By Experience Travel Group‘s Ella Theaker, following a Cambodia trip.

I didn’t arrive in Kampot with many expectations.

It was one of those places I’d heard about in passing: a riverside town on Cambodia’s south coast that most people seemed to pass through rather than stay in. Everyone I knew who’d been seemed to like it, but the reviews rarely went much beyond “nice” or “sleepy”.

Then last year, our local partner wouldn’t stop singing its praises. The more I heard, the more curious I become and I started to feel drawn to the idea of visiting the next time I got the chance. So, when my family gave me the green light to plan our Christmas holiday, and agreed to Cambodia after years of me going on (and on, and on) about it, I knew Kampot had to make the itinerary.

It was definitely one of the best decisions of the trip.

First impressions

There’s a faded kind of elegance to the town; think low-rise colonial buildings, a gentle river running through the middle, and just enough going on without ever feeling too busy. You can easily spend a morning wandering with no plan and enjoy soaking it all up. If you’re up early, the fish market is well worth a look, the energy of it is incredible (according to my dad, the only early riser in our family).

There’s plenty to do when you feel like being a bit more active too. From cycling around the salt flats to kayaking through mangroves or heading up into the hills, you’re at no risk of getting itchy feet despite the laid-back feel.

We stayed at Hotel Old Cinema, a beautifully restored art deco building that, as the name suggests, used to be a cinema. Our driver actually remembered watching films there as a child. The rooms are simple but gorgeous, and in terms of service absolutely nothing was too much trouble. They even made us breakfast to go for our early journey to the airport, even though the kitchen wasn’t technically open. We also became quite fond of the two resident cats who clearly think they run the place.

Credit: Rod Birtles

Our day on “Fish Island”

One of the standout experiences of our trip was a visit to what locals call ‘the end of the road’ in Khmer, though most people know it as Fish Island.

Our guide was a woman called Soon, who runs a community centre (you can read more about her incredible story here). She really brought everything to life.

We set off in a remorque (similar to a tuk-tuk) to explore. Walking across the fields in the morning, we kept hearing this strange, almost haunting wailing sound. It turned out to be kites hovering in the wind. There’s a local legend behind them, involving a clever escape from captivity by a famous hero, and if you visit in December you’ll likely hear them as they’re traditionally flown at this time of year. If one lands on your house it’s considered seriously bad luck, so they’re kept well away from villages.

We stopped at a small family palm sugar farm where everything is done by hand. The fresh juice was incredible. They smoke it, and the flavour was unlike anything I’ve tried before. My parents were slightly amused when I insisted on buying a kilo of sugar to take home, but I have no regrets. It was worth the luggage space.

From there, we passed Cham fishing communities mending nets, salt flats shimmering in the heat, and a Khmer family making Nom Sleuk Chak (coconut rice cakes) who gave us some to try. Then we reached Soon’s community centre, where we stopped for lunch. It’s an incredible space, offering skills training, creative spaces and studios, and opportunities for local children. I had to be talked out of buying every single woodcut print available, they were so beautiful.

Credit: Rod Birtles

Tasting Kampot pepper

I’ll be honest, even as a big foodie I didn’t expect a pepper farm to be a highlight. But pepper is a big deal here. Kampot pepper is a certified geographical indication, like Champagne, and once you taste it, you understand why.

We visited Bo Tree Pepper Farm, a small, family-run place where you get a proper sense of how labour-intensive it all is. Growing pepper here isn’t straightforward, and many farms disappeared during the Khmer Rouge era. What you see now is part of a slow rebuilding process.

The tasting was the real surprise. We tried the pepper on its own, with mouthfuls of plain white rice as a palate cleanser. White, black and red all come from the same plant, just harvested at different times. Red pepper in particular was a revelation; sweeter, more complex, and kind of addictive. It’s rarer too, as farmers have to leave the berries on the vine until perfectly ripe, which comes with a risk. Another chunk of my luggage allowance went on bringing industrial amounts home.

Time on the river

One morning we took to the water, kayaking along the river past dense tangles of greenery, slightly surreal Western-style mansions and the occasional abandoned resort.

We rounded off the day at Nibi Spa, right on the riverbank. After a massage, we drifted between the sauna and steam room before I eventually melted into a hammock beside the water, listening to the river burbling along beside me.

Why Cambodia deserves proper exploration

My time in Kampot reinforced something we’ve long believed at ETG: Cambodia is all too often overlooked in favour of Vietnam and Thailand, treated as the younger sibling of Southeast Asia rather than a destination in its own right. And, if it is included, people often view it as a quick add-on; a few nights in Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat, maybe a stop in Phnom Penh, and then move swiftly on. But by doing this, you’re missing out on so much.

It’s an incredible country. Yes, their recent history is heavy and still very present, but I’ve never met people who laugh or smile as much; their warmth and humour is what stays with you. It combines temples, cities, islands, beaches and jungle, it’s got real variety.

This was my fourth visit, and I’m already planning the next. I’d love to head east to places like Kratie and Mondulkiri in search of Irrawaddy dolphins and wild gibbons. Even in Siem Reap, where we spent five nights, I still didn’t get round to everything I wanted to do!

If Cambodia is on your radar, please do give it the time it deserves. And whatever you do, don’t skip Kampot. (Get in touch and I’ll make sure you don’t miss a thing.)

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