Kampot Province

We arrived in Kampot yesterday which is a sleepy riverside town around 105km east of Sihanoukville. Our plan was to go back to Phnom Penh via Kampot to renew our visas but it turns out we can cross the border into Vietnam (only 40km away) without having to arrange a visa first (which we thought was the case). We can get another Cambodian visa on our way back over border, apparently, which is cheaper than applying for an extension. Happy days!

The free 15-day Vietnam visa only allows us to visit the 'special economic zone' which is bascially the border area and a large island off the coast, Phu Quoc. It's a shame as we are not too far away from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - it would have been good to visit there as well but we would have needed to apply for a full visa at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh. Instead, we shall go and explore the island which we have read has some beautiful beaches.

Kampot is the kind of place where you wouldn't be surprised to see tumbleweed rolling down the street, but it has a nice character about it. We're going to spend a few days exploring the area before heading to another town, Kep, further along the coast and then over to Vietnam.

Above: Ochheuteal Beach, Sihanoukville.

Above: View over Kampot and the surrounding hills.

Tonight we are going to a restaurant called the Rusty Keyhole on the riverfront which is famous in these parts for the BBQ pork ribs they serve. We were there yesterday having already eaten but we saw the ribs and they looked and smelt amazing. Can't wait.