Where it sits
Kampot lies on the south coast between the Elephant Mountains and the Gulf of Thailand, with the Praek Tuek Chhu river running through the provincial town. The centre is a grid of ochre French-colonial shophouses, and the Bokor plateau rises directly behind it.
What to see
Bokor National Park — properly Preah Monivong National Park — is reached by a thirty-two kilometre switchback road up to the ruins of a 1920s French hill station, an abandoned casino and a small Catholic church, usually wrapped in cloud.
Kampot pepper is not a marketing line: it carries a protected geographical indication, and the plantations east of town run free tours and tastings.
A sunset cruise up the river is the standard evening, with fireflies afterwards. Further east, the limestone karst and collapsed caves at Kampong Trach make an easy half-day, usually combined with Kep.
Where to base yourself
Riverside bungalows west of town are peaceful but need a scooter or tuk-tuk for dinner. Staying inside the grid puts you within walking distance of everything.