Kep

Many of the luxury resorts in Kep offer ocean-front views, air conditioning, private balconies and quiet resort pools for lounging around or cooling off in. If you’re interested in roughing it a bit, there’s a resort which has built traditional Khmer houses that reside high up in the trees. Though you might be joined by lizards and frogs as temporary pets, the ocean view peaking through the foliage is stunning. While on holiday in Kep, be sure to not miss the fresh seafood. At some restaurants, after you order the crab, you can actually see the wait staff jump into the water, grab a crab from the trap, take it to the kitchen for cooking and then drop it in front of you 10 minutes later, perfectly cooked to buttery smooth. It doesn’t get much fresher or closer from ocean to table than that. This luxurious little city has a lot to offer you on your Kep holidays with its practically undiscovered beauty, friendly locals and sumptuous resorts.

One of the small charms of a Kep holiday is that there’s not much to do. Wandering the town, admiring the historical buildings or sitting along the beach force the weary or stressed to relax. A great place to visit while in Kep is Rabbit Island. While there, you can rent a little bungalow and stay the night right on the beach. Not all of the beaches in Kep are maintained and therefore will be natural and unkempt. The main beach in Kep has sand imported from Sihanoukville so the sand will be as white and soft on your toes as can be imagined. If you’re looking for a nice walk, the luscious forests and shaded pathways of Kep National Park will be a treat. You can walk through the forest, rent a motorbike or just find a nice little spot to enjoy a picnic and the many species of birds and butterflies.

There’s no bad time to take your holidays to Kep. Kep is located on the Gulf of Thailand in the southern part of Cambodia where the climate is tropical and is often warm and humid.  

The average temperature is about 27 degrees Celsius. Kep is not directly affected by tropical storms and does not have earthquakes or volcanoes. The humidity in Kep can reach up to 90 per cent at night, but is often between 50 and 60 per cent during the day. From November to February is the ideal time to holiday in Cambodia while the weather is cool and dry. The average temperature during this time of year is in the mid 20s, sometimes dropping below 20 during the night.   The monsoon rains tail off in mid-October beginning the start of the dry season in November. December and January will offer you warm days for exploring and cool nights for a good night’s rest. The light breeze will keep you comfortable as you walk around the city or just enjoy a good book in the sun. For the more adventuresome traveller, be sure to walk the beach or swim at night to see the bioluminescent algae as it glows when disturbed by the waves. Internationally renowned Belgian street artist ROA paid a visit to Kep and has left a tribute on some of the run down French villas. If you wander through you might just spy one of his characteristic, black and white, giant animals gracing a hidden wall. If you’re having trouble finding the paintings, just ask one of your tuk tuk drivers to show you. March to May is the hot and dry part of year in Cambodia.   Though there will be minimal to no rainfall, the humidity will remain high, especially at night. This is a great time of year to stay cool by exploring the dense growth of the pepper (as in peppercorns) plantations. Cambodia is well known as a major exporter of fine pepper. For many years, it was the only pepper fit to grace the dishes of the finest restaurants in France. You might be surprised at the intricate details that go into growing and harvesting pepper that you learn while on a tour of one of the many pepper plantations. Beware of the short “mango showers” that sometimes spring up in the afternoons. The hottest month in Cambodia is April when the temperatures can reach up to 33 Celsius.   If you holiday in Cambodia during April, you’ll be able to enjoy celebrations for the Khmer or Cambodian New Year. June, July and August will be hot and wet in Cambodia. The monsoon rains help to keep the temperature down, but may create problems when trying to travel by road. The rains are usually predictable, coming in the late afternoon or at night, making it easy to plan your explorations around them. While on your Kep holiday, be sure to visit the Kep National Park at this time of year to enjoy the deep colours and lush growth of the plants.   This is also a great time to visit the Jasmine Valley Natural Pool which is a wet season favourite. After heavy rainfall, there’s a waterfall to play in and sometimes you can ride the natural waterslide down to a spring farther down the valley. Travel by boat is often the more reliable form of transportation during the monsoon season.From September to early November you can enjoy the cool and wet weather in Cambodia. During this time of year, you’ll experience average temperatures in the low 30s while on holiday in Cambodia.   The monsoon rains begin to taper off in October bringing in the best time of year to holiday in Cambodia. Be sure to enjoy the celebrations for Pchum Ben or the celebration of the ancestors in October or the Water Festival in November. If you’re looking for a little adventure and sightseeing during this time of year, be sure to check out the Jasmine Valley Skate Bowl. This skateboard bowl is located right in the middle of the jungle and is a favourite for the first generation of Cambodian skateboarders.