KAMPOT, KEP & KOH TONSAY DISCOVERY
$475
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5 days / 4 nights
Ref: KKK-5D |
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• Ancient Temples • Colonial Kampot • Salt Flats • Ethnic Cham Villages •
• Beautiful Scenery • Cool Bokor Mountain • Relaxing Sunset River Cruise • Smelly Fruit! •
• Famous Kampot Pepper • Mysterious Caves • Secluded Tropical Island • ‘Bamboo Train’ •
• Re-emerging Kep • Delicious Seafood • Vibrant Crab Market • Glorious Sunsets •
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 This Kampot, Kep & Koh Tonsay 5 day tour could be described as salt & pepper with seafood and some smelly fruit for desert, no we are not writing a menu but Kampot and the surrounding area is any gastronomer’s dream… Many people believe Kampot is the most picturesque province in Cambodia and during this 5 day Kampot, Kep & Koh Tonsay Tour you will be left most probably agreeing with them. After initially exploring a couple of ancient temples you will head south to Kampot. From the faded colonial charm of Kampot town you will discover: salt flats; traditional village life; the cooler air of a deserted hill station; the spiky smelly fruit the area is renown for; its relaxing river; ethnic Cham villages; interesting caves; and the famous Kampot pepper. Moving on to Kep you will discover a former elites ‘get-a-way’ being revived, a secluded back-to-basics tropical island, a lively crab market, and a unique train journey. All this to a backdrop of deliciously fresh seafood and unforgettable sunsets! A region of Cambodia that must not be missed…
Below please find the detailed itinerary...
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Day 1: Phnom Penh, Ancient Temples & Kampot
- / - / D
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This morning you leave Phnom Penh and head south initially visiting Tonle Bati where you can explore the small yet picturesque Angkorian temple of Ta Prohm. On the banks of the nearby river are a line of bamboo shacks with hammocks, a great place for a relaxing drink. A few kilometres further on you will see the large hill of Phnom Chisor, after climbing the 500+ steps you are rewarded by the sight of the nicely preserved 11th century temple ruins, as well as a fabulous panorama of the surrounding rice fields. You then continue south following the picturesque drive to Kampot. Kampot has an undeniable charm, it is a sleepy, quaint place with a relaxed ambience and friendly locals, the streets are quiet and there is a lot of French colonial and Chinese influenced architecture still surviving, and if all that wasn’t enough there is a wonderful riverfront wth a small collection of cafes. In the late afternoon you will take a short drive through traditional Cham villages to the salt flats and learn about the salt making process as the sun sets off in the distance behind the Bokor mountains... |
Day 2: Discover Cool Bokor & Relaxing River Cruise
B / L / -
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 Today you visit Bokor National Park where you will drive up the winding 35km road through lush jungle scenery to the cooler summit hill station. The Bokor Hill Station was originally developed as a playground for the colonial and Khmer elite in the early 20th century, it’s cooler climate and lush scenery provided a welcome relief from the lowland heat. However, as with much of Cambodia, Bokor’s fortunes changed with the rise of the Khmer Rouge, the area saw heavy fighting and today many of the buildings are pock-marked and shattered from heavy machine gun and rocket fire. The ghostly remains have a unique ambiance and can be especially eerie when the clouds descend and the fog drifts in and out. On the way back to Kampot you will call in to a durian plantation (the smelly spiky fruit this area is renown for), and catch a boat for a relaxing and delightful sunset cruise back to Kampot, where you are then free at leisure for the rest of the evening, a perfect opportunity to stroll along the pleasant, laidback riverside with its bars and restaurants. |
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NB: Bokor Mountain is currently being developed and access is very limited. If it is not possible to visit Bokor alternative arrangements will be made to visit the nearby Community based tourism project of Preak Tnout where you will witness a traditional local village, take a walk to a waterfall, watch local crafts being produced, and take a sunset cruise along a mangrove estuary to see traditional fishing, and when the sun has set flickering fire flies… |
Day 3: Kep, Caves, Beautiful Scenery & Koh Tonsay
B / - / D
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This morning you travel through delightful scenery of rice paddies, sugar palm trees, traditional wooden houses, and karst limestone outcrops on the way to the cave of Phnom Chhnork. Inside the cave you will discover the remains of a 7th century brick temple. After this you will visit the caves of Phnom Sla’an, if you are feeling adventurous you can scramble through this cave until you magically appear into the sunlight on the top of the hill, being rewarded with perhaps some of the most beautiful views in Cambodia, with the traditional countryside stretching off into the Gulf of Thailand and its many islands. For the less adventurous you can follow a track up the outside of the hill be see the same views. During the 1960’s Kampot was world famous for its aromatic pepper you will visit a local pepper plantation. On arrival in Kep you will catch a boat for the short journey to the lovely and secluded Koh Tonsay or (Rabbit Island). The main beach is lined with coconut palms and this is where you will find your bamboo beach hut. This is a back-to-basics experience as there is no electricity and no running water. However, the solitude, beautiful sunset, incredibly starry night, and falling asleep to the sound of waves breaking on the beach more than make up for this… |
Day 4: Relaxing Koh Tonsay & Kep
B / - / -
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This morning you will awake to the sound of bird song and the soft light of the early morning sun, take a refreshing dip in the warm sea, a perfect start to the day. If you wish you may follow the 6km trail around the island discovering a few deserted beaches and some friendly local fishermen. The more adventurous may wish to search out the hilltop for an American anti aircraft gun bunker, a relic of the Vietnam War. In the late morning you will return to the mainland and check-in to your accommodation. After checking-in you are free at leisure to explore Kep. Kep was a popular seaside resort with Cambodia’s elite in the 1940s-60s, but it was abandoned during the Khmer Rouge period. However, today it is experiencing a revival with many of the empty, decaying villas being restored into delightful hotels and guesthouses. Kep is famous for its seafood so for lunch and dinner you may choose to experience this at the beachside restaurants. |
Day 5: Crabs, Bamboo Train & Phnom Penh
B / - / -
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An early start to visit the lively crab market and watch the women hauling their crustacean laden baskets ashore and the haggling local restaurateurs making their deals. After this you will drive the short distance to the remains of Kep train station, here you will board a ‘bamboo train’ to Kompong Trach. The regular train service is almost non-existent so enterprising locals have placed a wooden platform on some train wheels, hooked it up to a motorbike engine and created their own local train service which serves the local villages, a unique form of transport! On arrival in Kompong Trach you will visit the pagoda of Wat Kirisehla set in the shadows of a karst limestone formation. Off to one side is what appears to be a cave, however the local children armed with burning torches will excitedly guide you into it, and you soon discover it is a tunnel that opens out into a circular hidden natural cavity surrounded by towering craggy cliffs with the sunlight streaming down. There are various Buddhist icons in the cliffs surrounding caves including a large reclining Buddha. After this you will enjoy the scenic drive back to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival you are free to continue you travel plans, having experienced a varied and action packed side of Cambodia that not many see and you will have some truly wonderful memories… |
| *The cost of the above tour is $475 (US dollars) per person based on 4 people travelling together and sharing 2 rooms in medium standard accommodation. |
| If there are more of less than 4 people travelling in your party, or if the above suggested itinerary does not fully meet your needs please email us as we will be happy to discuss alternative arrangements. |
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- All sightseeing tour and transfer services as detailed in the above itinerary
- English speaking local guides
- All accommodation based on 2 sharing a room
- All entrance fees for attractions included in the above itinerary
- Private air conditioned vehicles
- All boat trips
- Daily cool drinking water & face towels whilst sightseeing
- All meals as detailed in the above itinerary
(B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D = Dinner)
- Services not detailed in the above itinerary
- International flights to / from Cambodia
- Cambodian Visa fees (currently $20 per person)
- International airport departure tax (currently $25 per person)
- Drinks with included meals
- Expenditure of a personal nature
- Discretionary tips
- Travel insurance
- Any payment / money transfer charges
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Kampot, Kep & Koh Tonsay 5 Day Tour
Click here for a personalised quote of our Kampot, Kep & Koh Tonsay - 5 Day Tour |
