Kampot 1-day itinerary

Start with a visit to a Kampot pepper plantation — La Plantation or Sothy's are the most established, offering guided tours ($5–8) that explain why Kampot pepper is considered the world's finest. The terroir-driven flavour profiles of black, white, red, and long pepper are demonstrated through tastings. The plantations are surrounded by beautiful countryside with limestone karst mountains rising dramatically. Kampot pepper has Protected Geographical Indication status — the real deal comes only from this province.

Explore Kampot's charming colonial town centre on foot — French shophouses in various states of elegant decay line the riverside streets. The Old Market has local produce, dried fish, and fresh Kampot pepper at local prices. The Durian Roundabout marks the town centre, and the surrounding streets have independent cafes, art galleries, and bookshops that reflect Kampot's reputation as Cambodia's most laid-back town. Lunch at Epic Arts Cafe — a social enterprise supporting deaf and disabled Cambodians.

Watch the sunset from the riverside promenade — the Kampot River widens here and the sky reflects spectacularly across the water with Bokor Mountain as a backdrop. Then tuk-tuk 15km to the Kep Crab Market for the freshest seafood in Cambodia — blue swimmer crabs grilled or steamed with Kampot green pepper sauce ($5–8 per plate), giant prawns, squid, and fish at open-air riverside restaurants. The pepper crab is legendary and the reason many travelers come to this coast.