January 1, 2015 • 0

Kampot

January 1, 2015

Today we slept in and enjoyed the beautiful morning. We had breakfast out on the river at Les Manguiers and spoke with Jean-Yves (the owner’s husband) about different things we could do during our stay.

Kampot River

A delicious French breakfast with homemade jams

We eventually decided to use the free bikes to go into Kampot and explore. Kampot is a sleepy little town that sits on the Kampot River. It’s the perfect place to get away from the touristy mess of Siem Reap and the bustle of Phnom Penh. There aren’t heaps of tourists here, just the ones who are looking to relax and leisurely pass the time.

Riding down the dirt road from our guest house

Riding around town

Are we lost?

2000 Monument

A giant durian! Kampot is known for its fruit – especially durian

We looked at a shop or two and then settled on having lunch at Epicarts Café. Epicarts is a UK-based company that promotes the inclusion for all people. Their slogan – Every Person Counts – perfectly sums up their mission. In Kampot, their cafe employs deaf and disabled Cambodians, and they have an arts center where they provide art classes and other programs for the disabled. It’s a really cool company! You can check out their website for more info: http://www.epicarts.org.uk/cambodia/social-enterprise/epic-arts-cafe
They also have a shop where you can buy handmade products and art that benefit their programs. We had a delicious lunch and bought several things before heading back to Les Manguiers.

an incredible homemade bagel with hummus, carrot, and olives

Zach’s BLT

Star mobiles in their upstairs gallery – I bought one 🙂

In the afternoon we took a boat from Les Manguiers to a spot up river where we were dropped off to kayak. First, we paddled through the “Green Cathedral” so named for the green palm fronds that dominate the bank and sometimes form an arch over the water. It was a beautiful place to kayak. It was a very tranquil trip since we were surrounded by greenery in every direction. When we finished the loop we chose to paddle back down the river to the guest house where we indulged in an excellent dinner and then leisurely wore away the evening.