Kampot Province, Province with French colonial heritage in southwestern Cambodia
Kampot is a province in southwestern Cambodia with flat coastal areas and mountainous regions in the west. The territory reaches the Gulf of Thailand and shows varied landscapes from agricultural land to forested hills.
The province came under French administration in 1907 and grew as an important trading port. When new trade routes developed through Saigon and the Mekong, the region lost its economic importance later on.
The provincial capital holds many 19th-century buildings that show French colonial influences in its architecture and layout. Local farmers grow pepper here that is recognized worldwide and protected as a geographical indication.
The best time to visit is during the dry season when roads are in better condition and the heat is more manageable. The region is best explored with local transport or motorcycles, which give access to smaller villages and mountain areas.
Along the coast stand traditional salt ponds where workers extract sea salt from evaporation basins using age-old methods. This craft practice has been passed down for generations and shapes the look of coastal areas.
Location: Cambodia
Inception: 1907
Capital city: Kampot
Shares border with: Kampong Speu Province, Kiên Giang, Takéo Province, Kep Province, Sihanoukville Province
GPS coordinates: 10.60000,104.16667
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:02
Southeast Asia extends from the volcanic craters of Sumatra to the limestone formations of northern Vietnam, combining geological features with centuries-old cultural sites. The region includes Lake Toba, one of the world's deepest crater lakes, the Banaue rice terraces that have been cultivated for over 2,000 years, and Komodo National Park, home to the world's largest living lizards. In Thailand, Wat Rong Khun draws visitors with its unconventional white architecture, while Luang Prabang in Laos blends French colonial buildings with Buddhist monasteries. The underwater world ranges from the biodiverse reefs surrounding Raja Ampat in West Papua to Sipadan Island off the coast of Sabah, where sea turtles and barracuda schools are common. The Gili Islands off Lombok provide access to coral reefs with no motorized vehicles on land. The Phong Nha-Ke Bang caves in Vietnam contain some of the world's largest cave systems, while the Chocolate Hills in Bohol form over 1,200 conical mounds. Less visited sites include the Plain of Jars in Laos with its stone vessels of unknown origin, the red lotus fields of Udon Thani in Thailand that bloom between December and February, and the abandoned Bokor Hill Station in Cambodia from the French colonial era. Mount Kinabalu rises to 13,435 feet (4,095 meters), making it the highest peak between the Himalayas and New Guinea. The region connects active volcanoes, tropical rainforests and temple complexes from different periods.
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