Kep Beach: A Chilled Out Escape on Cambodia’s Southern Coast

Tucked away on Cambodia’s sleepy southern coastline, Kep is the kind of place you go to properly unwind and disconnect from the cities. Famous for it’s quiet beach and awesome crab market, the coastal town in Kep Province offers a totally different vibe compared to the busier backpacker hotspots like Kampot, Siem Reap, or Phnom Penh. If you’re looking to slow things down, soak up some sun, and taste some of the best seafood in Cambodia, Kep Beach should be on your list!

A Little Bit of Background on Kep, Cambodia

Kep (or Krong Kep) is a small town that was once a glamorous seaside retreat for the French and Cambodian elite in the early 20th century. Though many of the grand villas were abandoned and left to decay during Cambodia’s turbulent past, Kep has been quietly rebuilding itself into a peaceful getaway destination. It’s very popular with local Cambodian families on weekends and public holidays, as well as with expats and travellers looking for a laid back weekend or wanting to visit the beach without the crowds of Koh Rong or Sihanoukville.

Located just 30 minutes (roughly) from Kampot and about 3-4 hours from Phnom Penh, Kep is easy to reach by bus, private taxi, or motorbike if you fancy driving yourself through the beautiful Cambodian countryside! It’s also not far from the Vietnamese border, making it a convenient stop for those doing a visa run or travelling between Cambodia and Vietnam. Buses are frequent and cheap from both Phnom Penh and Sihnoukville.

What to Expect at Kep Beach

Kep Beach is small – so don’t expect miles and miles of powdery white sand like you’d find on Cambodia’s islands such as Koh Rong or Koh Rong Samloem. That said, it’s still a lovely spot to relax and take in the peaceful surroundings. The beach has – in recent years – been renovated and is crescent shaped and lined with palm trees, concrete benches, and shady picnic spots where locals love to gather with their families.

The sand here was partially imported to improve the beach’s appearance, and while the water isn’t crystal clear, it’s calm and swimmable and much cleaner than a lot of beaches in South East Asia. You won’t find beach parties or blaring music here – just gentle waves, the sound of kids splashing about, and the occasional meowing cat waiting for someone to drop some seafood.

There are toilets available to use with showers and changing rooms, which are usually attached to guesthouses who will let you use their facilities for a small price (usually 500-1000r). There is also plenty of vendors around selling beachy stuff like towels, swimming goggles, and the important sand castle building equipment we’re sure you’ll need.

You can rent yourself a nice table and chairs on the beach for a small cost, and vendors will come to you with menus of all their food and drinks (which usually consist mostly of fresh seafood for obvious reasons!). There are also ladies walking up and down the beach carrying portable grills, which they use to cook up fresh seafood like squid, shrimp and crab for you to buy.

There are lots of Khmer style statues and photo spots dotted around the beach, including the iconic white lady statue that gazes out to sea. If you’re into a bit of local culture and quirky sights, it’s worth a wander down the beach to help your giant seafood meal go down!

Getting to Kep Beach

The beach is just a short ride from the centre of town, as Kep is a small area. If you’re staying in Kep itself, most guesthouses, boutique hotels, and eco-resorts are within a 5–10 minute tuk tuk or motorbike ride of the beach, with many of them even being walking distance.

If you’re staying in Kampot, Kep beach is only around 25-30 minutes via tuktuk, so it’s easy to grab yourself a remork or book a PassApp. We recommend pre-arranging your journey back to Kampot with your driver, as there are less tuktuks available in Kep (though there’s definitely some around if you’re not in a rush!).

There’s no entry fee to access Kep Beach, and parking is usually free or very cheap if you’re arriving by scooter or car.

Scooters can be rented cheaply from pretty much any guesthouse in Kampot, but as always – we don’t recommend this unless you’re an experienced rider with the correct licence and insurance. The roads in this area are a lot calmer than Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, but it’s not worth taking unnecessary risks when you could be enjoying your travels!

The Famous Kep Crab Market

Just a few minutes down the road from Kep Beach is the real star attraction of the area: the Kep Crab Market. This lively waterfront market is the heart of Kep’s identity and well worth a visit if you’re in the area. We love checking out this market any time we’re in Kampot as even if you’re not planning to buy anything it’s still a super interesting place to wander around.

At the Kep Crab Market, you’ll see the fresh blue crabs that the area is famous for being hauled out of the sea in wicker baskets, cleaned on the spot, and sold live or cooked to order. The smells of charcoal grills, garlic, and Kampot pepper fill the air here, and the atmosphere is somewhere between a bustling seafood market and a laid back local dining spot.

Most travellers come here to try the region’s signature dish of freshly caught crab fried with Kampot pepper (which, you guessed it, comes from Kampot!). It’s salty, spicy, a little sweet, and pretty addictive. Even if you’re not a fan of crab, you’ll find plenty of other seafood options like prawns, squid, fish, and shellfish which have all been caught fresh – plus Khmer dishes and western meals at nearby restaurants if you’re not feeling adventurous.

Popular sit down restaurants in Kep like Kimly Seafood Restaurant and Holy Crab offer tasty meals with great sea views, but you can also grab something straight from the market stalls and eat at one of the nearby picnic tables if that’s more your style (it’s certainly ours!).

More Things to Do in Kep

While Kep Beach and the Crab Market are the main draws of the area, there are a few other things worth checking out if you’ve got time to spare.

Kep National Park: This beautiful and peaceful national park has a loop trail with ocean views, shaded jungle paths, and a few side trails leading to viewpoints and pagodas. It’s ideal for hiking, trail running, or just a relaxing nature walk. Entry is about $1 per person. We don’t recommend jungle trekking unless you’re pretty physically fit – the trekking along with the heat can be pretty taxing.

We also recommend going with a local guide and sticking to signposted paths. While the area has been demined, it’s not wise to be wandering off into the jungle. We don’t want to have to share facebook posts about tourists going missing in the jungle whilst on holiday!

Rabbit Island (Koh Tonsay): Just a short boat ride from Kep, Rabbit Island is a rustic paradise with beautiful beaches, cheap bungalows, and a real “castaway” vibe. Boats leave daily from the jetty near Kep Beach and you don’t need to book a ferry in advance.

Check out the Local Markets and Villages: Kep’s small town charm shines when you explore the roads a bit further away from the beach. You can visit local pepper farms if you haven’t already done this in Kampot, or just take a ride through the countryside.

It’s worth noting that many travellers don’t just visit Kep – they usually combine Kep and Kampot into one part of their travel plans. Kampot, the larger town in the area, has a lot more going on but is still very laid back and peaceful compared to the busier cities in Cambodia.

Where to Stay in Kep

Kep is a small town, so you won’t find the abundance of hotels and guesthouses you find in the bigger cities, but there is a great selection of accommodation options, from cute local homestays to stylish resorts. Some of the higher rated options include:

Veranda Natural Resort – A beautiful hillside resort with great views and a natural vibe.
Kep Bungalows – Affordable and well-located near both the beach and crab market.
Q Bungalows – Quiet bungalows with a pool, ideal for couples or solo travellers looking to chill.

For something more offbeat, you can also find plenty of eco-resorts and homestays around the pepper plantations and rice paddies a bit inland.

Personally we actually recommend staying in Kampot. There’s a lot more accomodation options in Kampot and you can stay on some beautiful wooden bungalows overlooking the river. From Kampot, Kep Beach is only roughly a 30 minute tuktuk, so you can get up in the morning and spend the daytime taking in Kep Beach and the Kep Crab Market!

Should I Visit Kep?

Kep Beach might not be Cambodia’s most famous coastal destination (that title is taken by Sihanoukville and Koh Rong!), but that’s part of the charm. It’s quiet, unpretentious, and ideal for anyone more interested in relaxing in the sand than partying. Whether you’re sunbathing by the sea, tucking into some pepper crab from the market, or exploring the nearby jungle trails, Kep is a peaceful little slice of Cambodia that feels both authentic and relaxing.

We really recommend visiting Kep Beach and the Kep Crab Market if you’ve got time. It’s a great part of Cambodia that’s less visited by tourists compared to places like Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and you can really unwind here.

So if you’re planning a trip through southern Cambodia – or you just fancy escaping the hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh or Siem Reap for a couple of days, Kep is well worth adding to your itinerary! Satisfaction guaranteed!
(Disclaimer: we don’t guarantee satisfaction)

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