Welcome to Kep-sur-Mer! It's not a joke, from the time of the French protectorate in Cambodia, that was indeed its name
Kep is located in the south of Cambodia, a few kilometres from Kampot where a famous pepper is grown. The local speciality is also crab, but not just any crab: beautiful blue crabs that are cooked with Kampot pepper of course.
It is a quiet place, full of charm. To discover this small town, just rent a bike and go for a ride in the surrounding area.
There are beautiful things to see such as visiting the plantations (of pepper, not crabs), getting lost in the lush forest, visiting a temple, bonding with the families who come to relax on the white sandy beach.
In Kep, the star of spices is grown: Kampot pepper, one of the best of the world
Kampot pepper is sought after for its bewitching flavour and pugnacity, those warm and powerful fruity and mentholated aromas that release notes of warm bread and pastry, spices, citrus and pineapple (yes, the specialists say so).
At last you can see a little of who you’re dealing with: Kampot pepper is the real deal. You are looking at one of the best peppers in the world.
Cultivated by women, the royal blue crab is sold at the local market and eaten with pepper
In Kep you can naturally find blue crabs that bear their name well, and it is with Kampot pepper (Piper Ingram) that the union is royal! Only the women fish the crabs and prepare them directly on the market. It is a very lively place and has still preserved its traditional atmosphere. It is to be hoped that the growing flow of tourists will not take away its authenticity.
One can also spend a day or two on the Rabbit Island opposite, where there is nothing to do but read, draw or chat with fellow travellers. No electricity or internet, total disconnection guaranteed.
In Kep, again, you will spend some time at Lili-Perles to make your own necklace and admire the antique pearl collections. And after having pedalled well under the hot sun, all that remains is to watch the sun set sitting on a wooden plank terrace enjoying a cool beer.
Kep is one of those places where you can stay for a long time. Take a daily bike ride, watch the peasants lead their animals to the fields, walk on the beach, eat a snack at the grocery shop or swing in the hammocks in the square.
Every evening, a blazing sunset is waiting for you. What more could you ask for than to sit there, alone or with a few travelling companions, to greet the falling night and listen to the sound of the waves?
Travelling is above all a journey of adventure
Immense, full of history and vestiges, abandoned for centuries, devoured by the jungle and finally found, the archaeological complex of Angkor is worth every diversion.
