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Kampot is a laid-back city in Southern Cambodia, popular with ex-pats, yogis and locals visiting for a long weekend. For tourists wanting to experience the Cambodian culture beyond the main tourist hubs, Siem Reap & Phnom Penh, Kampot is the place to go. Below I will list 12 of the most wonderful things you should add to your Kampot itinerary.
To soak in the highlights of Kampot and the surrounding national park 5 days would be a long enough stay. However, many people try this and end up never leaving. I wouldn’t say I had the urge to move here more permanently but Kampot was definitely my favourite part of Cambodia. So I would highly recommend you also add Kampot to your itinerary.
Things to Know Before You Travel to Kampot
Kampot may be located at the bottom of Cambodia but don’t assume your days will be spent at the beach. This is a river town, the city & many of the accommodation options are set on the river banks.
Before arriving in Cambodia download the Pass App. This will help get local transport at a set price. It’s similar to Uber but you will pay the driver directly in cash once you reach your destination.
Pass App saves the hassle of bartering and often is the only option to contact a driver to book a picked up.
The official currency in Cambodia is Riel although payment is often preferred in the USD. I’ve written a helpful Q & A on all things money in Cambodia, if you’d like to read that click here.
One-day scooter hire in Kampot is $5 & when you book the scooter you will need your passport as ID. Surprisingly, they will keep your passport until you return the scooter. Personally, I hated this and had never had to do it in the past. I insisted they just take a photocopy but they refused and wouldn’t hand over the scooter without holding the passport. But I reluctantly agreed when realizing this was the norm in Kampot and other businesses were doing the same.
Also, I, unfortunately, have to mention this, to some Kampot is known as a destination for sex tourists. Prostitutes are cheap & readily available. It’s heartbreaking to hear stories of females offering themselves for as little as $5. While in Kampot I heard many stories relating to corruption & people in power turning a blind eye which is allowing this industry to be taken advantage of.
Although, during my few days in Kampot I never saw anything seedy or inappropriate & I always felt safe.
How to Get to Kampot
Located in Southern Cambodia, Kampot is 153km from Phnom Penh. There are multiple bus services from other major cities in Cambodia to Kampot and prices start from 10USD.
Check prices and book tickets at 12Go
If travelling with a group there is also the option to spilt the price of a private taxi to Kampot. Prices start from 90 USD.
Although, for those travelling from Phnom Penh city I would recommend getting the train. The train from Phnom Penh to Kampot takes 3.5 hours. Tickets are $9 and the train offers the best views of the beautiful Cambodian countryside.
Tickets can be purchased at the Royal Train Square in Phnom Penh and try to book these tickets as soon as you can. We booked ours the night before but were lucky to get the last two seats.
I travelled to Cambodia in May 2022 and at this time there was only 1 train a day between Phnom Penh & Kampot and the train departed at 7 am.
The train station in Kampot is 3 km from the centre of town, once you get off the train there will be plenty of TukTuk drivers hoping for your business. The fare to town shouldn’t be more than 8,000 Riel.
12 Wonderful Places & Activities You Need to Add to Your Kampot Itinerary
Durian Roundabout
A good place to begin a Kampot itinerary is at the large roundabout in the centre of town. And, you guessed it, in the middle of the roundabout is a massive statue of a Durian.
Although Durian is a popular fruit all throughout Southeast Asia, Kampot is famed for growing some of the country’s best Durian and exports a large amount to Vietnam.
I loved the unique design of this roundabout and it’s a great place for new visitors to get their bearings as they start to explore the city.
During the French colonial period in Cambodia, Kampot was the primary port and the administration centre. Thankfully this period left behind so much stunning architecture. During your time in Kampai definitely take the opportunity to stroll the wide streets and admire some of these beautiful old buildings.
Book Riverside Accommodation
One of the best things about Kampot is the riverside accommodation. Bungalows, treehouses & eco villages can be booked at very reasonable prices. These unique styles of accommodation are not only good for the environment but also the best place to stay in Kampot for visitors seeking to relax & escape the busy town.
The river can be reached from Kampot city centre by Tuk Tuk for around $3. From the city, the drive is mostly along a bumpy & dusty road adjacent to the river. The sore bum aside I loved this short trip passing by traditional homes, rice fields and lotus ponds.
During my 4 nights in Kampot, my itinerary included 2 different properties along the river, Green Mango Bungalows & Eden Eco Village. Both properties were beautiful and offered the tranquil experience I was craving.
Eden Eco Village was particularly amazing, a much more basic property, with an outdoor shower & all rooms, have direct river access.
Kayak on The River
Most of the riverside properties will either have kayaks free for guests or available to hire for a few dollars.
This is a fun & easy way to see more of the river and the opportunity to get a great view of some of the other properties. Just be mindful that heaps of boats travel up & down the river, and it’s particularly busy during the morning & late evening.
There’re also businesses along the river which hire Jet skies, and with the river being so wide this would be so much fun! It’s expensive though, the cost to hire a Jet Ski is upwards of 100USD.
Arcadia Water Park
Arcadia is a backpacker’s and a waterpark but you definitely wouldn’t need to stay there to enjoy the property. It’s located 8km from Kampot city along the river.
The waterpark has a massive waterslide, swings, inflatable ‘Blob’ and kayaks. All of the facilities are free to use for paying guests but if you just wanted to visit the waterpark for the day, the cost is $7 per person.
Also, Arcadia has a bar & restaurant serving Asian and Western dishes.
Check our Arcadia’s latest rates at Hostelworld
Cafes & Restaurants to Add to Your Kampot Itinerary
With a large ex-pat community no surprise Kampot also has heaps of awesome cafés. It’s not hard to find fresh coffee, and a variety of local & foreign dishes plus many of these places have such a unique and artistic design.
One of my favourite things about my time in Kampot was the food and how fresh the ingredients always were. Whenever I travel I always find myself including specific restaurants in my itinerary so here are 3 I would recommend you add to your Kampot itinerary.
Eden Eco Village
Even if you don’t choose to stay here, I would still recommend visiting their restaurant. The menu is Vegetarian and also had plenty of Vegan options. Plus, being an eco-friendly property they don’t use any plastics.
The food was very fresh and all the ingredients are sourced locally. Prices were slightly higher than some of the restaurants in Kampot city but it’s totally worth it.
Happy Special Pizza Cafe
There’re a few restaurants in town with similar names, the one I’m referring to is located across the road from the river, on the corner of Street 728. The name ‘Happy Pizza’ came from a pizza that restaurants used to (or maybe still do) serve which was topped with their special local herb. 😉
But today the menu is full of drug-free Western & Khmer dishes, all at reasonable prices. And, please do yourself a favour and order a French baguette, they’re just as good as the bread in France.
Ecran Noodles Kampot River Front
Ecran Noodles has been around since 2013 and serve freshly made noodles and dumplings, plus has a whole page on the menu that is dedicated to Vegan dishes.
I ordered dumpling noodle soup, plus an extra plate of dumplings (because why not) and everything was so delicious. You can taste the freshness of all the ingredients, and the river view makes this the perfect lunch spot.
Take a Yoga Class
I didn’t realize this before arriving in Kampot but this is a very popular city for people from all over the world to come and receive training to become a qualified Yoga teachers.
So with that, you will find heaps of yoga studios with teachers very eager to share their knowledge.
I took a class at Eden Eco Village, which was free for guests and done with the beautiful relaxing river views. It actually started pouring during the class but the sound of rain just added to the atmosphere.
Take a Walk Around The Kampot Lotus Pond
Located in town behind the museum is a large pond filled with Lotus flowers. The is such a quiet area and perfect for a walk without having to worry about traffic.
There is a shrine in the middle with a bridge you can walk over to take a closer look, or take a seat in the shade on one of the benches.
The pond is beautiful and I absolutely loved seeing so many lotus flowers, but it also was a real shame that there was so much rubbish (particularly plastic bottles) floating around.
Hotel Old Cinema
This hotel allows non-guests to use the facilities for a minimum spend of $6 per person. The service & pool area is amazing, but just quickly I’ll give you some history to understand the importance of this site.
The Old Cinema building is so interesting and dates back to the 1930s.
Originally built as a Chinese theatre showing Hong Kong Chinese Kung Fu films.
Unfortunately, during the Khmer Rouge regime, the cinema closed down but did reopen once the regime fell in 1979 and relaunched as the 7 Makara Cinema.
At some point, the cinema closed again and I was told the building then stood derelict for the next 20 years.
Thankfully it was eventually purchased by an ex-pat couple who spent 3 years restoring the site and creating Hotel Old Cinema. The hotel first opened at the end of 2019 and has 8 rooms, the rates start from $75.
Check out the latest rates at Booking.com
The property is in a great location, on Street 700 only a short walk from the Durian roundabout.
The hotel welcomes anyone to enjoy the pool, bar & restaurant, the $6 minimum spend can be put towards food & drinks.
This is such a good deal because there aren’t many places in Kampot where you can go that are this beautiful with a clean place to swim while escaping the mid-day heat!
This part of your itinerary will have you entering a little oasis in Kampot, that’s very luxurious & peaceful.
Bokor National Park
Kampot sits on the edge of Bokor National Park, immersing yourself in the natural beauty and exploring the new & old sites in the mountains is definitely something that should be on your Kampot itinerary.
From the city cross over Kampot’s old French bridge and follow the signs to the entrance of the national park, the ride will take about 30 minutes to the base of the mountain and the park is free to enter.
The ride up in awesome, paved, windy roads, all while being surrounded by thick lush jungle. Be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife such as Monkeys & Hornbills.
We, unfortunately, saw multiple times cars stopping to feed the monkeys. Please don’t do this! All it does is encourage wild animals to rely on humans for food, and spend time close to the road, increasing their chances of being hit.
It’s recommended to start travelling to Bokor no later than 6 am, roads will get busier throughout the day (speeding motorbikes, buses & cars cutting corners is a regular occurrence), plus when the afternoon fog rolls in the visibility will get very low.
But even following local advice the weather can still be unpredictable. The day we went the weather was awful and it continued to get worse the higher we road.
To escape the rain we decided to make our first stop at the Thansur Sokha Hotel & Casino. Somehow managing to follow the map in the rain and when approaching the hotel there was so much fog we literally couldn’t see this massive building until we were meters away. I felt like I was in The Shining and Jack Nicolson was going to come running out with an axe. 😆
Either way, Bokor Mountain is still an interesting place to explore while in Kampot.
These are the best things to see while in Bokor National Park that should be added to your Kampot itinerary!
….and many of these sites are now abandoned, so the fog ended up adding to the mysterious ghost town vibe;
Old Catholic Church
Popokvil Waterfall
Wat Sampov Pram
Bokor Hill Station
Lok Yeay Mao Monument
Tada Waterfalls Kampot
Tada Waterfalls is a part of Tada Island Natural Resort and I’d recommend hiring a scooter for this day trip. From Kampot city to Tada falls it’ll take about 45 minutes.
Upon entry to Tada, a guard will stop you and collect the entry fee, which is only $1 per person.
There’s a massive amount of parking in front of a row of local stores selling food, souvenirs and anything they believe you may need for a day of swimming.
The main attractions at Tada Island Natural Resort are the two large man-made pools and a waterfall that you can jump off the top of. Plus heaps of hammocks and undercover lounge areas are available for hire.
Although, before getting too comfortable make sure you take the trek 720 m up the steep steps to Tada Roung Chan Waterfall. On a rainy day, this walk wasn’t ideal as the walkway was very slippery & muddy, but we managed to make it to the top and the rain just meant we had the area to ourselves.
The view from this waterfall was stunning and being so high up you can see how much thick green jungle surrounds the resort.
Tada Island is very popular with local Cambodians so this area will be particularly busy on public holidays.
But, there is a big BUT with Tada! Some idiots thought that the waterfalls and natural beauty of this area weren’t enough, and decided to bring in multiple wild animals and display them in tiny enclosures. I wouldn’t even say enclosures they were just square cages, absolutely horrible. Lions, Monkeys, Birds, all looking miserable!
Tada Island Natural Resort offers plenty for locals and tourists to have an amazing day there is no need to display these poor trapped animals.
Kampot Salt Fields
So I had seen so many beautiful images of the Salt Fields in Kampot of the locals during harvest so I straight away added this to our Kampot itinerary, hoping to get similar shots.
Although I didn’t do a whole lot of research and just drove the 15 minutes from Kampot city out to the salt fields.
But the salt harvest is from January to March when the weather is dry! I was there during a very rainy May and when there’s been a lot of rain the saltwater in the fields doesn’t have enough time to evaporate.
Oops.
It was still a nice ride out to the fields, the scenery is beautiful and the sky reflecting on the salt fields was pretty.
But I would only add the Salt Fields to your Kampot itinerary if you’re visiting in the months of harvest.
Day Trip to Kep
Often when people are planning a trip to Southern Cambodia the question they as is; what town is better, Kampot or Kep?
I stayed in both areas and each offered a laid-back feel while being surrounded by lush jungle scenery. There are definitely more things to do in Kampot but on the other hand, Kep has the beach!
If you aren’t able to spend a night there, you could absolutely do Kep as a day trip from Kampot.
Kampot to Kep is an easy 30 minutes drive and hiring a tuk-tuk to take you there should cost between 10-15US one way.
Some of the best things to do in Kep are;
For seafood lovers, visit the Kep crab market and try the famous fried Kep Crab with local pepper. Although, due to overfishing the size of these crabs is getting increasingly smaller.
Kep Beach; hire a sun bed or hammock and enjoy a local .75cent beer.
Kep National Park; The fee to enter the national park is $1 and the entrance is an easy walk from Kep beach. Inside the park is an 8km trail and also a hillside cafe called Led Zep.
The park is known for having a large number of monkeys and a variety of different birds including one of my favourites, the Great Hornbill, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.
If you find yourself on the hillside in the late afternoon, the sunsets in Kep are beautiful. Plus on any clear day, you will be able to see Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam.
The wifi & telecommunications signals in Kep are very weak. This become a problem when we were trying to pay a bill by card, so I suggest ensuring you have cash on hand.
In Conclusion
Kampot is an incredible destination to immerse yourself in the Cambodian culture at a slower pace compared to the more popular cities. Enjoy life on the river, incredible local food, natural wonders & architecture that will take you back in time.
In this guide, I have included 12 wonderful things you need to add to your Kampot itinerary.
Side Note…
There are also 2 night markets in Kampot, Kampot Night Market & Bokor Night Market. Both of these markets sell cheap knock-off clothing & cosmetics, plus Khmer street food. I don’t particularly rate either of these markets but like many night markets in Southeast Asia, these can change over time. So if local markets are something you’re interested in, perhaps it would be worth adding to your Kampot itinerary.
If you found this information helpful, please consider booking your trip via my affiliate links. This wouldn’t be at any extra cost to you and will help fund this blog, thank you.
Thanks for reading,
Happy Travels
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Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
Wow- the waterfalls look so stunning!
The views from Led Zep cafe look incredible! I was able to tick off a few of these things to do in Kampot when I was there back in 2018 🙂 I loved it in Cambodia!
Lol showing up to see the salt fields when they were soggy sounds like the kind of sightseeing I’ve done! Were the wet fields a bit like rice fields when they are first planted. Those always make me think of reflected mirrors to the sky. Ecran Noodles at Kampot River sound great too! <3
haha yeah sort of, basically just large puddles
A trip to Kampot sounds incredible! Thanks for the wonderful itinerary. Yoga and kayaking on the trip sounds like a dream! I’d love to visit one day.
I have always wanted to visit Cambodia! This guide really makes me want to book the ticket. The waterfalls, the cafes… it all looks so perfect.
Wow, the Tada Waterfalls look so stunning! And I wouldn’t mind stopping for a tea at Lep Zep Cafe either, look at that breathtaking view!
What a wonderful trip! It’s amazing how affordable it can be to travel here and enjoy so many sites. Yoga would be fun. How funny it’s called Ta Da Falls. It looks really pretty.
I have never been to Cambodia, but it looks like a good place to visit, even if they have a monument erected to honor a stinky fruit. (JK!). Thank for including tips, like Pass App and having cash in case there isn’t internet access. The later is not something we usually take into consideration.
haha yeah it’s pretty funny 😆. Glad you found it helpful, thanks so much for reading
Such a great Itinerary! So many activities to explore and beautiful locations!
Thanks for sharing! I had actually never heard of Kampot before but it looks lovely. Your photos are great 🙂
The photo of the hammock looking over the greenery is so beautiful! And Tada Waterfalls – wow! What a great place
It looks like there are a lot of great things to do here to keep you busy! I hadn’t heard of Kampot before so thanks for sharing!