Overview
Get under the skin of the sleepy backwater town of Kampot, setting off on beautiful river cruises, eating at the best local spots, discovering otherworldly hidden caves, and truly understanding this understated little corner of Cambodia, and the dark history behind the picturesque beauty.
Your trip begins with you being picked up from your accommodation in Phnom Penh and driven to your delightful homestay in the sleepy town of Kampot. Kampot has a deliciously laid back lifestyle, and a day wandering the streets of peeling French colonial houses and meandering cyclists by the lazily winding Kompong Bay River, is a day well-spent in itself.
During your first evening, you’ll explore the area by water, on a river cruise that glides past fishing villages and stunning mountain views. Take a refreshing swim and enjoy a cold beer as the sun sets and clouds of fireflies light up the shadowy mangrove forests, before heading to one of the local restaurants for the local delicacy, soft shell crab.
You’ll be staying in a top-quality four-star lodge, Rikitikitavi Kampot.
On your second day, you’ll cycle the stunning countryside and the glimmering rice paddies, discovering what is fast becoming a world hub for the production of salt and pepper, and getting to see a little of this process in action.
You’ll discover hidden caves in the lush hillsides, and residences that were abandoned during the devastating reign of the Khmer Rouge. This is the part of the experience that uncovers the dark past lying just underneath the beautiful exterior of this tranquil corner of South-East Asia.
The ruins are an eerie reminder of the horrors still fresh in the minds of some of the residents, and exploring them represents a chance to commemorate the victims of the brutal regime, and develop a new appreciation for the peace and calm that now settles over the region.
After dinner and drinks on your final night, get a good night’s rest before being transferred to the bus station, where you can head back to Phnom Penh, or south to Sihanoukville.
