Kep - Crab Markets And A National Park, A Day Trip From Kampot
Nearby to the Cambodian town of Kampot lies the province and beachfront town of Kep. In the 1920s, Kep was a favourite seaside retreat for the ruling powers of the colonial French. Nowadays, the French mansions stand abandoned, but the town has seen a resurgence in local tourism eager to explore its beaches, national parks and perhaps most importantly for us, its amazing seafood!
Kep is an easy day trip from the backpacking and travel hub of Kampot. Legendary for its seafood market and a local blue swimmer crab, visitors flock here to eat the delicious, affordable seafood. Kep has more than just tasty crustaceans to offer though, with beautiful national parks and, in the right season, swathes of white sand beaches.
We took a day trip out from Kampot to sample the best Kep has to offer - this is what we got up to:
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In our guide to Kep:
Kep National Park - Where is it, opening times and ticket prices
Kep Crab Market - A quick guide to ordering. All you need to know
Where is Kep Crab Market?
When is Kep Crab Market open?
Buying seafood
Getting your seafood cooked
Side dishes and accompaniments
Where to eat your seafood feast in the Kep Crab Market?
Other dining options - Sit down restaurants.
Kep - A day out from Kampot
Our day started at our fantastic hostel in Kampot, Karma Traders (check out our article on why you should stay at Karma Traders here). Over breakfast we decided that today was the day to explore down the coast to Kep. After a rainy few days in the wet season, the clouds had parted and the sun was finally peaking through. We took this as our cue to get on our scooter and head out for a seafood feast.
Kep is legendary for its seafood, especially the local blue swimmer crabs. We have seen the crab market of Kep all over YouTube and being foodies, we knew we had to try it ourselves.
A basket of the famous ‘Blue Swimmer Crabs’ of Kep!
After breakfast, we jumped on our $5 a day scooter and headed out through Kampot’s hectic traffic. Quickly leaving town behind, we joined the main road between Kampot and Kep. The road was flanked on either side by rice paddies, traditional wooden houses and the occasional water buffalo. The road itself was busy with local traffic. Monks and children heading to schools and temples all jostling for space with trucks and tractors.
The ride to Kep took just over half an hour. We turned off the main road and looped past the famous crab market. As we passed, we couldn’t help but feel a bit apprehensive, it looked so busy! Cars and scooters were crammed and jammed together and you could barely see the stalls through the throng of people. It wasn’t even lunchtime yet. We chose to be positive - this many locals couldn’t be wrong - it had to be good!
Kep Beach and Seafront
We continued to round the headland and pulled up at our first stop, Kep Beach. Despite the overcast day the beach was full of locals playing in the sand and dipping their toes in the water. We were travelling at the height of the wet season, so we were definitely not seeing the beach at its best, but this didn’t put a dampener on the families and Cambodian youth enjoying the surf. All along the beachfront stretched market stalls offering hammocks and picnic areas.
The main strip of Kep Beach has a large car park behind it and plenty of beachside shops, restaurants and cafes. This is also where the majority of the hotels and resorts are. The eastern end of the beach has the famous Kep ‘White Lady’ statue staring out to sea. The story of the statue is that it is of the loyal wife of a fisherman who refused to eat and sleep until her husband came back from the sea…. The husband sadly never returned.
After our walk along the beach we couldn’t help but think about the last time we were here. Nine years previously, a fresh faced Jellie first set foot in southeast Asia. Cambodia was the first southeast Asian country we explored.
Kep back then was a very sleepy beach town. The road along the beach was single lane and the beach was shielded by massive trees. When we visited back then in the peak of the high season, the beach was quiet with barely a soul to be seen. Fast forward nine years and we’re back at the main beach and it couldn’t be more different. Throngs of parasols and deckchairs spread out across the sands filled with Cambodian families. The quiet road now busy with cars and the tall trees replaced by short palms with large scale development behind them.
Kep Beach has changed a lot!
You always know coming back to a place after such a long time that it will change, but Kep has certainly grown up and expanded as a holiday resort.
We were seeing the beach on an overcast day, with a high tide on a weekend in the wet season. We can imagine it is a bit more picturesque in the dry season, although it may be even busier!
Back on the scooter, we drove away from the beach and down the coast. Our destination was Kep National Park but not before a quick stop at what might be Kep’s most famous statue. Standing in the waves, its pincers raised up, is the famous ‘Blue Swimmer Crab Statue of Kep’. It’s only fitting for Kep to pay tribute to its most famous crustacean. Blue Swimmer Crab meat is legendary for its sweet rich flavour. One we would definitely be sampling later in the day. Photos snapped, it was time to head inland towards the National Park.
The famous ‘Blue Swimmer Crab Statue’ of Kep!
Kep National Park and the abandoned mansions
As the road wound away from the sea, we started to pass abandoned mansions, houses and hotels. This is Kep’s other less glorious claim to fame. During the colonial days in the 1920s, the Kep seafront was a popular retreat for the ruling French. The mansions here were abandoned in the 1940s and some destroyed by the Khmer Rouge as symbols of the elite. Today, you’ll see their crumbling remains peeking out from the trees or huddled behind their old gated walls. These ruins used to be a haven for urban explorers but recently they seem to have been bought off and locked away. Several of the ruins looked like they had been, at least partially, restored.
There were also more modern ruins to see on our drive inland. All through the Kep hillsides are half finished new builds and abandoned construction sites, presumably, these were pre-COVID tourism investments that never got to see the light of day.
Arriving at the entrance to Kep National Park (location) we pulled over at the ticket booth and bought our entrance tickets ($1 each). The friendly guards at the entrance told us it was an 8km walk or we could just drive our scooter through it. We’re not saying we’re lazy but…
Back on our scooter we slowly made our way into the park. The path was busy with pedestrians but only for the first hundred metres where they all turned off for the amazing views at the Led Zep Cafe and Viewpoint. Not needing caffeine just yet we continued on.
The concrete road reminded us of the ones you find on the southern Thai islands, narrow but not so much you couldn’t pass other bikers going the other way. The road snaked through lush jungle, surrounding us on all sides with thick green foliage. Every so often there would be a break in the trees and we would be treated to sweeping views down over Kep and the surrounding countryside. We continued on up until we found the previous incarnation of the Led Zep Café, it had amazing views but the rotting wooden floorboards had definitely seen better days.
Further on up the winding road, we saw signs for a lookout tower, so we pulled over and went to investigate. A short walk up a jungle track and we were greeted by a green metal tower. The view from the top was fantastic. On one side you could see all over Kep town and its beach and the other side commanded views all the way to Kampot.
After the viewing tower we cruised through more amazing jungle, stopping for some silly selfies and even catching a glimpse of some hornbills flying overhead.
For $1 each the national park was brilliant. Driving around on our scooter on a jungle road past spectacular viewpoints, it was well worth the entrance fee.
After the park it was finally time. Our appetites had been recharged, so we set off to Kep’s crab market.
Follow us as we explore Kep National Park by scooter!
Kep’s famous crab market - How to order a feast?
The Kep Crab Market was very busy, but there was no issue finding a space for our scooter. Parking sorted, we headed under the canvas for Kep’s famous crab market. Ducking our heads into the huge covered area, we could straightaway see why the market was famous.
Rows and rows of stalls selling seafood, condiments, side dishes, drinks and snacks stretched away in an impossible series of dining choices. We knew we wanted crab so that’s where we started. With the light streaming through the colourful umbrellas and plastic awnings above, we made our way down the fresh seafood aisle.
On either side of us bubbling buckets of live seafood lined the narrow path. From giant prawns to blood clams, lobster to squid. If it swam or scuttled in the sea it was up for sale. Everywhere, being sold from every stall, were the famous blue swimmer crabs. The market was a complete assault on the senses, with vendors shouting, wok and charcoal smoke filling the air and the sizzles and smell of frying fish everywhere.
A meal in the market works like this. You head down the narrow aisles until you find the seafood protein of your choice. You buy the live ingredient from the vendor and then take it to be cooked. This can be from the same stall you’ve bought it from, or another stall elsewhere. Each stall will have different cooking options to choose from.
Our protein of choice was half a kilo of plump, juicy prawns and half a kilo of Kep’s famous blue swimmer crabs. Seafood secured, we needed our haul cooked.
The region of Kampot grows what is known as the ‘champagne of peppercorns’. Kampot pepper is used throughout Cambodia and sought out all over the world for fine dining restaurants and discerning home cooks. Kampot pepper has a richer, more complex taste than the standard pepper found on every dinner table. The pepper has floral, herbaceous notes with a slight hint of citrus. These special peppercorns go into making the perfect sauce to pair with crab, the Kampot pepper sauce.
We had bought a kilogram of seafood for the frankly ridiculous price of $8 USD! The stall where we had bought the seafood wasn’t cooking with pepper sauce that day, so we simply walked down the aisle and asked at stalls until we found someone to cook us our seafood peppercorn feast.
If you bring your own produce, having your food cooked in the market is seriously cheap. We handed over our prawns and crabs along with $2.50 and five minutes of roaring wok work later, we were presented with our steaming pile of delicious seafood.
With all the seafood you can opt to have it cooked in different ways and with different sauces / toppings. If you want your crustacea boiled, steamed or fried it can be done. Just ask each stall what sauce they make and pick the one that sounds best. For barbeque cooking, head into the market and choose any of the countless number of barbecue stalls. These stalls cook everything from whole fish, squid, octopus and prawns over hot charcoal.
The next stage of eating in Kep market is side dishes and finding somewhere to eat your seafood feast. With a kilogram of food between two people we didn’t exactly require anything else! But if you’re after anything in addition there were stalls all around selling vegetables, salads and rice to round off your seafood extravaganza.
To gain a market side dining table, the process was simple. Just find a drinks vendor with spare tables, sit down and order drinks. We found a very friendly mother and daughter who waved us in enthusiastically to their stall. We ordered two drinks and set out our food.
The lovely lady at the stall came back with our cold drinks alongside a bowl of water for cleaning our hands and a healthy stack of napkins. It was time to get messy!
As soon as we opened up our feast, the sweet smell of seafood and pepper hit our noses. Even by the smell alone we knew we were in for a treat. Over the next half an hour we prised apart shells, cracked claws, sucked and twisted meat from our seafood bounty. Words cannot describe how good it was (but we are going to try)!
Our seafood feast in all its glory!
The crab was incredibly sweet. Firm yet yielding we found ourselves meticulously stripping each of our many crabs for every scrap of delicious white meat we could find. Kep is famous for these blue crabs and after eating half a kilogram of them we can certainly see why. Every part of the crab from their claws, legs and shell the meat was succulent and divine.
The prawns were huge. As you stripped the hard shell away you were left with a curled nugget of prawny goodness. They were perfectly cooked, juicy and probably the tastiest prawns we’ve ever had. We can say with absolute certainty that we’ve never eaten fresher prawns or crab. They were caught that very morning, unloaded to the market and we had bought them alive and kicking.
The pepper sauce was divine. Clinging to every sea-foody surface, it permeated every bite with a spicy yet delicate taste. The cooking juices from the prawns and crab mixed with the heady perfumed pepper and created the perfect sauce. A special treat of this Kep seafood feast was taking the prawn heads, dredging them through the sauce and sucking all the flavour out of them.
We’ve said before, there is no graceful way to eat crab. The addition of pepper sauce and prawns to peel made our Kep feast a gloriously messy affair. We were very glad of the finger bowl by the end. The whole experience of the market, buying the fresh produce and having it cooked in front of us and of-course the delicious taste made this one of our favourite meals in Cambodia and maybe of our whole adventure as well!
Stomachs full and our bikes suspension running a little lower, we headed back to Kampot.
More photographs of Kep Crab Market
A practical guide for visiting Kep and the crab market
Where is Kep and how to get there ?
Kep is located on the coast of southern Cambodia. Set half an hour away from the tourist hub of Kampot and around three and half to four hours away from the capital of Phnom Penh.
Kep is also the name of the province (sometimes spelt Krong Kaep) surrounding the town.
You can find Kep province here and the main beach here.
The easiest way to reach Kep is by road from Kampot. You can either drive yourself on your rented scooter, hire a taxi, get a private driver or catch a bus.
There are regular bus services running to Kep from the tourist hubs of Kampot and Phnom Penh.
When to visit Kep? Kep in the rainy season
Kep is a seaside town and its beaches benefit greatly from blue skies and good weather. The dry season in Kep runs from October to May and during this time you will have many more days of sunny skies making it the optimal beach time.
During the wet season, (June - September), it will rain for a portion of most days and when it's not raining you’re more than likely to have overcast skies. Even in the height of the wet season you will still get the occasional spell of good weather but it is less reliable. When we visited Kep, during the rainy season, it wasn’t ideal beach weather for us but it didn’t stop any of the locals. The sea will be rougher during the wet season and with less clear waters.
All the negativity now out the way, we really enjoyed visiting Kep in the wet season. The paddy fields on the drive down were verdant green, the air was cooler and the heat less oppressive. The national park was blooming and gorgeous and the famous Kep Crab Market, busy as it was, was much less crowded than it would have been in the height of the high season.
If you are looking for a beach break then the dry season is the obvious choice, but if you’re in Cambodia during the wet months, don’t write off Kep, it is still gorgeous.
Kep National Park - where is it, opening times and ticket prices
Location: Kep National Park rises up across the hills behind the seaside town. Set in amongst the hills that surround the peninsula, Kep National Park has two entrances / exits. To get into the park you will have to enter here, this is where the ticket booth and car park are. You can either exit the same way you came in, by doubling back along the same path or come out via this backroad here.
Ticket prices: It costs $1 entry each for foreigners to enter the park. It is free for Cambodian nationals.
Opening times: The park is open from 8.00am until 18.00pm everyday.
When we visited the National Park there was nothing to stop you coming in from the back entrance, there was a small booth but (at least in the wet season) it was unattended. However, we wouldn’t recommend trying to dodge the ticket price. Go in the proper way and support the park!
Parking in Kep
If you’re driving yourself by scooter, parking is abundant and easy in Kep. All along the seafront there are places to pull over and park up. Just beware that some of the seafront parking spaces (usually close to stalls with chairs) will require you to buy something from them.
Kep National Park has plenty of spaces to park if you want to explore on foot, just outside of the main ticket booth is a large car park.
At the Kep Crab Market, it may look chaotic but if you’re on a bike it's not too hard to find a parking space. In the main car park, to the right of the market if you are facing the sea, there is a dedicated motorbike park with attendant. It cost us $0.50 to park here and have the bike looked after whilst we had our seafood feast.
For those driving by car, parking is more limited but still possible. There are car parks at the market, the beach and the national park. Just be warned they can get very busy, especially on weekends and public holidays.
Kep Crab Market - A quick guide to ordering. All you need to know!
Where is the Kep Crab Market?
Kep’s famous crab market is located 1.6km west of the main beach and hub of Kep, just around the peninsula. It is an easy day trip from the traveller hub of Kampot which is 27km away (about 30 - 40 minutes drive).
You can find Kep Crab Market on a map here.
When is the Kep Crab Market open?
The Kep Crab Market is open every day from 5am until 5:30pm with some of the more ‘formal’ restaurants being open later.
The market opens when the overnight fishermen come in and deliver their haul. For those very experienced in haggling you can actually buy the catch straight off of the boat!
Buying seafood
On the ocean facing side of the market you will find all of the “raw ingredients” for your meal - the seafood sellers. Explore these aisles and negotiate prices for what you want to buy. Do not take the first offer!
We spent $8 in total for half a kilogram of crab and half a kilogram of large prawns. We were quoted a range of prices before settling on the $8 per kilo / $4 per half figure, our first shop was offering more than double that price! We’re sure you can haggle better than us, let us know in the comments.
Getting your seafood cooked
Now you have your seafood it's time to get it cooked. The stall you bought it from will almost certainly be able to cook it for you, just check what sauce you want and know that it's not rude or a problem to take your seafood elsewhere.
Our stall didn’t offer Kampot pepper sauce so we went a couple of stalls down until we found one that did. If you’ve bought your seafood already, the cost of having it cooked should be very low. We paid $2.50 for all our seafood to be prepared, fried and cooked with a pepper sauce.
Another option at Kep Crab Market - sweet, spicy, chilli sauce prawns!
Also note that you can choose how your food is cooked along with what sauce you want. You can have the seafood boiled, steamed or fried.
For grilled foods, head into the market where there are dozens of barbecue stalls that will either grill something you bring them or sell you something fresh off the barbecue.
Kep market is a fresh seafood market and so the food you buy should still be alive. Be aware of this if you are squeamish.
Some stalls on the market were unloading frozen produce. If you’ve come all this way to eat fresh seafood, make sure you’re buying it fresh! You can see the difference in the stalls, the fresh are served either live or over ice. The frozen are unloaded in blocks of ice.
Side dishes and accompaniments
Now you’ve got your steaming box of seafood, make your way deeper into the market. Here you’ll find stalls selling all sorts of grilled food, along with cooked rice, vegetable merchants and sauces shops. Just haggle your way through, picking up anything you may need.
Where to eat your seafood feast in the Kep Crab Market?
Head down to any of the drinks vendors and you’ll see they have tables set up ready for you to use. Just buy drinks or desserts from them and they will sort you out for napkins, and in our case, finger bowls to clean yourself up with.
Voila, a seafood feast like no other! Do not miss out on this in Kep, you may never eat better for such a little amount of money.
Other dining options - Nearby restaurants
Lining the coast and stretching nearly all the way to Kep beach are more formal restaurants. If you are looking for a more refined setting to enjoy a seafood banquet (maybe even involving air conditioning!) then there are loads of sit-down restaurants to choose from.
You will be paying a premium for eating at one of these sea-side eateries and wont be picking your produce fresh from the market, but if you want a little more refinement they would be a good choice.
Guided tours of Kep
You can easily arrange a guided tour of Kep from your accommodation in Kampot, just speak with the staff at reception.
If you would like to book an experience in advance, have a look at Get Your Guide who offer top rated tours in the area. check out the widget below for what they offer:
Accommodation - Where to stay in Kep?
As a holiday seaside resort there are plenty of places to stay if you want a longer stay or have a beach break in Kep.
Check out our handy map below to see all the accommodation on offer:
Staying near Kep - The traveller town of Kampot
Just up the road from Kep is the backpacker and travel hub of Kampot. It is a much larger town and an easy drive from Kep. Kampot is full of cafes, bars hotels and hostels as well as loads of great restaurants and things to do.
Check out our articles on Kampot for more of the highlights:
We stayed at the fantastic Karma Traders hostel in Kampot and can highly recommend you do the same. To have a look or book your stay, click here.
Is Kep worth visiting?
Absolutely! If you’re already travelling around southern Cambodia you should not miss Kep. Even if it's not the season for beaches, the seafood alone and natural beauty make it worth the visit. We loved our time in Kep!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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