Kep Private Full Day Excursion

Located only 30 minutes from Kampot, Kep is a budding resort area in a National Park, and famous for its local crab shacks at the ocean's edge.

The character of this city is quite different from other beach towns such as Sihanoukville, it has a more small town vibe that is quite welcoming and relaxed.

Enjoy lunch at the Crab Market in Kep. Dine on delicious crab straight off the boat, it does not get fresher than that. Sample the regions most famous dish Pepper Crab, combining two local products.

After picking you up at your accomodation we are off to visit a pepper plantation in the beautiful hills a short distance outside Kep, here you can see how pepper is grown and processed, and purchase some if you wish. Then for a tour of the town and a stop for lunch at the Crab Market. Continuing on from there is a visit to the Salt Fields to see a tradition that streches back thousands of years. The slow solar evaporation of seawater to concentrate its salt.

Pepper Farms:

Cambodian varieties of pepper grown around Kampot and Kep have been internationally renowned for more than a century as some of the highest quality pepper in the world. Its distinct flavor and pungency, with intense but light taste and fresh lingering aromas has long been a prized ingredient in the finest French kitchens as well as in local dishes such as Pepper Crab.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Cambodian plantations were in full operation and the country was exporting more than 8000 tons of pepper annually. By 1960, there were more than 1 million pepper poles in Kampot. But the wars of the late 20th century put an end to production for almost 30 years. Production was renewed in the late 1990s. Pepper plantations one again dot the province. Cambodian pepper comes in four varieties - green, black, red and white - all from the same plant but differing in ripeness and preparation. Green pepper is harvested young and usually used fresh in cooking. The classic black pepper is allowed to ripen dark green, harvested, dried and ground. perfect for table use. Red pepper is prepared the same as black but allowed to over-ripen before harvest. Finally, white pepper is red pepper that has had the outer surface removed which is often used in blends or white sauces.

Salt is another of Kampot's important products. Vast salt pans (salt fields) stretch across much of the coastline south and southeast of Kampot and Kep.

The salt pans consist of large areas of hardpack ground divided up into paddy like pans. Ocean water is pumped into the pans from canals, then allowed to evaporate, leaving a thick layer of salt coating the ground. As it dries workers rake the salt carefully into piles, wait for the sun to dry them, then collect it and move it into storage.

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