Cambodia

The south coast, at walking pace

A sleepy river town and a small seaside one, twenty-five kilometres apart, joined by pepper farms and salt fields. It is two nights of doing very little, and it is good at that.

Plan my trip

Orientation

What the two towns are

Kampot is a riverside town of French-era shophouses, faded and pretty, with a wide tidal river and the long ridge of Bokor mountain on the other bank. Kep, half an hour away, was a seaside resort for the Cambodian elite in the 1960s; the war left it in ruins, and it has come back as a quiet, green place of villas, a small beach and a crab market on the shore.

Between them lie the pepper farms that make the region famous, salt flats and limestone hills. Neither town has a big sight. What they offer is the best-value slow stay in Cambodia after the intensity of the temples and the capital, and most people who come for two nights wish they had booked three.

Nights: 2
From Phnom Penh: About 3 hours
Kampot to Kep: 25 km, about 40 minutes
Best months: November to April
Pace: Slow — that is the reason to come

What to do

What is worth your time

A pepper farm — Kampot pepper has protected origin status, and a good farm visit shows the vines, explains green, black, red and white pepper, and ends with a tasting. Pick a working farm rather than a roadside shop.
Bokor mountain — a drive up a well-made road to around a thousand metres, where the French built a hill station in the 1920s. The old church and the shell of the former palace hotel are still there, alongside a large modern casino resort that has changed the mood of the plateau. Cooler air, big views over the coast when the cloud allows.
The Kep crab market — crabs pulled from baskets in the sea and cooked on the spot with fresh green pepper. Eat at one of the simple places on the waterfront.
A boat on the Kampot river at sunset, heading upstream towards the hills as the fireflies come out along the banks.
The salt fields between Kampot and Kep, worked by hand in the dry season.
Rabbit Island, a short boat ride from Kep — a simple beach and huts. Pleasant for a lazy day; not the tropical island of the brochures.

Green pepper spikes growing on vines amid leafy foliage at a pepper plantation in Kampot province

Weathered altar with religious statues, crucifix and paintings inside an old Roman Catholic church in Kampot-Kep.

Fresh baguettes toast over charcoal on a street cart grill in Kampot.

A small boat travels upstream on the Kampot River, with mountains and stilt houses in the distance.

Where to stay

Where to stay, and which town

Base	Suits	Trade-off
Kampot town	Walking, cafés, restaurants, the river	No beach; Kep is a drive away
Kampot riverside, upstream	Quiet, nature, bungalows on the water	You depend on transport for meals out
Kep	Sea views, the crab market, green hills	Very quiet at night, spread out

For two nights we usually suggest Kampot, with a day trip to Kep for crab lunch and the pepper farms. If what you want is sea air and quiet, reverse it and sleep in Kep. Either way, the two are close enough that you see both.

Advice

The things visitors get wrong

Expecting beachesKep’s beach is small and the sand is brought in; the coast here is about views, seafood and quiet, not swimming. If you want long beaches, look at Phu Quoc or the islands further west.

Expecting untouched BokorThe hill station ruins are atmospheric, but the plateau now has a big modern development on it. Go for the history, the views and the cool air.

Rushing itOne night gives you a car journey in and a car journey out. Two is the minimum for the pace the place is built on.

Practical

Getting here and getting around

Kampot is about three hours by road from Phnom Penh, and the capital’s new airport is the nearest with regular international flights. From southern Vietnam, the border crossing near Ha Tien is under an hour from Kep, which makes the coast a natural link between the Mekong Delta or Phu Quoc and Cambodia. As always, check that your visa type is accepted at the land crossing you plan to use; the e-visa is not valid at every gate, the rules change, and we confirm before booking.

Locally, tuk-tuks and a hired car with a driver cover everything. The drive up Bokor takes about an hour each way from Kampot, and a day covering the pepper farms, the salt fields and Kep is comfortable without rushing.

Woven baskets filled with harvested sea salt sit beside salt fields near Kampot, Cambodia. — The salt fields between the two towns are worked by hand in the dry season.

Timing

When to come

November to April is dry, with calm seas and clear evenings. From May to October the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain, rougher water, and cloud that often sits on Bokor — the view from the top may be nothing but white. The pepper harvest runs roughly from February to May, which is when farm visits are at their best.

JFMAMJJASONDKampot and Kep

3 ideal · 2 workable · 1 difficult. The coast is wettest from July to September.

Not for everyone

Who should skip it

If you want nightlife, big beaches or a string of sights to tick off, skip it — the region is deliberately quiet. If your Cambodia trip is under a week, Angkor and Phnom Penh come first. But if you have ten days or more and want to end the trip on a slower note, this is where we would send you.

Common questions

Questions travellers ask most

Kampot or Kep — where should I stay?

Kampot for a town to walk around and a choice of restaurants, Kep for sea views and quiet. They are forty minutes apart, so you see both either way.

Is Bokor worth the drive?

Yes on a clear day, for the old church, the ruined hotel and the view. In the wet season the top is often in cloud; we check the forecast before going up.

Can I swim at Kep?

You can, but the beach is small and the water is not the clear turquoise of the islands. Swimming is not the reason to come.

Can I cross from Vietnam near here?

Yes, the crossing near Ha Tien is close to Kep. We check that your visa is valid there before we book the route.