Kampot, Cambodia: travel guide
Laid-back riverside town famed for Kampot pepper, French-colonial shophouses and Bokor National Park.
- Country
- Cambodia
- Currency
- KHR
- Time zone
- Asia/Phnom_Penh
Top places to visit in Kampot
Bokor National Park
Nature · 4.3 rating · about 3 h · entry USD 5
Misty plateau national park of cloud forest, waterfalls and eerie French ruins.
Phnom Sorsia
Nature · 3.8 rating · about 1 h
Limestone hill with bat caves and a hilltop stupa near Kampong Trach.
Popokvil Waterfall
Waterfall · 3.9 rating · about 1 h · entry USD 2
Two-tier waterfall on the Bokor plateau, fullest in the wet season.
La Plantation Pepper Farm
Cultural · 4.7 rating · about 1.3 h · entry USD 5
Beautiful working Kampot pepper plantation with free tours and tastings.
Kampot Old Market (Psar Samaki)
Market · 4.1 rating · about 0.8 h
Riverside market quarter ringed by restored French shophouses.
Kampot Night Market
Market · 4.0 rating · about 1 h
Evening riverside market of street food, crafts and clothes.
Lok Yeay Mao Monument
Cultural · 4.4 rating · about 0.5 h
Giant 29 m statue of the protector goddess on the Bokor road.
Thansur Sokha Bokor Viewpoint
Viewpoint · 4.1 rating · about 0.5 h
Cliff-edge viewpoint by the Bokor summit resort, overlooking the coast.
Wat Sampov Pram (Bokor)
Temple · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h
Hilltop "Five Boats" pagoda with sweeping plateau and coast views.
Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple
Temple · 4.1 rating · about 1 h · entry USD 2
Limestone cave sheltering a 7th-century pre-Angkorian brick shrine.
Kampot Old French Quarter
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h
Photogenic streets of crumbling-and-restored 1900s shophouses.
Teuk Chhou Rapids
Nature · 4.0 rating · about 1 h
Boulder-strewn river rapids, a popular local picnic-and-swim spot.
Things to do
- Bokor National Park Day Trip Nature · 6 h · from KHR 63,700 per person
- Kampot Pepper Farm Tour & Tasting Cultural · 2 h · from KHR 34,000 per person
- Sunset Firefly River Cruise Sightseeing · 2.5 h · from KHR 38,200 per person
- Kampot Countryside Tuk-Tuk Tour Sightseeing · 5 h · from KHR 63,700 per person
- Kampot River SUP & Kayak Adventure · 2.5 h · from KHR 34,000 per person
- Kampong Trach Caves Tour Adventure · 4 h · from KHR 50,900 per person
- Kampot Salt Fields Sunset Tour Sightseeing · 2 h · from KHR 29,700 per person
- Kampot Cooking Class Food · 3.5 h · from KHR 50,900 per person
Day trips and tours
- Bokor Hill Station, Waterfall & Pepper Farm Full Day 9 h · from KHR 211,000
- Kampot Countryside Cycling, Firefly Cruise & Sunset 7 h · from KHR 123,000
Where to stay in Kampot
- Riverside & Old French Quarter about KHR 50 per night
Kampot's most charming area along the Kampot River. French shophouses line the streets; the best guesthouses, cafés, and riverfront bars are here. Walking distance to the night market, Old Bridge, and firefly cruise…
- Countryside & Eco-Lodge Belt about KHR 35 per night
North of town along the river, eco-guesthouses and farm stays offer rice-paddy views, cycling trails, and direct access to the pepper farms and Secret Lake. Best for slow travellers and cyclists.
- Bokor Hill Area about KHR 80 per night
Only Thansur Sokha Hotel operates at the Bokor summit. Staying here means waking in the clouds, exploring the ghost town before day-trippers arrive, and experiencing the eerie colonial atmosphere at night. Cool…
Hotels
- Rikitikitavi 4-star · USD 60 to USD 140 per night
- Champa Lodge 4-star · USD 70 to USD 160 per night
- Kampot Riverside Hotel... The Columns 4-star · USD 55 to USD 130 per night
- Tikalain Boutique Hotel 4-star · USD 55 to USD 130 per night
- Banteay Srey Project Guesthouse 3-star · USD 35 to USD 85 per night
- Les Manguiers 3-star · USD 30 to USD 90 per night
Where to eat
- Kampot Pie & Ice Cream Palace International, Dessert · about USD 6 per person
- Twenty Three Bistro European, Fine Dining · about USD 18 per person
- Rikitikitavi Cambodian, International · about USD 12 per person
- Ecran Noodles Chinese · about USD 4 per person
- Cafe Espresso Kampot Cafe, International · about USD 5 per person
- Epic Arts Cafe Cafe, International · about USD 5 per person
- Nelly's Kitchen French, Cambodian · about USD 9 per person
- Aria Latina Italian, Mediterranean · about USD 10 per person
Getting around
- Bicycle main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Scooter Rental main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Tuktuk main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Safety and scams to avoid
Tuk-Tuk Fare Inflation
Bus drop-off areas, night market, and riverside
Some tuk-tuk drivers quote foreigners 3–5× local rates, especially after dark or near transport hubs where tourists are disoriented.
How to avoid it: Agree the fare before boarding. Standard rates: town centre $3, La Plantation $8, Kep $15, Bokor gate $20. Ask your guesthouse to recommend a regular trusted driver.
Counterfeit Kampot Pepper
Kampot night market, souvenir stalls, roadside sellers
Vietnamese or Thai pepper is sold as "authentic Kampot pepper" at inflated prices. The GI certification label is absent or photocopied.
How to avoid it: Buy only from La Plantation, Sothy's Farm, or farms displaying their GI certificate on-site. Certified farms also ship online directly to your home.
Bicycle and Scooter Overnight Theft
Guesthouses in the outskirts and unlit riverside roads
Unlocked bicycles and rental scooters left outside overnight or parked in dark areas have been stolen. More common in low season.
How to avoid it: Always use the provided lock. Park scooters within guesthouse grounds at night. Photograph the scooter on pickup to document pre-existing damage and avoid false damage claims.
Best time to visit Kampot
- May 34°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for May: 196.4 mm over 18 rain days (national station Kampot (WMO WWIS city id 3645), 0.7 km from the stored city centre).
- Jun 33°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for June: 201.4 mm over 20 rain days (national station Kampot (WMO WWIS city id 3645), 0.7 km from the stored city centre).
- Jul 32°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for July: 247.0 mm over 16 rain days (national station Kampot (WMO WWIS city id 3645), 0.7 km from the stored city centre).
- Aug 31°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for August: 380.7 mm over 29 rain days (national station Kampot (WMO WWIS city id 3645), 0.7 km from the stored city centre).
- Sep 31°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for September: 219.5 mm over 27 rain days (national station Kampot (WMO WWIS city id 3645), 0.7 km from the stored city centre).
- Oct 31°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for October: 242.8 mm over 23 rain days (national station Kampot (WMO WWIS city id 3645), 0.7 km from the stored city centre).