The Southern Coast

Kep

Despite the southern setting, Kep’s number one draw isn’t the beach. It still exudes coastal charm, albeit in a more rustic sense. The lack of large stretches of of sand has long been the town’s saving grace. Despite some larger man-made beaches that are now in development, you can still experience the same sleepy seaside ambience that once tempted French colonialists down from Phnom Penh. Our favourite aspect, however, has to be the seafood – we challenge you to find fresher anywhere else in Asia. Visit the crab market and you might find a local fisherman whipping off his shirt and diving into the sea to get one for your lunch: it’s that fresh.

Kampot

Just down the coast from Kep, Kampot is fast becoming another firm favourite with foodies. Famed for its family-run pepper plantations, Kampot is still local, rather than touristy, and has an old town area and riverside cafes which provide perfect perches to watch the sunset over the water. Although there’s no beach, as such, Kampot’s waterfront promenade reveals French Colonial properties, as well as a smattering of shops and art galleries, overlooking the Gulf of Thailand and the Bokor Mountains. If you’re looking to linger a little longer, keep an eye out for a certain rather fabulous, family-run, riverside resort on the outskirts of town…

Need to turn the dial down a little further still? Try one of Cambodia’s southern islands