Kep
Kep, a little bit of seaside not far from Phnom Penh
Edited 6 April 24: Why go to Kep, people asked. There is not much there, apart from a beach. Well, I decided to make the 3-hour trip from my home in Phnom Penh to investigate, and this is what I found.
I pre-booked the train for the 3-hour trip from Phnom Penh, departing at 7am. Oh dear, about 30 minutes before departure, came the sad news that the service to Kep had been canceled. However, all was not lost when informed, by a pleasant railway employee, that I, and a few others in the same predicament, would be traveling by bus. At about 8am we were taken by Tuk-Tuk to a local bus company for the next leg of the journey. Finally arrived in Kep around 11:30. The $8 that I had paid for the train, was valid all the way through, so nothing else to pay.
I stayed at Capt. Chims Guest House on street 2320 and was very happy to relax in one of their comfortable rooms, after such a disjointed journey. This Guest house has a restaurant about 10 minutes walk away, where they serve a range of local and western dishes, plus coffee and beer, etc.
About 7pm, I walked to the restaurant. Come out of the guest house and turn left and then right. At the main road, NR33A, turn right. It’s about a 6 minutes’ walk to the left turn, for the dock and shipping services to Rabit Island. Just a little way down on the right, you will find the restaurant. I chose Amok with Anchor beer, very nice after an interesting day. Now time to rest and consider tomorrow.
Day 2. After an enjoyable breakfast at their restaurant, walked back to the main road and turned right for the 20-minute walk to Kep Covered Market. Good selection of fruit and veg. plus shoes and clothing. I noticed fresh meat and fish, plus a selection of local-style meat and fish on sticks, etc.
On the same side of the road, there are various shops selling food, drinks and hardware, etc. I purchased a loaf of sliced bread and canned fish, in case I needed a midnight feast, haha. There are no large modern supermarkets or 7/11-type establishments, although there is a selection of ATMs.
Very close to the guest house, there are various interesting monuments in a small public park. The most prominent being a replica of the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh. There is also a monument commemorating those lost during the Cambodian/Vietnamese war. A statue of a mounted warrior with a bow and arrows reminds me of long-ago conflicts. A couple of other statues make this an interesting place for photographs. Just a 5-minute walk from the guesthouse.
Day 3 From Capt. Chims, turn right on the main road to visit Kep Beach. NR33A follows the coastline and makes for a nice walk. However, Should you not wish to walk the two kilometers, plenty of tuk-tuks will take you for a couple dollars. Very nice sandy beach. Lots of places to purchase your bucket and spade, and other common beach requirements.
After dipping your toes in the water, take a tuk-tuk or walk the 1.6km up the coast road, to the well-known crab market. Plentiful supplies of crab, dried and fresh fish, etc. sold under canvas. A jumble of stalls with “economical” lighting, where products are sorted and packed into polystyrene boxes for delivery far and wide. Furthermore, various restaurants line the road just before access to the market, some of which have been tastefully refurbished. I chose one for liquid refreshment and relaxed at the far end to watch the waves, on a pleasant sunny afternoon.
Day 4 After breakfast, Mrs Chim happily arranged for a bus to take me to Kampot, about 30 minutes for $4. Tip: Much of the road is under repair and no shortage of red dust when large trucks are on the move. Better, therefore, to be in an enclosed vehicle instead of an open tuk-tuk for which, interestingly, I was quoted $10. To summarise, of course, being low season, everywhere was very quiet, which suited me although I may return in the high season, between November and May. Moreover, for those willing to either walk or cycle, plenty to see and enjoy in this peaceful corner of Cambodia.
Fuzzykens images of Kep. This is the warrior standing guard at the Crab Market
Khmer Times https://www.khmertimeskh.com/
Phnom Penh Post https://www.phnompenhpost.com/
