Luxury holidays in Kep

When to go

Weather-wise, November to March is the perfect time to visit; book ahead, as hotel beds will be in short supply. Beaches will also be busy with off-duty locals at weekends. Kep is best avoided during the height of the wet season (July to October): nobody likes sunbathing in the rain.

Getting there

• Planes

  Phnom Penh is the closest airport (www.cambodia-airports.com), 164km north of Kep, with good regional connections. International travellers are likely to fly in via Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. Transfer in style – arrange a helicopter to Kampot (+855 (0)23 213 706; www.helicopterscambodia.com).

• Boats

  Plans are afoot to establish a direct hydrofoil service between the beautiful Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc and the coast of Cambodia, just a one-hour journey away. Most Cambodians still refer to this island as Koh Tral, lamenting its loss. Either way, this will be a great route once up and running for connections from Vietnam.

• Trains

  After four decades of neglect, the railway link from Phnom Penh to Kep is closed for repairs.

• Automobiles

  Kep lies three hours south of Phnom Penh by road. Forget self-drive: ask your hotel to charter a car with a driver – you can pay the driver to stay on so you have wheels to explore or hire a local driver once you arrive. If you’re travelling overland from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, arrange a hotel pick-up from the border at Prek Chak, near Ha Tien.

• Taxis

  There are no metered taxis in Kep, so smart Smiths may opt to visit with their own chauffeured car. Hotels can arrange vehicles or local options include remorque-motos (a Cambodian tuk tuk) or motorbike taxis – a fun way to get around if it’s not raining.