Following defeat at Angkor by the Thais, the Khmer capital moved to Oudong, and kings ruled from there for more than 100 years until the power center shifted to nearby Phnom Penh in 1866. The area was a monastic center, and the 13th-century temples, like most others, pale in comparison to those of the Angkor complex. Still, the hills of Oudong offer breathtaking views. It’s 1 hour west of Phnom Penh and is best reached by rented vehicle.
Phnom Chisor & Tonle Bati
If you’ve been to or are going to Angkor Wat, these temples will pale in comparison, but the ride through the countryside and among rural villages makes for a good day. Tonle Bati (33km/21 miles south of Phnom Penh) is a small collection of Angkor-style temples.
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Entrance costs $3. Nearby Phnom Chisor is a group of 10th-century ruins atop a pictur- esque hill. Phnom Penh travel agents can make all the arrangements.
4 S O U T H E R N C A M B O D I A
When you think of Cambodia, visions of tranquil beaches probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind, which is a shame. It isn’t much when compared with the quality and quantity of beach living in nearby Thailand, or even along the coast of Vietnam, but the southern coast of Cambodia boasts some fine sandy stretches worthy of putting your feet up for a few days, especially after some heavy-duty temple touring or bouncing around the roads of rural Cambodia.
Route 4, which connects Phnom Penh with Cambodia’s only port at Kompong Som, or Sihanoukville, after the former king, was built by the United States to facilitate Cam- bodian trade and the influx of aid starting from the mid-1960s. Just adjacent to the busy Sihanoukville port, you can find some lovely little beach areas, most of which are speck- led with budget bungalows and groovy bars owned by Western expatriates, as well as a fine little resort called the Sokha Beach Resort (see “Where to Stay,” under “Siha- noukville,” later). The town of Kampot is a lazy little river town, just a grid of mostly colonial-style houses along a quiet, lazy river, but another good place to kick back. You might also visit nearby Kep, which was a French colonial vacation spot whose 1950s/1960s-era villas lay in ruin. Bokor Mountain, a short ride from Kampot, was the cool mountaintop retreat of the French but is now closed for renovations. Connections by bus with Sihanoukville are convenient, and many choose to do this region in a rented vehicle or even by affordable local taxicab. So if you’re stuck in Phnom Penh for a few days waiting out a Vietnam visa, hit the beaches. You’ll be surprised.
KAMPOT & KEP
148km (92 miles) S of Phnom Penh; 112km (70 miles) E of Sihanoukville
The French colonists built many luxury vacation homes along the coast here. Development continued in the high plateau of Bokor Mountain with a large hotel, casino, even a church and school. The two towns are some 25km (16 miles) apart, and today most choose to stay in Kampot and make a side trip to Kep. Kampot is just a quiet riverside town with views of the mountains and a lazy grid of old colonial houses. There are a few nice little hotels and little to do but wander, chat with locals and expats at cafes, and peep the sunset over Bokor. Kep has a large crab market sitting on a busy bay of fishing vessels; hit Kep to check out the classic colonial homes (someday they’ll probably all be boutique resorts or private dwellings again). This area is a laid-back stop on your way to Sihanoukville.
Essentials Getting There
The road from Phnom Penh is good, a thin ribbon of asphalt. Your best bet is to arrange a taxi from Phnom Penh. There are no tourist bus services directly to Kampot or Kep.
Connection with Sihanoukville by taxi costs about $20 for a 3-hour ride.
Getting Around
Kampot is a tiny riverside town, all easily traversed on foot (if you can pull yourself from the guesthouse hammock). Kep is just 25km (16 miles) east of Kampot, easily reached on rented motorbike, motorbike taxi, or motorbike with trailer (called tuk-tuk).
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If you’re off to Kep beach or the caves near Kampong Trach, take a motorbike with driver for just $4 per day trip, or $2 one-way if you stay in Kep overnight. Renting your own little 100cc Devo machine is just $3; the 250cc Honda Degree bike, which has good suspension and can take the bumpier roads, is $11. Maintenance at the town’s two rental agents is limited. The price is quite low, but so is the quality. Say a prayer and contact Sean Ly Motor Rental Shop at No. 27 DSoeng Ngoc Rd. (&012/944-687), just south of the central traffic circle; it’s your best bet for picking up a motorbike. Next door, nearer the traffic circle, Cheang Try (&012/974-698) looks less efficient but offers the same bevy of beat-up bikes at the same price. It’s $3 for a 100cc putt-putt mobile, and $5 for a 250cc Honda Degree with heavy suspension. The same offices also rent cars or even four-wheel-drive vehicles for $20 per day.
For more extensive tour services, Art Suriya Travel (&012/501-742) offers custom tours of the surrounding area or other parts of the region. Costs are higher than the storefront tour offices, but you get the full custom treatment. Contact Mr. Sok Lim at his tour offices on the north end of Kampot (at riverside, north of the central bridge;
&012/719-872) for adventure trips and jungle-trekking tours around Bokor.
From Kep, check out the $10 day trips out to Rabbit Island , which has pretty, quiet beaches good for swimming.
Where to Stay Kampot
Blissful Guesthouse Welcome to Hotel California. An old colonial villa fashioned with heavy wooden beams, Blissful Guesthouse has hammocks swinging from every veranda and under every tree, a quiet upstairs sitting area, and lots of cozy papasans and couches to curl up with a book and rest. Rooms are guesthouse basic, with hard beds and small shower-in-room bathrooms, but everything’s clean. Angela, the friendly Danish owner, is a font of local information. The bar hops late and this is a great place to meet up with other travelers, perhaps arrange an onward taxi share, or get metaphysical late into the night.
Just a short walk east of the river, past the “2000” monument. & 012/513-024. www.blissfulguesthouse.
com. 10 units. $4–$8 double. No credit cards. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; motorbikes. In room: Fan only, no phone.
Bokor Mountain Lodge This old colonial lined with cool travel photos on the riv- erside is the best location in town. Open colonnaded walkways overlook the busy street below and river beyond. Breakfast is included and there’s a good in-house tour company that can arrange excursions. They’ve got Wi-Fi access but it can be finicky.
Riverfront Dr. (riverside at the center of Kampot). & 033/932-314. www.bokorlodge.com. 6 units. Oct–
Apr $35–$45 double, $60 family suite; May–Oct $30–$40 double, $50 family suite. Rates include break- fast. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: A/C, TV, Wi-Fi.
Little Garden Guesthouse The place is just that: a little garden area with an upstairs block of clean, basic, affordable rooms. Go for a top-floor unit adjoining a cool open sitting area shared by a few rooms. The rooftop terrace has wonderful views of the river (on clear days you can see neighboring Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island) and is a terrific place to collapse on hot days. These folks are involved with the local orphanage and can get you connected to offer some service during your trip.
River Rd. (just north of the bridge). & 012/256-901. www.littlegardenbar.com. 15 units. $10–$25 dou- ble; long-term rates available. No credit cards. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: TV, A/C, fan, no phone.
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Kep
Knai Bang Chatt Knai Bang Chatt marks the arrival of luxury in Kep. This seaside property is made of one new and three renovated villas, built in what was called the New Modern Khmer style of the 1960s. Rooms are spacious and done in mellow, neutral colors like champagne and beige mixed with subtle mauves and khaki green. Beds are extremely cozy. Everyone gets a huge private terrace overlooking the garden or ocean.
The outdoor infinity pool faces some stiff competition from the nearby ocean, where you can take a midnight dip among phosphorescent plankton.
Phum Thmey Sangkat Prey, Thom Khan Kep. & 012/879-486. www.knaibangchatt.com. 11 units. Apr–
Sept $150–$225 double; Oct–Mar $200–$450 double. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; outdoor pool;
spa. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, minibar, Wi-Fi.
Veranda Natural Resort On a hilltop high over the tiny town of Kep, Veranda is the best budget choice out this far. In fact, the rooms have a certain boutique flavor that’s quite attractive. On stilts overlooking the sea far below, rustic thatch and wood units are compact but tidy, with small but clean bathrooms (shower only) attached. Go for an oceanview room with an outdoor daybed, and you’ve got a little low-luxe private oasis. If you’re splurging, check out the Residence House, which has newer, more luxe rooms that come with private balconies. The bar is a popular spot for sunset views over Bokor Mountain in the distance. The restaurant serves good faux-Western and Khmer—
a good thing, because you’re pretty much stranded up here (expect to pay $5–$10 for main courses).
Opposite ASPECA orphanage and far up the hillside overlooking town. & 012/888-619. www.veranda- resort.com. 29 units. $30–$75 double; $195 villa. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; motorbikes. In room:
A/C (some rooms), TV (some rooms), no phone, Wi-Fi.
Where to Dine
Just north of the Bamboo Light Café (below), past the bridge on the riverside road, check out the Little Garden Bar (&012/602-661; www.littlegardenbar.com). Its expat owner serves up good Western cuisine. They also run trips and sponsor programs for a local orphanage. Stop in, and you’re likely to meet up with other like-minded travelers (whether that “like mind” is drinking all night or motorbiking up Bokor).
For good Khmer food, stop by the open-air Restaurant Phnom Kam Chay Thmey
(&012/602-505), an affordable joint right next to the bridge.
After dinner and a brief walk around town, the only thing going on is the bar at Bliss- ful Guesthouse. Grab a wholesome fruit shake for 1,000 Riel at one of the stalls just west of the central monument area. Ask for no sugar unless you like it super sweet.
Bamboo Light Café SRI LANKAN With cheap and tiptop eats, this ranks up there with my favorite Indian restaurant back home. Curries are red or yellow, mild or fiery—prepared to your tastes. The mutton dishes are especially good, as are the Sri Lankan Kottu roti dishes (pancakes cut up and mixed with potato and curry). The very clean interior has cool, indirect lighting in bamboo stanchions. The balcony area is where you’re most likely to meet the groovy dudes you saw out on the road in the day. Great breakfasts of bacon and eggs, as well as good sandwiches and Western meals, are served all day. With an Internet cafe upstairs, this is a good place to beat the heat.
River Rd. (near the bridge) in central Kampot. & 012/681-530. bamboo_vana@yahoo.com. Main courses $2.50–$4. No credit cards. Daily 7am–10pm.
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