vans must pay admission. Be aware the oceanfront road along the beach area is a one way street and the police do occasionally enforce the law.

Angkuol Beach Kep’s “other beach” – a long, narrow sandy tropical beach about 25km from Kep. The beach is very lightly touristed with only a couple of snack/drink vendors, a few fishing boats and little else. Interesting, photogenic trip through the rice paddies and salt flats to get there.

Phnom Doung Beach A small, completely untouristed beach about 9km south of Kampot City. The dirt road from Kampot to the beach passes through picturesque rice fields and salt flats.

kampot-and-kep-things-to-see-and-do Bokor Hill Station

Tours out of Kampot to the old Bokor Hill Station in the nearby Elephant Mountains have long been popular. A new casino/hotel complex has gone up over the last couple of years, and the road up the mountain improved, but the reminants of the old hill station are still there – a mountaintop collection of crumbling buildings – hotel, casino, church and royal residence. The station was originally constructed by French authorities in the early 1920s as a complement to the Kep resort area. In its day Bokor was an elegant getaway for officials and foreign visitors – a classic colonial ‘hill station’ located in the mountains to allow foreigner visitors accustomed to more temperate climes to escape the tropical heat. The old building were abandoned in the 1970s, leaving 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 is jungled and excursions beyond Bokor, including trekking, can be arranged by local tour operators.

The road up the mountain has been completed and is in good condition. Full day Bokor tours can be arranged through a local tour operator. Tours run about $10/person inclusive for an all-day tour including a sunset boat cruise on the Kampong Bay River. The Park Office and turn-off to the Hill Station are 37km west of Kampot on National Route 3. The drive from the base to the top takes 30-45 minutes.

kampot-and-kep-things-to-see-and-do 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.

kampot-and-kep-things-to-see-and-do 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.

Phnom Kbal Romeas (Phnom Sla Ta’aun)Plain by comparison to other caves. Look for the huge rock balanced in a hole in the ceiling. A few old shrines, hidden deep inside the hill and many stalactites. Excellent views from the top.

Climbodia provides caving and rock climbing in the caves at Phnom Kbal Romeas. See tour operators below.

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 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.

kampot-and-kep-things-to-see-and-do Rabbit Island

Rabbit Island (Koh Tunsay) is a small tropical island located about 30 minutes south of Kep by local boat. The island is undeveloped except for some rustic bungalows and a couple of 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 just make a day trip of it. Rooms/bungalows on the island generally 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. Boats are almost always available. A round-trip trip to/from the island 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 in Kep offer day packages starting at about $7/person inclusive.

Kampot River Trips &

Sunset Cruises

Various sorts of river trips out of Kampot on the Kampong Bay River are available. Local tour companies offer upriver boat trips including daily sunset cruises and 1-2 hour cruises to the Tekchhou Rapids, as well as longer cultural/wildlife/eco trips upriver combined with trekking into the National Park. Going the other way, downriver trips from Kampot to the ocean let you explore beaches and sand spits near the river’s mouth and do a bit of ocean swimming. Some tour operators can supply basic fishing gear. Contact a local tour operator (below) to arrange a trip or contact the cruise boat that sometimes waits at the riverside.

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.

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Tour and Dive Operators in Kampot and Kep

Whether you plan to book a tour or do-it-yourself, transportation and/or tours are probably most easily arranged through one of the many local tour operators or your guesthouse. In Kep several tour/travel shops are clustered near the Kep Beach intersection, especially near the bus station. Shop around for the best price and for exact type of tour you would like to take.

Anna Tours & Travel
Full service. Bus, boat, plane tickets. Local tours to Bokor, Rabbit Island, countryside, cruises. Buses to Vietnam, Phu Quoc, all points Cambodia.
Kep, bus station, Kep Beach intersection
Tel: +(855)(0)97-9061644, +(855)(0)92-6523999, +(855)(0)88-5672222, +(855)-10-424875

Climbodia

Climbodia provides caving and rock climbing in amazing caves at Phnom Kbal Romeas. A climb to the top rewards with breathtaking views inside the cave and from the top of the hill, Bokor and the ocean. Securely placed Via Ferratas take you deep into the belly of the hill, abseiling down a labyrinth of caves. All skill levels, from the absolute beginner to the experienced climber.

Tel: +(855)(0)95-581951

www.climbodia.com

Kampot Tours & Travel
All travel and tour services. Bokor, countryside, boating, cycling, Kep, Rabbit Island, transport to Vietnam and Thailand.
Kampot, one block off the river road
Tel: +(855)(0)97-9828756, +(855)(0)92-125556, +(855)(0)33-6335556

www.kampottour.com

Sok Lim Tours
Kampot packages, sunset cruises, Rabbit Island, Bokor, jungle trekking, countryside tours, Takeo.
Kampot, opposite Magic Sponge Guesthouse.
Tel: +(855)(0)12-719872

www.soklimtours.com

Tic Tuk Tours
Kampot/Kep area tours – Bokor, caves, pepper farms, countryside. Half and full day tours. Custom tours.
Moon River Lodge on the river road, south of town center, opposite Aquatic Center, Kampot
Tel: +(855)(0)13-299939

www.tictuktourskampot.com

Tree Travel Service
Motorcycle tours, Rabbit Island, Bokor hill station, countryside tours, cruises, motorcycle rental.
Street 729, just off the Durian Traffic Circle

Wild Orchid Adventure Tours
Day tours and overnighters to Bokor. Countryside tours, cycling tours, motorbike tours, kayak tours. Kampot pepper plantation tours.
Orchid Guesthouse, ‘Guesthouse Road,’ Kampot.
Tel: +(855)(0)92-226996

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