After the horrendously bumpy ride on Bokor mountain, it was time to chill out at the beach. Most tourists looking for fun and sun in Cambodia head to Sihanoukville - the busy beach resort town filled to the brim with guesthouses, bars, sex tourists, go-go girls etc. For that very reason, I decided to go in the opposite direction to Kep, a tiny village famous for its fresh crab and crumbling villas.
As soon as I arrived at my guesthouse, I knew I had made the right decision. The balcony in front of my hillside bungalow provided a gorgeous view of the sea, and the comfy hammock was the perfect spot to spend a few days reading, drinking Angkor beer and watching the sunset.
After World War I, wealthy Cambodians and French flocked to this beach destination and built posh homes along the beach and up in the hills. This was also unfortunately an area of intense fighting between the government forces, the Khmer Rouge and later the Vietnamese - the village never recovered and Sihanoukville soon overtook Kep in size and popularity. There is a certain sadness to the town as you drive along the beach road and see the burned out shells of what were once obviously beautiful homes.
As soon as I arrived at my guesthouse, I knew I had made the right decision. The balcony in front of my hillside bungalow provided a gorgeous view of the sea, and the comfy hammock was the perfect spot to spend a few days reading, drinking Angkor beer and watching the sunset.
After World War I, wealthy Cambodians and French flocked to this beach destination and built posh homes along the beach and up in the hills. This was also unfortunately an area of intense fighting between the government forces, the Khmer Rouge and later the Vietnamese - the village never recovered and Sihanoukville soon overtook Kep in size and popularity. There is a certain sadness to the town as you drive along the beach road and see the burned out shells of what were once obviously beautiful homes.
Yet there is an undeniable charm to Kep -- especially since tourism has not yet completely altered the local way of life. Cambodians still outnumber the 'barangs' (westerners), you can sit at the crab market and watch the fishermen/women head out into the water (fully clothed!) to collect the crabs from their traps. There are a couple of nice hotels in the area, but accommodation is still fairly basic - no five star resorts yet -- and electricity in most parts of the village is turned on only during the night.
The best of the "rustic charm" can be found on Rabbit Island, a tiny island about 30 minute boat ride from Kep and home to beautiful beaches, hundreds of cows, and a small number of families who depend on the sea for their livelihood rather than on the handful of travellers who trickle through. I decided to stay a few nights in a basic bungalow - little more than a mattress and mosquito net - right on the beach. Tranquil and relaxing, it was a perfect way to unwind.
The highlight of Kep and Rabbit Island is the crab - once you placed your order, the staff will wade out to the traps in the water and pluck out a crab, which they would then fry in a delicious Kampot pepper sauce (Kampot pepper is famously flavourful and before the war used to be an integral ingredient in Paris). I'll never forget my first bite - the freshness of the crab and the succulent flavour of the pepper were simply divine!
After dinner, I paddled about in the water and looked at the handful of rustic bungalows that dotted the shore - and wondered how long it will take for someone to discover this beautiful island and turn it into Koh Samui (a very touristy island in southern Thailand). Later, I heard a rumour that negotiations are underway with a Japanese company to develop Rabbit Island into a tourist destination .... if you're in Cambodia, I would encourage you to make your way to Kep and Rabbit island before the five star resorts do!
2 comments:
Wow, the beach and sunset are stunning. I would love to go there and eat LOTS of crab!
Kep is chill, we went there after Bokor too and loved the chill atmosphere. mmm crab
Post a Comment