Siem Reap Vistior Guide 59th

kampot

101

made bags, handicrafts, clothes and cards. And there are now a few proper souvenir and clothing shops in

trip takes 1½ -2 hours and is 110km total. Train Buy tickets at the train stations. Schedule: Kampot to Sihanoukville; $4/pax, 3hours. Departure: Friday at 11:00PM; Saturday at 2:30PM; Sunday at 2:30PM Sihanoukville to Kampot; $4/pax, 3hours. Departure: Saturday at 7:00AM; Sunday at 7:00AM and 4:00PM PHNOM PENH to/from KAMPOT Most travel by bus between Phnom Penh and Kampot. There are several regularly scheduled daily a/c buses between the cities, including highly recommended deluxe buses from Giant Ibis . The trip rarely takes more than 3- 3.5 hours. It’s easiest to buy tickets from one of the many local tour agents. Taxis Taxis are the other option, running about $35-$45. If you don’t have your hotel or tour operator arrange it for you, in Phnom Penh taxis can be found at Phsar Dumkor, and in Kampot taxis at the bus/taxi station. Driving/Riding The most direct route to Kampot from Phnom Penh follows NR3. The full length of NR3 is in very good condition, requiring less than 3 hours. Alternative route: National Route #2 (NR2) passes sev- eral pre-Angkorian ruins in Takeo province including Phnom Chisor and Prasat Neang Khmau. Take NR2 south to well marked intersection at Road #22 in Takeo. Take #22 west to NR3 and turn south to Kampot. Train Buy tickets at the train stations. Schedule: VIETNAM to/from KAMPOT Vietnam visas are not available at the border. Visas are available at tour operators in Kampot and Kep and at the Vietnamese consulate in Sihanoukville. To/from Ho Chi Minh City There are three possible overland routes to Kampot: 1) Moc Bai/Bavet crossing via Phnom Penh; 2) Prek Chak crossing, which is the most popular and convenient; 3) Phnom Den crossing. Get bus tickets from a local tour operator. To/from Phu Quoc Island and deep south Vietnam The crossing at Prek Chak/Xaxia (sometimes called the ‘Ha Tien crossing’) is the nearest, most easily accessed border crossing with Vietnam from either Kampot or Kep. The crossing is quite near the Vietnamese town of Ha Tien, which is the primary jump off point to Phu Quoc Island, a popular beach destination. Regularly scheduled multi-daily vans travel from Kampot and Kep, through the border crossing and all the way to Ha Tien, in time for the ferry to Phu Quoc. Price: $8-$11. Arrange a ticket through your guest- house or a tour operator in Kampot or Kep. DIY to the border from Kampot: A motodup runs about $8; tuk-tuks $15-$20 and a taxi for $20-$25. Some motorcycle taxis are also able to cross the border and take you as far as Ha Tien for an additional $2-$3. Phnom Penh to Kampot; $5/pax, 5hours. Departure: Friday at 3:00PM; Saturday at 7:00AM; Sunday at 7:00AM Kampot to Phnom Penh; $3/pax, 3hours. Departure: Saturday at 9:00AM; Sunday at 9:00AM and 6:00PM

town, as well as a book store. Shops and Galleries...

Books & Hammocks Old school bookshop and sou- venir shop with a heart. Locally made and produced Cambodian souvenirs, especially hand made lawn games, kites, gifts and more. You can also buy games and supplies to be donated to locals schools and kids in need. Second hand books for sale and a book noo to relax and read. On guesthouse street, near the Salt Worker Traffic Circle. Tel: 096-5350676 Indochina Gecko Shop Souvenirs Cool little souvenir shop in Phsar Kronat, near the riverside of the market. In addition to the usual Cambodian and Kampot sou- venirs (pepper, teas, etc), the shop is crowded with eclectic collection of nostalgia, old posters and photos, curios and funky, comfortable clothing. Kampot Pepper and Turmeric from the farm at Saot. KAMA (Kampot Arts & Music Association) Founded by members of The Cambodian Space Project, KAMA is a professional not-for-profit arts organization whose mission is to develop and present locally produced music and art to audiences around the world. Opposite the 2000 Roundabout, #58 Street 726. Kepler’s Kampot Books Offering a good selection of used and new novels and Cambodia related titles for buy/sell/trade. Souvenirs for sale. Kampot pepper, stat- ues, t-shirts, postcards, more. Print and scan services. Located at the Phsar Kronat (the Old Market) in the middle of town. Open 8AM-7PM. Tel: 096-7774493 Kepler’s Kampot Pepper Large selection of the famous Kampot-grown pepper, some of the finest black pepper in the world. Kampot-grown black, red and white pepper, available in different packagings. Open 8AM-7PM. Tel: 012-306410 Kampot can be approached by road directly from Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh, Kep and from Vietnam via the Prek Chak and the Phnom Den border crossings. Most inter-city travel is done by bus, van or taxi. There is no air service to/from Kampot. SIHANOUKVILLE to/from KAMPOT Though there are no buses plying the route between Kampot and Sihanoukville, there are regularly scheduled daily vans run by a few different companies, Champa Mekong and Kampot Tours being the more popular. Most tour operators and guesthouses offer van tickets for about $5. The vans are of medium quality, a bit tight, usu- ally a/c and take about 2 hours. Taxis Taxis are the other option. In Sihanoukville, taxis can be found at the main bus station. In Kampot, taxis wait at the bus stop. Private taxis run about $25-$30. Driving/Riding From Sihanoukville, travel north on National Route #4 (NR4) to Veal Renh (43km). Turn east on National Route #3 (NR3) to Kampot. NR4 is in excellent condition. NR3 is in very good condition. The getting to/from/around

www.canbypublications.com