Ultimate Kampot Itinerary: What to do in Kampot and Kep in 3 days?
When people talk about Cambodia, most immediately think of Phnom Penh or Siem Reap with the iconic Angkor Wat. But there’s much more to discover. If you’re looking for a place with a slower pace, colonial charm, and easy access to both mountains and the sea, then Kampot and nearby Kep are the perfect escape.
So, are Kampot and Kep worth a stop on your Cambodia trip? We’d say definitely yes — especially if you want a more authentic vibe away from the chaos of Phnom Penh. Kampot is a riverside town full of charm, known for its colonial architecture, evening promenade, and relaxed atmosphere, while Kep is famous for its quiet beach and world-renowned pepper plantations.
In this guide, we’ll share our 3-day Kampot itinerary, including a hike in Bokor National Park, a day trip to Kep, and our favorite places to eat and stay. Whether you’re into nature, history, or food, Kampot and Kep offer the perfect mix of all three.
We spent three days exploring the area: chasing waterfalls, hiking through Bokor’s colonial ruins, wandering through “ghost towns,” and finishing it all off with pepper beer at La Plantation. Here’s how it went — and why Kampot & Kep deserve a spot on your Cambodia itinerary.
Day 1 – Arrival in Kampot & Veal Pouch Waterfall
We left Phnom Penh in the morning and headed towards Kampot. We booked our bus tickets on Redbus.com, where you’ll find plenty of different companies. Our tip: check the company logo on Google and look at reviews there before booking, because the ratings on Redbus aren’t always the most reliable.
Once we checked into our hotel in Kampot, we headed straight out on a trip to the Veal Pouch Waterfall.
Veal Pouch Waterfall & Green Valley
We took a tuk-tuk for about $2 to Veal Pouch Pagoda and from there continued on foot to the Green Valley Veal Pouch and then towards the Veal Pouch Waterfall.
On the way, a thunderstorm caught us by surprise, but luckily we found shelter in a small local restaurant. On the way back it started raining again, so we hid in a roadside hut for a while — and when we thought we were safe to continue, it poured down yet again 😅. We even considered calling a Grab, but before we managed to press the button, a car with two young Cambodians stopped and offered us a ride back to Kampot. It was such a lifesaver during the heavy rain.
Exploring Kampot Town
Back in the center of Kampot, we wandered around the riverside promenade, admired the Seahorse statue, and stopped at the Lotus Pond, which is a really beautiful square. We finished the evening in a fantastic Italian restaurant — and when I say Italian, I mean truly Italian. Honestly, I never thought I’d have the best cheesy pasta of my life in Cambodia 🤣.
After dinner, we strolled the promenade again, this time enjoying the atmosphere of evening Kampot, and ended the day at the singing fountain. We definitely recommend it — the playlist was amazing!
After enjoying the promenade one more time, we headed back to our accommodation. Even though our place was a bit out of the center, the 15-minute tuk-tuk ride cost us only about $2, so it wasn’t a big deal.
Day 2 – Bokor National Park
The next day we wanted to explore Bokor National Park, which is famous for its abandoned colonial buildings. The park sits on a mountain plateau about 1,000 meters above sea level, so the climate here is noticeably cooler than in Kampot. It’s a place where you can find a mix of history, nature, and stunning views — from old French ruins and Buddhist temples to waterfalls and dense jungle.
I really wanted to go for a proper walk (I love hiking 😅), so we planned an ambitious 18 km route through both the well-known and lesser-known sights in the park. Of course, you don’t need to walk that much — it’s totally up to you.
Getting There
We arranged transport with the Uber driver who had taken us back to our accommodation the night before. He seemed friendly, so we decided to message him on WhatsApp (Mr. Long Lavy, +855 78 222 861). We can genuinely recommend him — he was reliable and kind, and for the full-day trip we paid $30 for a return ride. He picked us up and dropped us off wherever we needed. The drive to Bokor took about one hour.
Our Bokor National Park Map
Here, you can see our trip around Bokor National Park.
Hiking Route & Popokvil Waterfall
Once we arrived, we asked him to drop us at a gas station, where we started our hike. Our first stop was the Bokor Mountain Lake, which was beautiful and had a little bridge we had to wade through 🤣. From there, we continued past an abandoned colonial building, walked through a mix of construction sites and nature, until we reached the Popokvil Waterfall.
The waterfall wasn’t bad, but honestly, I’d call it pretty average compared to other waterfalls in Asia. From there, we continued along the trail toward Bokor Hill Station, but then a huge storm hit us. It was raining and blowing so hard that we could barely walk. Luckily, we stumbled upon a guard hut, where a kind man let us shelter until our driver came to pick us up.
Colonial Ruins & Catholic Church
We were a bit sad, since we still had about 6 km left to hike, but it just wasn’t possible in that weather. The driver then took us by car to the remaining sights. We stopped at several old colonial buildings and a beautiful Catholic church, which was definitely a highlight of the day.
Lok Yeay Mao Monument
On the way back to our accommodation, our driver took us to see a few more interesting spots in Bokor National Park. We stopped at the Lok Yeay Mao Monument, a massive statue of a female deity who is considered a protector of travelers, fishermen, and hunters. Standing tall on the mountain, the statue has become a landmark of Bokor and offers great views over the surrounding hills. Locals often come here to pray for safety on their journeys.
Le Palais Noir
Next, we visited the Le Palais Noir, one of the most striking abandoned buildings in the park. Once a luxurious colonial structure, today it’s a favorite spot for urbex lovers and photographers. The empty halls, moss-covered walls, and misty atmosphere give it a mysterious, almost haunting vibe.
Old Royal Residence
Another fascinating stop was the Old Royal Residence, which used to serve as a retreat for the Cambodian royal family. Although the building is now abandoned and weathered by time, you can still sense its former grandeur. Standing here, you get a strong feeling of the colonial history and the contrasting emptiness that remains today.
After exploring these sites, we finally made our way back to Kampot, tired but full of impressions from a day packed with history, nature, and unexpected adventures.
Day 3 – Kep & La Plantation
For our third day, we arranged another trip with the same driver as before. This time, we wanted to explore Kep National Park, visit the town of Kep and its beach, and then finish the day at La Plantation, the famous pepper farm. He picked us up around 8 AM, and the full-day tuk-tuk ride cost us $20.
Kep National Park
Our first stop was Kep National Park, where we started the morning with a lovely breakfast. Entry was only $1 per person. Filip had pancakes, while I ordered a baguette with egg and pickled cucumber, which made me ridiculously happy 😅.
After that, we walked about 7 km along the main trail, which was easy and scenic. Along the way, we stopped at a viewpoint tower with truly stunning views over Kep and the coastline.
Ghostly Monuments & Kep Beach
Exiting the park, we continued toward the coast, passing some interesting monuments. We walked through an area nicknamed the “ghost place” — and honestly, it lived up to its name. There was almost nothing there, just a few empty houses and big grassy lawns.
From there, we passed the harbor and finally reached Kep Beach. It was nice enough for a walk, but to be honest, I wouldn’t really swim there 😅. Still, we were lucky with the weather — after the storm in Bokor the day before, we had been worried, but this time it didn’t rain at all.
La Plantation – Pepper Farm
After the beach, we headed to La Plantation, which we can highly recommend. The farm offers free guided tours (the last one starts at 4 PM, and you don’t need to book in advance). The tour, which lasts about an hour including a tasting, explains how they cultivate and process different types of pepper — black, green, white, and red (the color depends on how it’s processed). You also learn about the history of the plantation, and at the end, you get to taste the peppers.
Since both Filip and I love pepper, we really enjoyed it. On site, you can also buy local products, but there’s absolutely no pressure to do so, which is nice. We didn’t end up buying pepper because we couldn’t decide which one — we were too overwhelmed 🤣. Before the tour, since we arrived a bit early, we tried their pepper beer. It’s craft beer brewed right there at the plantation, and it was honestly really good — definitely worth a try if you’re into craft beers.
Evening in Kampot
After the tour and tasting, we rode back to Kampot town. We withdrew some cash, took another walk by our singing fountain, and ended the evening with a great Indian dinner — the perfect way to wrap up our last day in Kampot & Kep.
Where to Stay in Kampot
We stayed at Villa Romduol, which turned out to be a really nice choice overall.
The accommodation itself was beautiful and spotless, with every corner of the room perfectly clean. The only catch is that it’s a bit out of the way. The road leading there felt quite rough, and tuk-tuks sometimes struggled with it, but don’t worry — they do make it there. Getting to the town center costs around $2 by tuk-tuk, so it’s still manageable.
The owners were a bit confusing to deal with. On our last day, when we were in a rush to catch our transport to Koh Rong, communication got tricky, and at check-out they charged us more than expected. We pointed it out and they corrected it immediately — I’m not even sure if it was a mistake or not, but it’s something to keep an eye on when paying.
So, it really depends on what you prefer. For us, everything else was super positive — a calm location, spotless rooms, and overall a pleasant stay, just with owners who felt a bit unusual at times.
If you’d like to check out other accommodation options in Kampot, you can easily browse and choose according to your budget and preferences on this map.
If you want more inspiration and a bigger overview of the best places to stay in Kampot, check out our full guide: Where to Stay in Kampot (coming soon).
Best Time to Visit Kampot & Kep
Traveling in the low season (May–October) has its perks — there are no lines anywhere, far fewer tourists, and you can often enjoy places almost to yourself. Prices can also be a bit cheaper, and hotels are usually more flexible.
On the other hand, it also means there’s a good chance of rain almost every day, especially in the afternoons. If you’re out on a big hike or day trip and get completely soaked, it can really affect the experience. That’s why we definitely recommend packing a rain poncho 😅.
The high season (November–March) comes with more stable weather and drier days, but naturally also more tourists and slightly higher prices. It depends on what kind of traveler you are — if you don’t mind a bit of rain, the low season has a lot of charm.
Where to Eat in Kampot
In Kampot, you can find almost any kind of food — from traditional Cambodian dishes like amok to a wide range of Western meals. Honestly, we mostly ended up eating more Western-style food during our stay, but we still managed to discover a few culinary hidden gems that we’re happy to share.
Bohemiaz Resort & Spa
We went here twice — once for dinner and once for breakfast.
In the evening, we had quesadilla and meat with pepper sauce, which were excellent. The next morning, we tried their avocado toast, English muffin, and a pancake. Breakfast was rather expensive (around $17 for both of us), while dinner came to about $15. A bit pricier than average, but the atmosphere and menu were outstanding, especially the dinner.
Ahmad Burger & Curry House
We ate here twice, and it quickly became one of our favorites. It’s an Indian restaurant with very reasonable prices — most dishes were around $3.50–4, and burgers were about $2. The food was tasty, portions generous, and it’s an easy place to recommend.
Trattoria da Rasy
For authentic Italian food, this was a real hidden gem. We had homemade pasta and ravioli filled with Italian cheeses, and it was absolutely delicious — especially for just $5 per portion. The lady makes the pasta dough right in front of you, which adds to the charm. If you’re craving Italy in Cambodia, this is the spot.
Marina Italian Restaurant & Deli
Yes, we clearly had a craving for Italy 🤣. At Marina, we had an amazing pizza, made with quality ingredients and baked to perfection. Prices were around $7 per pizza, and it was totally worth it. Definitely a great place if you’re after something familiar and comforting.
Final Thoughts about Kampot & Kep
Kampot turned out to be a very charming town, with a slightly village-like vibe and incredibly kind people wherever you go. What impressed us most were the Bokor National Park and the pepper plantations around Kep — both of which felt unique and well worth the visit.
If you only have 10 days in Cambodia, you’ll definitely want to prioritize Angkor Wat as the absolute highlight. Whether or not you add Kampot really depends on your preferences. For us, it was absolutely worth it — a relaxing mix of town life, nature, and authentic local atmosphere.
The rain was a bigger factor here compared to other places we visited, but when you travel in the low season, you just have to expect it. Outside of the showers, the weather was warm and manageable, and we still really enjoyed our time.
