Kep travel guide: crab, coast and quiet days
Kep is a small seaside town known for its crab market, sea views and calm pace. Plan a day or two for the crab market, Rabbit Island and the national park trail.
In this guide
Kep was once a fashionable resort for Cambodia's elite. Today it is a quiet seaside town with leafy roads, crumbling 1960s villas, a long seafront and one of the country's best places to eat crab. It suits travellers who want rest rather than nightlife.
The crab market
Kep's crab market is the town's heart. Fishermen keep crabs in bamboo baskets in the sea just off the market, and stalls cook them to order. The classic dish is crab stir-fried with green Kampot pepper. You'll also find grilled squid, prawns and fish. Sit at one of the simple restaurants facing the water, especially at sunset.
Kep beach and the seafront
The main beach is small and popular with Cambodian families at weekends. The seafront promenade, with its statue of a woman waiting for her fisherman husband, is pleasant for a walk in the late afternoon.
Kep National Park
A trail loops around the forested hill behind town, with viewpoints over the sea and towards Vietnam's Phu Quoc island. It's a gentle walk of a few hours, best in the morning. Signposts help with navigation.
Rabbit Island
Koh Tonsay, or Rabbit Island, is a short boat ride from Kep. It has simple beach bungalows and seafood shacks and is a good day trip for swimming and doing very little. Boats leave in the morning and return in the afternoon.
Modernist villas
Kep's abandoned and restored villas from the 1960s are a reminder of its glamorous past. Some have been renovated as boutique hotels; others stand as ruins. Treat them as private property and don't enter unsafe structures.
Where to stay
Accommodation ranges from simple guesthouses to boutique hotels and villas set in gardens. Most places are spread out, so having a bicycle, scooter or tuk-tuk helps.
How long to stay
One day covers the crab market and a walk. Two days lets you add Rabbit Island and a pepper farm. Many people combine Kep with Kampot, half an hour away.
Tips
- Weekends are busier; weekdays are very quiet.
- The sea is calm and shallow near the shore, good for families.
- Carry cash for the crab market and boat tickets.