During the Khmer Rouge, much of Kep and Kampot were destroyed. Once considered the "Hamptons" of Asia, the former glory days of this town are now just a memory. The pristine colonial style homes that Khmer royalty often vacationed in are now merely skeletons. I'm told there are old killing fields nearby, left behind by the Khmer Rouge. It's easy to imagine what this town once was, and heartbreaking to imagine what could have been. That said, I do not think it will take long for the world to learn about this beautiful beachside town and turn it into a major tourist destination (for better and for worse).
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| Crab Market in Kep |
| Pepper plants in Kampot |
In Kep we stayed at the Botanica guesthouse for around $8 a night. It is a jungle-like botanical (obviously) oasis! I loved it. Our little room was so cute and I would stay here all the time if it weren't for the creatures that terrorized me in the night! Normally I am not so afraid of lizards, spiders etc, but before going to bed, we were brushing our teeth and a GIANT lizard jumped from the ceiling into the sink. I pretty much jumped out of my skin. He wasn't kidding around, I guess. I also saw an insanely large spider after being told there weren't many spiders in the area. A mosquito net can only provide so much of a respite.
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| Afforementioned giant spider |
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| House between Kep and Kampot |
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| Fishing village between Kep and Kampot |
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| Crab Market |
