Welcome to Kep
Founded as a seaside retreat for the French elite in 1908 and a favoured haunt of Cambodian high-rollers during the 1960s, sleepy Kep (កែប, Krong Kep, also spelled Kaeb) is drawing tourists back with seafood, sunsets and hikes in butterfly-filled Kep National Park. Its impressive range of boutique hotels squarely targets a more cultured beach crowd than the party-happy guesthouses of Sihanoukville and the islands.
Top experiences in Kep
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Kep activities
Luxury Sunset Cruise
The 90 minute journey departs from the jetty of The Sailing Club at 4.45pm as you are offered bubbles, wines or beer and a selection of canapés, the cruise heads south past the Crab Market before turning the corner where we sail near Rabbit Island, this is the time to watch the sky start to change as sunset approaches. The boat continues on its path and heads out towards the island of Koh Karang where the thirteen small islands of the Kep archipelago start to appear in the distance, the boat will stop for a break so you can take in the magnificent sunset in the distance. The cruise slowly return back to The Sailing Club and around 6.15pm.
Day Trip to Kampot and Kep Village from Sihanoukville
Warmly welcome at Sihanouk Ville Port Main Gate (You need to walk from ship to main gate around 3km). After meeting our guide, we board on our private vehicle to Kampot town with a countryside scenic drive approx. 2 hours with 105km distance where you will enjoy the landscape of some of Palm Trees, and Rice Fields. Our first visit will be Ropang Ropov Fishing Village. Upon arrival, firstly you will visit the Kampot Market to observe the local way of life through lively commercial scenes full of venders who sell fresh food or local products. You may wander the stalls and perhaps purchase a traditional Krama, the colourful Cambodia headscarf so commonly warm by all Khmers. Then you will also drive around Kamport Town to view the Classic French Colonial architectures and the riverside walkway where you will see more French Colonial Building. We also stop at Salt Filed to learn how local people product salt before going to crab Market at Kep. KEP was already an affluent seaside resort back in the 1960s when Sihanoukville was just a fishing village. Nowadays it’s experiencing a revival as a relaxing destination. Your next stop will be Starlingridge Resort where you will visit to pepper plantation in the resort followed by time to enjoy your Khmer mouth-watering lunch at Starlingridge Resort. Afterwards lunch, we make our way back to Sihanoukville Port.
Kampot and Kep Excursion from Sihanoukville 1 Day
Kampot City, located in southwest Cambodia, is a town cut across by the Praek Tuek Chhu River and is blessed with a view of the Elephant Mountains. One cannot escape the hints of French colonial occupation in Kampot, where you could see colorful French-style buildings mixed with red tile-roofed shop houses. Discover the rustic and charming Kampot town, its history and architecture as we explore the town’s streets. You will also get a chance to see a fishing village at work, to give you insights of daily life around Kampot. Salt is one of Kampot’s most important products. In this tour, we will stop at a salt field near the coastline where you will witness and learn how salt is made the traditional way. Salt fields only operate during the dry season. You will never look at salt the same way again after seeing how much hard work making them entails. Kampot is also well known for its export-quality peppers. We will then spice up our tour with a visit to a pepper farm. Get a chance to understand how peppers are grown, harvested, dried and ground. See different varieties of pepper ranging from black, green, red and white. Before we move on the Kep, we will make a stop at the Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple. The brick temple nestled inside the limestone cave is dedicated to Shiva. We will continue to Kep town, located around 25 kilometers from Kampot, and pass through small villages and rice paddies along the way. Kep is likewise a French colonial town showing remnants of old French architecture. Now is the best time to see Kep town as the former sea and mountainside villas which were abandoned during war time are now slowly deteriorating. Kep is best known for its sea foods, especially crab. We will take you to the Crab Market to see the bustling activity while locals bring in their fresh catch. Our next stop will be a relaxing break at Kep Beach. Enjoy the laidback and quiet beach environment along Kep’s coastline. You may wish to cool off at its clear waters or simply take in the fresh air and wonderful seascape while you watch locals hanging out. Return to Sihanouk Ville after tour and drop off at your hotel or port.
By Car or Van - Phom Penh to Kampot-Kep Or Kep-Kampot to Phnom Penh
Transfer Services from Phnom Penh to Kep on highway 3 provides clean, safe and reliable vehicles as well as professional and friendly driver to meet the transportation needs of international travelers from all over the world. Vehicles include sedans cars, multi-passenger vans etc. Rental rates depend on the type of vehicle you hire to transfer from Phnom Penh to Kampot/Kep on a private basis. Today, the driver will pick up at your requested departure time when booking, pick up from your hotel in the city and travel to Kampot or Kep with a private transfer and this journey will take approx. 4 hours’ drive through 1 province is Takeo on a 146 km distance including stops on the way for refreshing and taking photos (depends on your request). Arrive Kampot or Kep in the afternoon and drop off at your hotel in the city. Enjoy your stay in Kampot/Kep.
Kampong Trach Off-Roads
Stop 1: Incredible Circle CaveOur first stop: Your guides will take you to the Circle Cave, a sacred site where local monks frequent. Enter the cave through a pagoda, where you will be able to view sculptures of the Buddha. To exit, your guides will lead you through a secret passageway of the cave—armed with a flashlight!—to safely lead you to your next destination.Stop 2: Windy MountainOnce outside Circle Cave, you will be rewarded by spectacular scenery all around you. Be sure to photograph the spectacular sharp-edged Windy Mountain! We will then walk uphill to meet a “Rockman,” a local man who works with and trades rocks from the area.Stop 3: Sun and Moon CavesAt our next stop, your guides will lead you to the Sun and Moon Caves. At the Sun Cave is a sacred lake, and you have the option of swimming in its clear and cool waters. After a refreshing swim, you will head towards the Moon Cave, where you will view a stunning landscape of mountains, paddy fields, and a lake resembling the moon—a spectacular sight indeed!Stop 4: Colonial-Era Home and VillasNext, we head towards Kep, where your guides will highlight old French colonial-style homes and villas. Learn more about Kep’s colonial past within the larger context of Cambodia’s political history.Stop 5: To the Beach!On our final stop, we take you to one of Kep’s beaches—a great place to relax and unwind! You are more than welcome to swim here before we head back to Kampot city, just in time to catch the sunset!
4-Day Bike Tour of Cambodia's Pepper Route from Phnom Penh
Cycle away from the hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh and into the peaceful southern regions of Cambodia. We start our cycling adventure by visiting the tragic, but memorable, Killing Fields and ride along small countryside villages, exploring ancient Khmer temples along the way, before arriving at the beautiful coastal city of Kep. Once a famous holiday spot for French colonialists, this prestigious beach resort of the 1960s is finally reawakening to its former glory.On our second day we ride dirt roads to reach the Steung Keo River where we catch a boat to the riverside town of Kampot and discover how black, white and red pepper from this region came to be a prized specialty crop in French restaurants during the 19th Century. We overnight in a traditional wooden lodge by the river.We drive up to Black Palace and ride to Bokor Hill Station, visit remains of an abandoned casino and church, and take in the stunning panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand. Enjoy picnic lunch by a mountain-top waterfall before transferring back to Phnom Penh.On this 4-day tour we will cycle the total of 118mi (190km) over the course of three and a half days, with the average distance of 31mi (50km) a day. A support truck travels behind the group to support us and participants can cycle as much or as little as they like and still enjoy the same views as the rest of the group.This 4-Day/3-Night tour includes breakfast-3, lunch-4 and dinner-3