Home of the slow Loris

• Ljt's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Kampot

Trip Start Jan 07, 2012 Previous
Entry Trip End May 09, 2012 Next
Entry

  Kampot, Khétt Kâmpôt, Cambodia
Saturday, February 4, 2012

Splendid bus journey to Kampot passing by the jungle covered mountains of Bokor National Park, where tigers, leapords, elephants, black bears and most importantly SLOW LORIS live. (Look up 'Tickling slow Loris' on You Tube to see the appeal).

Had a really good feeling about Kampot before I even got here. Its known for being a very laid back riverside town, full of old French colonial buildings. Staying at 'Blissful Guesthouse', and it really is- $2 per night to sleep in an entirely relaxing atmosphere. The hostel sits in a leafy garden full of hammocks and has a great bar, and as I walked in the barman (who is from Yorkshire) was listening to Pink Floyd. Have met some lovely people there, staying in a dorm is definitely the best way, as everyone in there will usually be travelling alone and quite social.

Wandered about exploring and gazing at the amazing shabby yet beautiful French buildings. Its unspoiled and VERY laid back- wide streets with barely anyone on them, lots of lovely little cafes where people sit all day and watch the river. No one seems to be doing much, just having a nice time. After an hour of being here realised I was drifting along the street incredibly slowly.
 
Second day went on a tour to the national park, an hours' steep drive into the mountains with a Cambodian tour guide called Tree ('If you forget my name, look at a tree, and you will remember'). There are various 1920s colonial buildings dotted about, abandoned since the Khmer Rouge rein and now covered in a strange orange lichen. They stand looking across views of the jungle and sea and are quite eerie and spectacular. Met some lovely people on the trip including an entertaining German and a Canadian couple who reminded me of mum & dad. Generally little trips are made up of either couples or people alone, you spend the whole day together and everyone is friendly so its a really good thing to do if on your own. Later did a sunset cruise along with the river then had a baked potato with CHEESE (a rarity), a great way to end the day. : )

Could easily spend weeks here, even though there isn't loads to do, but going to Vietnam tomorrow. A bit apprehensive as people keep telling me to be on guard as the Vietnamese are known to dislike and overcharge tourists, and its not half as friendly as Cambodia. Better practice my 'hard face'.

PS Didn't see a Slow Loris : (

Kampot hotels Slideshow Share

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

A fine example of French colonial shabby chic	Old French cinema.	This reminds me of that horror film with the pins.	Strange orange lichen on rock.
Someone on a mountain/   Comments!	Hilltop temple.	Abandoned church atop Bokor National Park.	Sunset river cruise.
Temple perching on mountain.

Previous Entry Next Entry