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Kazuo Lim Khee Boon | profile | all galleries >> My Travel Album >> Cambodia >> Kep tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

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Kep

Kep

Kep also romanized as Kaeb. Literally means "Saddle of the Horse" formally known as Kep Province is the smallest province (khaet) of Cambodia. It is one of the newest Cambodian provinces, together with Pailin and Sihanoukville, created by Royal Decree on 22 December 2008, which separated Kep municipality from the province of Kampot, as well as adjusting several provincial borders. The provincial capital is Kep District and the province contains the Kep National Park. The territory of Kep is entirely surrounded by Kampot Province except for the 16 km of sea coast on the southern side fronting the Gulf of Thailand and the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc. The western limit is 20 km from the town of Kampot. The eastern limit is some 20 km from the Vietnamese border.

Kep was Cambodia's top seaside destination until eclipsed in the 1960s by Sihanoukville (and, soon after, decades of civil war). The town is full of ruined shells of old villas, destroyed in the Khmer Rouge days and during the subsequent Civil War and stripped down by the leaving Vietnamese army. Today's Kep has recently become established as a Khmer holiday spot and is slowly being rediscovered by travelers. The once very poor Kep beach is now being filled up with snow white sand from Otres Beach and is extended to 50m, still the main beach is located at the idyllic Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island, 20min by long tail boat), just off the coast.

The charm of this coastal resort lies in its peacefulness, its National Park, its delicious seafood and last but not least in the extremely friendly local inhabitants, who very often wave at you with huge, honest smiles on their faces. It's not unusual for a tuk-tuk driver to invite you for a meal to his house to meet his family, and you can become friends.

In 2015 there are over 80 hotels, ranging from a $5 home-stay to a $400-plus double story wooden villa, with your own pool. Nowadays there is quite a lot to do in Kep. You can fill more than a week with all kind of different activities, beside lying on the beach.


Autour de Kep
Autour de Kep
Kep Beach
Kep Beach
Kep Crab Market
Kep Crab Market
Kep Crab Statue
Kep Crab Statue
Kep Siren Statue
Kep Siren Statue
King Statue of Kep
King Statue of Kep