Kep Cambodia news and views
Kep Cambodia news and views
My return visit to Kep in November 2025
November 25: Just 20 minutes from Kampot will take you to the small seaside town of Kep. It reminds me of some of the seaside towns in the UK, featuring typical amenities along a beautiful sandy beach.
Grab your bucket and spade and head out for a paddle! I noticed a lifeguard station and several street food stalls along the beachfront. Since my last visit about 18 months ago, a supermarket has opened nearby, along with toilets and changing facilities. There seems to be plenty of parking available, and of course, you can always find a spot for your motorbike. Just a couple of kilometres up the road, you’ll find the famous Kep Crab Market, along with many restaurants where you can enjoy delicious seafood meals paired with a beer or two. You might also want to consider taking a boat trip to Rabbit Island.
There are many guesthouses and hotels for those who wish to be near the sea. However, if you are looking for traditional nightlife and shopping, Kampot may better meet your needs.
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Kep Cambodia news and views
6 April 2024
Edited April 6, 2024: People often asked me why I would want to go to Kep, as there isn’t much to see aside from a beach. However, I decided to make the three-hour journey from my home in Phnom Penh to check it out for myself, and here’s what I discovered.
I had pre-booked a train for the 3-hour trip from Phnom Penh, which was scheduled to depart at 7 a.m. Unfortunately, about 30 minutes before departure, I received the disappointing news that the service to Kep had been cancelled. However, all was not lost. A friendly railway employee informed me, along with a few others in the same situation, that we would be travelling by bus instead. At around 8 a.m., we were taken by Tuk-Tuk to a local bus company for the next leg of our journey. We finally arrived in Kep at approximately 11:30 a.m. The $8 ticket I had purchased for the train was still valid for the bus ride, so I didn’t have to pay anything additional.
I stayed at Capt. Chims Guest House on Street 2320, and was very pleased to relax in one of their comfortable rooms after a disjointed journey. The guest house has a restaurant about a 10-minute walk away, where you will find a variety of local and Western dishes, as well as coffee, beer, and other beverages.
About 7 pm, I left the guesthouse and walked to the main road, NR33A, and turned right. It’s about a 6-minute walk to the left turn for the dock with shipping services to Rabbit Island. Just a little way down on the right, I found the restaurant. I chose Amok with Anchor beer, very nice to relax after a hectic but interesting day. I’ll now think about tomorrow.
Day 2. After an enjoyable fried breakfast at the restaurant, I retraced my steps to the main road and turned right for the 20-minute walk to Kep’s Covered Market. Good selection of fruit and vegetables, shoes and clothing. No shortage of fresh meat and fish. Hungry? There’s a selection of Khmer-style meat and fish on sticks and a variety of other snacks.
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, I turned right on the main road to visit Kep Beach. NR33A follows the coastline and makes for a pleasant walk. However, should you not wish to walk the two kilometres, plenty of tuk-tuks will take you for a couple of 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 was under repair, and no shortage of clouds of red dust when large trucks were on the move. Better, therefore, to be in an enclosed vehicle instead of an open tuk-tuk for which, interestingly, I was quoted $10. Being low season, everywhere was quiet, which suited me, although I may return in the high season, between November and May. Plenty to see for cyclists and walkers to enjoy in this peaceful corner of South West Cambodia.
Kep Cambodia news and views
Fuzzykens’ images of Kep. This is the warrior standing guard at the Crab Market.
Kep Cambodia news and views
Khmer Times https://www.khmertimeskh.com/
Phnom Penh Post https://www.phnompenhpost.com/
Kep Cambodia news and views
