Hotels in Kep

Kep: Cambodia's Crab Coast on the Gulf of Thailand

Kep sits on a small peninsula in Kampot Province, roughly 170 km south of Phnom Penh and 25 km from the Thai border crossing at Prek Chak. French colonists developed the town from 1908 as a seaside retreat, and the crumbling shell of that era — roofless modernist villas swallowed by jungle — still lines the forested hillside above Kep Beach. The town covers less than 50 km² and has a permanent population under 40,000, making it one of Cambodia's smallest provincial capitals.

Where to Stay and What Draws Visitors

Most accommodation clusters along the seafront between the Crab Market and Kep National Park, a 5 km² protected forest with walking trails to hilltop viewpoints. The Crab Market is the town's defining landmark: wooden stalls over the water sell freshly caught blue swimmer crabs, typically cooked with Kampot pepper grown on nearby plantations. Visitors arrive from Phnom Penh by bus (3–4 hours) or from Kampot by shared taxi (30 minutes). The island of Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island) is reachable by boat in 20 minutes and offers basic bungalow stays on a quiet beach.

Practical Tips

• Best months: November to March; the wet season (June–October) brings heavy rain.
• Getting there: Buses from Phnom Penh depart Phnom Penh Sorya terminal daily.
• Currency: US dollars and Cambodian riel both accepted; ATMs are limited.
• Crab season: Blue swimmer crab is available year-round but most plentiful October–February.