Kampot is a riverside town in southern Cambodia with a story that stretches from a bustling 19th-century seaport to a calm center for travelers seeking real local experiences. Wandering these streets reveals faded pastel facades, shuttered balconies, and hints of a past where merchants from China, Malaysia, and Europe met on this quiet stretch of the Cambodian coast.

One of Kampot’s proudest claims is its pepper. Grown in fields east of town, Kampot pepper has earned a reputation around the world for its rich and varied aromas, with black, white, green and red varieties each offering distinct flavors. Farms such as La Plantation welcome visitors to walk among vines, learn how the peppercorns are dried by hand, and taste the spice straight from the source. Locals often use it in everyday dishes and it is also featured in regional recipes, including the famous Kampot pepper crab, a stir-fry that highlights the pepper’s bright punch.

Beyond the town itself, the surrounding countryside invites exploration. The salt fields just outside Kampot present surreal white plains in the dry season as workers scoop salt from the once-flooded paddies. Not far away, Bokor National Park rises above the plain with cool air, misty views, and the ruins of an old French hill station at its summit. These sites add layers of contrast to the laid-back rhythm of town life. For a quiet moment along the Teuk Chhou River, a sunset cruise offers a gentle way to see the landscape change color as day turns to dusk.