Hua Lian bus station in Phnom Penh
A flat tire, with hardly any tread, is removed, bus to Kep
Waving palm fronds on the Gulf of Thailand, Kep
Classic Kep crab dish with peppercorn sauce
plus a mango smoothie, Kep
A quiet time in the Crab Market, Kep
Playtime beside the Crab Market, Kep
War damaged villa ruin, Kep
Ruins of a modernist style villa, Kep
Sunset over the Gulf of Thailand, Vanna Hill Resort, Kep
Kep is at the bottom of this map
Video #1 - At Vanna Hill Resort, Kep
THE TIME HAD COME to go leave Phnom Penh. I was not so keen to visit Sihanoukville, having heard and read mixed reviews, about the place. Chhonn suggested Kep and Koh Thonsáy, which i vaguely recall hearing about too. My friend suggested it would be just right for me, peaceful and beautiful. It turned out to be brilliant suggestion.
I left Phnom Penh on February 3. The Hua Lian bus, which was a tired old crate, got me to Kep by early afternoon. En route, the driver changed a flat tire but soon we rumbled back on to National Highway #3 again and continued to the coast.
Once in Kep i went to the Vanna Hill Resort by tuk tuk. The reservation, booked online, seemed to point towards a good sleep for the night. The French owned accommodation was near the end of of a steep dirt road, up on a hill. It's grounds bordered pocket-sized Kep National Park. This resort had loads of allure, given the inviting swimming pool, which Mr Paranoia avoided. Since i was travelling alone, i was not too keen to be separated from my passport. A shower was the only alternative. On the other hand, i quite enjoyed the tropical vegetation, some quite unfamiliar, in this garden of horticultural delights. Vanna Hill Resort had a decent restaurant too, open on the sides and covered by a large thatched roof. From any number of tables, views over the Gulf of Thailand, added to a sojourn here at the resort. My little room, was small but cozy, with its dark woody interior.
Down along the shore was Kep's famous Crab Market. It was here that one could purchase the small crustaceans that were farmed off the beach. Amongst the foodstalls, were akk kinds of seafood snacks but the grilled squid on a stick was a standout. Next door were a string of bars and restaurants. In an oceanside crab shack, the time had come to order a Cambodian classic – Kep crab with Kampot peppers. The simple but heavenly creation arrived, festooned with tiny garlands of fresh green peppercorns (still on the stem). Only missing was the drum roll. In this unassuming place, i had one of the best restaurant meals of the entire trip. Kep was indeed a little culinary hot spot, by the sea.
Back in 1908, the French administration developed this community known then as Kep-sur-Mer and referred to it as a station climatique. Luxury villas were built, first by French colonists and later the Cambodian elite. In the 1960s, many of the wealthy began to seek out playgrounds elsewhere, but the good life continued in Kep. All that came to an abrupt end in 1975, with the arrival of the Khmer Rouge and their dreaded launch of "Year Zero."
Back at Vanna Hill Resort, the hours before bedtime were uneventful, apart from a marathon iPad session.
Wikitravel link for Kep:
Beautiful accomodation, French owned and operated, in Kep
Recipe for the heavenly Kep style crab and peppercorn dish
Unknown blogger's impressions of Kep, especially the crab:
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