KAMPOT - CAMBODIA in a coconut-shell

Kampot is situated on the east side of the Praek Tuek Chhur River, known as the Kampong Bay river near the base of the Elephant mountains. About 5 km inland from the south east coast of Cambodia, next to the Vietnamese border.

It has a population of around 630k and it is an old provincial capital with quiet little lanes and a perfect example of French colonial architecture.

With its quaint, welcoming small town feel to it, Kampot is a place to get a taste of provincial Cambodia, both urban and rural.

The dining and nightlife scene, while still modest, is developing quickly with several new, trendy eateries and bars popping up like mushrooms. Street food stalls and night markets, funky LED lit riverboats cruising along the river at sunset, make kampot a busy little town thriving on tourism, salt production and especially the pepper industry...

In fact, Kampot pepper is exported internationally and it is known as one the world's finest quality peppers.

Kampot is also Cambodia's biggest producer of the durian fruit, therefore in the centre of the town's main round about there is a gigantic monument of a durian.

Kampot is the perfect base to explore the surrounding peaceful countryside with its salt and pepper plantations, the river rapids and the waterfalls, the Hindu shrine inside the Cave Temple and the stunning Lotus Pond with its golden statues and beautiful lush gardens, making it a perfect combination of nature, history and spirituality.

Kampot is still an undiscovered little gem of a town which is becoming more and more popular.

In the four years that the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia, it was responsible for one of the worst mass killings of the 20th Century.
The brutal communist regime, in power from 1975-1979, claimed the lives of up to two million people.
Under the Marxist leader Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge tried to take Cambodia back to the Middle Ages, forcing millions of people from the cities to work on communal farms in the countryside and killing anyone who was educated or had a connection with the previous government. This dramatic attempt at social engineering had a terrible cost. Whole families died from execution, starvation, disease and overwork.

But today, Cambodia as a democracy, is slowly recovering from the atrocities of the past and people are working hard to to build their future. The sleepy town of Kampot has woken up to a boom in tourism both local and foreign attracting new investors and developments.

So what are the best things to do in Kampot? While I was here I whizzed around the local market and checked out the wonderful fresh produce from the region.
I then jumped on a bike and visited the Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple which hides a Hindu shrine from the 7th century.
I then put my boots on and drove up the muddy roads to the Popokville waterfall and had a picnic by the river rapids of Teluk Chhou.

Not far from here was the local zoo which was surprisingly impressive and then on my way back to town I passed by the salt fields and pepper plantations.

On arriving on the outskirts of town I went to the old railway bridge where people hang out and enjoy the river views and then I took one of the sunset cruises down the river before I disembarked and had a few delicious bites to eat from some of the many Riverside Street food sellers.

After hitting a few bars and eateries and checking out the night Market.. Kampot's "fashion centre".. I finally finished my action packed weekend at Euphoria.. A new nightclub which has just opened..

KAMPOT is amazing.. These were my best picks and I will be sharing more with you in a series of exciting and informative posts. So watch this space..

Hopefully if I do a good job one of two things might happen: either you will all pack your bags, jump on a plane and head for Kampot or you'll just hang out and wait for my next blog because you feel like you've already been here...
Hope you enjoy!