Traveling to Kep and indeed Kep Crab Market is truly one of the best things you can do in Cambodia. Yet while your days will indeed be dominated by the beach and the market, there are a number of great street food and restaurant options, such as Seagull La Mouette on the waterfront.
What the Kep?
Kep is a kitsch little seaside town off of the coast of Cambodia just 45 minutes from the beautiful town of Kampot. Unlike Sihanoukville it is not all about being big and brash and in general it is a very quiet relaxed town, which is shown by the amount of resorts and huts rather than casinos – of which there is but one, located next to the border.
Of equal importance for visiting here is Kep Crab Market, which offers by far the best seafood in Cambodia.
The Kep nightlife
If you are looking for nightlife then you should stay in Kampot, rather than Kep. Indeed the vibe of Kampot and the expat scene is people wanting a quiet life rather than those hunting for 50 cent beers and girls (Kampot).
In fact when things get late here you will not find much food near the waterfront, with the only street food available being in the town itself.
Street Food Kep
There are quite a few street food Kep options of a night time and after the crab market has closed, with most of it being in and around the beach front. These include and away of different stalls selling all the main favorites, but also enclosed picnic like areas doing things like fried rice, noodles and seafood. These are not all that good value and you will find cheaper options in actual restaurants.
There are also other street food options and even food markets towards town and you head into Kep city itself. There is though very little else to the town.
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Kep Water Front and Seagull La Mouette
The main congregation of restaurants though and indeed where the tourist are drawn are by Kep Crab Market, with there being 30, or so restaurants and cafes of some description along here. Some of these are more day time affairs, at least one os a bit of party bar, with the balance being family owned romantic seafood venues.
I was drawn to Seagull Le Mouette by the fact there were at least some people inside, the prices being reasonable and the drinks list being enough to keep me entertained.
We went straight to a table quite literally on the water, with the wind and waves making the ambience quite special. Ordering drinks was quite arduous here, with me first asking for drinks only for the staff to not know what I was talking about. Eventually I just went to the bar myself and ended up with a Baileys and a big old bottle of Cambodia beer.
Food wise I went for raw shrimp, something I have previously enjoyed in Hua Hin Thailand, but also a dish that if gotten wring can have disastrous results. They did OK with it, with the Kep hot sauce making the dish. Aside from this we also had curried shrimp, which again whilst not earth shattering was pretty good.
Yes the staff were slow and they did not have all of the dishes that we wanted, but in part this is in line with what gives Kep so much charm. If you want fast and efficient then neither Seagull La Mouette, nor Kep will really suit you.
Seagull La Mouette Address
33A Crab Market and Seafood Road
Kep
Kingdom of Cambodia
07503