A weekend in Kampot

Getting there?
We took a bus there. Giant Ibis for about 8-10 dollars depending on where you book. This was like, a medium sized bus. About 20 odd seats, with a tv that played movies on the way down! sure, we couldn't hear because the volume was way down...... but I think that is better than if the volume was way up!
You have allocated seats - so if you want to be at the front due to sickness let them know when you book and they will make sure you get a good seat.

On the way back we were with some other company (sorry, can't remember the name!). They went via Kep and lots of little back roads - picking people up and dropping them off willy nilly. Plus they finished up at some weird bus station that was not the official station! very confusing and lots of tuk tuks trying their hardest to rip you off! It took WAY longer to get back to Phnom Pehn - my advice, stick with Giant Ibis!



Samon village

Our bungalow. Nice and airy.

Bungalows here are nice and cheap, I think it was $8 a night for a bungalow that sleeps 2 people. But they are bungalows. This means open space around the floor and top of each wall. They do provide mosquito nets on the beds and a fan (which wasn't really that effective at getting air around the room - particularly to the bottom bunk!). But the open walls do mean that you may end up with some wildlife, cats, geckos and the like in your room.
Not really a big deal - but if that is going to be an issue you should probably not stay here!

Food at the restaurant was ok. we had a bbq the first night - cooked by us at out table which was fun. But breakfast was a bit ordinary so we went elsewhere for future meals!


advice - Do not trust any tour advice from these guys. They booked our bus back to PP, we specifically asked for a bus that didn't go via Kep. and said we wanted to Giant Ibis bus again. He assured us that he would put us on a good bus, that doesn't stop to let people on just anywhere, and goes straight to PP. He didn't.
He also told us that the tuk tuk would pick us up at 1pm. We almost missed the bus because the tuk tuk came at 12.30, and our lunches took 45 minutes to arrive!

What to do?
Samon village had a nice deck overlooking the river. So mostly we relaxed. All the places along the water hire kayaks and arrange boat trips.
We did the buffalo tours one day - It was meant to be history and waterfalls. Our understand was we would drive up a giant mountain and look at king's summer palace, then visit a waterfall where we could swim. Then a sunset  cruise on the river.

What we got
A tour of deserted derelict buildings....

The most interesting part of the Summer Palace

 The summer palace was a three room besser-block building, completely gutted. It did have some cool graffiti. And another smaller but equally cool building off to the left (as you approach the "Palace") which is interesting for it's graffiti and the forest that steadily reclaims it. Beware of landmines though - I was pretty scared walking along the path that we could step on anything. It was a conflict zone and not everywhere has cleared!

The french casino

The much more palatial building was this one, the old french casino/hotel. This building was cool. You were able to climb to the top to look at the view and explore the rooms, it would certainly be creepy at night! It actually looks amazing, and with some ahem.... aesthetic repairs would be an amazing hotel - in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do. But a new casino with heaps of hotel rooms was just up the road a bit in a much less interesting place!  


The derelict church!
I did promise run down buildings. As we approached this church it was pretty spooky. mostly because we could hear soft voices singing hymns. Less spooky once we got closer and established that there was a bus load of Vietnamese tourists inside singing.
Pretty cool stone arched building none the less

the view from near the old church 

Next up was the waterfall. Turns out It is dry season (despite the rain) and so no water in this waterfall for swimming. We ate lunch (fried rice that had been waiting in the car- but was alright... there just wasn't a lot, so byo snacks might be a good idea) and had an hour or so to hand about the waterfalls. I walked around as far as I could go and found this lovely spot.

view from beside the falls rather than above where we started

bonus falling down building I found on my adventure
to the waterfalls

Last up was the sunset cruise. Once we got back to the hotel we had some time for relaxing before the cruise with our tour group. Some of the smarter lads and lasses went into town and got supplies, and the drinks (though somewhat nasty) did make it more relaxing! Less relaxing once the already mildly insane driver got in on the drinking action!

unfortunately the tour ended before the sunset, especially as it was a nice sunset - what we could see through the trees back on land!

the crazy somewhat drunk boat driver
who kept telling me to take his photo, then hiding