Kampot

Overview

Kampot is a slow-paced riverside town in southern Cambodia, known for French colonial-era shophouses, sunset river cruises, and the pepper farms that made "Kampot pepper" internationally recognized (it holds a protected geographical indication, similar to Champagne or Parmesan). It's a favorite stop for travelers who want a break from temple-hopping and beach crowds without giving up either entirely, both Kep's crab market and Sihanoukville's islands are a short trip away.

It suits travelers who want to slow down for a few days: cyclists exploring the quiet backroads around town, food travelers curious how pepper actually gets grown and dried, and anyone who'd rather sit by a river at sunset than tick off another sight. If you only have a day or two total in the south, Kampot is easier to skip than Sihanoukville's beaches or Kep's crab market, its appeal is in lingering, not in a single must-see stop.

Top Highlights

• Kampot pepper farm tours, with tastings
• Bokor National Park and the abandoned French hill station on Bokor Mountain
• Sunset cruise on the Praek Tuek Chhu river
• Old French Quarter architecture, walkable in an afternoon
• Day trip to Kep for crab market and Rabbit Island

How to Get There

Most travelers arrive from Phnom Penh (~2.5–3 hours by bus or private taxi) or combine it with Sihanoukville and Kep on a south-coast loop. There is no airport in Kampot, the nearest is Phnom Penh.

• Bus from Phnom Penh: ~$6–10
• Private taxi from Phnom Penh: ~$45–60
• Shared taxi/minivan from Sihanoukville or Kep: ~$5–15

This page doesn't have a photo yet, unlike the rest of the site's verified real photos. If you've been to Kampot and have a free-license photo to suggest, let us know.