The Cambodia Coastal Visitors Guide 52nd

kampot/ kep

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Phnom Bokor Tours out of Kampot to the old Bokor Hill Station in the nearby E l e p h a n t Mountains have long been popular.

tions to a full day tour might include a trip to Rabbit Island out of Kep, or a look at the cave of Kampong Trach, or perhaps a sunset cruise on the Kampong Bay River out of Kampot. Tour operators are usually happy to customize the tour to your requirements. Beaches Kep Beach The most popular

A new casino/hotel complex has gone up over the last couple of years, and the road up the mountain greatly improved, but the remnants of the old hill station are still there - a mountaintop collection of crumbling build- ings - hotel, casino, church and royal residence. The Bokor complex was originally constructed by French authorities in the early 1920s as a complement to the Kep resort area. In its day Bokor was an elegant getaway for officials and foreign visitors - a classic colonial 'hill sta- tion' located in the mountains to allow foreigner visitors accustomed to more temperate climes to escape the tropical heat. The old building were abandoned to war in the 1970s, leaving ghostly ruins - vestiges of a different age, often shrouded in fog and clouds. One thing that the years have not changed is the absolutely spectacular view of the coast and the cool (sometimes cold) mountain air. Bokor is jungled and excursions beyond Bokor, including trekking, can be arranged by local tour operators. Full day Bokor tours can be arranged through a local tour operator. Tours start at about $10/person inclusive for an all-day tour. Some tour operators offer variations on the usual tour to include such things as trekking, cycling, motor- cycling, a boat cruise. The Park Office and turn-off to the Hill Station are 37km west of Kampot on National Route 3. The drive from the base to the top takes 30-45 minutes. Coun t r ys i de Tours ic scenery, rice paddies and water buffalos with white egrets riding their backs, countryside pagodas and lit- tle villages filled with traditional stilted houses. Even the ride between Kampot and Kep offers some beauti- ful rural scenery. Keep your camera at the ready. Half and full day countryside tours by tuk-tuk, taxi or motodup are one of the most popular tour activities out of Kampot (and Kep). The tour routes are in no way over touristed, offering a good look at the Cambodian countryside as well as points of interest specific to Kampot and Kep. Area tours usually include visits to the salt pans, two or three nearby caves including the a Angkorian-era ruin at Phnom Chhnork, a pepper plantation to see one of Kampot’s most important crops, and perhaps a stop at ‘the Secret Lake’ along the way. Tours also usually include a look at Kep, lunch at the Crab Market and some time at Kep Beach. Other destinations and addi- Kampot and Kep provinces harbor some beautiful rural countryside just outside the town areas - bucol-

beach in the area. A single, kilometer- long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula,

bounded by rocks at either end and traced by an oceanfront road. Warm shallow waters. It’s an average swimming beach but still pleasantly peaceful - a good place to lounge, have an oceanside seafood meal and enjoy the cool sea breeze. Dining platforms and seafood vendors line the road behind the beach as well as the oceanfront further down the road. The beach can be quite busy on week- ends, but is often deserted during the week. The road through Kep follows the coastline to the beach and then circles back on itself. Sometimes cars and vans must pay admission. Be aware the oceanfront road along the beach area is a one way street and the police do occa- sionally enforce the law, especially on the weekend. Phnom Doung Beach A small, completely untouristed beach about 9km south of Kampot City. The dirt road from Kampot to the beach passes through picturesque rice fields and salt pans. Angkal Beach Kep’s “other beach” - a long, narrow sandy tropical beach about 25km from Kep. The beach is very lightly touristed with only a couple of snack/drink vendors, a few fishing boats and little else. It’s an interesting, photo- genic trip through the rice paddies and salt flats to get there. Caves near Kampot adorned with exotic rock formations, and almost all con- taining Buddhist shines of some sort. Make sure to bring a torch and wear shoes suitable for climbing on rocks. Caves of Phnom Chhgnok (Chhnork) The main cave sits a hundred meters up the mountain at the end of a long stairway, and contains a pre-Angkorian ruin about 50 meters inside, set amongst stalagmites and stalac- tites slowly growing into it. The ruin is a small alcove-like brick structure constructed in 4th-5th century AD and associated with the state of Funan. A bit of carving is still visible. Also look for the elephant shaped limestone for- mations near the entrance of the cave. A second cave sits about 300 meters from the main cave in the same outcropping. There is very little in the way of formations, but it is quite deep, requiring climbing over piles of rock and through small openings. Small shrine. Limestone moun- tains dot the land- scape between Kampot and Kep. Many contain lime- stone caves, some

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