Kampot is a very pleasant, small, Cambodian city. Located on a scenic river, it’s a quiet place with no traffic. It’s a nice place to relax, and serves as a good base for visiting the weird Bokor Hill Station.
There aren’t really any specific sites in town. But it only takes a short ride in practically any direction to get into the idyllic Cambodian countryside. There are beautiful green fields, red dirt roads, mountains, and villages.
It’s good to have destinations in mind, and there are a few sites to shoot for. There are a number of caves in the area. At one of the caves a local was eager to guide me into the cave. But I have already seen so many caves. They are dark and not good for photography.
I passed and instead wandered on my own on a trail over the mountain above the cave. Climbing it was hard work in the blazing sun, but it gave good views over the green countryside. After I climbed down the guide was gone, and I was free to explore inside the cave on my own for a bit.
Another place to ride to is the so-called “Secret Lake.” It’s not very secret, and is actually a reservoir formed by a dam. Locals washed their motorbike on the dam. Google Maps made it appear possible to ride around the lake. But the roads on the map were more like small trials going nowhere. It got really remote, and there was no traffic, so I eventually turned back.
Instead I headed for a pepper plantation. Kampot has a reputation for excellent organic pepper. I rode around the plantation, and watched the pepper growing out of rows of brick towers.
Kampot is a peaceful city, and an opportunity to tour rural Cambodia.
