Kampot

Kampot (Khmer: ក្រុងកំពត) is a city in southern Cambodia and the capital of Kampot province. On the Praek Tuek Chhu River, southeast of the Elephant Mountains and just 5 km (3 mi) from the Gulf of Thailand, it served as the capital of the Circonscription Résidentielle de Kampot under French rule and was Cambodia’s main seaport before Sihanoukville. Unlike most provincial capitals, its center features preserved 19th-century French colonial architecture. The region is famous for its high-quality pepper, which is exported worldwide, as well as fish sauce, sea salt and durian. Since 2017, the government and Ministry of Culture have prepared to nominate Old Town Kampot for UNESCO World Heritage status alongside Battambang and Kratie.