Thursday, July 10, 2008

KAMPOT

Kampot is a small town on the Tuk Chhou River, 5km inland from the sea. Fishing and farming are the main activities; durians and melons grow in abundance. To the south end of town is a large dusty traffic circle with three hotels arrayed around it – Phnom Kieu, Phnom Kamchay, and Tuk Chhou. Each has its own restaurants; Tuk Chhou offers a seedy nightclub. Also on the circle is Prachummith Restaurant, close by is Amar Restaurant. To the south near the river is the GPO and telecommunications building. At the north end of town, about 1.5 km away, is the Central Market, with foodstalls. All Kampot transportation is concentrated within range of the market-cycle, motors, taxis, trucks, and buses. The railway station lies farther north. There’s zero of interest in Kampot except to walk around town and look at crumbling French-built blue-shuttered shop fronts. Previously Kampot was a stepping-stone to Bokor and Kep.
You can reach Kampot by irregular plane service from Phnom Penh. It’s not advisable to get there by car. It takes about 5 hours to cover the 150 km from Phnom Penh to Kampot. From Sihanoukville it’s 105 km to Kampot by a jumping and dirt road. The train from Phnom Penh to Kampot takes seven hours. It used to be a frequent target of the Khmer Rouge - in a 1994 ambush, three foreigners were captured by them.

KEP CITY
Kep, 25 km southeast of Kampot, is easily reached by motor on a day-trip. The resort was founded in 1908; in colonial days, Kep-sur-Mer was a favorite vacation spot for French administrators and Cambodian aristocrats. Sihanouk maintained a private offshore island to entertain guests. The French constructed villas, residences, hotels, and a handful of public buildings. In the 1970s the Khmer Rouge methodically dynamited every single one This is an eerie place to visit-Cambodian fishermen huddle in the shells of palatial French villas, cooking over open fires. The beaches at Kep are hardly suited to swimming-most are pebbly or hard-sand strips with coconut palms. The tiny main beach is deserted during the week, but since Kep is closer to Phnom Penh than Sihanoukville it’s deluged on weekends. A restaurants and foodstalls near the beach sell fresh crab. Facilities are limited, with only a few guesthouses in operation. You could stay with locals.

BOKOR RESORT

About 40 km west of Kampot, reached by a rough winding road, is the former French hill station of Bokor. Sitting at 1,080 meters in the Elephant Mountains, the resort was known for its mild climate, forest, gurgling streams, water-falls, and panoramas of the Gulf of Thailand. The resort now is empty, and the area has been off limits for some time due to Khmer Rouge activity. At 700 meters in elevation, Kirirom once provided a cool respite from summer heat for the Phnom Penh elite. With forest of rare pine trees, and a rich stock of
wildlife and fauna, Kirirom was selected in 1995 as the centerpiece of a 35,000-hectare national park straddling Kompong Speu and Koh Kong provinces. Kirirom lies about 115 km southwest of Phnom Penh off Route 4, on the way to Sihanoukville.
At seven-kilometer distance from the mountain, there is a swimming spot locating at the waterfall "Po Pok Vil". On the top of the mountain, we can view the beautiful scenery of Kampot town, Kep, Sihanouk Ville and blue water of the sea.

TEUK CHHU RESORT

Is the natural resort locating at Snom Prampi Village, Mak Prang Commune, Kampot District in eight-Kilometer distance, North of the provincial town. The resort has water flowing from Phnom Dam Rey- Phnom Kam Chay. The water is cool and clear flowing down over the big rocks for year round.
At Teuk Chhu resort, there are valuable and delicious fruit like Durian, Mangostreen, Rambutan, Mak Prang, Pineapple, coconut etc.


PREAK ANPIL RESORT


Is the beach rich in white sand, mangrove and coconut trees, and locates at Koh Touch Commune, Kampot District in 18-Kilometer distance, west of the provincial town of Kampot by the National Road No 3. At the resort, we can enjoy the fresh seafood like crabs, cuttlefish, lobster, snail, and varied sea fish.

KAM TRACK RESORT


Is the rocky mountain having caves and natural wells where arranged and worshipped by the tradition of Cambodia, China and Vietnam. The resort locates at Dam Nak Kan Tuot Khang Tbong Commune, Kampong Trach District in 38-Kilometer distance, East of Kampot town by the National Road No 16. There is a natural well having 30-meter diameter and other small natural wells having four-meter stair and artistic stone look like animal or object shape. From these natural wells, there is a long cave that we can go through to the La Ang Viel Sre 100 and La Ang Thmar Dos. At these natural wells, there are some evidences remain which prove that the wells were the main filming places before the 70th decade. At the front valley, there is a pagoda of Chinese and Vietnamese. In front of the cave, there is a Cambodian pagoda, which has been now maintained and arranged by the pagoda committee permanently. Among the above four resorts excepted Teuk Chhu have not been renovated and well organized yet. However there are tourists and researchers visit the resorts.

1 comment:

richard said...

last year I was in Kampot, it is a great town. I visited some bars, the girls were innoncent, not like thailand:"falang, come with me..."We drinked , I gave a few dollars tip and went Home (alone)

The food is great and I went by boat to the Rabbit Island near KEP