These are the best places to travel this summer

Kep

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
Boats to Rabbit Island. Kep. Cambodia.

Getty Images

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Kep

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

Founded as a seaside retreat by French colonizers in 1908 and a favoured haunt of Cambodian high-rollers during the 1960s, sleepy Kep (កែប, Krong Kep, also spelled Kaeb) is drawing tourists back with seafood, sunsets and hikes in butterfly-filled Kep National Park. Its impressive range of boutique hotels squarely targets a more cultured beach crowd than the party-happy guesthouses of Sihanoukville and the islands.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Pepper plant at Sothy's Pepper Farm near Kep, Cambodia.

    Sothy's Pepper Farm

    Kep

    One of the friendliest farms to visit, Sothy is passionate about his product and will gladly elaborate on the history and process behind the 'champagne of…

  • Looking out from a viewpoint at Kep National Park, Cambodia.

    Kep National Park

    Kep

    The interior of Kep peninsula is occupied by Kep National Park, where an 8km circuit, navigable by foot, mountain bike, or motorbike, begins behind…

  • Koh Tonsay, Kep Province, Cambodia.

    Koh Tonsay

    Kep

    If you like the rustic beachcomber lifestyle, Koh Tonsay's 250m-long main beach is for you. This is a place to while away hours or days doing little but…

  • A statue of King Sdach Korn by the seaside in Kep

    Kep Beach

    Kep

    This is Kep's only proper beach, although it wasn't always that way. In the prewar period, powder-white sand was trucked in from other beaches. This…

  • Wat Kiri Sela

    Wat Kiri Sela

    Kep

    This Buddhist temple sits at the foot of Phnom Kompong Trach, a dramatic karst formation riddled with more than 100 caverns and passageways. From the wat,…

  • Kep Butterfly Garden

    Kep Butterfly Garden

    Kep

    This small and beautifully kept flower-filled garden is home to myriad butterflies. You can cycle or motorbike here – drive about 300m past the Rabbit…

  • Coconut Beach

    Coconut Beach

    Kep

    This 'beach' has dining platforms and food shacks, but not really any sand as such. It begins a few hundred metres southeast of Kep Beach, just past the…

  • Wat Samathi

    Wat Samathi

    Kep

    Sitting atop a hill overlooking Kep, this tranquil wat has gorgeous views over the coast. You can take the off-shooting 'Samathi Path' from the main Kep…

View more attractions

Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.

Explore all books

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Kep