Architecture on the Road
SLEEPY COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN KAMPOT
The small town of Kampot was the final destination of our trip to Cambodia, and it turned out to be a nice way to end the trip in total relaxation.
I will be honest: there is not much to visit in Kampot. The town, which until the 1950s was the main port of Cambodia, is very small itself, and does not have many cultural sites to speak of. It’s attractions are mostly naturalistic, and the activities are mainly outdoor excursions to the surrounding countryside.
It is in fact located on the delta of the Praek Tuek Chhu river, right next to Mount Bokor National Park, and is renowned worldwide for its pepper. Visiting a pepper plantation or a salt pan, the summit of Mount Bokor National Park, or taking a dip in the nearby seaside town of Kep are all the recommended activities for those who intend to spend a few lazy days in the city.
For those like me who enjoy to look at buildings, in Kampot it is possible to find a generous amount of French colonial architecture, especially shophouses, dating back to the first half of 20th century. Many of these buildings now host nice cafes or hotels and restaurants, while many others seem neglected or partially abandoned.
To enjoy the sleepy and unpretentious atmosphere of the city, and take a look at its yellowish colonial past, it is sufficient just to wander through the city blocks near the river.
It is easy and cheap to get to Kampot from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville by public transport.
The options include bus, minivan, and train.
Renting a driver or sharing a taxi is always the fastest, but most expensive option (taxi from Phnom Penh is around 50$ and from Sihanoukville is around 40$)
by bus or minivan
from/to Phnom Penh
A bus or minivan ride between these two cities is supposed to take around 3h (can be more depending on traffic jams around Phnom Penh and road conditions).
Tickets are around $6 for minivan to $9 for bus.
Some companies stop in between at Kep, which makes the trip up to 5h long.
The ride between these two cities took us around 4h due to traffic entering Phnom Penh, and I actually didn’t enjoy it at all as I personally found the driver a little too reckless for my taste.
we used this website to check the bus time schedule in order to plan our routes in advance, and booked at last minute the ticket from Kampot to Phnom Penh directly at the Tourism Office in Kampot, which is located on the riverside next to the Entanou Bridge.
from/to Sihanoukville:
There are several minibuses that operate between Sihanoukville and Kampot. The ride takes around 2h and the price is around $5.
It is possible that the minibus has to go pick up passengers in several different hotels around the city before starting the trip, which will add some considerable time (over 1h in our experience). In Cambodia, all of the transportation schedules are more of a suggestion rather than a rule, so make sure to allow yourself extra time.
In Kampot it is possible to book the bus and minivan tickets in person at the Tourism Office next to the bridge on the riverside, which is also a drop off point for the minivan company.
Tickets can also usually be booked by hotels or guesthouses and by local travel agencies.
by train
After several years not running, it is again possible to use the Cambodia Railway to get around the country.
It must be said that the routes are very few and the departures are limited to only certain days a week, so bus or minivan are definitely the most flexible option.
from Phnom Penh
Trains from Phnom Penh to Kampot depart on friday afternoon at 3pm and on Saturday and Sunday morning at 7am.
The ride lasts 5 to 7h and the price is around $6.
from Sihanoukville
Trains from Sihanoukville to Kampot depart at 7am Saturday, and Sunday at 7am and 4pm, and on Monday at 7am.
The ride takes around 2h and the price is around $5.
For a very complete guide about taking trains in Cambodia, I suggest taking a look at this website
The city is quite small and easily walkable within the central part, where most of the cafes, restaurants, and hotel are located.
To reach further locations around Kampot, such as Kep or the Mont Bokor National Park, it is possible to hire a tuk tuk driver (remember to negotiate before hopping on!) or rent a scooter (around $5 a day). Scooters and motorcycles can be rented at the Tourism Office located at the riverside or in many rental company located in the nearby city center. These days most hotels offer a bike and scooter rental service too.
We spent only 1 weekend in Kampot, the last gasp of our trip to Cambodia. We personally liked this little sleepy city and wished we had more time. The reason why? Kampot turned out to be the perfect place to relax.
The city is laid back, quiet, and unpretentiously pretty, perfect for a nice stroll around, enjoying a sunset along the sea, eating some tasty Khmer food, or enjoying some open air activities at a slow peace.
The atmosphere is nice, but there is not a lot to do compared to the places we visited before during our trip, In Kampot we enjoyed taking it easy, far from the hustle and bustle of other more popular Cambodian destinations such as Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, end even Koh Rong Island.
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