The Kep Cambodia Home page has moved to http://www.canbypublications.com/cambodia/kep-cambodia-home.htm                         

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 - rice paddies, traditional stilted houses and rural life. Have your camera ready. From Kampot, follow the road east to the White Horse Monument. Bear right at the monument (go straight to Kampong Trach.) At the next main turnoff, bear right onto the oceanfront road to the Kep Beach area. Motodups start at about $10 round trip and tuk-tuks about $12-$25 round trip depending how long you spend in Kep. Package day tours to Kep out of Kampot often include a visit to at other nearby destinations such as Rabbit Island, the caves between Kampot and Kep and a pepper plantation. 

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 known for its fresh seafood, especially the crab, which is absolutely excellent - literally straight from the ocean to your plate. In fact, Kep’s most popular tourist activity, next to relaxing at the beach, is partaking of a fresh seafood picnic at the oceanfront. There are more than a dozen rustic oceanfront crabshack restaurants at the Crab Market, and at Kep Beach picnic platforms and mats along the beach and well past the main intersection. The atmosphere is very local and very welcoming. At the beach, just find an empty platform, sit down and the vendors will come to you. Most places have basic English language menus. The Kampot Pepper Crab - fried and served cracked with generous bunches of fresh green Kampot pepper corns - is a local culinary classic.

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 variety of western and international dishes as well as fresh seafood dishes. Several places 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 Riel Bar 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
E-mail: info@kep-botanica.com 
Website: www.kep-botanica.com

El Dorado Restaurant & Bar Tasty stews, wood-fired pizzas, roasts, cappuccino, espresso, full bar, cold beer.

Tel: +(855) (0)16-562775

Kep Lodge Comfortable restaurant with great views over the gulf of Thailand with a variety of Röstis (Swiss style potatoes), tasty sausages and serving some of the best pizzas in town. Homemade ice cream. Salads. Happy hour from 5.30 till 7.00 pm with great cocktails and cheap beers (13 different kinds.) Visa/MC
Tel: +(855) (0)92-435330

Email: info@keplodge.com

Website: www.keplodge.com

Long Villa Restaurant Seaside restaurant situated right at the Koh Tunsay (Rabbit Island) Boat Dock. Like most places in Kep, the emphasis is on fresh seafood prepared both western and Asian style. Book a boat trip to Koh Tunsay at the restaurant. Tel: +(855) (0)92-788364

Le Flamboyant Stylish restaurant and bar in a lovely garden setting at Le Flamboyant bungalows. Daily specials with an emphasis on Khmer and Mediterranean fare prepared using all organic ingredients, most grown right there at Le Flamboyant. Located on Road 33a a couple of hundred meters north of the traffic circle. Tel: +(855) (0)16-713825

Led Zep Café Friendly little roadside café just off Kep Beach near the roundabout. Serving pizzas, burritos, fresh juices, cold beer and more. Lots of good touring local information.

Ratanak Kongkea Restaurant Opening in May 2009. Beachside restaurant promising fresh-from-the-ocean seafood and Cambodian dishes. Motorcycle and bicycle rental. Tel: +(855) (0)99-791679

Riel Bar, Restaurant & Bakery Regular concerts, exhibitions, performances, dance events and 'be your own DJ - evenings' can turn a visit to Riel Bar into an exciting experience. Full bar, reasonable prices, one of the only places in town open into the late night. Free pool table. Offering homemade pastries, ice cream and whole wheat bread products. Movies Sun, Tue and Thurs. Khmer cooking classes on request. In case you are a traveler with artistic talents, the Riel is pleased to have you perform or exhibit. Located in between crab market and the hillside guesthouses. Customers that leave their dollars at home and pay in Riels receive a discount on their bill.  Tel: +(855) (0)17-902771 (English), +(855) (0)17-739336 (Khmer.)
Website: www.kep-riel-bar.com

Salt & Pepper Bakery New western style bakery and coffee shop on Road #33 right next to the White Horse Monument. Fresh baked cakes, cookies and breads. Unique designer breads. Great place to stop for a coffee and snack on your way between Kampot and Kep. Wholesale enquiries welcome. Tel: +(855) (0)99-219004

Veranda Bungalows and Resort Hillside restaurant with a beautiful ocean view. Serving a wide variety of Cambodian and international cuisine with a focus on seafood. Good wine selection. Bakery with homemade danishes, breads and cakes from chocolate tarts to blueberry turnovers. More than 7 varieties of 100% natural Gelato ice cream. Full bar and a terrace with comfortable seating and a spectacular sunset view. Tel: +(855) (0)12-888619

Kep Guesthouses and Hotels
 

The Beach House

Range: $35 - $50

On the hillside overlooking Kep Beach. Nicely decorated rooms with a/c, satellite TV, hot water, fridge, en suite bathroom and balconies with picturesque ocean views. Swimming pool. Restaurant/bar serving Asian and western food. Meeting room. Internet.
Tel: +(855) (0)12-240090
E-mail: info@thebeachhousekep.com
Website: www.thebeachhousekep.com

Botanica

Range $8 - $10

Friendly easy-going place with a smile along the main road, located 2km north from the Riel Bar. Restaurant and 5 bungalows with hammock in a nice garden setting where you can play boule or just relax. Serving world kitchen (Belgian, Algerian, Peruvian, Indonesian…) offering a different culinary experience than the typical 'Western-Asian menus.' Wifi/internet $1.5/hr. Home-made clothing and bags for sale. Pool table and Belgian beers. Book exchange, board games. Free bicycles for our guests. Bus from PP/Kampot can drop you at our door, just ask the driver. "Botanica …not a flower shop."

Tel: +(855) (0)16-562775
E-mail: info@kep-botanica.com 
Website: www.kep-botanica.com

Kep Lodge

Range: $28 - $36 (Breakfast included) New swimming pool. Fan and sea breeze-cooled thatched bungalows with big terrace. Six nicely decorated, spacious wooden or concrete bungalows surrounded by a garden and fruit trees. Rooms equipped with comfortable 1.6m mattresses, bathroom with hot water, mini bar. Free Wifi access throughout the lodge. Restaurant serving outstanding Khmer and Western food. Comfortable bar with pool table. Western-managed, very friendly staff.

Visa/MC
Tel: +(855) (0)92-435330, +(855) (0)15-463150 , +(855) (0)17-879526, +(855) (0)17-879153
Email: info@keplodge.com

Website: www.keplodge.com

Le Bout du Monde

Range: $15-$85

Individual and separate bungalows/residences/suite in traditional Khmer architecture, built on piles and made of wood and stones. Located in landscaped gardens at the top of a breezy hill with view on the Gulf of Thailand French and Khmer cuisine with fresh ingredients. Hot water, mini-bar, fan and safe in room (Khmer villa and residences/suite).

Tel: +(855) (0)11-964181
E-mail: contact.leboutdumonde@gmail.com
Website: www.leboutdumondekep.com 

Le Flamboyant

Range: $35 - $80

Stylish, very well appointed bungalows in a garden setting. Fully air-conditioned, large flat screen TV with satellite, DVD, en suite bathroom with hot water and sun shower. Veranda and roof top patio. Good restaurant.

Tel: +(855) (0)16-713823, +(855) (0)12-230357

Lida Khmer Guesthouse
Range: $5 - $8

Large, clean, basic fan rooms at the Lida Khmer House Massage. Bar. On the main road about 1 km north of the Crab Market intersection, just past Kep Lodge.
Tel: +(855) (0)12-953427, +(855) (0)89-803930

Malibu Estates Bungalows

Range: $20 - $55

Lovely new bungalow cottages set in lush garden a quite area near the base of the mountains about a kilometer from Kep Beach. Stylishly decorated and furnished fan and a/c bungalows with CTV, mini-bar and en suite bath with hot water. Swimming pool. Restaurant/bar. Camping available.

Tel: +(855) (0)16-770277

www.malibuestatesbungalows.com

Ponleu Chhner Tra Cheak Chit Guesthouse

Range: $10 - $20

Brand new guesthouse overlooking Kep Beach offering clean fan and a/c rooms with CTV and en suite bathroom. Seafood restaurant serving Khmer and western dishes. Motorcycle rental. Island tours $12.

Tel: +(855) (0)12-894684, +(855) (0)12-765832

Vanna Bungalows

Range: $10 - $20

Quality-constructed fan and a/c bungalows with en suite and hot water. On the hillside with a fantastic view overlooking the ocean. A real ‘feel at home’ atmosphere. Restaurant with home cooked Cambodian food. (Try the Amok.) Western also available. Dining area large enough for functions/meetings.
Tel: +(855) (0)12-755038
Website: www.vannabungalows.com 

Veranda Bungalows and Resort

Range: $25-$70 (including breakfast)
Stylish fan and air-conditioned bungalows with veranda on the hillside. En suite bathroom with hot water. Family bungalows available. Receiving very good reviews. 24 hour security. 24 hour electricity. Wifi. The unique Jungle Bar serves wide variety of Cambodian and international cuisine including Bong Karem gelato ice cream. First bakery in Kep. Full bar and a terrace with comfortable seating and a spectacular sunset view of the ocean and islands. Traveler’s check exchange.

Visa/MC
Tel: +(855) (0)12-888619, +(855) (0)92-948093
E-mail: verandaresort@mobitel.com.kh 
Website: www.veranda-resort.com
 

Things to Do and See Around Kampot and Kep
Bokor Hill Station on Phnom Bokor and Kep Beach are perhaps the most popular day tour destinations out of Kampot with tour operators offering very competitively price tours. The area also offers several other attractions including pre-Angkorian ruins and caves, jungle trekking, bicycling tours, river cruises, island trips, isolated beaches, pepper plantations and some beautiful rural countryside.

Whether you plan to do-it-yourself or book a tour, transportation and/or tours can be found through one of the many local tour operators or through your guesthouse. Shop around for the best price and for exact type of tour you would like to take.
 

Sok Lim Tours
Located near Blissful Guesthouse, in Kampot

Tel: +(855) (0)12-801348
www.soklimtours.com

Wild Orchid Adventure Tours
At Wild Orchid Guesthouse, in Kampot  

Tel: +(855) (0)92-226996
orchidguesthousekampot@yahoo.com

 .
 

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 hillstation 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 March 2009, access was again closed to all visitors. Access rules will probably change again, allowing visitors some form of access once again. Check with a local tour operator for the latest information. Previously, all-inclusive day tours up the mountain ran from $10-$40/pax depending on the access conditions. The Park Office and turn-off to the Hill Station is 37km west of Kampot on National Route 3. It can get cold on the mountain, especially at night. Bring warm clothes.
 

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.

Kep Beach A single, kilometer long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula. Dining platforms and seafood vendors line the road behind the beach. 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. Cars and vans must pay admission to drive the loop (2500R-5000R). Motorcycles and pedestrians are free. Be aware that the loop is an one way street and the police do occasionally enforce the law, levying fines against violators.

Massage

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

Lida Khmer House Massage Traditional Khmer massage - oil, foot, full body for $5-$12. Receiving good reviews from customers. In Kep, on the main road about 1 km north of the Crab Market intersection, between Kep Lodge and Botanica. Open 7AM-10PM .Tel: 012-953427

Seeing Hands 5 Massage NGO-based massage shop offering Shiatsu-style massage by seeing-impaired masseurs and masseuses. Located about 50 meters off the riverfront in Kampot. Tel: 012-503012 

Rabbit Island Rabbit Island is a small beachy island about 20-40 minutes from Kep by local boat. (See Island map on page 30.) Make a day trip to the island - going in the morning and returning to Kep in the afternoon - or stay the night. Lazy, secluded white sand beaches and coconut trees. Relatively clear, warm waters. Snorkel around the rocks. There’s no coral but lots of colorful fish. There are basic guesthouse/bungalow facilities on the island - rustic beach bungalows for less than $10 and a few rudimentary restaurant/bars. 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. whole boat for $20 return trip. Share to bring down the cost. Tour operators and guesthouses offer day packages starting at about $7/person. 

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 picnic area on the Prek Chha river. Popular with the locals, especially on weekends. Lots of food/drink stalls. The cool rapids and river breeze are quite pleasant. Nearby Asian-style mini zoo displaying a variety of local fauna. 8km. Good road. $3 entrance fee for foreigners, 1000 riel for Cambodians.

Volunteer Work For those interested in contributing some of their time to the community, Kampot has many volunteer opportunities with NGOs and other charitable organizations (teaching, assistance with children and disabled people, reconstruction projects, etc.) Contact Little Garden Bar, Blissful Guesthouse or check out the Kampot Dar-laing for more information about volunteer opportunities in the area.

Last updated 03/09