The Backpackers Guide To Kampot
The small Cambodian town of Kampot is a favourite amongst backpackers and travellers. Boasting fantastic hostels, plenty of things to do and lots of cute cafes to unwind in, Kampot has everything a backpacker could want.
Kampot is one of those towns that seem to be a vortex. The type of backpacker town where you'll plan to just stay a few days and see all the sights, but suddenly you look up and realise a week has gone by. Kampot is one of those places where time just disappears.
Located in the south of Cambodia, the town of Kampot is the perfect place to base yourself for some outdoor exploration. With the Praek Tuek Chhu river flowing right through the town, the green forests of Bokor National Park rising up above and the coastal town of Kep only a short drive away.
Read on to find out why Kampot should be added to any Cambodian backpackers itinerary!
In this backpackers travel guide:
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How to get to Kampot
Kampot is very well connected with easy bus links to all of the main traveller hubs of Cambodia. There are direct buses to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Sihanoukville and lots more.
Click here to book your bus tickets via 12Go
Depending on the distance, how many travellers are booked to travel on that specific day and which company you choose, it can change what type of bus you’ll arrive on. Throughout Cambodia it can range from minivans all the way up to sleeper buses.
We took a very comfy overnight bus from Siem Reap and arrived in time for an early morning breakfast in Kampot. We travelled with Giant Ibis and had a very comfy, double bed seat, blanket and pillow.
If you are booking a sleeper bus ticket, be aware that the seats are sometimes double bed seats. If you don’t want to share a very snuggly double bed with a stranger, make sure you book a single seat or find a friend you’d be willing to cuddle up to.
We luckily didn’t have this problem, but be aware if you’re a solo traveller.
If you prefer to travel via train, there is currently only one train serving Kampot Train Station. Leaving at 7am everyday from the capital Phnom Penh and arriving around 10.40am into Kampot. To book tickets for this train, head to the railway station in Phnom Penh. Once you arrive at Kampot Train Station it's around a ten minute drive into the centre of town.
The nearest airport to Kampot is Phnom Penh International Airport. From there, you will need to arrange a taxi, bus or train transfer to Kampot itself. Check out 12Go for your options here.
Where to stay in Kampot?
There are plenty of hostels to choose from in Kampot, from town centre properties to hostels right on the river's edge.
Karma Traders Hostel
(location)
We stayed at the fantastic Karma Traders Hostel located just outside of town. The hostel was everything we could have hoped for, with a very comfy private room with double bed and en-suite, a rooftop restaurant and bar, friendly staff, lots of common areas to relax in and even a pool.
The atmosphere at Karma Traders was extremely relaxed, yet still sociable with the staff holding plenty of events throughout the week to bring everyone together.
Another big bonus of staying at Karma Traders was the hostel dog Peaches, who was utterly adorable and loved lots of cuddles. If the photo below of Peaches doesn’t sell you a stay here, we don’t know what will!
The incredibly cute Peaches the dog!
Book your stay at Karma Traders here!
We loved Karma Traders so much we’ve written a full blog on our stay, read more below.
Other Kampot hostels
Some other popular hostels in Kampot are the Onederz Hostel (location) located in the centre of town. This hostel offers a swimming pool, private and dorm rooms, a restaurant and working areas. Book your stay at Onederz Hostel here!
Another super popular stay amongst backpackers is the famous Arcadia Backpackers Hostel (location). Set on the banks of the Praek Tuek Chhu river, this social, party hostel offers dorms and private rooms, barbecues, hammocks and late night parties. The main draw to staying here though, is Arcadia’s riverside water park with rope swings, inflatables and a slide! Book your stay at the Arcadia Backpackers hostel here!
If you’re a dog lover, then don’t miss staying at the High Tide hostel (location). This hostel / dog rescue sanctuary offers dorms, a comfy common room area right on the banks of the river, an on-site restaurant and bar and as well as lots of dogs to cuddle! The dogs at the hostel have all been rescued from the streets in and around Kampot and now call the hostel their home. Book your stay at High Tide hostel here!
To take a look at all the hostels on offer in Kampot, use the hostelworld search form below:
If you’re travelling in high season make sure to book your accommodation well in advance of arriving as rooms and beds will sell out quickly.
Getting around in Kampot?
Kampot is easily walkable with the main tourist hub focused along the riverfront itself and the nearby streets. If you’re staying in a hostel in the centre of town, you can easily walk to the cafes, restaurants and riverfront from your accommodation.
If you need to get further afield, then you can easily hail a tuk tuk or remorque (bigger, traditional Cambodian tuk tuk that can easily seat four passengers) from the street. Just remember to negotiate and agree on your price before you set off.
To by-pass any negotiation and to have the price set in place before you set off, we’d recommend downloading and using Grab and PassApp. By using these apps, you can remove any hassle when negotiating for a good price, as well as following your route on your phone so that you know the driver is taking you to the correct place.
To use the Grab and Pass apps you will need a Cambodian SIM card.
You can either buy one in person in Cambodia itself, or to make things easier and have data as soon as you arrive, check out the eSIMS available from Airalo.
If you’re staying in one of the hostels outside of town such as High Tide or Arcadia Backpackers, you will need to hire a tuk tuk or remorque to get you about.
To hire a driver for the day, we’d recommend speaking to the staff at your accommodation who will be able to organise a driver for you. Just let them know where you want to go, how many people there will be and how long you want to be out. The more people in your group, the cheaper it will be.
Scooter rental
The most fun way to explore some of the sites further afield, such as Bokor National Park or Kep, is by hiring your own scooter. There are plenty of scooter rental places in town and all the hostels will be able to offer this service.
We hired a 125cc scooter from our hostel Karma Traders for $5 a day.
If you do hire a scooter, make sure you’re a confident driver. The Cambodian roads are very chaotic with trucks, tractors and tuk tuks coming at you from all directions.
Before you set off, test the bike and make sure you have enough helmets for both you and your passenger.
There are plenty of petrol stations in and around town so you shouldn’t have any problem with filling your scooter up.
The best cafes and restaurants in Kampot
Western fare - brunches, coffee and smoothies
Epic Arts Cafe
(location)
This cute cafe is open from breakfast to late afternoon and is always super popular. Serving everything from paninis and bagels, porridge to eggs and amok curry to salads. We can highly recommend their vanilla cheesecake. They also serve up excellent carrot cake, and our fellow travellers at Karma Traders were split as to whether they preferred the cheesecake or carrot cake. We were in camp cheesecake and thought it was possibly the best cheesecake we’ve eaten on our travels so far!
The delicious cheesecake from the Epic Arts Cafe!
The cafe is part of a NGO offering jobs, education and training to young Cambodian’s with disabilities. You can learn more about the work or make a donation to the Epic Arts charity here.
We visited numerous times on our week-long stay here and always had great food and coffee. Plus it doesn’t feel bad having an extra slice of cake if you know you’re supporting a good cause.
There is also a small shop upstairs selling crafts and trinkets. The cafe frequently puts on shows and performances featuring local talents.
Sunrise Cafe
(location)
We arrived in Kampot after an eight hour overnight bus journey from Siem Reap.
Waking abruptly from our bumpy slumber as our bus pulled to a stop, we groggily threw on our backpacks and headed into town. In our sleepy state, we desperately needed food and caffeine. It was coming up to 7.30am and there was barely another sole on the streets. Trudging on, we feared our breakfast quest may be in vain, but that was all to change when we stumbled upon the Sunrise Cafe.
Scanning the menu, there was a single word on the menu that stood out to us…bacon!
Two bacon, egg and cheese rolls were presented to us along with two hot americanos and our faces immediately lit up. It’s been a while since we’ve had a bacon roll for breakfast and this roll certainly didn’t disappoint!
Sunrise Cafe offers a small menu of Western and Cambodian breakfast favourites, including a ‘Full English’ breakfast, toasties and even fresh baked sausage rolls along with Cambodian chicken rice and noodle soups.
The meat and cheese are all imported, so if you’re after some home comforts, then make sure you don’t miss dining here. Good bacon is rare in Southeast Asia so get it while you can!
Blend House Cafe & Zen House Yoga
(location)
Located down the very small Kampot Alleyway (a hip new collection of bars and shops), this cafe and yoga studio has some of the best food on offer in Kampot. Serving delicious smoothie bowls, bagels, coffee and cake. The staff are super friendly and if you’re vegan, they have lots of different options on the menu.
Upstairs, there is a yoga studio offering daily classes - more on this later.
Cafe Espresso Roastery
(location)
This cafe wins the award for Jellie’s favourite breakfast / brunch spot in Kampot!
Cafe Espresso Roastery is set in an old warehouse with an aesthetic of modern meets industrial vintage; with lots of wood, metal and antiques all thrown together with the odd Cambodian twist added in.
The cafe has a great menu offering breakfast sandwiches, bigger breakfasts, wraps, pancakes and burgers. Before placing your order, make sure to check out their specials board which were offering Greek gyros when we visited.
We always ordered two of their bagels and two flat whites. As soon as the bagels arrived for the first time, we knew we had made a great decision! Bagels are one of those tricky bread types that, when they are done right, they are done really right.
The bagels served at the Cafe Espresso Roastery were done perfect. Crunchy yet chewy and topped with sesame seeds, they were so tasty, we could easily have just eaten the bagel plain, that is until we tried the cream cheese filling! The cream cheese was amazing, sharp yet creamy, it was layered in thick mounds on top our bagel. Underneath the cream cheese layer came a genius move. A thin layer of vinegary sliced gherkins which gave an incredible sour kick against the creamy cheese filling.
Alongside the bagel we were given a ramekin of their delicious chilli jam, salt and the all important Kampot pepper. It really was the perfect breakfast, sweet, sour, salty all in one bite. It was so good we ended up having the bagels on more than one occasion!
The flat whites were everything we hoped them to be. Strong, rich and full of flavour, it was a delicious coffee, and definitely the best we had in the whole of Cambodia. We also loved the small sesame tuile served with the coffee.
If you enjoy the coffee as much as we did, you can also buy the beans straight from the cafe itself. As the name suggests the cafe roasts its own coffee. You can see the roasters as you enter at the front of the cafe.
Make sure you head here if you want a delicious breakfast and a good coffee!
Jean Coffee and Bakery
(location)
Located just off the durian roundabout, this small coffee shop serves excellent coffee and French pastries. We stopped by for a quick breakfast of an iced latte and a chocolate croissant and it was just the ticket to set us up for a full day of exploring
Mama Chicken
(location)
The smell of roasting chicken in the air drew us in like moths to a flame, Mama Chicken sold us with the smell alone.
Mama Chicken offers just two things on the menu. Rotisserie chicken and potatoes. Now if you’ve never tried the deliciousness that is a rotisserie chicken then you’re really missing out.
We ordered two plates of a quarter chicken and potatoes and what was presented to us was huge! A mammoth leg of chicken sat next to a small mountain of potatoes.
Simplicity at its best - if you like you’re grilled chicken, don’t miss Mama Chicken in Kampot town!
Mama Chicken has added a Cambodian flair to the roasting of its chicken, by adding lime leaf which gave the chicken a citrus kick. It was a little surprising on our first bite but by the end we were converted.
We challenge you to tell us, is there anything better than juicy chicken and potatoes?
You can order a quarter, half or even full size chicken. Make sure you get there early in the day as we passed by late one afternoon and she was already packed up after selling out.
Karma Traders
(location)
We’re probably a little biassed as this was where we were staying, but honestly Karma Traders serves up some excellent munch.
From breakfast to dinner, the rooftop restaurant and bar dishes up some brilliant food including a traditional Khmer breakfast of grilled pork and rice, delicious mac and cheese and tasty nachos as well as all the favourites of fried rice and noodles.
If you’re in town make sure you don’t miss out on their Sunday burger and quiz night or the very popular ‘Taco Tuesdays’. If you’re planning to dine on one of their ‘special’ nights make sure you head up to the bar early to grab a seat as it can get very busy. Once the tacos have sold out, that’s it!
‘Taco Tuesdays’ at Karma Traders is popular for a reason!
For a cheap sundowner drink with a view over the mountains of Bokor National Park, head to the bar between 17.00pm and 19.00pm for happy hour.
Local food - fried noodles, rice, salads and grilled meat
Ecran Noodles (Kampot Branch)
(location)
Set a few doors down from the Old Bridge, Ecran Noodles is a small restaurant specialising in all things noodles and dumplings. You can choose to have fried noodles, noodle soup with dumplings, dumpling soup or fried dumplings.
We ordered two of the pork dumpling noodle soup and out came two steaming bowls of comfort! On top of the soup sat five plump dumplings, alongside pak choi, spring onions and noodles. The soup was rich and full of garlic but still light enough not to overpower. The dumplings were perfectly moist inside with a great porky, chive filling.
If you’re up early, make sure you check out their morning deals to pick up a cheap bowl of dumplings and a soft drink!
Market stalls and Kampot’s Night Market
Spiralling out from the ‘Big Durian’ roundabout (location) along all the streets are plenty of market stalls and small restaurants selling local dishes. From fried noodles and rice, rice and curry to barbecued meats and papaya salads. Whatever you fancy, you can easily find it. On the northern edge of the roundabout, you can find Kampot's night market (location). Selling everything from clothing to children’s toys, there are also a few food stalls inside.
Fried noodles, the backpacker staple!
If nothing on the durian roundabout takes your fancy, there are plenty of stalls on the street opposite the Old Bridge as well as in front of the hospital on the riverfront.
We had an excellent beef fried noodle topped with a runny egg from one of these stalls and it was hearty and filling. Make sure you add some of the Kampot pepper, found on every table, to pimp your dish to the next level!
What to do in Kampot?
Now you’ve finished cafe hopping, let us tell you what else is there to do in and around Kampot!
Activities in and around Kampot town
The famous seahorse statue and the riverfront
The most famous attraction on the riverfront is Kampot’s seahorse statue (location). The pink statue stands tall above the waters of the Praek Tuek Chhu river and shoots water through its nose back into the river.
According to news sources online, the designers of the seahorse had likened the design to that of Singapore’s famous Merlion statues! Although the backdrop isn’t quite that of the glass-fronted buildings of Singapore, the seahorse is worth a quick stop.
The famous seahorse statue of Kampot!
The seahorse statue seemed to be a big draw for local tourists, as whatever time of day we passed, the area was always full of Cambodian snapping photos! At night and during the weekends, a lot of small stalls set up selling trinkets, drinks and snacks.
After the seahorse statue, head north, back along the riverfront to take a look at the Old Bridge (location). A leftover relic from the colonial French days, the bridge is now almost always full of scooters and motorcyclists crossing over the river. The bridge has somewhat disintegrated since the French were in town, and multiple different repairs have created a mismatch of a bridge with what appears to be three separate bridges all stuck together.
The mismatch of the Old Bridge in Kampot - the scooter drivers crossing were braver than us!
Kampot’s riverfront is currently undergoing a lot of renovation work, and the area after the Old Bridge looks as though they’re trying to create a riverside “beach” area. During the day it’s very quiet, but during the evening and on the weekends, the beach becomes super popular with locals having picnics and paddling in the water.
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants lining the riverfront as well as market stalls selling fried dishes, snacks and drinks. For those backpackers that can’t live without their cheese and ham toastie there’s a 7-11 store and for those who like more milk than coffee, there’s a riverfront Starbucks!
Lotus pond
(location)
Just behind the riverfront and seahorse statue is a huge pond covered in lotus flowers and lily pads. There’s a circular path that circumnavigates the whole pond and a couple of footbridges you can cross to small islands.
We visited during the wet season on an overcast day so there were very few flowers out, but we can imagine on clearer days it would be a beautiful sight!
Take a sunset boat ride along the river
During the dry season, one of the most popular things to do in Kampot is to take a sunset boat cruise along the river. If you’re lucky you should get a spectacular sunset as the sun dips behind the mountains of Bokor National Park.
The boat trips depart every evening from near the Old Bridge and most boat trips will include a bar on board and snacks.
Once the sun sets you may even get a chance at seeing some fireflies! On our first trip to Cambodia we had an incredible evening watching the sides of the river bank light up with a covering of shimmering lights.
Canoe, kayak and paddleboard on the river
One of the most popular activities in Kampot is kayaking around the Green Loop. This small river loop of around 3 km takes around an hour or so to complete and is a relaxing way (depending on how fast you paddle) to see the river. The Green Loop is also known as the Green Cathedral due to a natural green tunnel that covers the river, created by the mangrove and trees intertwining together. To book a kayak trip, check out Kampot Adventure Tours or speak with your hostel.
If stand up paddleboarding is more your thing, then take a look at SUP Asia to book a session.
Spend a day at the Arcadia waterpark
(location)
Even if you’re not staying at the Arcadia Backpackers hostel, you can still spend a day enjoying their riverside water park facilities. With inflatables, slides, rope swings and kayaks there’s plenty of things to keep you occupied for a full day of riverside adventures.
Arcadia’s restaurant and bar serves food and drinks all day and has a view right over the waterpark.
Entry to the waterpark for non hostel residents costs $7.
Learn to kiteboard
The coast of Kampot creates a unique wind system which is ideal for kiteboarding. With two wind seasons operating throughout the year, you can learn to kiteboard almost all year round.
If you’re new to the sport, the Cambodia Kite Boarding offers introductory and beginner classes. If you’re already a pro at it, you can join one of their advanced classes or rent the gear directly from them.
To learn more about the courses on offer, check out their website here.
Take a yoga class
On the complete opposite end of the scale from kiteboarding, why not attend a yoga session during your stay in Kampot? There are plenty of yoga classes on offer, here are a few suggestions.
The most popular yoga class for backpackers is held at the Zen House Yoga. Offering different yoga classes throughout the week, they offer a morning backpacker package for $10 which includes a yoga class, a smoothie bowl and coffee or freshly squeezed juice after the class in the Blend House Cafe downstairs. Check out their Instagram page here for more information.
Another popular class is held at the Monkey Republic Yoga Studio. A group class costs $6 and there is no need to pre-register your interest, just turn up before the class. Check out their website here for more information on their classes. Monkey Republic also offers private classes as well as hostel rooms and a restaurant. To book a room at Monkey Republic, click here.
A little further out of town is the Yoga Barn Kampot. The Yoga Barn offers two yoga group classes a day costing $7 a class. If you’re staying longer in Kampot and want to do multiple classes, ask about their class passes. Check out their website here for their timetable of classes. The Yoga Barn also offers longer yoga retreats.
Visit one of Kampot’s world famous pepper farms
Kampot may be a popular destination in the Southeast Asian backpacking scene, but did you know Kampot holds another famous boast?
In the culinary world, Kampot is famous and renowned for its pepper! The peppercorns are so important, that like champagne and parmesan cheese, they were given Geographical Indication status. They were the first Cambodian product to gain this accolade.
You can visit any one of the pepper farms surrounding the town to learn all about how they grow, plant and harvest the pepper as well as getting the chance to try some of the famous floral peppercorns yourself.
Just ask your hostel for recommendations. Most packaged hostel tours will include a stop at a pepper farm.
Visit Kampot’s salt fields
Every year from the end of the wet season until December, saltwater from the sea is allowed to seep in and flood Kampot’s salt fields. This saltwater is then left to evaporate in the hot sun of the dry season. The salt is then harvested and sold throughout Cambodia and beyond.
The best times to see the salt fields are during the dry season where the fields are flooded and you can see the salt being harvested. If you’re visiting during this time, make sure you head to the fields at sunset to see the reflections of the sky in the waters of the salt fields.
During the wet season the fields are left uncultivated, so if you’re visiting between May to October we wouldn’t recommend a trip.
Again speak with your hostel to arrange a trip. Most of the ‘package’ trips will include a salt farm visit.
Bokor National Park
(location)
Visible from the whole town, the hills and mountains of Bokor National Park rise up against the horizon. A well maintained road winds its way up through the park all the way to the top to what can only be described as some strange ‘Fallout-esq’ scenery. Once a hill station for the French colonialists and then taken over by the Khmer Rouge, a lot of the hotels and buildings were left to ruin. Wreathed in mist, these abandoned buildings have been joined more recently by modern ruins, half-finished enormous hulks of pre-COVID development left abandoned and unfinished.
Bokor National Park is also home to the famous abandoned Catholic Church that has become an icon of the area. There are also plenty of waterfalls, viewpoints and wild animals to spot.
If you are driving a scooter, just be wary of the huge packs of macaque monkeys that line the roads. The baby monkeys are especially prone to running and darting out in front of you!
We’ve written a whole article on our day trip to Bokor National Park with all the information you need, check out our guide below.
A day trip to Kep
A short forty minute drive away from Kampot lies the coastal town of Kep (location). The town is most famous for its blue swimmer crabs (there’s even a statue commemorating these small crustaceans) and a lunch at Kep’s Crab Market is a must do! Full of stalls selling the freshest of seafood, including the famous crabs, you can order a seafood bounty for very cheap and have it cooked there and then for you.
After you’ve eaten your seafood feast, head to Kep’s National Park for incredible coastal views and, if you’re lucky, the chance to spot a hornbill!
We had a fantastic day out in Kep, eating our way through a mountain of cheap seafood and exploring the national park. You can read all about our day below.
Other things to do in and around Kampot
Take a cooking class to learn all about Khmer cuisine. Check out Lucky Kitchen and Kampot Seafood and Pepper to see what cooking classes they have on offer.
Visit one of the caves dotted in and around Kampot. The most popular caves to visit are Phnom Chhngok Cave, Phnom Kbal Romeas Cave and the Phnom Sorsia Caves.
Push yourself to new heights with a climbing lesson with Climbodia.
Unwind and relax with a spa and thermal experience at the Nibi Spa.
If the weather permits, why not visit the tropical island of Koh Tonsay (also known as Rabbit Island) located 4km off the coast of Kep.
Booking a guided tour around Kampot
Wherever you’re staying, you’ll easily be able to arrange a tour with the staff at your hostel. Just speak with the staff at reception and let them know what you would like to do. At Karma Traders they had a remorque driver who could ferry you around for a whole day.
If you are hiring a driver for the day, try and get a group together beforehand. This will not only make it a more fun trip, but to also make things cheaper for you as you pay for the remorque not per passenger!
If you’d prefer to have everything arranged in advance, why not book a tour through Get Your Guide. Check out the widget below to see what tours are available in Kampot:
How long should I stay in Kampot?
We’d recommend booking at least a four night stay in Kampot. It’s the kind of place you can just slow down in. There’s plenty of things to do and it’s easy to spend an afternoon just relaxing with a book in one of the many cafes.
We’d recommend spending at least two days exploring further a field in Kep and Bokor National Park and then spending the rest of your time around Kampot, relaxing in the cafes or by the riverside.
When to visit Kampot?
Cambodia has two seasons. The dry season that runs between November and April and the wet season that runs between May to October. During the dry season you can expect sunny days and high temperatures. The wet season, you’ve guessed it, brings with it a lot of rain.
The best time to visit Kampot and to enjoy all the river based activities would be during the dry season. Be aware though that as it is the high season for tourism you will need to book your accommodation and transfers well in advance as things can get booked up very quickly. Also the national park, Kep Crab Market and all the tours and activities will be much busier.
If you are in Kampot during the wet season do not fear, there’s still plenty of things to do, plus you’ll have the advantage that, as it's the low season, prices will be cheaper. This brings us nicely onto…
Kampot in the rainy season - is it worth visiting?
Absolutely! We spent a week in the height of the rainy season and still had a fantastic time. At the start we had three full days of solid rain, but it didn't dampen our spirits. We just spent our time relaxing with our other travellers at Karma Traders or enjoying the cafes of Kampot.
After three days of solid rain, we managed to get out and about on the scooter and had an amazing time exploring Bokor National Park followed by another day in Kep. It did rain on these two days, but it was almost always in the early evening once we had returned. If it did rain that day, it would be a short but very heavy rainstorm that would disappear as quickly as it arrived.
When it rains, it rains!
If you are visiting in the rainy season just make sure you are a little more flexible with your plans, check the weather and pack a wet coat with you. In the days where it rained constantly a lot of the roads in town became flooded. This wasn’t a problem if you were on a scooter or tuk tuk as you could get through but just meant that you had to do some detours if you were walking on foot. The floods didn’t last long and disappeared overnight.
Leaving Kampot - where to go next?
As with every travel story, there’s always an end to a chapter. Suddenly it's time to pack up, haul your backpack on your back and head on to your next destination. From Kampot, it’s easy to book onwards travel to pretty much anywhere in Cambodia.
As you’re already in the south of the country, the next logical stops would either be north to the bustling capital of Phnom Penh, or west to Sihanoukville to catch the ferry to the island of Koh Rong.
Book Kampot to Phnom Penh bus tickets here.
Book Kampot to Koh Rong bus tickets here.
Book Kampot to Siem Reap bus tickets here.
If you’re at the end of your Cambodian visa or need to head to your next country, you can easily book bus tickets to get you across the border to either Vietnam or Thailand.
Vietnam bus tickets:
Book bus ticket to Ho Chi Minh here.
Book bus tickets to the island of Phu Quoc here.
Book bus tickets to Can Tho and the Mekong Delta here.
Thailand bus tickets:
Book bus tickets to Bangkok via the Poipet border here.
Just some of the places you can reach by bus from Kampot!
Cambodia itineraries
If you’re looking for inspiration on where to go next, check out our one week, two week and one month travel itineraries here.
Final thoughts - is Kampot worth a stay?
We absolutely loved our time in Kampot and definitely feel it's worth a longer stay. Kampot is the perfect place to relax and soak up the laid-back vibes of the town. It’s one of those places where it's totally fine to do nothing all day whilst at the same time rewarding those who go out and explore. Kampot had an ideal mix for us of comfort and adventure. We could spend the day biking through abandoned churches, passing monkey troupes and vertical views but end the evening eating delicious mac and cheese whilst drinking cheap, ice cold beer! It was, for long term backpackers, just what we needed
We have visited Kampot twice now and are already planning a third visit.
Kampot you were great and we cannot wait to come back again!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Read all out other Kampot guides:
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Essentials for your Backpacking Trip
Before you set off on any backpacking adventure, it is absolutely necessary that you have sorted out all the essentials before you depart.
With all the excitement of planning your trip, it's easy to overlook some important (but dull) things!
Travel Insurance
Before you even board your plane, make sure you have travel insurance setup and in place for the whole of your trip. Healthcare abroad can be extremely expensive and should, you ever need it during your travels, you want to make sure you have the best!
Check out SafetyWing who offer travel insurance policies to long-term travellers and digital nomads.
SIM cards and mobile data
Mobile data is essential to modern backpacking. As soon as you land in a new country you’ll need to be connected to the internet. We’d recommend getting an eSIM setup in advance with Airalo.
VPN
Once you’re online you’ll need to protect yourself from dodgy internet connections and phishing scams. We’d always recommend you use a virtual private network - VPN such as Surfshark.
A VPN will also mean you can still watch Netflix whilst away!
Booking Accommodation
You’ll always need somewhere to rest your head at the end of a day. We’d recommend booking stays on either booking.com, agoda, or hostelworld.
During the high season make sure to book well in advance as popular hostels will sell out quickly!
Booking Transport
To get around you’ll need to book transport on the fly and in advance. We’d recommend using 12Go to book bus, train and ferry tickets.
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Hostels can be a backpacker's best friend or worst enemy. A great hostel is a hub for travellers exploring and making the most of a new place. Karma Traders of Kampot is a perfect example of an amazing hostel. Social and fun whilst being relaxed and unforced, read our article to find out why a four day stay turned into a weeklong love affair!