Kep is home to some dramatic ruins of an architectural movement that fluorished in Cambodia in the pre-war days of the 1960s.
Note: The information provided in this review was correct at time of publishing but may change. For final clarification please check with the relevant service
Architecture buffs and historians will be intrigued and moved by the ruins of once grand 1960s homes scattered around Kep. These were the homes of Cambodia's 1960s post-independence new elite. Most either fled the country or died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. The ruins are everywhere and it's possible to enter some for a closer look. They sport distinct strong lines, interesting shapes and many still have their original tiles. Hopefully some will survive the big plans for Kep's development.
Look out for Sihanouk's mother's residence, a pockmarked shell on the main beach road east of the Crab Market. And closer to the centre of town, the main Royal Residence. Both are usually accessible at the discretion of the guard on duty - who's usually inclined to open up for a dollar or two.
You can easily visit the ruins - they're literally everywhere - on foot, by bicycle or by motorbike. It's worth heading into the hills to see some of the homes that were built with spectacular views too.
Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass.
read more
Twitter: @rustycompass
Support Rusty Compass
Rusty Compass is an independent travel guide. We’re focused on providing you with quality, unbiased, travel information. That means we don't receive payments in exchange for listings and mostly pay our own way. We’d like tourism to be a positive economic, environmental and cultural force and we believe travellers deserve disclosure from publishers. Spread the word about Rusty Compass, and if you're in Saigon, pop in to The Old Compass Cafe and say hi. It’s our home right downtown on Pasteur St. You can also check out our unique tours of Ho Chi Minh City and Sydney at www.oldcompasstravel.com Make a financial contribution using the link below. Even small amounts make a difference.
Thanks and travel well!
Your trip plan is ONLY saved to this browser. To save it to your profile to share and use on any device.
Login or
register .
Special offer
Book via this form and receive:
Book a table
Book a table at
Reservation request has been sent to !
The restaurant will contact you to confirm the booking soon
Thank you for registering for our newsletter.
Thanks
Rusty Compass team
LOGIN
Comment on stories and reviews.
Receive updates from Rusty Compass
Rusty Compass listings are always independent. We list the places we think are worth knowing about. Our Featured Listings allow a small selection of businesses already recommended by us, to pay a fee for a place at the top of our list. That’s it. Featured Listings have no impact on reviews, or on the curation and independence of our lists.
There are no comments yet.