Kampot (Cambodia) is a small settlement where a tourist destination is actively developing. Tourists from all over the world and wealthy locals come here. There are many attractions in the town, the most popular are sacred caves and ruins of ancient buildings. Of interest is not only Kampot, but also its surroundings, where there are pepper farms, the Bokor National Park and the water park.
general information
Kampot Province is located in southeast Cambodia. A coastline of 80 km is washed by the Gulf of Thailand. Kampot is the main city located next to the Elephant Mountains and the picturesque Bokor hill.
Good to know! Compared to Sihanoukville, where it is noisy and crowded, the city of Kampot is quiet and peaceful.
Tourists come to see the old French architecture, perfectly preserved to this day. In this part of Cambodia there are beautiful beaches, picturesque nature. Among the attractions distinguish architectural monuments of the pre-Angora era, in addition, agencies offer fascinating thematic tours:
- through the jungle;
- cycling;
- fishing;
- on a pepper plantation.
Gourmets from all over the world come to the city of Kampot, because here, in addition to a huge amount of fruit, you can buy unique black pepper and sea salt.
The city is located on the banks of the Tuk Chhou River, the distance to the sea does not exceed 5 km. Local residents are engaged in fishing and farming. For this, the settlement has all the conditions – a sea rich in fish and seafood, fertile soil, a wonderful climate.
It is important! The transport infrastructure in the city is represented by buses, motorcycles, tuk-tuks and taxis. There is a railway station, but it has long been closed.
Sights of the city and surroundings
The city will surely appeal to those who are genuinely interested in Cambodia and local residents. If you prefer a passive rest, be prepared for the fact that most of the attractions of Kampot in Cambodia are located within a radius of 40 km from the settlement.
Black pepper plantations
Pepper plantation owners are a married couple – Natalie and Guy. While traveling in Cambodia, they found a plantation that attracted not only fertile land, but also natural beauty – the site is adjacent to the mountains. On one side of the mountain slopes, a beautiful view of the Secret Lake and Mount Bokor opens, and on the other, the sea and the island of Phu Quoc.
A couple of locals led by Nick Hanon helped develop the couple’s agriculture. Today La Plantation pepper plantation covers an area of 20 hectares. Peppers are grown without the use of chemicals; only organic methods are used.
It is important! Pepper is not the only farm product; here you can buy turmeric, chili, vegetables and fruits.
During a tour of the farm, tourists are offered to see the harvesting process – peppers are harvested manually, about 150 people work on the plantation from February to April. Then the peppers are sorted, washed, boiled and dried for three days in the sun. Guests can enjoy home-made juices while visiting the farm.
Useful information! You can visit and see the farm daily from 9-00 to 18-00. La Plantation has an on-site Khmer House store. The tour is conducted in English and French for free.
The farm was opened in 2006 by immigrants from Europe. During their first trip to Cambodia, they noticed that many locals are wonderful farmers, and fertile land and a comfortable climate contribute to the development of farms. So there was a plantation of pepper. Peppers from Kampot (Cambodia) Farm Link are sold under the brand name KADODĒ Kampot Pepper.
Interesting fact! During the tour, tourists will be sure to be offered other unique products – a salt flower, a salad of palm inflorescences, long red pepper.
Production on the farm is exclusively environmentally friendly, manual labor is used. Farm owners have special respect for nature and support the quality of vines. The staff is 40 people, during the tour the guide will show all the stages of the collection and production of pepper.
Useful information! Farm Link is located at: Tooy Khang Cheun Village, Angdong Khmer Area, Kampot. You can visit the farm daily from 7-30 to 11-30 and from 13-30 to 16-30. The duration of the tour is 1 hour. On the plantations there is a store where you can buy any kind of pepper.
Phnom Bokor National Park
Bokor National Park covers an area of approximately 140 thousand hectares. The attraction is also called Pre Monivong Park, where the jungle and mountains are fancifully intertwined.
This park is considered the main attraction not only of Kampot, but throughout Cambodia. People come here to see the main secret – the abandoned city of Bokor Hill Station, which resembles a settlement from a horror movie and gives the area a rather ominous impression. The city was built for the French aristocracy.
Interesting fact! The elephant mountains, which are part of the National Park, are named for a reason. A large number of elephants live in the jungle. Also on the territory of the park there is Mount Kamtyai almost 1,100 meters high.
What to see in the National Park.
- Popokvil Waterfall – consists of two tiers – 14 and 18 meters, at full power the attraction is revealed during the rainy season.
- The Black Palace is a magnificent building that belonged to the monarch Norodom Sihanouk.
- Sampov Pram Temple is an active Buddhist temple, built at the beginning of the last century in honor of the coronation of the monarch. Silence is broken only by the cries of birds and animals, next to the attraction there is a ledge, from where it opens a stunning view of the surroundings.
The park is 8 km from Kampot. The main entrance is 1 km from the main road. In 2012, a high-quality, modern road was laid to the top and the journey took only 1 hour.
An excursion trip organized by local agencies will cost $ 20; during the trip, tourists are offered lunch.
Buses depart from the bus station in Kampot at 10-30 and 16-20, return flights from 8-30 and 13-30. Ticket price $ 5.
You can also visit the attraction on an SUV; rent costs from $ 20 to $ 30.
To get a taxi, you need to pay from 50 to 60 $. In Kampot, you can rent a scooter or motobike.
Entrance to the park is free.
Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple
What to see in Kampot (Cambodia)? Visit the cave, amazing in its beauty, located 10 km from Kampot. Inside there are several rooms, in the main room there is a stone temple. Construction dates back to the 7th century A.D. The caves are so intricate and huge that until today they are not fully understood. There is a legend that secret passages can lead to Vietnam.
In addition to the main cave, there are two more:
- “The White Elephant” – to the right of the entrance there is a formation resembling the figure of an elephant, inside the cave is divided into three rooms, a beautiful temple is built in the central one, and in the farthest tourists can see huge bat colonies;
- “Phnom Sorsia” – here come the numerous Buddha statues installed in the cave.
All three caves were built during the heyday of the ancient state of Funan.
It is important! To explore the caves you will need a lantern and comfortable shoes.
You can get to the sights on a moped or rickshaw, the cost is from 3 to 5 $. Entrance to the cave is free.
In Kampot, you can book a guided tour, in which you can see the Bokor National Park, pepper plantation, the largest crab market and amazing caves. The ticket price depends on the number of people in the group, ranging from 60 to 130 $.
Water Park Arcadia
The attraction is located 7 km from Kampot, in the small settlement of Teuk Chu. There are no big shops, tourists come here to see the wildlife and relax in silence. In addition to fascinating attractions, tourists are offered romantic bungalows and traditional rooms to comfortably stay in a water park.
Vacationers have kayaks, boats, ping pong, darts, volleyball, bicycles, billiards and, of course, a water park with many hammocks. Guests can relax in the bar, which has live music, and serves refreshing drinks. The kitchen is open from 7-00 to 20-30.
Entrance to the water park – $ 7 for the whole day. For this amount, the vacationer gets access to all the attractions and entertainment – a water slide, a diving site, a climbing wall.
How to get to Kampot from Phnom Penh and Sinawakville
Kampot can be reached by car or tuk-tuk.
- Buses follow two routes – through Kep (5 hours) or directly to Kampot (3.5 hours). Tickets are sold in hotels, cost $ 6 and $ 10. Direct flights are offered by Angkor Express and Giant Ibis.
- A taxi ride costs between $ 35 and $ 50. Taxi rides from Phnom Penh, where you can only pay for a passenger seat – $ 5.
- There is no direct bus flight. Stray Asia Bus offers a flight from Sihanoukville through Hare Island with a stop at Kampot.
- Traveling in a minibus costs $ 5, but the trip is not too comfortable, as there are too many passengers.
- A taxi costs from $ 30 to $ 35
Arriving in Kampot awaits communication with friendly and welcoming people, a walk along pepper plantations. The city of Kampot (Cambodia) is remembered for its special atmosphere and unhurried rhythm of life.
A very interesting video from the city of Kampot – you have to be prepared for this. Estimate yourself.
