The most beautiful places in Kep

Kep Beach. A single, kilometer long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula. Dining platforms and seafood vendors line the road behind the beach. Busy on weekends but often deserted during the week. The road through Kep traces the coastline to the beach and then circles back on itself. Cars and vans must pay admission to drive the loop (2500R-5000R). Motorcycles and pedestrians are free. Be aware that the loop is a one way street and the police do occasionally enforce the law, levying fines against violators.

Kep National Park. There is an easy trail going full circle around the hill above Kep in the National Park, and smallest more slope tracks going through. This is a wonderful area of jungle, in which it is quite common to see some monkeys and other animals. The circle trail is about 8km long (a 2-3 hour walk) and has a lot of direction signs. If you don't want to walk, the path is big enough to ride a bicycle or a motorbike, though be prepared for a somewhat bumpy ride. There are even some small benches to enjoy the view and have a rest during the walk. Going through the transversal trail can make a nice 5h walk. 


 

Kampot Pepper. An absolute must is to visit the pepper plantation at Phnom Voar mountain, about 20min drive from Kep. This pepper used to be the number one pepper in the world and all the good French restaurants had it. It is having a revival at the moment with a local NGO (Farmlink) helping to promote and plant it again. If you want to know how pepper is grown and processed it's mandatory to take one of the free tours in Sothy's Pepper Farm  available in several languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Khmer). Buy Original Kampot Pepper in the farms. The pepper sold in the local markets is Vietnamese or from other regions where chemical products are used.

Colonial Villas. There are around 100 or more old French villas, mostly destroyed by the Kep locals returning after the fall of the Khmer rouge regime (and not by the Khmer Rouge itself as noted in some travel guides) and some of them overgrown like Angkor Wat - quite a spooky feeling. Some of them have been restored, but most of them are in possession of rich military officials who are waiting to sell at the highest price.Caves. Around Kep there are 3 major caves, some with small shrines inside. The biggest and most impressive is near Kompong Trach (30km from Kep). It boasts beautiful limestone formations and a nearby swimming cave. 

Angkaul Beach. The Angkaul beach located 45min to the east near the Vietnamese border was once the swimming beach for the Cambodian Elite in the 1960ties. The trip there might be long, but it is worth every minute. The beach, around 2km long, is clean with white sand and totally deserted except for some fishermen. Now there are 6 deck chairs and parasols and a small shop selling cold drinks for the few tourists going there. The water is shallow but clean. A new way is in construction, leaving from the Auberge du Wam close to the pier. At the moment (Feb 2013), it stops in the destroyed mangrove. There is a track further through the highly picturesque fishing family settlements, salt collecting fields and other countryside, accessible by bicycle and with some difficulty (and noise) by moped. Update 2015: No clean anymore. The beach is full of water plants, plastics and other waste. Although the views are anyway beautiful.

The most centrally-located resort in Kep, Spring Valley is a surprisingly large tree-filled complex a few minutes walk from the beach. The accommodation is dotted around a mature garden of mangosteens, passion fruit vines, pepper trees and coconut palms, with a good-sized pool that has the name of the resort in tiles on the bottom (classy!). Firmly in the mid-range budget, the 33 spacious rooms are available in a wooden house, pagoda-style towers or brick-built blocks orientated for a view of the sea or the National Park. The decor features wood and silk in a variety of styles -- it's worth looking at a few rooms before you decide which suits. Other than the Khmer wooden house, all rooms come with hot water and air con. The batik-uniformed staff are informative and supremely helpful, and can assist with bicycle rental, tours, massages and treks. Mr Mab's open-air restaurant serves a splendid buffet breakfast with home-made bread, and focuses on Khmer food for lunch and dinner, the daily three-course menu is a treat. Street Food Saturday gives an opportunity to sample 13 different kinds of freshly-made food from super-clean stations around the pool. Spring Valley Resort is a good choice for families, and for those who want some comforts along with the nature.