Kep – a funny place really, very spread out and no real centre. It is a sea side resort?? But the beach to swim at is very so so, most tourists appear to stay in their resorts and swim in their pools! Unless popping over to Rabbit Island for the day. Kep is famed for its sunsets and sea food, once again it was a French retreat from the hot Phnom Penh. Today it is little more than a run down town trying to gain back some glory.
The Khmer Rougue gave it a bit of a battering as Kep was everything they detested. Rich and a party town, the shells of mansions still stand with bullet holes in some as a testament of horrific things this town has seen.
We are staying at Kep Lodge and not a bad spot to spend a few days, its half way up the hill and has gorgeous views to the sea, but too cloudy and rainy for a sunset. Its very quiet and l think at $34 a night including a lovely breakfast its not too bad. No air con and lots of gecko’s, so if not into creepy crawlies – its not your place!
Day of arrival we walk about town and almost get attacked by Monkeys! We stop off at the Sailing Boat Club to enjoy a drink and a quick bite to eat. Gorgeous place, certainly worth coming in to have a look. Back to the lodge for a swim and dinner.
Day Two – Hire a Tuk Tuk and he takes us to the Pepper plantation, gorgeous countryside and worth it just to be driven along the road looking at all the villages. We end up at Kompong Trach to see Wat Kirisan a buddhist temple built at the foot of White Mountain and said to resemble a Dragon! Its quite flooded and we cannot see it all. We paid a young man $2 to be guided with a flash light,this has been well worth the drive. Back through all the villages and lush green paddy fields. Back to town to see more of the deserted mansions at the other end of town and the Jetty where you get the boats to Rabbit Island, very rough today. We get dropped off at Kimly’s – the best crab shack and have a lovely lunch. Back for a swim and off to Phnom Pen tomorrow.
