Kampot

Kampot, Cambodia

Set on the Kampot River, Kampot Town is the capital of Kampot province. A lot of Kampots all in one place. A quiet town, best known as the starting point for trips to Bokor Mountain and it's riverside scene. Kampot is a great escape from the larger cities and towns in Cambodia. Located near the ocean, close to Vietnam, you can travel to SihanoukVille and Phnom Penh in a few hours, and to Vietnam in only an hour. Also, the original seaside resort of Cambodia, Kep, is a short drive away.

kampot
Located on both sides of the Kampot River also know as Teuk Chhou or Prek Thom, and connected by 3 bridges (o.k... one is a railway bridge), the East side of Kampot is where most of the restaurants, guesthouses, and market are located. Along the riverfront, on both sides, are several hotels, guesthouses and restaurants with Western and Khmer (Cambodian) hosts. The riverfront is fairly quiet and quite picturesque.

Walk around town, rent a bicycle, or rent a small motorcycle to get around. Also, you can ride motorcycle taxis and tuk tuks (a cart pulled by a motorcycle) for 12 to 50 cents to most places in town.

Some attractions downtown, besides the riverfront, are the central market, small caves with Buddhist shrines, and the football stadium. Towards the ocean on the East side is the port of Kampot and many Cham Muslim communities and schools. Across the river is Kampot's Wat or Buddhist Temple which is open to tourists. Past the Wat are Kampot's salt fields, and further out of town are Kampot's famous Black Pepper and Durian farms. Along the riverfront, mostly South of downtown's bridges, are several guesthouses and restaurants, right on the river.


Big Map of Kampot

the kampot riverside restaurant
Around Kampot

Across the River (West Side) the first big road to the right from either bridge, takes you to the Kampot Zoo (about 20 minute ride and $5 entrance fee), lions, tigers and bears (and maybe some monkeys), and the Kampot River rapids, Teuk Chhou, an informal park for eating, drinking, sleeping, and playing in the water. Take your own motorcycle or get a motorcycle taxi or Tuk Tuk for about $5-7 round trip.

Canoeing, Kayaking, and guided river tours are possible on the river. Check out Kampot Tours and Transport for some suggestions.

Kampot is also known worldwide for it's Pepper Plantations (Pepper website) (black, green, red and white table pepper) and locally for Durian farms (a giant, pointy fruit, weighing up to 12 kilograms). The Pepper from Kampot is the only food product in Cambodia exported worldwide, and will soon have the Origin Specific label "Kampot Pepper". Pepper farm tours are a popular activity here.

Other Things in Kampot
Keppler's Books
Salt Fields
Kampot Music
Epic Arts
Kampot's Caves

Phnom Sasear is one of the caves about 10 kilometers outside of Kampot. The cave is small, and there is an ancient Buddhist shrine inside.

wat kampot
Getting Here

From Phnom Penh, a taxi or minibus for a 3 hour trip, about $5. From Kep, a half hour ride by car, tuk tuk or motorcycle. From SihanoukVille, a taxi for about $4/person, leaving from in front of the market, or $25 for the whole car for a 2 hour trip. Also, G'Day Mate offers a van service for about $7, or Rith Mony has a full sized bus. Check the Sihanoukville site for departure times. Also, big bike overnight tours from Stray Dog Adventures.

Now from Koh Kong, sometimes you can get a morning bus to Kampot for $10 and a 4 to 5 hour ride.

While in Kampot, look for the Kampot Survival Guide and Kampot Dar'Laing Newsletter for more information.

the kampot port

fishermanwomen



Most tourist to Kep combine their trip to one of Southern Cambodia's other coastal towns.

Kep is a quiet town, located on hills overlooking the the beaches and islands. Not much to do here, however the scenery is fantastic. Largely unpopulated, Kep was Cambodia's original seaside resort town.

Bokor Mountain is a popular destination because of the rough ride up the dirt track to the top, the views of Southern Cambodia and Vietnam, and the cool temperatures; not to mention the abandoned casino and summer palace of the former King. Most people stay at one of Kampot's Hotels for the night before and after a trip to Bokor. (Note: Bokor is mostly closed for the next couple years for construction of a new road and resort on top of the mountain).

SihanoukVille is Cambodia's largest beach resort. A couple hundred small guesthouses, as well as a few top quality resorts on the beach. SihanoukVille is Cambodia's second largest city.

Koh Kong is Cambodia's most popular eco-tourist province, along the Southern border with Thailand. Mountains, jungle, rivers and waterfalls. Also beaches, mangroves and tropical islands.


Now is the perfect time to visit the Southern Coast of Cambodia

Tharit warns of city blast risk

Natthawut’s trial begins Red shirt leader
Natthawut Saikua is brought to the Criminal
Court on Ratchadaphisek Road on Monday
to attend the first hearing of his trial in which
he is accused of masterminding terrorist acts
during the street protests in April-May.
SURAPOL PROMSAKA NA SAKOLNAKORN

Bangkok should brace for possible bomb attacks in coming months, Department of Special Investigation chief Tharit Pengdit says.

Mr Tharit yesterday said intelligence gathered by the agency showed more bomb attacks could be expected in the capital.

The attacks were intended to send a message that the perpetrators had the capacity to instigate further unrest and to highlight the government's failure to ensure security, Mr Tharit said.

The warning came on the heels of a recent string of bomb attacks across the capital despite the emergency decree being in effect.

A bomb went off on Sunday in front of the Royal Turf Club on Phitsanulok Road in Dusit district.

The explosion caused minor damage to the exterior of the club and a nearby flyover. No injuries were reported.

Another bomb went off about 5pm on Friday opposite a grocery store on Soi 29 of Rama III Road in Yannawa district, injuring two teenage girls and a man in his 50s. There was another blast later that night on Soi Chakphra 16 in Taling Chan district, damaging a car but not causing any injuries.

Three unexploded bombs were found on Sept 8 in front of a school in Bangkok's Phaya Thai district, at The Mall on Ngam Wong Wan Road and at the Public Health Ministry in Nonthaburi.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in charge of national security, yesterday apologised to the public for the security lapses that led to the explosions in Bangkok.

Mr Suthep said the government was also stepping up efforts to clamp down on illegal possession of war weapons as this was posing a security threat and might be linked to political violence.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday police would brief the cabinet today about the bomb incidents over the past week so measures could be implemented to prevent further attacks.

The prime minister also said he would decide this week whether the emergency decree would be lifted and in which provinces, based on the assessment of the security situation made by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation which would be holding meetings today and on Friday.

Metropolitan Police Bureau spokesman Piya Uthayo said 467 locations in Bangkok deemed to be potential targets of attack would be kept under close surveillance. Patrols and roadblocks would be stepped up to plug security loopholes.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, attending the UN General Assembly in New York, said he was trying to explain to foreign countries that the recent bomb attacks were carried out by "political minority groups".

ADB revises up GDP growth forecast

THE Asian Development Bank has released a revised forecast of 5.0 percent GDP growth expected this year for Cambodia, up half a percent as overseas markets for garments recover from the global financial crisis.

Cambodia has put its labour pool to good use in the key garment sector and improved infrastructure, but moving to higher value-added production requires the Kingdom to branch into related goods like footwear and soft toys, as well as maintaining its garment exports in an increasingly global market, according to the updated ADB report.

The financial crisis that began crippling world economies in 2008 caused the Kingdom’s GDP growth to fall 2.0 percent in 2009 from the year previous, the ADB said. The Cambodian government, which has disputed the negative economic projections released by various international financial organisations in the wake of the global market meltdown, claims growth increased 0.1 percent during 2009.

Foreign direct investment from China to ASEAN members also increased drastically during the global financial crisis, according to the ADB, fueling some of the post-crisis recovery experienced by Cambodia.

“PRC’s outward FDI to ASEAN has accelerated during the global crisis, expanding almost threefold between 2007 and 2009 alone and contributing to industrial upgrading broadly across the region, including in least developed countries such as Cambodia and Lao People’s Democratic Republic,” it said.

Data from the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) showed that approved investment from China was worth about US$530 million in the first half of 2010, up from $242 million in the same period in 2009, representing a 119 percent increase. ...read the full story in tomorrow’s Phnom Penh Post or see the updated story online from 3PM UTC/GMT +7 hours.

girl

Alfa Romeo GTV

The Alfa Romeo range line-up is completed by two cars with powerful sporting personalities equipped with lively four and six cylinder engines: the Alfa Romeo Spider and the Alfa Romeo GTV.

Guts and character are the attributes of the powerful 220 bhp (162 kW) 3.0 V6 24V power unit fitted to the Alfa Romeo GTV on view. This engine, combined with a six-speed gearbox with sixth non-overdrive speed and aerodynamic kit (standard on this version), takes Alfa's coupé to a top speed of 250 km/h with acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in just 6.7 seconds.

The 3.0 unit is also fitted to the Alfa Romeo Spider. Unlike the Alfa Romeo GTV, this model adopts the 192 bhp (141 kW) 12-valve version, which ensures it a top speed of 225 km/h and acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.

The Geneva stand also houses the 144 bhp (106 kW) Alfa Romeo Spider 1.8 Twin Spark 16V. An engine capable of performances worthy of the brand's sporting heritage: plenty of torque at low and medium speeds (between 3000 and 4500 rpm) and excellent specific power (82 bhp/l). Top speed is 205 km/h with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds. The GTV with 1.8 Twin Spark engine, on the other hand, is capable of a top speed of 210 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 in 9.2 seconds.

The array of engines is completed by the 155 bhp (114 kW) variable geometry 2.0 Twin Spark 16V, a classic engine size for sporty Alfa Romeos - and the 200 bhp-147 kW 2.0 V6 turbo petrol unit.

Two outfits are available, both of them prestigious: a medium and a deluxe with a wide equipment selection. The options include stylish Blue Style and Red Style interiors. The public may admire the sophistication of the Red Style version, with its red facia and door panel, black carpets and mats and Momo leather seats (a choice of red or black), inside the Alfa Romeo GTV on view at the Motor Show.

2010