A long seafood lunch and a slow day on the coast
The Kep crab market (Phsar Kdam) is a waterfront seafood market and row of stilted restaurants in Kep, a seaside town in Cambodia's smallest province, about 25 km from Kampot. Crabs are kept alive in bamboo baskets in the sea, pulled out to order and stir-fried with fresh green Kampot pepper, the region's signature dish. Kep was founded by the French as Kep-sur-Mer in 1908, and today also offers Rabbit Island, Kep National Park and quiet beaches.
September 2026
Photo: PsamatheM, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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The Kep crab market is a lively row of seafood stalls and stilted restaurants on the waterfront of Kep, a small seaside town about 25 kilometres from Kampot. Crabs are kept alive in bamboo baskets in the shallows, hauled out to order and stir-fried with fresh green Kampot pepper. It is one of Cambodia’s great meals, and the rest of this quiet coast makes it easy to stay longer than lunch.
Kep has none of the bustle of Sihanoukville. It is a green, spread-out town of hills, faded villas and seafront promenades, where the day is shaped by the tide, the heat and what time lunch is.
The market, known locally as Phsar Kdam, sits at the eastern end of the seafront. At the water’s edge, women in wide hats wade out to lift bamboo crab baskets from the shallows, while stalls behind them sell piles of fresh and dried seafood, grilled squid, prawns and fish.
Behind and beside the stalls, a line of simple restaurants on stilts looks straight out over the Gulf of Thailand. You sit on a wooden deck with the sea breeze, order your crab by weight, and it arrives minutes later from basket to wok to plate.
Blue swimmer crab stir-fried with whole sprigs of fresh green Kampot pepper, garlic and a little sauce. Fragrant, peppery and messy in the best way.
Skewers of squid, prawns and fish grilled over charcoal at the market stalls. Perfect to share while you wait for the crab.
Crab is also cooked with coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger or simply steamed. Ask the kitchen what they recommend that day.
Stalls sell dried shrimp, fish sauce and bags of Kampot pepper. Buy pepper from a farm or a certified shop to be sure it is the real thing.
At the restaurants, crab is priced by the kilogram and the price moves with the season and the catch. Ask for the price before ordering and agree on how much you want; for two people, one kilogram with rice and a side dish is usually plenty.
| Opening times | Daily, from early morning; busiest at lunchtime |
|---|---|
| Best time to eat | Late morning to early afternoon, when the catch is fresh and the restaurants are in full swing |
| How it is priced | Crab by weight; confirm the price per kilogram at the restaurant, as it changes with the season |
| Time needed | An hour or two for a relaxed lunch and a stroll along the market |
| Payment | US dollars or riel in cash |
Kep has had several lives. The empty villas and overgrown gates you see around town are reminders of a glamorous past, a painful middle chapter and a slow revival.
Kep’s province stretches along 16 kilometres of coast and up into forested hills. There is enough here for a relaxed two or three days.
A small island 4.5 km offshore, reached by boat from near the crab market in about 20 minutes. Simple bungalows, hammocks and seafood on quiet sandy beaches.
An 8 km trail circles the Kep hills through forest with viewpoints over the sea. Allow two to four hours, and go early or late to avoid the heat.
A short, sandy town beach and a long promenade, with the giant crab statue standing in the sea. Best in the soft light towards sunset.
Ruined 1950s and 1960s villas dot the hills and lanes. Explore by bicycle, and respect private land where villas have been fenced or restored.
Several Kampot pepper farms lie on the red soils between Kep and Kampot, perfect for a morning visit before lunch.
Locals gather on the seafront and the pier at dusk. A cold drink at a waterfront bar is the traditional end to a Kep day.
The dry season, from November to April, brings calm seas, clear skies and the best conditions for boats to Rabbit Island. December and January are the busiest months, with many Cambodian families visiting at weekends.
From May to October there are afternoon storms and rougher seas, and some boat trips may not run. The crab market is open all year, though, and the countryside is at its greenest.
| From Kampot | About 25 km, 30 to 45 minutes by car or tuk-tuk |
|---|---|
| From Phnom Penh | Three to four hours by road, by bus, minivan or private car |
| From Sihanoukville | A half-day drive via Kampot |
| Getting around | Tuk-tuk, bicycle or motorbike; the town is spread out and hilly |
Kep also sits close to the Vietnamese border, so it makes a natural stop on overland routes between Cambodia’s south coast and Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and Phu Quoc. Check visa arrangements for your nationality before crossing.
Kep pairs perfectly with Kampot and Bokor National Park, and it is the tastiest stop in our food experiences.
We plan Kep around the things that matter: a pepper farm in the cool of the morning, a table at a crab restaurant we trust, and time to wander the coast. Kep features on our Pepper Coast & Islands journey and our Temples to the Coast dirt bike expedition itinerary. Tell us your dates and we will build the perfect coastal few days around it.
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