Sihanoukville and the south - The Rough Guide to Cambodia - page 267

Magic Sponge 100m east of the Salt Workers
roundabout T 017 946428, W magicspongecambodia
.com. Backpacker guesthouse with bright, cheap and clean
fan-cooled rooms and a six-bed “penthouse” dorm - beds
have reading lights and there's a nice balcony - in a
refurbished villa with a mini-golf course in the grounds.
The restaurant serves good Wester n a nd I nd ian if ood ( veg
thali $5). Live music on Wed. Dorm $3 ; fan $9 ; a/c $14
Mea Culpa A block back from the river, behind the
Governor's Residence T 012 504769, W meaculpa
kampot.com. Clean and comfortable, out-of-the-way
guesthouse with bright bedrooms and all mod cons
including ca ble T TV, fridges and a/c. Good on-site restaurant
(see below). $25
Ny Ny Opposite Magic Sponge T 033 932460, E nyny
[e-mail]. More a hotel than a guesthouse, this
orange high-rise has clean, great-value en-suite rooms (a/c
rooms are larger and double the price), just 5m in from the
bus stop and riverside. Wi-fi is a little patchy. $6

Orchid 120m east of the Salt Workers roundabout
T 092 226996, E orchidguesthousekampot@yahoo
.com. A range of well-priced fan and more comfortable a/c
rooms, plus charming bungalows with their own tiny
balconies in a garden. Restaurant, tours and p lea sant
own ers combine to make this a good choice. Fan $7 ; a/c
$15
Rikitikitavi Riverside Rd, south of the old bridge
T 012 235102, W rikitikitavi-kampot.com. Booking is
essential to secure one of the six comfortable, stylish a/c
rooms. The first-floor restaurant-bar is a fabulous spot to
watch the sunset, and their food is some of the best in
town. $43
Titch's Place Riverside Rd, near the old bridge T 033
650 1631, W tictchsplaceguesthouse.webs.com.
Backpacker-friendly riverfront digs with sizeable dorms
(including a girls-only dorm) with ceiling fans, bunks,
reading lights and balconi es, as well as communal timber
lockers and a nice rooftop. $4

5

EATING, DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Kampot has plenty of eating options. In addition to the restaurants listed below, there are the usual rice and noodle shops
around the market, by the transport stop and along the road from the roundabout to the old bridge (where you'll find stalls
selling fruit shakes and desserts in the evening). Metaheap supermarket is on the northern side of the Salt Workers
roundabout. Nightlife in Kampot is low-key, with a couple of Western bars.

Bodhi Villa 2km north of town T 012 728884,
W bodhivilla.com. Even if you're not staying, it's worth the
trip here for the superb food, ranging from Cambodian and
Thai to Western classics, with a heavenly beef lok lak .
Angkor-battered fish and chips $3. The Friday-night parties
are the talk of the town. Daily 7am-10pm.
Café Malay Old Market St, opposite the old market
T 097 993 8641. Small, friendly café, decorated with
hanging teapots, serving top food, and particularly great
breakfasts (big brekkie $3.75), some including beer. Free
wi-fi. Daily 9am-9.45pm.
Ecran Noodle Shop Old Market St, opposite the old
market. A concise menu of hand-pulled Chinese noodles
and dumplings in this friendly café attached to the Ecran
Cinema, where the chef cooks right by the street (noodle
and dumpling soup $2.50). The owner is a mine of
information on the area. Wed-Mon 11am-9pm.
Epic Arts Old Market St, northeast of the old market
W epicarts.org.uk. Run by a group of deaf people, this tiny
café serves home-made cakes, teas and coffee. Instructions
in the menu help you sign your order. Breakfast bruschetta
$3; nut and banana brioche $3. Daily 7am-4pm.

Espresso 30m north of Epic Arts T 092 388736. You'll
get the best coffee (from $1.50) in town at this friendly
muralled café, which is also a hot spot for breakfast (eggs
Benedict $4). Tues-Sun 8am-5pm.
Mea Culpa A block back from the river, behind the
Governor's Residence T 012 504769,
W meaculpakampot.com. Open-air restaurant serving
excellent food. The stone-baked pizzas (9-inch Margherita
$5.50) are delicious, as are the ingredients available for
“build your own” sandwiches - perfect to take away if
you're off on an excursion. Daily 7-9.30am &
noon-9pm.
Oh Neils Riverside Rd, near Kipling Lane T 015
207790, W ohneils.com. A favourite haunt of local expats,
this small Irish bar spills onto the street and gets livelier as
the night goes on. Brunty's $2. Daily 5pm-3am.
Rusty Keyhole Cnr Riverside Rd & Old Market Rd
T 012 679607. This iconic bar and restaurant has a prime
position on the riverfront, near the old market. It's a top
spot to relax over a beer or two while your spare ribs are
barbecued; one portion will fill two. Also runs a sports bar
next to the 2000 Monument. Daily 11.30am-10pm.

SHOPPING
Dorsu Old Market Rd, opposite the old market
T 012 960225, E [e-mail],
W dorsu.org/store. Pretty dresses, kramas and other
accessories produced by local women as part of a

social-enterprise system with an impressive ethical
focus. Creative types can volunteer here, helping to
increase their product range and improve store
operation. Daily 9am-5pm.