Kep Province
Table of Contents
Overview
Kep was a municipality that lies along Cambodian southern coast. It has recently become one of Cambodia's province. Kep city was established in 1908 by France during the colonial era. It is known to be a relaxed, sun-dappled, tranquil atmosphere beaches. People come to kep to indulge in its luxurious beachside resorts, tropical islands, and mouth-wateringly seafood, particularly crabs.
Prior to 1970, this lush coastal region was a seaside playground for foreigners and Cambodian elite. Casinos, fancy villas and resorts were the norm here in the 50 's and 60 's. Every weekend, Phnom Penh city dwellers, some 120 km away, were rushing along national route 3 crossing picturesque countryside inTakeo and Kampot provinces. Destination: Kep beaches, Bokor Hill Station. Kep was Cambodia's most popular beach town even though it is not in the same league as those in Shinanoukville.
Kep has fallen on hard times during civil war era which brought Khmer Rouge to power in 1975. Many of Kep's, mostly French villas are abandoned, but some of the town's former splendor is still apparent.
The ocean is lined with huge sidewalks and some large statues that now seem largely out of place. King Sihanouk built a palace overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, but it was never furnished and now sits empty. A good, paved road connects Kampot town, some 15km away. The slightly darker beaches than in Sihanoukville are mostly scattered with mangroves and black rocks, but some visitors do not come here for just beaches. They take-off on a short boat ride to Koh Thonsay (Rabbit Island) where they enjoy white-sand beach, cocounut tree and colorful
Recently, the province has undergone a major renovation. Kep appears to be experiencing something of a renaissance, with several mid-range and luxury guesthouses and bungalows recently opened or still under construction. Kep is also home to an extensive national park covering some mountains with deep green jungle.
A small section of the beach is a regular Crab Market (Psar Kdam). Fishermen bring in baskets of crabs by the boatload, and waterfront restaurants cook them fresh, usually boiled with a few fragrant sticks of famed Kampot pepper. Fish, squid and prawns are also on offer, often cooking slowly over coals at the front of all the restaurants. There are many crab peddlers along the seasidewalk, offering cooked crabs, squids, fishes and shrimps.
For a relaxing day trip, visitors often travel to a nearby island such as Rabbit Island (Koh Thons├Ãy), which is only a short boat ride off Kep's coast. Here, you'll find beautiful seaside views, bamboo platforms and basic bungalows, and plenty of rustic charm. A boat back during the evening sunset is not to be missed.
A Beauty Queen aperture is one of the popular place people visit. Superstitious at best, some Cambodians bring flowers and incents to pray to this goddess for prosperity and good health, while others pose for a picture and make the best of out their visit. Most
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Tourist Attractions
Picnic Area
To experience Khmer Culture, picnic should not be missed. There are plenty of picnic areas along the road that lines up with beach. The platforms are small open cottages with picnic table and hammock. Visitors may rent it or just find an empty place, under a shade of a tree or an open air (if sunbathing is preferred). Vendors/cottage owners will present you with live crabs, fresh prawns, squid and fish from which to choose.
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Kep Beach
Kep Beach is a famous seaside resort with twelve months of sunshine. A single, kilometer long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula. Visitors will find dining places and seafood vendors line the road behind the beach. Visitors can see attractive picturesque mountain views and winding lanes toward the beach. A sightseeing tour of the city is very popular with them. They can stroll down the sidewalk, sunbath, swim, and picnic there.
Phnom Sar Sear
Phnom Sar Sear is a nature and cultural site located about 14 Kilometers southwest of Kep city. It is composed of three small mountains about 1.5 square kilometers, 40 meters high. The site features two natural caves-Phnom Dorei Sar and Phnom Ach Prochiev-which tourists can explore. In Phnom Damrei Sar cave, there is a beautiful mountain well called Viel Sre Muoy Roy where several Cambodian melodic songs titles are featured from . In the past, this site was also popular with filmmakers.
Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island)
Koh Tonsay is located about 4.5 Kilometers southwest of Kep. Tourists are drawn to the two beautiful white sand beaches. The sea here is shallow and has a long slope, making Koh Tonsay excellent for swimming. At the sea bottom area a variety of corals, sea animals and plants which attract researchers and ecologists.
Wat Samot Reangsey
Wat Samot Reangsey is one of those Kep'sites that draws many tourists because of its historical significant. Wat means temple. Nobody knows when this Buddhist temple was built, but its ancient buildings suggest it is for sure a historical site. There, visitors will find fascinating insight into the history and culture of the land.
Discover Kep is Researched by Boran Tum and Ben Bao, illustrated by Ben Bao.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kep_Province http://www.cambodiaout.com/author/admin/page/3/ http://www.opencambodia.com/gallery-of-kingdom-of-cambodia/item/42/asInline.html?lang= http://www.kepcity.com/things_to_do.html http://www.tourismcambodia.org/provincial_guide/index.php?view=detail&prv=10 http://www.cambodiatips.com/travelguide/kep/whatandwheretoeat.html
