Most people with three days or more should just do both. They are different enough to be worth it and close enough to make it easy.
The difference in one line each
Kampot is a river town. Colonial shophouses, a riverside full of bars and restaurants, live music some nights, more travellers, more choice, more noise.
Kep is a coast town. A crab market, a jungle hill, the ruins of old holiday villas, and almost nothing open late.
Choose Kampot if
- You want restaurants, bars and other travellers to talk to
- You like a town you can walk around in the evening
- You're travelling on a tight budget — there is more cheap accommodation
- You want river trips, Bokor Mountain and the pepper farms on your doorstep
Choose Kep if
- You came for the seafood. The crab market is in Kep, not Kampot
- You want to swim, or get out to Rabbit Island
- You want to walk in the national park from your doorstep
- You would rather hear the sea than a band
Doing both
This is what we would actually suggest. They are 25 kilometres apart and the road is fine.
- Two nights in Kep, two in Kampot if you have four
- Or base in one and day-trip to the other. Kep to Kampot for an evening is easier than the reverse, because Kep's attractions are daytime ones
Getting between them takes 30–40 minutes:
- Shared minivan — about $4–6, the sensible default
- Private tuk-tuk — $10–18 one way, or $15–25 return if the driver waits for you. Expect to negotiate; starting at around 70–80% of the first price quoted is normal and not rude
- Train — about $4.60, the cheapest option, but it runs on a limited schedule
Fares rise in the busy months, roughly November to February, and after dark. Agree the price before you set off.
Getting to either from Phnom Penh
Worth knowing: Kep and Kampot are reached by different roads from the capital. You do not pass through one on the way to the other.
- Both are roughly 3–4 hours by minivan
- Minivans run around $10, buses from about $8
- Book through BookMeBus, Camboticket, or any guesthouse
Which is better for families?
Kep, for most families. The reasons are practical rather than romantic: there is swimming, there is a beach that small children can actually use, the national park loop is pushchair-flat for much of its length, and the town is quiet enough that nobody is walking past bars at eleven at night.
Kampot has more to do for teenagers and more for parents in the evening. If your children are old enough to want something happening, that tips it the other way.
We host families regularly, so ask us if you want a straight answer for your particular ages.
Where we come in
We are in Kep, so we are not a neutral party. What we would say is that Kep rewards a slower visit than most people give it, and that the crab market alone justifies a night here.
Our bungalows are handmade on site by young Cambodians training with us. If you're weighing it up, ask us — we will tell you honestly if Kampot suits you better.