Located in the south of Cambodia, due west of Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu, the sleepy capital town of the province of the same name, lies near the foothills of the Dâmrei Mountains where the muddy Tnaôt River provides a lifeline for its residents, who can be seen bathing, fishing and boating there throughout the year.
Wooing the traveler with little more than its charming scenery and lovely people, Kampong Speu offers few attractions, though its location along National Road No.4, which connects Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, makes the province and capital city of Kampong Speu easy to access.
Beyond the capital, a bit farther along National Road 4, is the turnoff to Kirirom National Park. The park has good tourist infrastructure, including several lodging options and well-established community based tourism activities.
Although it lies north of Phnom Penh, Oudong Mountain, capital of Cambodia for 200+ years after the abandonment of Angkor, is technically located in Kampong Speu. Oudong and its surrounding attractions are best visited as a day trip from Phnom Penh or as a stopover in a private taxi along the way from Phnom Penh to destinations north of the current capital city.
Kampong Speu is small provincial capital with little in the way of tourist infrastructure; in the center of town are a a few guesthouses and restaurants, but no internet cafes, perhaps only one ATM machine, and few shopping opportunities worthy of note.
Most restaurants and hotels are near enough each other and of similar enough quality that you can simply pop into one, decide if you like it, and if not move on to the next place.
Most likely you have arrived in Kampong Speu by bus, so your only transportation option is motodop taxi, which will typically be people with motorbikes looking to make an extra buck.
When to Go
Kampong Speu shares its tropical climate with the rest of Cambodia; a ‘dry season’ that lasts from November to May and a ‘rainy season’ that runs from June to October. Temperatures are relatively constant (i.e. hot) throughout the year but humidity can vary.
There are times of the year that are noticeably cooler (Dec-Jan) or hotter (March-May), and as is normal for a monsoon climate, times when heavy rain is nearly constant (Aug-Oct). Kampong Speu is fine to visit during most of the year, though the hottest months from March to May can be too hot for comfort.
Humidity and rainfall may vary through the year, but Kampong Speu is typically hot. Few visitors will experience something they would call cool. Temperatures in the day range throughout the year from above 100°F in the early afternoon to around 70°F at night.
The hottest time of the year in Kampong Speu is toward the end of the dry season, when daytime temperatures can be dangerously hot. During the wet season, although copious amounts of rain are dumped on Kampong Speu with monotonous regularity, rainstorms and thunderstorms often last just one or two hours in the afternoon.
While monsoon rains may provide respite from the intense Cambodian sun, torrential rains wreak havoc on rural dirt roads, which become muddy morasses; travel to areas serviced by these roads can become difficult to impossible in the monsoon season months (June-October) for those without 4-wheel drive vehicles or off-road motorcycles.
Getting There
Most people travel to Kampong Speu either directly from Phnom Penh or on their way to/from Koh Kong or Sihanoukville. Kampong Speu is located along National Road No. 4 which connects these destinations.
Kampong Speu is located WSW of Phnom Penh (about 48 km) on National Road No. 4 which continues on to Sihanoukville and Koh Kong. Busses travel this route regularly as do share taxis ($25), both of which take around 1 hour to get to the provincial capital.
As National Road No.4 is a heavily trafficked route there are numerous bus companies that can transport you from Phnom Penh to Kampong Speu, a relatively painless ride. There are also private or share taxis that make the trip from Phnom Penh in slightly less time and perhaps minimally greater comfort. Alternatively, you could hire a motorbike from Phnom Penh and drive yourself if you dare.
To get to Kirirom National Park, you may get off a bus from Phnom Penh to Koh Kong at the turnoff to National Road No.46, where you will then need to hire a motodop taxi to take you up to the park. Renting a motorbike in Phnom Penh is actually a good option for getting to and exploring the park if you are confident of your driving skills and make sure the bike is in good condition both when you rent it and when you leave.
Getting Around
Kampong Speu town is not geographically expansive: nearly all of the hotels, restaurants, and sights within the town are near enough each to other that walking from A to B is a very feasible option. There is a small number of motodop taxis lingering around the center of town that can take you wherever you like for a reasonable, yet negotiable, fee. The touts in Kampong Speu aren’t overly aggressive, which is a plus, but you can always inquire at your hotel/guesthouse to help you arrange transportation to sights in and around town with ease.
Where to Stay
As Kampong Speu doesn’t attract many overnight visitors (at least not many westerners), there is only a small selection of hotels and guesthouses for visitors, which are generally located in the center of town: all are located near enough to each other that it is possible to walk around town a bit to weigh your options.
Where to Shop
There are very limited shopping options in Kampong Speu. The town has a central market that is typical of most cambodian markets, selling nearly everything local’s need for their day to day lives, including ingredients for cooking and household supplies. There are some small shops selling sundry items around town but otherwise, this isn’t much of a destination for souvenir shopping.
Where to Party
There is almost no nightlife to speak of in Kampong Speu, certainly not any catering to foreign tourists. There are a few local-style beer bars in town, which are basically open-air establishments that have attractive waitresses to serve beers and/or whiskey.
Where to Eat
There are considerably few dining options in Kampong Speu. That said, there is a decent selection of restaurants that cater to local clientele, including street stalls selling inexpensive local dishes along the riverfront. One can also find food stalls selling inexpensive meals around the Kampong Speu Market.
Need to Know
- How to get there: Kampong Speu is located WSW of Phnom Penh (about 48 km) on National Road No. 4 which continues on to Sihanoukville and Koh Kong. Busses travel this route regularly as do share taxis, both of which take around 1 hour to get to the provincial capital.
- What to do: Observe traditional Cambodian life, do a community based tourism program at Kirirom National Park, or make a day trip from Phnom Penh to the former capital of Oudong.
- Best time to go: The best time to visit is just after the rainy season (November-December) when the countryside is green and the waterfalls are full of water.
- How long? A day is more than plenty of time to visit Kampong Speu town; Oudong can likewise be visited in a half day.
- For who: People who appreciate nature and traditional Cambodian life.