Before war devastated Cambodia, Kep was the coastal destination of choice for holidaying Cambodians. While it seems to have been bypassed during the redevelopment of the nation, you won’t find many Cambodians complaining.
Kep is a beautiful but quiet town, suitable for families, and offering elegant accommodation options. This town has always been an essential stop-off for any seafood fan, with many of the crab market restaurants on the coastline claiming to have the best version of local delicacies, such as Kampot pepper crab.
The absolute must thing to do in Kep is to try some of the wonderful seafood at Kep crab market. Watch local women arriving to purchase the crab, or buy one yourself. Nothing is fresher. The crab market is a bustling environment alive with merchants selling all kinds of freshly caught seafood. Obviously it helps when some of the best pepper in the world is being grown just 30 kilometres away in Kampot.
There are many things to do in Kep, or you can join the locals and chill by Kep Beach.
Find Things to Do in Kep
Explore some of our favourite Kep attractions
Read our Kep Articles
Read our articles about our adventures in Kep.
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A very brief history of Kep province
Kep was one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge, and the evidence of this can be seen in some of the buildings which still have signs of damage from the war.
Before that Kep was a popular destination for Cambodia's rich and famous. Here, King Sihanouk had a villa which still survives. Many a holiday villa was built in and around Kep, some of which have now been turned into boutique resorts.
Kep Photo Gallery
Some of the sights you can enjoy when you explore Kep province
Where to Go after Enjoying Kep Province?
From Kep you can make the short trip to Kampot either for a day trip or to stay a few days.
Kampot is a quiet little town but one of Cambodia’s most popular destinations with a huge amount to see and do, from taking a drive up Bokor Mountain to discovering Popokvil waterfall, or taking a bike through the salt and Kampot Pepper fields. Kampot Town is also home to many great restaurants to rival the capital.
From Kampot you can extend your journey along the coast to Sihanoukville, pausing briefly before heading for the unspoilt Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem islands.
If you are up for an adventure you can then carry on travelling through the Wild Cardamom mountains and along to Koh Kong close to the Thai border.
Alternatively, if you are planning to head on over to Vietnam, the border crossing from Prek Chak to Hà Tiên is nearby.
Use our Cambodia Map to help plan your journey.
