Kampot River, Kampot Overview

Kampot is a river in Kampot province in Cambodia that joins the Gulf of Thailand. It is a vital source of livelihood for the people in the area surrounding the river, who practise fishing. The river passes through the towns of Kampot and Kep, which are popular tourist destinations in the region. It is known for many sunset cruises and water activities among the tourists.

Depending on the tides, the river flows in both directions. During the rainy season between July through October, excessive flow causes flooding, which impacts surrounding towns.

Kampot river tours

The most popular activity in the Kampot river is a sunset cruise. The tour starts at around 5 PM every day from Kampot dock area, taking you through the best sunset viewing points for about an hour and a half. There are seating options in the boat and also open deck area at the top. After that, there is a firefly tour, depending on the season you are traveling. Here you look out for hundreds of fireflies that glow in the night above the river. There is a complimentary drink included, and dinner options are also available. Some boat tours continue further with parties which last until midnight.

Apart from this, there are exclusive party cruise tours in the Kampot river which begins after sunset and go on late until the night. The tickets to these party cruises are available in hostels and hotels. You can also buy the sunset cruise tour tickets from the travel agents or in hotels/guesthouses where you stay.

Cost: 20,000 KHR or 5 USD.

Other Kampot river activities

There are many water activities that you can enjoy in Kampot, the most popular being Kayaking. Many guesthouses, hotels and villas rent out water sports equipment for a small cost or for free. Some of the guesthouses also have a private riverfront for water sports and swimming. You can go on fishing tours, do paddleboarding, water skiing and wakeboarding in the Kampot river.

There are many big boats docked along the Kampot river, which are multi-storeyed floating restaurants, opening at night for dinner and drinks. You can enjoy a night dining here for the views of the river and the town.

Best time to visit

The best time to spend time in the Kampot river is early in the morning or during sunset when the views are beautiful.

How To Reach Kampot River

There are direct minibuses available to Kampot from Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap. It takes about 3 to 5 hours. If you are traveling from Phnom Penh, you can also take the train to Kampot. Cabs cost about 50 USD one way from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.