The lower reaches of the Kampot River open into a delta of mangrove channels before reaching the Gulf of Thailand. The mangroves are most easily explored by kayak — several outfitters in town run guided tours of two to three hours, paddling through channels where the canopy closes overhead and kingfishers and collared kingfishers dart between roots. Smooth-coated otters are occasionally spotted; monitor lizards are common on the mudbanks.
The mangroves are best at high tide, when you can paddle into channels that would otherwise be mud. At low tide the flat expanse of roots and mud is atmospheric in a different way, with wading birds — herons, egrets, whimbrels — picking their way across the exposed mud. Morning trips avoid the midday heat and coincide with most bird activity. A guided kayak tour through a local outfitter is a better experience than a group speedboat; the silence matters.