I'm told the surrounding area is nice, when I get the chance, I'll go back and explore that and perhaps stay somewhere outside Kampot. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!
I'd say I'm reasonably adventurous, but also don't mind taking things easy. We'd planned to rent a motorbike to go up to the hill station, but the place we enquired at wanted my passport and I wasn't willing to hand it over. The area does look very nice, but as for the township, there doesn't seem to be a lot to keep me there for an extended period of time. Let me know what you recommend. Thanks heaps for commenting!
While I agree with some points in the video, I think your trip could have been planned better. The issue is that you consider the city of Kampot as the final destination as opposed to a launching off site to do all of the wonderful things right outside the city. If you can't moto, it is easy to get a tuk tuk driver for the day. It is really an unfair criticism to say there's not much to do! Here is a list of things to do for those interested: Pepper farms, salt fields, Bokor mountain, the mangrove forest, kep (which has the beach, crab market, and Kampong Trach Cave), Tada Waterfall, Nibi Spa, River Park Water Park, kayaking in the Green Cathedral, river cruise at night, or go to the Kampot River beach for sunset and a meal on the beach.
Yes, fair point, perhaps Kampot deserved more time, especially based on your list (and thank you for providing it), but I still found the township dull tbh, despite the rave reviews I kept seeing and reading about it. I believe there's a new international port being built nearby that will allow people to cross into Vietnam easily, perhaps that will be something for me to check out in future along with the activities you suggested. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
@@m2kss427 Kampot actually surrounds Kep! Going to Kep from the downtown is only about 30 minutes. But if you do not want to count that, just do the other things I mentioned to do in Kampot proper haha.
Hi Matt, just found your channel after listening to your podcast for the first time. I’ve just turned 60 (so not the backpacker you referred to!). My family and I love SEAsia and our favourite place is Cambodia and Kampot in particular. Probably for all the reasons you don’t like it. Yes they could do up all the old buildings and turn it into a version of Luang Prabang (which we also love) but I can’t put my finger on why I love it so much but it does have something to do with the tired old rustic buildings and incredibly friendly locals. Coming from Sydney it’s great to do a busy city like Phnom P, but then spend a week in a quiet town like Kampot. We are opposites in our location likes because the only place I’m not in a rush to return to is HCM City but that’s great everyone has different opinions. I do love Vietnam however, particularly the north. We recently returned from our 3rd Vietnam holiday to Hanoi(always loved the culture), Ninn Binh and Dalat so my small request from your podcast is to do some shows focused on areas outside of Saigon. Really glad I found your channel and podcast. Great to find someone closer to my demographic and interests than the RUclips backpackers you referred to!
Hi Phil, great to see you found my channel via my podcast! Thanks heaps for your comments and yes, HCMC isn't for everyone, I see a lot of comments online about it, but like you, it's just a place I happen to like, and now that I've lived here for 13 years, it's home. It's refreshing to get comments like yours from people who understand that sometimes places and experiences don't turn out how we expected and can accept differing opinions. I'll work on doing some content for the podcast outside of Saigon to keep you interested 😉Thanks again for following along!
You must be joking , kampot is one the most touristy town for the local . Tons of sight seeing. Mountain, river, water fall and the near-by beach, sea view, and island. This is not the place where you visit just stay in the town . Go and explore the sight seeing.
No, I'm not joking. A lot of people (including you) recommend getting out of Kampot, so I feel like my opinion about the town (as a tourist destination, nothing else) is justified. I only had limited time to stay there and after the hype I saw on YT and other platforms, I decided to stay a couple of nights to check it out, but as I said in the video, it didn't meet the expectations set. If I went back, I'd look into staying near these lovely places people like you are mentioning in the comments.
Strange that I have stayed in Kampot several times - each time about 10 weeks. Great place with bars and restaurants so I can't understand the message given in this video.
@@mikebaker7522 That's fair enough, that's your experience, I just found it tired and rundown, the girly bars right in the middle of town with the old codgers hanging about are at odds with the quaint village-like atmosphere people often paint though 😅 I'm just not in a hurry to go back. Thanks for commenting 👍
When i stay every winter in cambodia, i go almost every day to kampot to buy foods and stuff i need, options are a little bit limited in kep. I have to admit, as much as i want to disageree with you due to some local pride, you are right. Kampot is nice for people who want to spend their holiday barhopping and driving around with a motorbike. Kampot itself really does not have much to offer, it is true. You can get really good food of pretty much any nation in kampot and it os usually of a very good quality. Sightseeing, not so much. As i understand, you talk about kamppt town, out of kampot are many interesting places. As for the market, i can not recommend for foreigners to eat there. I mean, there os no runnning water nowhere, what do you think how clean it is? Same is true btw in kep for the crap market. I think cambodian people maybe have a much higher tolerance for unclean food. I spend a long time in cambodia and i would not eat there unless i am famished. Just the smell is killing my appetite. Oh, and for the pepper farms, come on guys, it is a farm, it has plants, they look all the same, it is hot and humid as hell, i would rather have my eyeballs tattoed.
Thanks heaps for your comment, it's very informative and I'm glad someone else can appreciate my side of the argument. I ate at the Kampot market because I'm used to eating at markets all the time in Vietnam without getting sick (except for the odd occasion here & there over the 15 years I've been living here), so it was natural for me to try something for breaky at the market there - I guess you live and learn 😅 I will go back some day, but perhaps I'll follow your lead and try outside of the township. Thanks again for taking the time to comment!
We had planned to do those but the motorbike rental wanted me to hand over my passport but I wasn't prepared to do that, we used to do that back in the 90s, geez it's 2023 🤣
@@TheBureauAsia actually each motorbike cost like 2k each. What do they do if you rent their vehicle than disappear? Logically thinking, They have a shop with tons of vehicle to rent, it’s their business, why do they even wanna steal your passport ? And they will carefully take care of it.
@@Jenny_sa11 Which shop has tons of vehicles to rent? Not the one I visited. I didn't see anywhere with tons of vehicles to rent. I didn't say they would steal my passport, but the risk is there for them to retain it should they see fit. I erred on the safe side given that the businesses renting out motorbikes in the area looked dodgy.
Back in 2001/2 , I went to see a Cambodian horror movie 😂 which was more funny than scary due to the pretty poor special effects but I remember the inside of the building being very run down at the time, broken seats and dilapidated toilets. There was another cinema just around the corner where Sean lee motorbikes is now but that was always just the facade remaining back in 2001 . Still the same now.
If theres not much to do why do so many expats make it their place for long almost permanent stay ? Ive been there 7 or 8 times usually a month at a time. Always fun and always relaxing place and a nice contract to PP. Koh Rong great , at least the side with Lazy beach is good. The other side seems a bit commercial . Hire a bike ( many many rental places in Kampot ) and go to Kep, Bokor and a few places with caves. Lots to see for those who venture.
I don't know how many expats live there permanently, I didn't see too many around, do you happen to know the numbers? But living there and visiting for a couple of nights are quite different things. We intended to rent a motorbike but the place wanted to keep my passport, which I wasn't prepared to do. Koh Rong is beautiful and worth a visit but you need to go now to avoid the development. Thanks heaps for taking the time to comment!
He was too lazy to even check out the YT channels by expats who have lived in Kampot for years. Like I've said in the other comments, this guy is a little "off".
Everyone's experience is different so make sure you check out other videos about it. I've gotta say, if you decide to go to Kampot, the train is excellent and based on other reports, better than going by road. I booked through baolau.com Thanks heaps for commenting and enjoy your trip!
hahahahhahaa exactly. an old closeted gay like him need to stick to the well-developed countries, cambodia is for those who appreciate cultural and natural beauty. we dont have special shuanas for you, sorry, well maybe we do, but it does need you to spend some money getting on a tuktuk or rent a bike, well i guess that's not something you're willing to do, so keep whining. 😊😁
Are you an art historian or architect to really understand why something should be on UNESCO world heritage list? The tourist highlight is not the pepper farm. You were just too lazy to look out what there else is to discover. Been on mountain? Checked out riverside? Checked out countryside? Checked out ocean? There's GIBBONS in the mountains and waterfalls. Tons of nice places to hike. Hidden gems. But this demands actually getting on a TukTuk or renting a motorbike and get out of old market.
I don't see why someone has to be an expert to have an opinion on whether a town stacks up against UNESCO listed towns. Is it safe for me to assume you've never had an opinion? We actually did go to rent a motorbike, but they wanted me to hand over my passport. Isn't this 2023?
The comments don't really tell it all because often those compelled to comment have a vested interest in a location, in this case Kampot or Cambodia in general. Have you been to Kampot lately? Would like to hear your assessment of it as a holiday destination. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment.
@@TheBureauAsia Without looking it up, can you name just 5 youtube channels of expats living in Kampot for over a year? Can you explain why so many expats show up on their videos when they're doing walk about videos? Can you explain how you could apparently do NO research and not even make an effort to see the things that Kampot offers? Here's a quote from one of your viewers - " I was able to call Kampot my home for 8 years. Saw nothing from the most beautiful places in Kampot in your Video. But cool to see your Opinion." How could you do a video and show NOTHING from the most beautiful places? It's like doing a review on Home Depot and declaring that they don't carry any hammers because you were too lazy to ask where they were. A popular YT channel that has travelled to over 40 countries and with almost 30K subscribers did a 3 day video on Kampot two months ago and said that it was one of THE best places they have ever stayed at. They went on to say that Kampot offered more for expats than most of the places they've explored. Further, in a response to my comment, they said that Cambodia was the most underrated country they've been to and that Kampot is poised to EXPLODE with tourists in the coming year. How can your assessment of Kampot be so different from one of the top YT channels? Here's the link to her video. Hey, it's never too late to get educated! ruclips.net/video/cx2cMaBk8Y4/видео.html The comments on your video DO tell a lot about Kampot. You dismiss them because they don't agree with you. I haven't been to Kampot, but I'm going to visit next year because I was lucky enough to see videos about it from credible sources and took the time to look at the comments on your video. I also did my own research. Your videos might improve if you did some too, before trashing a place you barely walked around in.
You've reminded me of the port being built, I believe there's an international terminal being built that will mean people will be able to cross back and forth to Phu Quoc, Vietnam, quickly and easily?
I was able to call Kampot my home for 8 years. Saw nothing from the most beautiful places in Kampot in your Video. But cool to see your Opinion.
I'm told the surrounding area is nice, when I get the chance, I'll go back and explore that and perhaps stay somewhere outside Kampot. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!
Been to kampot many times . Seems to me your not really the advertourous type. Theres do much yo do and see beautiful countryside to explore
I'd say I'm reasonably adventurous, but also don't mind taking things easy. We'd planned to rent a motorbike to go up to the hill station, but the place we enquired at wanted my passport and I wasn't willing to hand it over. The area does look very nice, but as for the township, there doesn't seem to be a lot to keep me there for an extended period of time. Let me know what you recommend. Thanks heaps for commenting!
Kampot is awesome as I can take my yacht from there to the islands
Nice!
While I agree with some points in the video, I think your trip could have been planned better. The issue is that you consider the city of Kampot as the final destination as opposed to a launching off site to do all of the wonderful things right outside the city. If you can't moto, it is easy to get a tuk tuk driver for the day. It is really an unfair criticism to say there's not much to do!
Here is a list of things to do for those interested: Pepper farms, salt fields, Bokor mountain, the mangrove forest, kep (which has the beach, crab market, and Kampong Trach Cave), Tada Waterfall, Nibi Spa, River Park Water Park, kayaking in the Green Cathedral, river cruise at night, or go to the Kampot River beach for sunset and a meal on the beach.
Yes, fair point, perhaps Kampot deserved more time, especially based on your list (and thank you for providing it), but I still found the township dull tbh, despite the rave reviews I kept seeing and reading about it. I believe there's a new international port being built nearby that will allow people to cross into Vietnam easily, perhaps that will be something for me to check out in future along with the activities you suggested. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
I totally agree! If you are wanted a place to chill then Kampot is petfect! Like you said, there's loads of things to do around Kampot.
And don't forget Rabbit Island via Kep. You can catch a boat or travel by road, but I would wait until the road works are completed.
Kep is not a part of Kampot,. It's a different province🙂 so it doesn't fall under "what to do in Kampot" category. Chheers
@@m2kss427 Kampot actually surrounds Kep! Going to Kep from the downtown is only about 30 minutes. But if you do not want to count that, just do the other things I mentioned to do in Kampot proper haha.
Hi Matt, just found your channel after listening to your podcast for the first time. I’ve just turned 60 (so not the backpacker you referred to!). My family and I love SEAsia and our favourite place is Cambodia and Kampot in particular. Probably for all the reasons you don’t like it. Yes they could do up all the old buildings and turn it into a version of Luang Prabang (which we also love) but I can’t put my finger on why I love it so much but it does have something to do with the tired old rustic buildings and incredibly friendly locals. Coming from Sydney it’s great to do a busy city like Phnom P, but then spend a week in a quiet town like Kampot. We are opposites in our location likes because the only place I’m not in a rush to return to is HCM City but that’s great everyone has different opinions. I do love Vietnam however, particularly the north. We recently returned from our 3rd Vietnam holiday to Hanoi(always loved the culture), Ninn Binh and Dalat so my small request from your podcast is to do some shows focused on areas outside of Saigon.
Really glad I found your channel and podcast. Great to find someone closer to my demographic and interests than the RUclips backpackers you referred to!
Hi Phil, great to see you found my channel via my podcast! Thanks heaps for your comments and yes, HCMC isn't for everyone, I see a lot of comments online about it, but like you, it's just a place I happen to like, and now that I've lived here for 13 years, it's home. It's refreshing to get comments like yours from people who understand that sometimes places and experiences don't turn out how we expected and can accept differing opinions. I'll work on doing some content for the podcast outside of Saigon to keep you interested 😉Thanks again for following along!
You must be joking , kampot is one the most touristy town for the local . Tons of sight seeing. Mountain, river, water fall and the near-by beach, sea view, and island. This is not the place where you visit just stay in the town . Go and explore the sight seeing.
No, I'm not joking. A lot of people (including you) recommend getting out of Kampot, so I feel like my opinion about the town (as a tourist destination, nothing else) is justified. I only had limited time to stay there and after the hype I saw on YT and other platforms, I decided to stay a couple of nights to check it out, but as I said in the video, it didn't meet the expectations set. If I went back, I'd look into staying near these lovely places people like you are mentioning in the comments.
3 nights here 3 nights there , not the way to travel . I refer to slower travelers for advice if any .
nah let his type stay out_its better for the ecology _anytime whites/chinese/russians come along_trouble_ask thailand_ask any nation who deals w/ them
Strange that I have stayed in Kampot several times - each time about 10 weeks. Great place with bars and restaurants so I can't understand the message given in this video.
@@mikebaker7522 That's fair enough, that's your experience, I just found it tired and rundown, the girly bars right in the middle of town with the old codgers hanging about are at odds with the quaint village-like atmosphere people often paint though 😅 I'm just not in a hurry to go back. Thanks for commenting 👍
I think he did his review from the bathroom of one of the bars.
Maybe you're used to watching videos of people who know what they're doing, do some research and actually explore the place?
@@ExpatGringo Wish I had, but I think I'm still too young for them
@@ExpatGringo That old "research" chestnut 🤣
When i stay every winter in cambodia, i go almost every day to kampot to buy foods and stuff i need, options are a little bit limited in kep. I have to admit, as much as i want to disageree with you due to some local pride, you are right. Kampot is nice for people who want to spend their holiday barhopping and driving around with a motorbike. Kampot itself really does not have much to offer, it is true. You can get really good food of pretty much any nation in kampot and it os usually of a very good quality. Sightseeing, not so much. As i understand, you talk about kamppt town, out of kampot are many interesting places.
As for the market, i can not recommend for foreigners to eat there. I mean, there os no runnning water nowhere, what do you think how clean it is? Same is true btw in kep for the crap market. I think cambodian people maybe have a much higher tolerance for unclean food. I spend a long time in cambodia and i would not eat there unless i am famished. Just the smell is killing my appetite.
Oh, and for the pepper farms, come on guys, it is a farm, it has plants, they look all the same, it is hot and humid as hell, i would rather have my eyeballs tattoed.
Thanks heaps for your comment, it's very informative and I'm glad someone else can appreciate my side of the argument. I ate at the Kampot market because I'm used to eating at markets all the time in Vietnam without getting sick (except for the odd occasion here & there over the 15 years I've been living here), so it was natural for me to try something for breaky at the market there - I guess you live and learn 😅 I will go back some day, but perhaps I'll follow your lead and try outside of the township. Thanks again for taking the time to comment!
Interesting salt fields around Kampot and also Bokor Mountain is around one corner, Kep is around the other corner. Need a bike and a krama.
We had planned to do those but the motorbike rental wanted me to hand over my passport but I wasn't prepared to do that, we used to do that back in the 90s, geez it's 2023 🤣
@@TheBureauAsia actually each motorbike cost like 2k each. What do they do if you rent their vehicle than disappear? Logically thinking, They have a shop with tons of vehicle to rent, it’s their business, why do they even wanna steal your passport ? And they will carefully take care of it.
@@Jenny_sa11 Which shop has tons of vehicles to rent? Not the one I visited. I didn't see anywhere with tons of vehicles to rent. I didn't say they would steal my passport, but the risk is there for them to retain it should they see fit. I erred on the safe side given that the businesses renting out motorbikes in the area looked dodgy.
I watched a movie in that old cinema, it looks really nice now.
How long ago was that? Only the facade remains, but it's been beautifully done and is definitely a highlight in the town.
Back in 2001/2 , I went to see a Cambodian horror movie 😂 which was more funny than scary due to the pretty poor special effects but I remember the inside of the building being very run down at the time, broken seats and dilapidated toilets.
There was another cinema just around the corner where Sean lee motorbikes is now but that was always just the facade remaining back in 2001 . Still the same now.
Spent 4 months there, that was definitely more that enough, [though i met a lot of lovely people] it's a bit of a grubby place.
Yes, the people are lovely. How long would you recommend people stay there?
If theres not much to do why do so many expats make it their place for long almost permanent stay ? Ive been there 7 or 8 times usually a month at a time. Always fun and always relaxing place and a nice contract to PP. Koh Rong great , at least the side with Lazy beach is good. The other side seems a bit commercial . Hire a bike ( many many rental places in Kampot ) and go to Kep, Bokor and a few places with caves. Lots to see for those who venture.
I don't know how many expats live there permanently, I didn't see too many around, do you happen to know the numbers? But living there and visiting for a couple of nights are quite different things. We intended to rent a motorbike but the place wanted to keep my passport, which I wasn't prepared to do. Koh Rong is beautiful and worth a visit but you need to go now to avoid the development. Thanks heaps for taking the time to comment!
I wonder if this guy's assessment on other places is just as off? Something about him and this review is just not right.
He was too lazy to even check out the YT channels by expats who have lived in Kampot for years. Like I've said in the other comments, this guy is a little "off".
Thanks for your honest review
I might just go Phenom Phen when i fly there from BKK
Everyone's experience is different so make sure you check out other videos about it. I've gotta say, if you decide to go to Kampot, the train is excellent and based on other reports, better than going by road. I booked through baolau.com Thanks heaps for commenting and enjoy your trip!
Or walk around Kampot, watch other channels and form your own opinion. Look at the comments. This guy didn't do much exploring.
sorry mate its not the Gay capital your looking for stick to Sydney car parks you fairy
Should I wear hi-vis in the lot?
hahahahhahaa exactly. an old closeted gay like him need to stick to the well-developed countries, cambodia is for those who appreciate cultural and natural beauty. we dont have special shuanas for you, sorry, well maybe we do, but it does need you to spend some money getting on a tuktuk or rent a bike, well i guess that's not something you're willing to do, so keep whining. 😊😁
Are you an art historian or architect to really understand why something should be on UNESCO world heritage list? The tourist highlight is not the pepper farm. You were just too lazy to look out what there else is to discover. Been on mountain? Checked out riverside? Checked out countryside? Checked out ocean? There's GIBBONS in the mountains and waterfalls. Tons of nice places to hike. Hidden gems. But this demands actually getting on a TukTuk or renting a motorbike and get out of old market.
I don't see why someone has to be an expert to have an opinion on whether a town stacks up against UNESCO listed towns. Is it safe for me to assume you've never had an opinion? We actually did go to rent a motorbike, but they wanted me to hand over my passport. Isn't this 2023?
Something is really strange about this bloke and his dislike for Kampot.
I watch a LOT of videos on traveling, but this one seems to be WAY OFF in its assessment. The comments tell it all.
The comments don't really tell it all because often those compelled to comment have a vested interest in a location, in this case Kampot or Cambodia in general. Have you been to Kampot lately? Would like to hear your assessment of it as a holiday destination. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment.
@@TheBureauAsia Without looking it up, can you name just 5 youtube channels of expats living in Kampot for over a year? Can you explain why so many expats show up on their videos when they're doing walk about videos? Can you explain how you could apparently do NO research and not even make an effort to see the things that Kampot offers? Here's a quote from one of your viewers - " I was able to call Kampot my home for 8 years. Saw nothing from the most beautiful places in Kampot in your Video. But cool to see your Opinion." How could you do a video and show NOTHING from the most beautiful places? It's like doing a review on Home Depot and declaring that they don't carry any hammers because you were too lazy to ask where they were.
A popular YT channel that has travelled to over 40 countries and with almost 30K subscribers did a 3 day video on Kampot two months ago and said that it was one of THE best places they have ever stayed at. They went on to say that Kampot offered more for expats than most of the places they've explored. Further, in a response to my comment, they said that Cambodia was the most underrated country they've been to and that Kampot is poised to EXPLODE with tourists in the coming year. How can your assessment of Kampot be so different from one of the top YT channels? Here's the link to her video. Hey, it's never too late to get educated! ruclips.net/video/cx2cMaBk8Y4/видео.html The comments on your video DO tell a lot about Kampot. You dismiss them because they don't agree with you. I haven't been to Kampot, but I'm going to visit next year because I was lucky enough to see videos about it from credible sources and took the time to look at the comments on your video. I also did my own research. Your videos might improve if you did some too, before trashing a place you barely walked around in.
You got it right! Kampot is dusty with a giant Cement Durian Fruit in the roundabout. That is the end of the tour.
I didn't think I'd find someone who agrees with me 😅
for french colonial probably better to visit Laos.
90 days Vietnam Visa will in 15/08/2023.....🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
You've reminded me of the port being built, I believe there's an international terminal being built that will mean people will be able to cross back and forth to Phu Quoc, Vietnam, quickly and easily?
Tourist...
Thọc cây sắt qua, nhỏ bé thế bay !
The best resraurant in Kampot --> 1960 Restaurant 🇰🇭🫶💯
Yes, worth a visit for lunch!