Kep was Cambodia’s top seaside destination until eclipsed in the 1960s by Sihanoukville (and, soon after, decades of civil war). The town is full of ruined shells of old villas, destroyed in the Khmer Rouge days and during the subsequent Civil War and stripped down by the leaving Vietnamese army.
Today’s Kep has recently become established as a Khmer holiday spot and is slowly being rediscovered by travelers. The once very poor Kep beach is now being filled up with snow white sand from Otres Beach and is extended to 50m, still the main beach is located at the idyllic Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island, 20min by long tail boat), just off the coast.
The new Kep beach, busy during Chinese New Year
The charm of this coastal resort lies in its peacefulness, its National Park, and its seafood.
In 2015 there are over 80 hotels, ranging from a $5 home-stay to a $500-plus double story wooden villa, with your own pool.
Nowadays there is quite a lot to do in Kep. You can fill more than a week with all kind of different activities, beside lying on the beach.
