Kampot Salt Fields

Geometric patchwork of salt evaporation pans between Kampot and Kep

The salt fields between Kampot and Kep are best seen from the road in the dry season — January to April — when the pans are active and salt is piled in white mounds along the bunds. Workers use wooden rakes to push the salt into pyramids, and the geometric pattern of the flooded pans, reflecting the sky, is excellent for photography in the right light.

The fields are visible from the main road to Kep, about 8 kilometres east of Kampot. Cyclists can detour off the road along the field tracks. Salt production here uses traditional methods — sun evaporation over several weeks — and the resulting flakes are coarser and more mineral-rich than industrial salt. A small amount is sold locally; most is marketed in Phnom Penh. A few operations sell directly to visitors.

things to do sight
A story
Cambodian sea salt from this coast was one of the region's most significant trade commodities for centuries. The French colonial economy depended on it; salt was subject to a monopoly tax that was a major source of revenue. During the Khmer Rouge period the salt industry was collectivised and then largely abandoned; revival has been slow, with cheap imported salt from Vietnam undercutting Cambodian producers.