The Backpackers Guide To Kampot, Cambodia
Kampot is like a whirlpool, a vortex that draws in backpackers and holds them in its orbit. The town and its surrounding area have that perfect mix of things to do, unique hostels, cheap street food and home comforts all easily available, everything a traveller could want. It is one of those places where you plan to stay a few days but when it comes time to leave you find you’ve been there a lot longer!
Located in the south of Cambodia, the town of Kampot is ringed with opportunities for adventure. From the mist soaked peaks and ruins of Bokor National Park, the mangroves of the Green Cathedral Loop, the world-famous Kampot pepper farms and the nearby beaches of Kep, you’re not going to run out of things to do.
Kampot has the charisma and feel of a ‘Wild West’ outpost draped in rough and ready old-school backpacker charm. The streets are lined with stalls and bars all set into the crumbling remains of French colonial architecture and the riverfront is always lively with markets and things going on. Kampot has forever been the secret traveller hub for backpackers in the know. There’s something for everyone in this town. Whether you’re looking for luxury and escapes into nature or a true, hippie trail backpacker experience there are cafes, bars, hostels and hotels that cover every angle.
We have been to Kampot a few times. This time we spent a couple of dedicated weeks over the rainy season exploring the town and wider region. This is our guide on how to get the best out of any stay in this fantastic corner of Cambodia. Read on to find out why Kampot should be added to any Cambodian backpacker itinerary!
In this Kampot backpackers guide:
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An introduction to Kampot: A quick travel overview
Location: Kampot sits on the banks of the Paek Tuek Chhu River in the heart of southern Cambodia. It is around a 3 hour drive away from Phnom Penh.
When to visit: From November to April during Kampot’s dry season (although we had a great time in the rain - see later!)
What not to miss: Cafe-hopping around town, a trip up Bokor Hill station, kayaking the Green Cathedral Loop, visiting one of Kampot’s world-famous pepper farms and days out to Kep and the coast.
Ideal trip length: 3 to 4 days to really relax, but honestly a week or more if you can!
Why visit: For laidback backpacker vibes, riverside activities and great hostels.
Read on to find out all you need to know about planning your very own backpacking trip to Kampot.
The best things to do in Kampot town
If you can draw yourself away from your hostel hammock, there’s lots to see and do in Kampot town.
Visit the Kampot Seahorse Statue, Lotus Pond & Big Durian Roundabout
📍Find the Kampot Seahorse Statue on Google Maps here
Kampot is a sleepy, riverside town full of markets, temples and French colonial architecture. As you wander through the town, you’ll find market stalls sitting underneath the colourful arcades, Chinese style shophouses lining the streets and even the remains of an art decor cinema.
The town is easily walkable with plenty of cafes and restaurants to enjoy along the way. To see the town in full we would recommend starting at the riverfront to visit Kampot’s most “famous” attraction… the Kampot Seahorse Statue.
According to news sources online, the designers of the seahorse statue had likened the design to that of Singapore’s famous Merlion statues! We’re not sure if we can see the resemblance, and the backdrop isn’t quite that of the glass-fronted buildings of Singapore, but the seahorse is worth a quick stop.
The famous seahorse statue of Kampot!
Kampot’s Seahorse Statue seemed to be a big draw for Cambodian tourists as whatever time of day we passed, it was always full of locals snapping photos! At night and during the weekends, a lot of small stalls set up shop selling trinkets, drinks and snacks. When we visited, the small night market was very quiet due to the wet weather, but we can imagine it would be very different in better weather!
From the Seahorse Statue, we would recommend continuing south down the riverfront and past the bright yellow National Bank of Cambodia. The bank is set in what was once one of the French colonial villas that lined the riverfront. Take the next left hand junction and walk up the street away from the riverfront to find …
Kampot’s Lotus Pond is a large circular lake covered in lotus flowers and lily pads. There’s a path that circumnavigates the whole pond and a couple of footbridges you can cross to reach some smaller islands set within. Around the edge there are some Buddhist statuary and an open pavilion built in the Khmer style of architecture.
As we were visiting during the rainy season on a very overcast day there were very few flowers out, but we can imagine on a sunnier day (possibly early in the morning) it would be a beautiful sight!
After the Lotus Pond, head back through the streets back towards the riverfront to take a look at the Old Bridge (also known as Entanou Bridge), another rusting relic from the French colonial period. The Old Bridge now is almost always a constant melee of engine noise, chaos and colour as scooters and motorcyclists cross over the river. The bridge has somewhat disintegrated since the French were in town and nowadays the Old Bridge now looks a bit like a school craft project, with what appears to be three different styles of bridges stuck together. Unfortunately the mis-match of bridges is due to the Old Bridge being heavily damaged during the Khmer Rouge period.
The mismatch of the Old Bridge in Kampot - the scooter drivers crossing were braver than us!
From the Old Bridge continue walking along Kampot’s riverfront towards Kampot’s riverside “beach” area. During the day it’s very quiet, but during the evening and on the weekends, stalls and bars pop up and the whole beach area becomes super popular with locals having picnics and paddling in the water. Even in the pouring rain we saw some locals braving the weather and having an evening picnic - it reminded Elle of her soggy summer camping trips in West Wales!
If you are after dinner with a riverside view there are plenty of cafes and restaurants which line the riverfront along with plenty of street food stalls selling fried dishes, snacks and drinks. Next time we’re there we’re definitely going to have to plan a visit to “The Pig Pen BBQ” restaurant as their mozzarella dippers look incredible (we know such, a local cuisine choice)! For those backpackers who cannot live without their cheese and ham toasties, there’s a 7-11 store and if you are a Starbucks fiend, you can get your coffee fix right on the riverfront!
After you’ve explored the riverfront, turn up and walk along the main road directly opposite the Old Bridge until you reach Kampot’s most iconic attraction … the ‘Big Durian’ roundabout! This enormous 8 junction roundabout sits in the middle of Kampot town and is crowned in the middle by an enormous statue of a durian surrounded by branches of rambutan and pineapples. The statue was built to celebrate the local farming and the massive durian is to honour the durian farms and orchards that were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge. Around the roundabout, you can find lots of restaurants and street food stalls, as well as Kampot’s Night Market and a petrol station (especially useful if you’ve rented a bike!).
Take a sunset boat trip to spout fireflies
During the dry season, one of the best ways to begin an evening in town is to take a sunset boat cruise down the Praek Tuek Chhu River. Boat trips depart daily from the riverfront and travel up and down the river, giving passengers front row seats to watch as the sun dips behind the mountains of Bokor National Park. Once the sun has gone down, if you’re lucky, you may even get the chance at spotting fireflies!
Baby Jellie!
On our first trip to Cambodia, we spent an incredible evening watching as the sky changed from blue to orange and pink to deep purple to black. As we drove further and further away from town, the river banks got darker and darker before erupting into a blanket of shimmering lights as fireflies darted from bush to bush, it was magical!
We adore boat trips and sunset boat trips with a beer are even better! Most of the boats departing the riverside will come with an onboard bar serving beer, soft drinks and snacks.
Book your spot on the boat in advance here, or if you’re already in Kampot just head down to the riverside around late afternoon to find a boat and buy a ticket.
Kayak the Green Cathedral Loop
One of the most popular activities to do in Kampot is to rent a kayak and paddle around the famous Green Cathedral Loop. The loop is named the ‘Green Cathedral’ due to the natural tunnel-like formations created by the local mangrove trees intertwining. The small 3 KM river loop takes around an hour or so to complete and is a relaxing (well depending on how fast you paddle) way to see the river. You can kayak the Green Cathedral Loop during the day or at sunset. Book your own Green Cathedral Loop tour here.
Unfortunately as it was the height of the rainy season on our last trip to Kampot, a trip around the Green Cathedral Loop was off the cards as the water levels were too high, but next time Kampot, next time!
For those who are into standup paddleboarding, take a look at the SUP Asia website who offer paddleboarding trips around the Green Cathedral Loop as well as river experiences.
Spend the day at the legendary Arcadia Waterpark
📍Find the Arcadia Waterpark & Hostel on Google Maps here
If you’ve ever seen Kampot on Instagram, it’s highly likely you will have stumbled upon a post taken at the Arcadia Waterpark.
This legendary riverside hostel is famous amongst backpackers for its riverside waterpark. With inflatables, slides, rope swings, kayaks and even a BBQ river cruise, there’s plenty to keep you occupied for a full day of riverside based mischief! For those looking for a more chilled out day by the river, the Arcadia hostel has a restaurant and bar serving food all day and plenty of hammocks to chill around in.
If you’re not staying at the hostel, you can still spend a full day at the waterpark, with day passes costing just $7 per person.
To be right in the heart of the action, why not plan a stay at the hostel itself - book your own bed at Arcadia Waterpark Hostel here.
Attend a yoga class at Zen House Yoga Studio
📍Find Zen House Yoga Studio on Google Maps here
If you’re into yoga or meditation then there’s plenty of studios and classes available in Kampot.
The most popular yoga class is held at the Zen House Yoga Studio which is set in the heart of town. The studio offers classes every morning at 9 am (except Thursday) with drop in classes costing $6 for an individual session, a backpacker package (which includes breakfast after the class in the Blendhouse cafe below) for $12.50 and 3 classes for $15. For more information about what classes are available, head over to the Zen House Yoga Instagram page.
Another favourite yoga studio in Kampot is Monkey Republic who offer daily classes for just $7 a class. There’s no need to pre-register, just turn up and stretch. Head over to the Monkey Republic website to check class times and availability. Monkey Republic also offers a range of different rooms; from fancy, poolside privates to dorm rooms. There’s a bar and restaurant on-site as well as a pool to cool down in. Check out all the rooms available here.
If you’re looking for a yoga retreat outside of town, then you’ll want to head to the Yoga Barn Kampot. The Yoga Barn offers group drop-in classes for $7, longer stay class passes or even week long yoga retreats. To check out what’s on offer, a timetable of classes and to book a retreat, just head over to the Yoga Barn website.
Visit the High Tide Dog Sancturary
📍Find High Tide Dog Sanctuary on Google Maps here
We only learnt about this dog sanctuary on our very last morning of our stay in Kampot and were gutted we didn’t find out about it earlier. The High Tide Dog Sanctuary is exactly what it says on the tin; a small rescue and rehabilitation centre that looks after, rescues and re-homes stray and injured dogs.
On-site there’s over 60 dogs roaming around the sanctuary, alongside a bar and restaurant that serves food and drinks all day. High Tide also runs sunset boat trips ($12 per trip), has a floating bar and plenty of chilled out riverside seating.
Day trips and things to do around Kampot
Outside of Kampot town, there’s plenty to keep you occupied, read on to find out what not to miss!
Explore Bokor National Park (Bokor Hill Station) by scooter
📍Find Bokor National Park on Google Maps here
Visible from the whole town, the hills and mountains of Bokor National Park (also known as Bokor Hill Station) rise up against the horizon. From the flat plain below, a well-maintained road switch backs its way all the way to the top of Bokor Hill Station into what can only be described as some strange ‘Fallout-esq’ scenery. Bokor Hill Station was once a luxury refuge for the French colonialists and was eventually taken over by the Khmer Rouge under whom a lot of the hotels and buildings were left to ruin. Wreathed in mist, these abandoned buildings have been joined more recently by modern ruins, half-finished enormous hulks of pre-COVID development left abandoned and unfinished.
Bokor National Park is also home to the famous abandoned Catholic Church that has become an icon of the area. There are also plenty of waterfalls, viewpoints and wild animals to spot. If you are driving a scooter, just be wary of the huge packs of macaque monkeys that line the roads. The baby monkeys are especially prone to running and darting out in front of you!
We’ve written a whole article on our day trip to Bokor National Park with all the information you need, check out our guide below:
If you would rather have someone else do all the driving, why not book this Bokor National Park tour which includes pick up and drop off in Kampot, a guided walk around the abandoned Catholic Church and a trip to the Popokvil Waterfall.
Take a day trip to Kep: Visit Kep Beach & the famous Kep Crab Market
Set only a short 30 minute drive away south from Kampot lies the coastline and town of Kep. The best thing to do in Kep is to have lunch at the incredibly busy Kep Crab Market. This bustling market is stuffed full of stalls selling the freshest of seafood, including Kep’s famous blue swimmer crab.
The market is honestly one of our favourite places we have ever dined at as, unlike most markets, you go from stall to stall choosing your seafood bounty and then go over to the cooking stations to have it cooked up! We’ve written a full guide on everything you need to know about dining at the Kep Crab Market as well as telling you all about what there is to see and do in Kep (including the chance to see hornbills at the Kep National Park!) in our full Kep travel guide linked below.
Take a tour around a Kampot Pepper Farm (La Plantation)
📍Find La Plantation Pepper Farm on Google Maps here
Kampot may be a popular stop on South East Asia’s infamous ‘Banana Backpacking Trail’, but did you know it also is famous in another way!
In the culinary world, Kampot is renowned worldwide for its peppercorns! The pepper grown in the region of Kampot is so important that, like champagne and parmesan cheese, the peppercorns have been given Geographical Indication status, the first Cambodian product to be awarded this accolade!
Surrounding Kampot town, there are plenty of pepper farms you can visit but the most famous farm is La Plantation. We visited the farm on our first trip to Kampot and had an excellent afternoon in the sun learning all about how pepper is grown, farmed and then used in Cambodian cooking as well as trying some of the famous pepper ourselves.
To visit La Plantation or any of the other pepper farms in Kampot, just ask at your hostel or to book a trip in advance, why not take a look at this La Plantation Pepper Farm tour which also includes a trip to a cave and the nearby salt farms.
La Plantation Pepper Farm also offers you the chance to stay at the farm. For a truly unique stay out in the countryside of Kampot, check out the rooms available at La Plantation Pepper Farm here.
Visit the Kampot Salt Fields
Continuing the theme of table condiments, Kampot is also famous for its farming of salt. Stretching away to the horizon, huge fields are flooded with seawater and then are left to evaporate in the intense Cambodian sun. After the sun has worked its magic, what’s left behind is salt!
We didn’t expect much from our trip to the salt fields, but we were genuinely surprised at just how vast Kampot’s salt fields are. In every direction we looked, the landscape reflected the sky, like one massive mosaic mirror patchworked between water and bright white squares of drying salt.
To visit the fields you can either head to the fields yourself by scooter or, to get a real understanding of how salt farming works, check out this full day Kampot tour. This tour includes a trip to the salt fields alongside some other Kampot highlights. If you’re looking to combine both the salt salt fields and the pepper farms together, most tours will include both.
If you are booking a tour we would recommend seeing if you can bundle a couple of other attractions together as although interesting to see, we're not sure if the salt flats would be worth booking a tour for all by themselves, that is unless you're really into salt.
Another tip for the salt flats, we hear that they are a fantastic place to watch the sunset from. Let us know in the comments if this is true as we didn’t get to test this!
Explore the Phnom Chhngok Cave & The Secret Lake
📍Find Phnom Chhngok Cave on Google Maps here
Sitting carved into the limestone rocks of Kampot are a whole cavernous system of caves to explore. The most popular cave to visit is the Phnom Chhngok Cave. Inside the cave there is a 7th Century shrine that is dedicated to the Lord Shiva. Near Phnom Chhngok Cave sits Kampot’s Secret Lake, a man-made reservoir built under forced labour by the Khmer Rouge.
Again both these stops are on the next-time visit list for us. When we do visit them we’ll make sure to update this article, but in the meantime do let us know what we missed in the comments below!
Go rock climbing with Climbodia
The landscape of Kampot is dotted with towering shards of limestone rock which pierce the flat paddy fields like ginormous stalagmites. For those who are already avid rock climbers it is a climbers paradise and for those just looking to give rock climbing a go, these rocky pinnacles are a great place to start!
Head over to the Climbodia website to check out what rock climbing activities are on offer or to book a session in advance, why not take a look at this combined rock climbing and cave experience on GetYourGuide.
Learn to kiteboard with Cambodia Kiteboarding
For those who are into kiteboarding, or those backpackers looking to try it out; Kampot is the perfect spot to give it a go. The coastline near Kampot, has a unique wind system which is ideal for kiteboarding with two wind seasons operating throughout the year. These systems mean that you can learn to kiteboard almost all year round!
If you’re new to the sport, Cambodia Kiteboarding offers introductions and beginner friendly classes, or if you’re already a pro at the sport, you can join in with one of their advanced classes or just rent kiteboarding gear directly from them. To check what classes are available or to rent gear, just head over to the Cambodia Kiteboarding website.
Organised tours and tuk-tuk trips
If you are not eager to test your own scooter driving abilities on the hectic and often unpaved roads of Kampot, then booking a guided tuk-tuk tour will be by far the easiest, and most comfortable way to explore Kampot and beyond. You can easily arrange a tour whilst you’re on the ground in Kampot (just ask at your hostel) or if you would prefer, then there are plenty of organised Kampot tours available to book online in advance. Take a look at some of the different tour options available below:
A full day tour exploring the best of Kampot and Kep: This tuk-tuk tour that takes you through Kampot town and onto Kep stopping at some of the most popular attractions along the way.
Visit the Bo-Tree Pepper Farm, the Kampot Salt Fields & Secret Lake: This half-day tour takes you out to the countryside surrounding Kampot and allows you to try some of the famous peppercorns as well as taking you underground to visit a prehistoric cave.
Take part in a Khmer cooking class: One of our favourite ways to explore a country is to take a cooking class, in fact we did a similar Khmer cooking class in Battambang when we first crossed the border into Cambodia. This class in Kampot includes a trip to the local market and your chance to learn 3 different traditional Khmer dishes all from a kitchen overlooking the rice paddies.
Where to stay in Kampot? The best hostels and accommodation
Kampot is fully stocked with hostels, hotels and guesthouses of every style, budget and comfort level. Whether you’re after a party hostel, somewhere a little more chilled or whether you want to stay in town or want to wake up to the sound of the river, there’s plenty of beds waiting for you!
Our top Kampot hostel: Karma Traders Hostel
📍Find Karma Traders Hostel on Google Maps here
We stayed at the fantastic Karma Traders Hostel, sleeping in an extremely comfy private double which came with AC (essential when visiting in the muggy rainy season) and a great en-suite bathroom. Karma Trader’s was everything we could have hoped for. The staff were friendly, the roof-top restaurant and bar was always busy with other travellers and there were lots of common areas to relax in and even a swimming pool! The atmosphere at Karma Traders was extremely relaxed, yet very sociable with lots of events held throughout the week to bring everyone together as a (very welcome) daily happy hour at the bar!
Another big bonus of staying at Karma Traders was the hostel dog Peaches who was utterly adorable and loved lots of cuddles. If the photo below of Peaches doesn’t sell you a stay at the hostel then we don’t know what will!
The incredibly cute Peaches the dog!
Book your stay at Karma Traders here!
We loved our time at Karma Traders so much that we’ve written a full blog on our stay. Read all about our stay at Karma Traders here.
Other Kampot hostels to book a stay at:
Don’t worry if Karma Traders is fully booked, there are plenty of other hostels in Kampot to choose from. If you’re looking for a stay in the heart of Kampot town, then why not take a look at Onederz Hostel. This hostel offers both private and dorm rooms, a swimming pool, on-site restaurant and even a co-working space.
For those looking for riverside views and social vibes, make sure you check out theArcadia Waterpark Backpackers Hostel. If you’re still after riverside views and want a more chilled out hostel then take a look at the Yellow Sun Hostel and Bar (which has its own kayaks available to rent) or the Sun & Roots Kampot Lodge.
Kampot hotels and other accommodation options
If you’re not keen on hostels and would prefer a little luxury, then there are plenty of riverside hotels and guesthouses to choose from. To see what’s on offer, take a look at our handy accommodation map below:
Where to eat and drink Kampot? Our top cafes & restaurants and street food
Kampot is overstocked with delicious places to eat. From fantastic cafes serving some of the best brunches we’ve eaten on our travels, all the way through to local stalls, firing up wok after wok of fried noodles and rice. Whatever you’re craving, there’ll be somewhere in town for you.
Our favourite brunch spots, coffee shops, cafes & restaurants
It rained a lot on our last trip to Kampot (in fact on two of the days it didn't stop raining at all!) which meant we had plenty of time to cafe-hop between some of Kampot’s best cafes. Here’s just some of our favourite spots to dine at in town:
Epic Arts Cafe
📍Find Epic Arts Cafe on Google Maps here
The Epic Arts Cafe is a super popular cafe that’s open from early morning to late afternoon. Every time we visited, the cute cafe was always packed with other backpackers and travellers. Epic Arts Cafe serves up everything from panini to bagels, porridge to eggs in every variety, alongside Cambodian favourites like amok curry and lok lak.
We dined on coffee and cake here and can highly recommend you try a slice of their vanilla cheese cake. Our fellow travellers at Karma Traders were split as to whether they preferred the cheesecake or carrot cake! We were quite definitely in camp cheesecake and thought it was possibly the best we’ve eaten on our travels so far!
The delicious cheesecake from the Epic Arts Cafe!
The Epic Arts Cafe is part of the Epic Arts charity, an organisation that helps Cambodian’s, both with and without disabilities, access education, training and jobs. Head over to their website to learn more about their work or to make a donation to the Epic Arts charity. We visited the cafe numerous times during our most recent stay in Kampot and always had a fantastic time. Upstairs, above the cafe there’s a small shop selling local crafts and trinkets and the cafe often puts on shows and performances to showcase the local talent.
Sunrise Cafe
📍Find Sunrise Cafe on Google Maps here
We arrived in Kampot after a long and bumpy eight hour, overnight bus journey from Siem Reap. As our bus pulled to a stop in the centre of town, we rose groggily from our sluggish slumber, threw on our backpacks and headed into town. In our sleepy state, we desperately needed two things; food and caffeine! It was coming up to 7.30am and every street was deserted in town, it literally felt like we were the only ones in Kampot - there was barely another soul on the streets! Trudging on and fearing our breakfast quest may be in vain, we stumbled upon the open Sunrise Cafe. Scanning the menu, there was a single word on the menu that stood out to us…bacon!
Shortly after ordering, two bacon, egg and cheese rolls were presented to us alongside two hot americanos. Our faces immediately lit up. At this point in our travels, it had been a very long time since we had eaten proper bacon for breakfast and the breakfast roll from Sunrise Cafe certainly didn’t disappoint!
Sunrise Cafe offers a small menu of Western and Cambodian breakfast favourites, including a ‘Full English’ breakfast, toasties and even fresh baked sausage rolls along with Cambodian chicken rice and noodle soups.
The meat and cheese are all imported, so if you’re after some home comforts, then make sure you don’t miss dining here. Good bacon is rare in Southeast Asia so get it while you can!
Blend House Cafe & Zen House Yoga
📍Find Blend House Cafe & Zen House Yoga on Google Maps here
Set down the very small, but very cool Kampot Lane, Blend House Cafe & Zen House Yoga delivers some of the best brunch offerings in Kampot. Serving up avocado bagels, falafel rice bowls, tofu salads and a big range of smoothie bowls alongside an extensive drinks menu which includes coffee, tea, smoothies and even chai and matcha. If you’re looking for vegan food in Kampot, the menu has lots of options.
We both enjoyed two of their bagels (one of their cream cheese, jalapeno pepper and avocado and a bacon, egg and cheese bagel) which were both fantastic.
Sitting above the cafe is the Zen House Yoga studio. If you’re a backpacker make sure you check out their very reasonable breakfast and yoga class deal for just $12!
Blend House Cafe sits in the middle of Kampot Lane, an arty alleyway set a few roads back from the riverside. Kampot Lane feels a bit like Kampot’s hipster neighbourhood and is home to the IB Taphouse Craft Beer and Microbrewery, the Blacksheep Tattoo Parlour and a few cool bars. If you get a chance, make sure you head down to Kampot Lane after dark for a couple of night caps!
Cafe Espresso Roastery
📍Find Cafe Espresso Roastery on Google Maps here
Cafe Espresso Roastery wins the award for Jellie’s favourite breakfast / brunch spot in Kampot! Set in an old warehouse, the cafe has the aesthetic of “modern meets industrial vintage”; with lots of wood, metal and antiques all thrown together, all with the odd Cambodian twist added in too.
The cafe has a full brunch and lunch menu offering breakfast sandwiches, bigger ‘Full English’ style breakfasts, wraps, pancakes and burgers. Before placing your order, make sure you check out their specials board which were offering Greek gyros when we were there!
Every time we visited (we ended up visiting a lot during our stay), we would always order the same thing: two cream cheese bagels and two flat whites. The first time the bagels arrived, we knew we had made a good decision!
Bagels are one of those tricky bread types that, when they are done right, they are exceptional, but you always run the risk of getting a stodgy disappointment. If you couldn’t have guessed, the bagels served at the Cafe Espresso Roastery were some of the best we’ve tried. Crunchy yet chewy and topped with sesame seeds, they were so tasty, we could easily have just eaten the bagel plain. The cream cheese filling however, took the bagel to a whole other level. Sharp, yet creamy, it was layered in thick delectable mounds. Underneath the cream cheese layer came an ingenious move; a thin layer of vinegary sliced gherkins which gave an incredible sour kick against the creamy cheese filling. Alongside the bagel we were given a ramekin of their delicious chilli jam, salt and the all important Kampot pepper. It really was the perfect breakfast, sweet, sour, salty all in one bite.
The flat whites were everything we hoped them to be. Strong, rich and full of flavour, it was a great coffee, and definitely the best we had in the whole of Cambodia. We also loved the small sesame tuile that came served with the coffee.
If you enjoy the coffee as much as we did, you can also buy the beans straight from the cafe itself. As the name suggests the cafe roasts its own coffee and you can see the roasters as you enter at the front of the cafe. Make sure you head here if you want a delicious breakfast and a great coffee!
Jean Coffee and Bakery
📍Find Jean Coffee and Bakery on Google Maps here
Located just off the ‘Big Durian’ roundabout in the centre of Kampot town, this small coffee shop serves up excellent coffee and French pastries. We stopped by for a quick breakfast of an iced latte and a chocolate croissant and it was just the ticket to set us up for a full day of exploring. Jean Coffee and Bakery also has the advantage of being very reasonably priced (especially for good pastries which are a rarity in SE Asia). For two coffees and two pastries we paid around $4.
Mama Chicken
📍Find Mama Chicken on Google Maps here
We could smell Mama Chicken, long before we even arrived. As we wandered down the street towards the restaurant, the smell of roasting chicken in the air drew us in like moths to a flame. With just the smell alone, Mama Chicken had scored a sale from us.
Mama Chicken has a very simple menu, offering just two items: Rotisserie chicken and potatoes. Now if you’ve never tried the deliciousness that is a rotisserie chicken then you’re really missing out.
We ordered up two plates both consisting of a quarter of a chicken each. What came presented to us was huge! A mammoth leg of rotisserie grilled chicken sat next to a small mountain of potatoes. We challenge you to tell us, is there anything better than juicy chicken and potatoes?
Simplicity at its best - if you like your grilled chicken, don’t miss Mama Chicken in Kampot town!
Mama Chicken has added a Cambodian flair to the roasting of its chicken by adding lime leaf to give the whole chicken a big citrus kick. It was a little surprising at first, but we were very quickly converted!
You can order a quarter, half or even a full size rotisserie chicken from Mama Chicken, just make sure you get there early, as we passed by late one afternoon and she was already packed up after selling out.
Karma Traders
📍Find Karma Traders on Google Maps here
We’re probably a little biassed as this was where we were staying, but honestly the rooftop restaurant of Karma Traders serves up some excellent munch.
From breakfast to dinner, the hostel restaurant and bar dishes up some brilliant food including a traditional Khmer breakfast of grilled pork and rice (bai sach chrouk), delicious mac and cheese and tasty nachos as well as all the favourites of fried rice and noodles.
If you’re in town make sure you don’t miss out on their ‘Sunday Burger and Quiz Night’ or the very popular ‘Taco Tuesdays’. If you’re planning to dine on one of their ‘special’ nights make sure you head up to the bar early to grab a seat as it can get very busy. Once the tacos have sold out, that’s it!
‘Taco Tuesdays’ at Karma Traders is popular for a reason!
For a cheap sundowner drink with a view over the mountains of Bokor National Park, head to the bar between 5 pm and 7 pm for happy hour drink deals on cocktails and beer.
Our top spots for local Cambodian street food - fried noodles, fried rice & grilled meat
Kampot is a haven for budget-conscious backpackers. Lining the riverside and spiralling back towards the town are plenty of street food stalls selling everything from BBQ sticks to the backpackers favourite of fried rice. Here’s our recommendations on where to eat local Cambodian street food:
Ecran Noodles (Kampot Branch)
📍Find Ecran Noodles on Google Maps here
Set a few doors down from the Old Bridge, Ecran Noodles is a small restaurant specialising in all things noodles and dumplings. You can choose to have fried noodles, noodle soup, dumpling soup, fried dumplings or any combination of the two!
We ordered two of the pork dumpling noodle soup and out came two steaming bowls of comfort! On top of the soup sat five plump dumplings, alongside pak choi, spring onions and noodles. The soup was rich and full of garlic but still light enough not to overpower. The dumplings were perfectly moist inside with a great porky, chive filling.
If you’re up early, make sure you check out their morning deals to pick up a cheap bowl of dumplings and a soft drink!
Market stalls and Kampot’s Night Market
📍 Find Kampot Street Food on Google Maps here
If you’re after cheap and tasty street food, then Kampot has plenty of stalls ready to cater for you.
Our first recommendation is the Kampot Street Food Market (location linked above). Set behind the colourful Old Market Bar, this long strip of parkland was lined on either side with about a dozen or so stalls selling all the backpacker favourites. We ate here quite a few times during our stay in Kampot, enjoying plates of fried rice, noodles and even some delicious KFC (Khmer fried chicken)! Since our visit it looks like the stalls and park have undergone a major glow-up. Gone are the tarpaulin coverings and outdoor seating and instead, a huge open sided, Khmer style market hall sits proudly in their place. The addition of a roof will certainly be beneficial especially in the rainy season!
If nothing takes your fancy at the Kampot Street Food Market, we would recommend wandering up to the Big Durian roundabout. Spiralling out from almost every junction are plenty of street food stalls and small local restaurants selling everything from rice and curry to barbecued meats and papaya salads. On the northern edge of the roundabout you can find Kampot’s Night Market which, as night falls, becomes abuzz with locals shopping and dining.
Fried noodles, the backpacker staple!
Another great spot to head to is the riverfront. All along the main road that sits perpendicular between the town and the riverfront, stalls line the pavement selling everything from full meals to snacks and smoothies. We had an excellent beef noodle dish topped with a runny egg from one of these stalls and it was super tasty, hearty and filling. Just make sure you add some of the Kampot pepper found on every table to pimp your dish to the next level!
How to get around Kampot: Renting scooters & hiring tuk-tuks
The town of Kampot is easily walkable, with all of the town’s main attractions all set within a few streets of each other. We were staying a little outside of town at the brilliant Karma Trader’s hostel and walked into town most days. From the hostel it was only a 2 km walk (25 minutes) down a quiet road.
If you need to get further afield, or like us faced many storms, you can easily hail a tuk-ruk or remorque (the bigger, traditional Cambodian-style tuk-tuk that can easily seat more than four passengers) from the street. Just remember to negotiate and agree on the price before you set off.
To by-pass any negotiation and to have the price set in place before you set off, we’d recommend downloading and using Grab and/or PassApp. By using these apps, you can remove any hassle when negotiating for a good price, as well as following your route on your phone so that you know the driver is taking you to the right place.
To use the Grab and PassApp apps you will need a Cambodian SIM card.
You can either buy one in person in Cambodia itself, or to make things easier and have data as soon as you arrive, check out the eSIMS available from Airalo.
Renting scooters / motorbikes
For us, the most fun way to get out and explore is by hiring a scooter. Having your own two wheels means you’re completely free to go wherever you want, stop wherever you want and have an adventure all on your own!
We rented a 125cc Honda Click for just $5 a day!
If you do hire a scooter, make sure you’re a confident driver. The Cambodian roads are very chaotic with trucks, tractors and tuk-tuks coming at you from all directions. Also be aware that some of the roads (especially the smaller ones) can be unpaved. Before you set off, test the bike and make sure you have enough helmets for both you and your passenger.
To fill up your scooter tank, there are two petrol stations located in town, one close to the new bridge and the other located on one of the junctions off of the ‘Big Durian’ roundabout.
Hiring a tuk-tuk driver
Whichever hostel you’re staying at you will easily be able to hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day. Make sure you have an idea on what you want to do and where you want to go and if you can, try and get a group together to make it cheaper!
For a full day exploring with a tuk-tuk driver expect to pay around $20 to $30. This is a great alternative to driving yourself and you can make a fantastic day out for you and friends, just bring your own drinks, music and see the sights in comfort!
How to get to Kampot
Kampot is very well connected with easy bus links to all of the main traveller hubs in Cambodia. There are direct buses to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Sihanoukville (for the islands of Koh Rong) and more. Depending on the distance, how many travellers are booked to travel on that specific day and which company you choose, it will change what type of bus you’ll travel on. Throughout Cambodia it can range from cars and minivans all the way up to sleeper buses.
If Kampot is your first stop in Cambodia, the nearest airport is Phnom Penh International Airport. From the airport you will need to arrange an onward transfer, either by bus or for those feeling fancy, by taxi!
Getting to Kampot from Phnom Penh
Kampot sits around 150 KM south from Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh. The cheapest and easiest way to reach Kampot from the city is via bus. There are dozens of different bus companies that serve the route, departing at almost every hour of the day. Depending on the route the bus takes, you should be in Kampot within 3 or so hours of leaving the capital.
Book your Phnom Penh to Kampot bus tickets here.
If you would prefer to travel by train, there is currently only one train (the Royal Railway of Cambodia) a day that serves Kampot Train Station. The train leaves Phnom Penh everyday at 7 am and arrives at Kampot Railway Station at 10.50 am. To book tickets for this train, head to the railway station in Phnom Penh. Once you arrive at Kampot Train Station it's around a ten minute drive into the centre of town.
Getting to Kampot from Siem Reap
To reach Kampot ourselves, we took a very comfy overnight bus which left Siem Reap at 10:30 pm and arrived in Kampot in time for an early morning breakfast after around 9.5 hours on the road. We travelled with Giant Ibis and had a very comfy, double bed seat, blanket and pillow.
If you are booking a sleeper bus ticket, be aware that the seats are sometimes double bed seats. If you don’t want to share a very snuggly double bed with a stranger, make sure you book a single seat or find a friend you’d be willing to cuddle up to. We luckily didn’t have this problem, but be aware if you’re travelling solo!
Book your Siem Reap to Kampot bus tickets here.
Getting to Kampot from Sihanoukville and Koh Rong islands
For those coming from Koh Rong you’ll need to catch a ferry or speedboat to take you from the islands to the mainland and then hop onto a bus to take you onto Kampot. Journeys from Koh Rong to Kampot will take around 2.5 to 4 hours to reach Kampot depending on whether you catch the slow boat or the much quicker speed boats.
Book your combined ferry and bus tickets from Koh Rong to Kampot here.
Crossing the border from Vietnam (Phu Quoc / Ha Tien)
The Cambodia / Vietnam border at Ha Tien is only an hour's drive away (46 km) from the town of Kampot. If you’ve come to the end of your Vietnamese visa, you can easily catch a bus to take you to Kampot. Check out combined bus and ferry tickets from Phu Quoc to Kampot here and buses from Ho Chi Minh to Kampot here.
If you’re planning to crossing the Ha Tien Border you can easily get a visa on arrival for Cambodia, just make sure you have at least $40 in cash on you and a recent passport sized photograph. The visa usually costs $30 but it’s not uncommon to have some form of “admin” fee added on top!
Planning your backpacking trip to Kampot
We hopefully have convinced you that you should check out Kampot. Here’s all the essential travel information you need to plan your own adventure here!
How long should you plan to stay in Kampot?
We could easily spend a whole month just relaxing and soaking up the laid-back vibes of Kampot.
If time allows you on your schedule, we would highly recommend staying 3 nights / 4 days in the town. This would give you enough time to explore the town, plan a trip around the Green Cathedral Loop and would leave you plenty of time to explore further afield in Bokor Hill Station and Kep as well as plenty of relaxation time.
On our first trip we had just a fortnight in Cambodia and so only had a night in the town which was definitely not enough! On our second visit we stayed a couple of weeks and even then that wasn’t enough for us slooow travellers.. Next time we go back we are already planning to stay much longer, but we are extremely slow travellers!
An accurate representation of the speed of Jellie travel!
When is the best time to visit Kampot?
The best time to visit Kampot would be during Cambodia’s dry season which runs from late October to April. During this time you should have hot sunny weather and very little rain. The dry season in Cambodia does bring the crowds, so be aware that accommodation and bus transfers can sell out extremely quickly. Also the price for hostel beds may be a little higher!
Kampot in the rainy season: Is it worth it?
Absolutely! We visited in the height of the rainy season and still had a fantastic time. At the start, we had full days of solid rain, but it didn't dampen our spirits. We just spent our time relaxing with our other travellers at the Karma Traders hostel or enjoying the cafes and sights of Kampot.
After days of solid rain, we did manage to get out and about to explore further afield. On one of the days, we took our rented scooter and had an amazing time driving up and around the creepy yet beautiful remains of Bokor Hill Station. On another day, we headed south towards the coast and devoured an epic seafood feast in the bustling Kep Crab Market. On both days we did have a sprinkling of rain, but luckily, the heavens only opened in the late afternoon / early evening when we were back in the hostel or in town.
When we were speaking to the staff at Karma Traders, they said it was very unusual to have constant rain for three days like we had at the start of our stay so you may get more breaks in the weather during the low season than we did!
When it rains, it rains!
If you are visiting in the rainy season just make sure you are a little more flexible with your plans, check the weather and pack a wet coat or umbrella with you. On the three days where it rained constantly, a lot of the roads in town became flooded. This wasn’t a problem if you were on a scooter or tuk-tuk as you could just carefully drive through the water, but if you were walking through town, it did mean you had to do some detours. The flooded streets didn’t last long and disappeared overnight.
If you are planning a trip to Cambodia during the wet season, there are some benefits. When we were in Siem Reap, we basically had the whole of the Angkor Archeological Park all to ourselves! Not only does the rainy season bring less crowds and cheaper accommodation but the whole landscape is transformed into a vibrant green, jungle like paradise; the ‘Green Season’ in Cambodia is aptly named. If you are planning a trip to Siem Reap, make sure you take a look at our complete Angkor travel guide where we share how to get around, what temples not to miss, which ticket to buy and more!
How much does a trip to Kampot cost? Daily budget for backpackers
We didn’t hold back on our trip to Kampot and splurged most days, treating ourselves to 3 meals a day out plus a coffee and cake treat on most days, drinking many beers in the Karma Trader’s bar and staying in a private room. Our daily average spend was $61 (around £45) for the both of us so $30.50 / £22.50 each. This included all accommodation, transport, activities and food & drink whilst we were there.
If you’re travelling solo, plan to spend around $15 to $30 a day. For couples or flashpackers, you’ll want to budget around $40 to $60 a day. Our total was driven up by our bougieness, daily scooter rental and eating mostly posh dinners and western brunches. You can definitely spend less than we did but we had been backpacking for a very long time and wanted to splurge on some home comforts!
For those on a really cheap budget, you can easily spend around $15 a day. There are plenty of cheap dorm beds for around $4 a night, you can eat street food for around $2 a plate and, if you get a group together, you can save by splitting the cost of a tuk-tuk for the day. Some of the activities on offer are a little expensive, but there’s plenty of walks to do, Bokor National Park is free to explore (if you’ve factored in scooter rental) and you could easily spend a cheap day exploring the beaches of Kep. Make sure you check out the links at the end of this article for full guides to all these places.
Currency in Cambodia: Cambodian Riel & US Dollars
Confusingly, Cambodia uses both USD and their own currency, the Cambodian Riel. Across the country you can pay for items in both USD and Cambodian Riel with ATMs dispensing both currencies. If you pay for something in USD you’ll very often get the change back as Cambodian Riel.
To work out costs, $1 USD is roughly 4000 kip. If you’re paying with USD make sure they're in pristine condition as if they’re damaged most vendors will refuse them.
Before you leave Cambodia make sure you use up all your Cambodian Riel as it is a closed currency and cannot be exchanged once you have left the country!
Leaving Kampot: Where to go next?
As with every backpacker story, there comes a time, when the chapter must come to an end. For us, our Kampot tale ended with a bus ride north, where we swapped the sleepy streets of Kampot and delved into the chaotic capital of Phnom Penh. From Kampot it is only a short 3ish hour hop on a bus to the capital. We booked our bus tickets via Karma Traders who arranged a pick up from the hostel to take us to the bus depot. If you’d prefer to have everything booked before you arrive, check out all the available Kampot to Phnom Penh buses to book here.
If you are leaving Kampot for Phnom Penh, make sure you check out our full Phnom Penh market guide where we share what markets not to miss, where to eat some delicious street food and more!
If you’ve already come from Phnom Penh, the next logical stop in Cambodia would be to head west to the coastal town of Sihanoukville and from there you could catch the ferry to the islands of Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem. From Kampot journeys to Koh Rong take around 2.5 to 4.5 hours depending on whether your ticket involves the fast speedboat. Book your Kampot to Koh Rong bus and ferry tickets here.
If you’re at the end of your Cambodian visa you can easily book tickets that will take you across the border to Vietnam. From Kampot you can book bus tickets to the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh, take a bus and ferry to the beaches of Phu Quoc island or catch a bus to the floating markets of Can Tho and the Mekong Delta. To get some inspiration on where to go in Vietnam, make sure you take a look at all our Vietnam travel guides.
Just some of the places you can reach by bus from Kampot!
You could also do what we did, but in reverse and travel from Kampot up to the ruins and pub street of Siem Reap. There are daily buses between Kampot and Siem Reap and you can book them on the ground or get tickets in advance here.
Our Cambodia backpacking itineraries: 1 week, 2 weeks & 1 month routes
If you’re in the middle of planning your backpacking trip around Cambodia, then make sure you check out all our Cambodia backpacking itineraries where we cover where to go if you have 1 week, 2 weeks or 1 month plus in the country!
Is Kampot worth a visit?
We have absolutely loved both times we have visited Kampot and cannot wait to return, Next time for a much longer stay! Kampot is the perfect place to slow down, relax and just soak up the laid-back vibes of the town. It is one of those places where it is totally fine to do nothing all day, whilst at the same time being extremely rewarding for those who want to go out and explore.
For us, Kampot had the ideal mix of comfort and adventure. During the day we would have our very own adventures; biking past abandoned churches and monkey troupes, devouring a freshly caught crab feast or exploring the town and countryside. Then, in the evening, we could come back, eat some home comforts (often in the form of mac and cheese), chat to other travellers and devour a can or more of very cheap ice cold beer!
Whether you are a long term backpacker or just on a Cambodian adventure, Kampot is 100% worth your time. The town and the region have so much to offer and are easily accessible both in price and transport. From the riverfront fireflies and the misty mountains of the national park, to the social scene, brunches and street food there is something for every kind of traveller in Kampot. We loved it.
Until next time Kampot, until next time …
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Bokor Hill Station and National Park are a mysterious and beautiful destination in Cambodia. Come with us as we drive past troupes of monkeys, up a winding mountain road to visit the mist-clad ruins and abandoned church. Our complete guide has all the must know information for visiting Bokor Hill Station and National Park.