Kep



Kep is a small seaside town in Cambodia, popular with lots of Cambodian beachgoers and a fair number of international visitors, who come not just for the beach but also for the dense forest you can hike through on the hill behind the town.

Understand
Kep was Cambodia's top seaside destination until eclipsed in the 1960s by Sihanoukville (and, soon after, decades of civil war). The town is full of ruined shells of old villas, destroyed in the Khmer Rouge days and during the subsequent Civil War.

Today's Kep has become established as a Khmer holiday spot and is slowly being rediscovered by travellers. An unfortunate attitude of "milk the foreigner" pervades the local businesses, which makes bargaining a necessity.

By road
From Kampot the road is paved, smooth and well sign posted. 25 km, 30-45 min trip.

From Phnom Penh the road is paved, smooth and well sign posted.

By bus
From:
 * Kampot – ½ hr, US$3 (2020)
 * Phnom Penh – 4 hr. Several bus companies serve Kep (US$5–6) and offer various departure times between 07:00–15:00. 168 Phnom Penh Sorya bus company runs from the bus station near Phnom Penh's central market. Hua Lian is near Olympic Stadium (St 182, Oknha Tep Phan). Capitol Tours run from their offices in Phnom Penh.
 * Sihanoukville – 2 hr. Minibuses cost around US$7 — shop around, prices vary. Departures are in the morning.

By train


Connections from:
 * Phnom Penh – 07:00, 3¼ hr, US$8
 * Takeo – 08:40, 1¾ hr, US$6
 * Sihanoukville – 14:00, 2½ hr, US$7
 * Kampot – 16:00, ½ hr, US$4

By taxi
From:
 * Kampot – For a motorcycle taxi (US$2–3) or tuk-tuk (around US$6) be prepared to bargain like a local or pay a bit more. A tuk-tuk from PassApp is about US$10. Package day tours between the two towns often include a visit to nearby destinations such as Rabbit Island, the caves between Kampot and Kep, and a pepper plantation.
 * From Phnom Penh – Hiring your own taxi should cost around US$40-50 (2½-3 hr).
 * From Ha Tien, Vietnam – Motorbike taxis take 45 min and should cost over 100,000 dong (~US$5). Bargain hard and in dollars, it will work out cheaper than in dong. It is a 45-min journey mainly on a dirt road.

Get around
Tuk-tuks are plentiful. Short trips around town should cost US$1–2, the price for a full day is between US$12–25. Some roads can be a little bumpy, but there is no major dust irritation like in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. Self-drive motorcycles can be rented for around US$7 per day for a small 125 cc or around US$14 for a 250 cc. Bicycles are also available for rent.

Buy
Seafood, beachwear, and basic everyday necessities can be found for sale in Kep. For anything more substantial you may need to head to Kampot, which is the nearest sizeable town.

There are money changers at the Crab Market that will exchange euros, dong, US dollars and riel. The riel is maintained at around 4,000 to the dollar. Anyone offering much off this is a crook. The market traders will have no problem in breaking large denomination dollar notes.



Eat
Kep is famous for its crabs. The crab market (a 20-minute walk or US$1 tuk-tuk ride from Kep Beach) has line-caught crabs held in floating cages in the sea. Depending on the size of the crustaceans and your bargaining skills a kilogram of crabs should cost 10,000-20,000 riel. Vendors can steam your purchases in the boiling pots in the market or your hotel may also cook them for you. No visit to Kep is complete without having a least one meal of the fresh crabs, reputedly the best in Cambodia.

Several seafood restaurants line the seashore near the crab market. They have terraces built over the sea to provide stunning sunset views of Phu Quoc and Bokor National Park while you enjoy crab cooked with fresh Kampot peppercorns. If you head there early afternoon you can watch fisherman unload their catch of the day.

Drink

 * Jungle Bar. On the small hill behind the Kep beach, Mary is running this late night bar, which features a pool table and a good sound system. Stays open until late.
 * MaMa Cambodia. On the other side of Kep, near the Kep market, on the main road, Mrs Soki has opened this popular restaurant/bar which not only serves inexpensive local dishes, but also has a pool table and a nice open air bar. Open until late.
 * Kep Night Market Next to MaMa Cambodia. You'll find plenty of small shops with the variety of goods to buy, i.e. Indian, Indo-China souvenirs, antiquities, Khmer specialities, food/drinks. Computer Repair Service is available.
 * Kep Night Market Next to MaMa Cambodia. You'll find plenty of small shops with the variety of goods to buy, i.e. Indian, Indo-China souvenirs, antiquities, Khmer specialities, food/drinks. Computer Repair Service is available.

Sleep
Prices are higher here than in the rest of the country, especially at the budget end. A basic room that would cost US$5 elsewhere is US$10 in Kep. Ask the bus ticket sellers to put you onto something cheap. As Kep is a resort area, there is no problem finding good offerings in the mid- to high-price ranges.



Go next

 * Ha Tien (Vietnam) - The Vietnamese border town is a fishing hub that offers boat trips to Phu Quoc or buses into the Mekong Delta. The border area is still pretty rustic and some roads will be unpaved.
 * Kampot - Gateway to Bokor National Park.
 * Sihanoukville - Cambodia's best-known beach resort