Chi Phat Cardamom Rainforest & Kampot
Travel from Phnom Penh to Chi Phat for community-based trekking, then head to Kampot for rivers and pepper.
Chi Phat is a community-based ecotourism project where you can stay in homestays, trek with rangers, and go birdwatching by boat. This route includes two nights in Chi Phat, followed by a relaxing transfer to Kampot before returning to Phnom Penh. Facilities are basic, and you must contact the community in advance to book a guide. This is a streamlined version of the original Cardamom Loop; Koh Kong town and Tatai near the Thai border are not visited.
Forest paths are muddy during the wet season from Jun–Oct, and some treks may be canceled.
Day by day
Day 1 · Boat to Chi Phat
Take an early bus to Andoung Tuek (about 4 to 5 hours), then transfer to a boat (about 2 hours) or a motorcycle (about 45 minutes).
Boat schedules depend on bus arrival times; confirm with the community in advance.
Stay: Chi Phat Eco-Village
Day 2 · Cardamom Rainforest Trekking
Trek into the forest from the village with a community guide, taking about 5 to 6 hours for the day.
Only follow routes led by your guide and do not leave the trails.
Stay: Chi Phat Eco-Village
Day 3 · Early Birdwatching & Transfer to Kampot
Kampot（Kampot Riverside & Old Town、Kampot Night Market）
Go birdwatching by boat in the early morning, return to Andoung Tuek after noon, and take a chartered car to Kampot (about 3 hours).
Stay: Kampot Riverside & Old Town
Day 4 · Pepper Farms & Salt Fields
Kampot（La Plantation Pepper Farm、Kampot Salt Fields）
Charter a tuk-tuk for a half-day loop around the pepper farms and salt fields, about 40 minutes one way.
Stay: Kampot Riverside & Old Town
Day 5 · Return to Phnom Penh & Departure
Phnom Penh（Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung)）
Take a minibus or chartered car to Phnom Penh in the morning (about 3 to 4 hours), and explore the markets in the afternoon.