The Best of Cambodia & Laos

also a more straightforward house with three rooms available. They serve a selection of
Khmer food on demand (though a big group dinner requires a day’s notice). They have
canoes and bicycles for guests to use. Les Manguiers is the ultimate place to kick back
in style.
Riverside on the eastern bank 2km (1 1 ⁄4 miles) from town. & 012/330-050. www.mangomango.award
space.com. 9 units. $8–$18 double main house depending on view; $22–$40 garden bungalows depending
on size. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; Internet.
Little Garden Guesthouse The place is just that, a little garden area with an
upstairs block of clean, basic, affordable guesthouse rooms. Go for a top-floor unit
adjoining a cool open sitting area shared by a few rooms. The rooftop terrace has wonderful
views of the river (on clear days you can see neighboring Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island)
and is a terrific place to collapse on hot days. The management are involved with the local
orphanage so there are often crowds of kids about. They are very polite and respectful
though, so they won’t disturb you. They are also good with tours here and the reception
desk is very efficient at catering to all your travel needs, including onward tickets and
bike hire.
River Rd. (just north of the bridge). & 012/256-901. www.littlegardenbar.com. 15 units. $10–$25 double.
Long-term rates available. No credit cards. Amenities: Restaurant; tour information and rentals.
In room: TV, A/C and fan rooms, no phone.
Rikitikitavi Located in a converted rice barn, this is a stylish but rustic little place.
The rooms are muted and tasteful in terms of furnishings and decoration, and the beds
are equipped with spring mattresses. Breakfast is included in the tariff. It is just a few
short steps up to the rooftop balcony restaurant, where you can enjoy both the sunset
and a cocktail. The rooms are equipped with DVD players, and there are over 100 DVDs
to choose from at reception.
River Rd. & 012/235-102. www.rikitikitavi-kampot.com. 5 units. $25–$35 double. No credit cards.
Amenities: Restaurant; bar; Wi-Fi. In room: A/C, TV, DVD player, minibar.
WHERE TO DINE
The Sri Lankan Bamboo Light Café (River Rd. near the bridge; & 012/681-530; main
courses $2.50–$4; daily 7am–10pm) offers cheap and quality eats, and curries that are
red or yellow, mild or fiery, prepared to your tastes. The mutton dishes are especially
good, as are the special Sri Lankan Kottu roti dishes (pancakes cut up and mixed with
potato and curry). The very clean interior has cool, indirect lighting in bamboo stanchions.
The balcony area out front is where you’re most likely to run into the groovy
dudes you saw out on the road in the day. There are also great breakfasts of bacon and
eggs, as well as good sandwiches, and Western meals are served all day. With an Internet
cafe upstairs, this is a good place to beat the heat.
The Bokor Mountain Lodge (see above) and the Rikitikitavi (see above) represent
higher-end dining in Kampot. The Bokor Mountain Lodge is patchy and very expensive,
albeit with a wonderful view. The Rikitikitavi offers an eclectic menu with cuisine
from around the world, including French, Indonesian, Italian, and Mexican dishes. The
signature dish is the Trencherman, an enormous breakfast costing $12. It includes a halfpound
steak, 10 slices of bacon, 5 sausages, 3 eggs, a baguette, mushrooms, hash browns,
and tomatoes. Nobody has ever actually yet finished one, according to the management.
There are also more modest options. The chicken yogurt wraps are very popular with
Kampot’s expats, and the Indonesian chicken is another signature dish, with the sauce
made from real peanuts rather than peanut butter. Jasmine (River Rd.; & 012/927-313;
171
SOUTHERN CAMBODIA 8
KAMPOT