One Day in Kampot Cambodia Will Amaze You

Kampot, Cambodia is a serene riverside town in the southern part of the country. We enjoyed a brief, but incredible 24 hours here. As soon as we arrived we were hooked. I added it to our itinerary to make travel to Koh Rong Sanloem the next day much easier. It was also an added bonus to see another part of the country. Now that we’ve visited, we are so glad we chose to stay here. It was a beautiful and relaxing time away from the bustle of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Find out why we instantly fell in love with this town, and be inspired with ideas on what to do here.

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How to Spend 24 Hours in Kampot, Cambodia

In This Article
How to Get to Kampot
Where to Stay in Kampot
Things to Do in Kampot
Where to Eat in Kampot
Why We Loved Kampot Cambodia

Stunning views of the Elephant Mountains all around Kampot

How to Get to Kampot

By Bus: You can take several buses from other major cities to Kampot. We booked via BookMeBus on the Kampot Express from Phnom Penh. The trip takes about 3 hours from Phnom Penh, and 12 hours from Siem Reap. From Sihanoukville it’s only two hours. Definitely make sure to read reviews before booking, some buses are not the best.

By Taxi: Another option is to take a private taxi there. We booked through Mr. Dara who actually came to the rescue and made sure we got to Kampot after our bus was delayed to a much later time. His email is darac2678@gmail.com. There are also several other private taxis around Phnom Penh, or you can always book ahead of time on BookMeBus.

By Train: There is a train that runs from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville to Kampot. It typically only runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so make sure to check the schedule. It doesn’t take much longer by train, and it’s much more safe. There are always wonderful views from the window as well.

View from our room at Fish Island Bungalows

Where to Stay in Kampot

While there are several great and affordable options to stay in Kampot, we ended up booking Fish Island Bungalows. They are owned and managed by Mr. Leng and his family who went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable. He gave tips on what to see, brought us to the market to buy the best authentic pepper, and took us on an excursion to the salt fields, at no extra charge. They provide free breakfast with your stay which included fresh eggs, fresh fruit, toast, and homemade passion fruit jam. We also grabbed a light dinner here which tasted amazing.

Mr. Leng, the kind and welcoming owner of Fish Island Bungalows

The bungalow surroundings were beautiful and charming. It’s located on Fish Island, a short trip from the main center of Kampot. Next door was a fishing village and we loved seeing what daily local life was like. You can also see gorgeous views of the river from the rooftop area, as well as our bungalow. The grounds were covered with a wonderful array of plants and flowers and it felt so cozy. Our stay was so incredible, we only wish we had booked a longer time here.

Other Options to Stay

If there’s no availability at Fish Island Bungalows, or if you want something different here’s some other lodging options to consider in Kampot.

Eden Eco Village: An eco resort with bungalows overlooking a garden or the river. Between $20-$30 per night.

Gecko Village: A remote resort with a pool and beautiful views of the river and mountains. All rooms have a balcony and breakfast is included. Between $20-$50 per night.

Retro Kampot Guesthouse: Beautiful bungalows located next to a mangrove with an onsite bar and restaurant. $15-20 per night.

Samon Village: Very rustic treehouse style bungalows located right on the river. Comes with private or shared bathrooms, however not all rooms have a hot shower. $25-$80 per night.

Mea Culpa Kampot: More modern rooms with a beautiful garden and terrace for guest use. Has on-site restaurant with local cuisine. $25-$35 per night.

Le Bokor Palace: The most lux option in the area in a beautiful palace on top of a mountain. Has stunning views and some rooms even have a view of the sea. There are free bikes to use and buffet breakfast is included. $450-$1200 per night.

Looking for additional options? See more.

Things to Do in Kampot

There is plenty to see and do in Kampot. Although we were only here for about a day, we made the most of it. In addition, we will also share some other options of things to do that we didn’t have time for, but were recommended by locals.

Walking down one of the streets in the center of Kampot

Walk Around the Old Market

Because Kampot used to be under French rule, there’s a lot of beautiful French colonial architecture in the region. You will see a lot of this while walking around the old market part of the town. Although the buildings are weathered and run down, it still has a nice charm to it. The texture gives a lot of character and great photography opportunities. There’s also some beautiful pastel colors on some of them, which looks lovely at sunset.

Beautiful views along the river, perfect to relax!

Watch the Sunset Along the River

Another thing to do is to walk along the river, relax and watch the sunset. There are several boats here that offer sunset tours. The views are just amazing and you can see the Elephant Mountains in the distance. It’s also fun to watch the boats go by and admire the changing colors as the sun goes down.

Delicious pepper ice cream cone

Try Some Pepper Ice Cream

This next one is all about pepper. Kampot is known for it, and there are plenty of pepper plantations in the area. If you have a longer stay here you should definitely take a tour at one of them. However if your stay is short like ours, you could try some pepper ice cream and buy some souvenirs to bring home. Tip: Not all of the pepper being sold around the markets is actually from Kampot, ask a local or your guesthouse for recommendations.

Inside the Phsar Leur Market in downtown Kampot

Phsar Leur Market

Phsar Leur Market is Kampot’s central market located downtown. It’s filled with so much to see, and eat. There were a lot of food options once inside that looked like very authentic cuisine. We saw a lot of clothing, jewelry, household items, and market foods to buy here. Mr. Leng brought us to buy some authentic pepper as well. Deep inside the market were fermented shrimp and seafood which made for a very pungent smell, so be prepared.

View from the road on Fish Island

Rent a Motorbike and Go for a Ride

There’s plenty to see outside of Kampot, so rent a motorbike and explore. You’ll come across some amazing scenery and cute villages. It will also allow you to see what true local life is like here. You may find yourself to be the only ones on the road for some stretches. And the breeze from the wind will feel refreshing.

The Sunflower boat restaurant along the river

Eat and Hang at a Boat Restaurant

Next up is another thing to do along the river. You will notice many floating boat restaurants and bars as you walk and explore by the water. Some of these are boat tours, but others stay docked. We walked by The Sunflower and it looked intriguing, however since we already ate we didn’t go. It seemed like a fun and quirky spot with lovely greenery around. These are some great places to sit and have a drink while enjoying the nighttime water views.

The stunning views of the Kampot salt fields

Visit the Salt Fields

We never knew that salt fields even existed in Kampot until Mr. Leng told us about them. They were conveniently located about a 10 minute tuk tuk ride from our bungalow, so he took us on a trip there in the early morning. Unfortunately they had already collected the salt the day before, so we only got views of the empty fields. But the reflections were so beautiful and we loved learning more about how the salt is made. The best time for photos is of course sunrise or sunset.

The ornate and beautiful Wat Traeuy Kaoh on Fish Island

Wat Traeuy Kaoh

Lastly is a hidden gem called Wat Traeuy Kaoh about a 5 minute walk from Fish Island Bungalows. In the distance you can see the beautiful roof standing out from amongst the island. We spent a brief time here exploring a bit before leaving Kampot. The ornate details and color were just incredible. It was fairly quiet when we arrived, so we had it mostly to ourselves. Nearby is a school where you can get a glimpse of local life. You may even get lucky and spot a monk here too. Around the temple are beautiful views of the mountains with a sitting area by the water. It’s definitely worth a quick stop while visiting the island.

Other Things to Do

Although we didn’t have enough time, there is still so much more to do here. You can take a day trip to Kep and visit the crab market or Rabbit Island. There’s also a lot of beauty to see on Bokor Mountain and in Bokor National Park with several historic monuments and temples to see. Kampot also has a lot of outdoor water activities to do on the river. After a day exploring, you can check out the night markets within the main part of town. Visiting a pepper plantation such as La Plantation is another must-see while here.

View of the outside of Simple Things restaurant

Where to Eat in Kampot

Because we were only here for 24 hours, we didn’t have much chance to sample a lot of food. But we did check out Simple Things, a healthy vegetarian restaurant that also serves as a yoga studio. One of the rules here was to leave your shoes at the door. Inside it felt very calm and we noticed a lot of expats hanging out here. The restaurant itself is owned by expats from Russia, and the food here is so fresh. We tried several small dishes and all tasted very clean and healthy. We also loved the smoothies here too! It reminded us of the ones we make back at home.

Some other high rated restaurants in the area are Khmer Roots Cafe with local vegetarian and vegan cuisine, GreenHouse Restaurant with French/Asian fusion and beautiful riverside views. Also worth checking out are Ecran Noodle and Dumplings with Chinese and Asian cuisine, and finally Rikitikitavi, with a combo of various cuisines. If you’re really feeling adventurous, you can sample food from some of the markets.

The gorgeous sunset from our room at Fish Island Bungalows

Why We Loved Kampot, Cambodia

Kampot, Cambodia is an amazing and peaceful place to visit. We loved the charm, the cozy atmosphere, and the laid-back vibes. It’s a place we’d absolutely love to come back to for a longer stay. This city left us feeling revived after spending so much time traveling around the country. It’s not overly touristy yet and that’s also what makes it so great. We really enjoyed the views, and the authentic feel of local life. One of my favorite memories was waking up at sunrise and watching the local village nearby starting their day. The smells of the food in the air mixed with the river water was distinct and wonderful. Definitely consider adding this to your Cambodia itinerary.

Have you ever been to Kampot? If so, we’d love to hear more!

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