Visiting the old Cambodian port town of Kampot at the end of last month, I was informed by Mr. Chamnan Neak, General Manager of the Kampot Diamond Hotel, about the fact that Kampot is heading to become an important cruise ship port. Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2015.

Kampot: Sunset over the river. (Photo: Wikipedia)

According to a newspaper article in the Nation from November 25, the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) envisions a passenger pier and 1,500 square meters of a landing area on 4 hectares of land on the east bank of the scenic Toek Chhou River. The chosen site will be about 10 kilometers downstream from Kampot at the edge of Kampot Bay, which is part of the Gulf of Thailand. The whole project will come to about US$40 million.

The new pier would make Kampot accessible to all kinds of marine traffic from ports such as Sihanoukville and Kep in Cambodia and Ha Tien in Viet Nam. Also, there would be a sea connection possible directly to the popular Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, which lies just 12 kilometers southwest of Kampot off the Cambodian coast. The journey from Kampot to Phu Quoc presently takes some hours, including a minibus trip some 40 kilometers across the international border to Ha Tien and then a passenger ferry boat from Ha Tien some 45 kilometers back to the island. Alternatively, a direct ferry route from Kampot would cut the trip short and get the travelers to the island even without a visa, as most nationalities can nowadays visit Phu Quoc by air directly without a visa.

The Ministry of Tourism estimates that the proposed pier and associated facilities could create some 2,500 tourism-related jobs. So far, only a few tourists, mostly backpackers, venture to Kampot and stay there for a period of time. From Phnom Penh, there is a new minibus service run by Giant Ibis Transport, which needs some 3 hours to reach Kampot on Highway No.3 some 150 kilometers away. The price per person is USD8.

There is a saying that the gods created heaven first, but then they made Kampot. The city is located up the estuary on the banks of the Toek Chhou River and was established as the main port of Cambodia in the late 1800s. It remained so until the 1950s, when there was a deep sea port built at nearby Kampong Som or Sihanoukville. After the devastating period of the Khmer Rouge Regime (1975-79), Kampot became a sleepy provincial town, but its charm lies in its colonial architecture and the attractive riverfront, which is overlooked by the majestic Bokor Mountain, part of the Elephant Mountains.

The Bokor hill-top community was built in the early 1900s, as the 1,000 meter elevation provided a pleasant climate for a French colonial hill-station. The 34 kilometers road to the top was built by prisoners, who died during the construction. A hotel opened in 1925 together with a casino, Catholic Church, school, post-office, Royal Residence and houses, which were all supported by a 200-strong population.

Today, Bokor Mountain is now part of the Preah Monivong National Park and the former buildings are just ghostly ruins. In recent years, the mountainous road was rebuilt and the splendid 5-star Thansur Bokor Highland Resort & Casino established. When I entered the premises, I was greeted by the Front Office Manager Mr. Nun Sida, who showed me around the property, including the new casino building. More than 1,000 employees work here. The General Manager is presently an expatriate from Belgium. Furthermore, there is the impressive Popokvil Waterfall nearby, where the water charges incessantly to provide a pool at its base to swim. Wildlife is still around.          

Finally, Kampot is celebrated as the capital of the Durian fruit. But most of all, the town is famous for its pepper plantations and extensive salt fields. As there are only a few beaches within easy reach of Kampot, most tourists use to take a day trip to the seaside town of Kep, some 25 kilometers away to the east, where there is a daily fresh crab market with restaurants. There is a small beach near a huge mermaid statue and a little bit further away is a small port to reach Rabbit Island or Koh Tonsai. To reach Kep, which is also the capital seat of a new province, you can hire a local Tuk-Tuk for around USD15 return. The trip is rewarding to pass scenic Khmer rice farming villages and Cham Muslim fishing villages. All in all, the countryside looks like a part of paradise and I hope it will stay like this.

For further information, please contact GMS Media Travel Consultant Reinhard Hohler, based in Chiang Mai/Thailand, who can be reached by e-mail: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!