South-West Cambodia – Flying Sardines

White & powdery sandy beaches, fine pepper used across the world and enchanted islands, South-West Cambodia is a wonderful part of the country, a must see for all travellers.

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Updated:

December 25, 2017

Flying Sardines

I do not know what can make such a big difference between two countries that are side by side, separated by an imaginary line drawn by someone on a map a very long time ago. Two countries, two cities separated by just thirty kilometers but appearing to not even be on the same continent. Yet these two countries are of the same origins and were once part of the same kingdom. But just a few steps into South-WEst Cambodia is enough to notice the difference.

CROSSING THE BORDER !

Crossing the Vietnam / Cambodia Trek Chak border by motor vehicle is an adventure in itself. We’re 8 travelers leaving Ha Tien border city in Vietnam towards Cambodia. We are discussing with two Italians, Antonio & Flavia who, like us, are traveling over an extended period. They recently bought a house in Tulum and we are fascinated by their story, as we are both in love with Mexico. We are divided into two taxis and have with us a “guide” that accompanies us, just to ease the transition … Arrived at the Vietnamese border, everyone comes out of the vehicles and the passage will be done on foot with our backpacks on our backs. Luckily, our “guide” had told us the exact time when the border is the least busy. The exit of Vietnam is relatively simple. Our visa is stamped and we proceed on foot, in the “no man’s land”, the section between the two countries. Several guards keep watch and ask us to see our stamped visas. Everything is fine.

Arriving at the Cambodian border, we enter the beautiful building where several border guards are expecting us. First, the purchase of the travel visa. The price is clearly stated on the wall. $ 30.00 US. The guard said “$ 35US.” It is well known, the guards pocketed $ 5 per person, for personal use. Those who oppose this ploy are then invited to sit and wait several hours, even if we are alone in the room at that time. We therefore acquit the $ 35 and advance towards the barrier with our forms, already filled the day before, thanks to our “guide” who had given them to us in advance … The process is slow. The volume of the television is strong and plays a Bugs Bunny cartoon !!! A doctor calls us one by one in his office to ensure that we have appropriate vaccinations and that we are healthy. The examination process is to answer 3 questions on a form …

Fever: Yes / No … Cough: Yes / No … Nausea: Yes / No

We have our vaccination booklets so everything is OK. Those who do not have it must pay an additional $ 1 US for an allegedly exam … which is to answer the same three questions on the same form … you get the picture. Finally, we can get out and walk to the final fence where our papers are again examined. We are now in Cambodia, heading towards the southwest part in the Gulf of Thailand.

KEP CITY

Upon arrival in Kep, the first major city in the southwest, the difference is palpable. Religion, language, genetics, overall ambience, everything is different. Written language becomes completely unreadable for ordinary foreigners. English is used everywhere, on menus, road signs, etc.

The use of US currency is also an interesting factor. In Vietnam, almost never have we seen prices shown in US $. In Cambodia, the prices are 95% in US $.

Kep is a small and charming town, rather dormant. The city is divided into two sections, with a wide white sand beach in the center. A fish market offers fresh sea products, cooked on site. The blue crab is in the spotlight. Several restaurants adjacent to the market offering the same products with more finesse. The Crab with Kampot pepper is divine. We returned twice to the Crab Kitchen restaurant to enjoy them for only US $ 7 for a large portion. It is at that restaurant that we met Tamar and Toby, two travellers of Dutch and Australian origins, very friendly. We immediately exchanged contacts and we met again on Koh Rong island and, in Phnom Penh. We had a great time with them and hope to see them again, somewhere in the world. They are both excellent photographers and videographers. Have a look at their blogs; http://tobyandtamar.com/

North of the city, is the Kep National Park where you can make some beautiful hikes.

Also, pepper farms near Kampot, offer guided tours and explain the transformation process. We visited the Sothy’s Farm, offering free and very friendly guided tours.

You don’t ko to Kep for the nightlife. While we were there, it was very quiet once dinner time has passed. But do go for à rest and for the magnificent crab

KAMPOT CITY

Thirty minutes from Kep, Kampot City, located along the Tuek Chhu river, looks more like a city. Several “expats” have settled there and opened restaurants and bars with international flavors. À wide variety of food, from local traditional flavors to pizza, steaks, tapas and fast food. Our favorite went to a small street restaurant named Ciao, owned by an Italian, that serves the most fabulous gnocchi and Pizzas. Each dish is prepared by hand, one at a time. Be patient! A bottle of wine for $ 8 helps the waiting period …

Our hotel, the Good Morning Guesthouse Kampot, is perfectly situated on the main street, just across the river, giving us a perfect view of the action on the street and the sunsets. Rooms are great and clean. Staff is very friendly and helpful.

8 km from Kampot, the Preah Monivong National Park ,with its Mount Bokor at 1,079 meters above sea level, part of the chain of sacred Damrei mountains, offer incredible views of the Gulf of Thailand coast and the neighboring islands. From the park entrance, a 32 km winding road takes takes you to the summit. Fortunately, the road was renovated and is easy on motorcycle, which we recommend, rather than the tuk-tuk. Make sure to have plenty of fuel before departure. We had to buy a liter at the top, at twice the price! A huge statue of the goddess of protection, Lok Yeay Mao is well known for keeping calm and peace in the surrounding forest and the coastal provinces of Cambodia. It is located just before the summit and in front of the remains of the residence of King Sihanouk. This residence was built of brick and wood. It is now in ruins but the remains are still very beautiful, with wonderful graffiti on the walls.

A little further, you can visit the ruins of the city of Bokor, Bokor resort and casino. We opted for the waterfall of Popokvil, a few km further to the right at the roundabout, as time … and gasoline, we lacked. The series of falls and cascades of water is beautiful. You can swim at the bottom. To reach the bottom, the trail is hard tso good shoes are recommended. Do not like us … the flip-flop is very poorly suited for this land. As the wind and temperature are changing quickly up there, we recommend to bring something to cover you as well as water and perhaps a little “snack”. The return is by the same route.

Around Kampot you will find pepper farms. This is definitely worth a visit. We went to the Sothy’s Farm, where a free visit is possible, accompanied by a friendly guide. You will see the steps of growing processing processing the pepper, all done manualy. A pepper tasting session ends the visit.

Overall, Kampot is a nice stopover en route to Sihanoukville and Koh Rong island.

KOH RONG ISLAND

From Sihanoukville, Buva Sea, the only fast boat company to go to Coconut Beach, brings us to the island of Koh Rong, located 25km from the coast. NOTICE sensitive hearts !!! On arrival at the port, Buva Sea officials advises us that the ferry will be delayed because of the storm … We look outside … no waves, no wind ??? Bizarre. Not lucky with the ferry. The same thing happened in Nicaragua and we had to wait for another day to make the crossing. Soon after, we are invited to board the speedboat , with its 3 engines of 250 hp each. The sea is calm, at least for the first 5 minutes. Once we hit offshore, we begin to understand what the officials meant. Huge waves begin to shake the boat and those on board, about 40 passengers. Many cling to what they can and you can read fear on their faces. The crossing will last about 40 minutes. Karine still tremble from every limb. And worse, the return was equally turbulent. Yet no wind or waves were seen during the 7 days we were on the island,! We recommend that you sit in the back of the boat. Less turbulent.

Featuring 23 beaches totaling 43 km of fine sand, this island is paradise Life runs at a very slow pace … very, very slow. Perfect for the adventurous travelers looking for à rest. One of the beaches, Koh Touch, has grown at a much faster pace and is invaded by a horde of “backpakers” hungry for fiestas! Good for some … not so good for others. But with all its beaches and small hotels, Koh Rong can satisfy all tastes. Its small neighboring sister, Koh Rong Sanloem is à bit smaller and very quiet.

Many of the beaches are accessible by foot, connected by a small network of roads and trails. Some suitable for motorbikes although difficult to maneuver.

We settled at the Bunnan Bungalows on Coconut Beach, opting for a very comfortable tent with a mattress and a fan, and electrical outlets to recharge our electronics. The Nature and 24k beaches are both within walking distance. In addition, several small boat trips are possible, offering snorkeling excursions, fishing and relaxing on the beaches a little further. The snorkeling around the small Koh Touch island, off the beach of the same name, is particularly fabulous. Also, a small reef on the south side of Coconut beach, offers some wonderful encounters with tropical fishes. And speaking of beautiful meetings, we met Ashley and Nick, two Americans from Florida, with whom we spent some time and enjoyed their company very much. Their website is full of information about photography. https://www.itsjustlight.com/

But much of life on Koh Rong is to bask in the shade of a palm tree, facing the sea of many shades of blue and turquoise. This is the perfect place to rest and to recharge the batteries before heading back to the rest of Cambodia, beginning with Phnom Penh. South-West Cambodia has a lot to offer. Don’t miss-it !!!

We use different websites and phone apps for our hotel, hostels, homestay, apartment or house reservations. Very convenient and often cheaper than in person at the location. By clicking on the icons below, you’ll get a discount on your next booking and at the same time, we will also receive a discount of our own.

WHAT A DEAL, NO?