THE LUXURY TRAVEL
MAGAZINE FOR INDEPENDENT
TRAVELLERS

Arriving in a new town usually necessitates some kind of orientation – a stroll around the town centre, perhaps, or getting to know the ins and outs of a local map. Not so with Kep, a town so small there is really only one point of reference: the beach. And this beach is only one kilometre long, so it shouldn’t take too long to get to know it.

That’s not to say that Kep is boring, not at all. It’s a charming little place, with wide tree-shaded streets that run parallel to the bright blue ocean, a string of seafood restaurants right on the water’s edge, and a horizon of forested mountains that sweep down to the sea. Kep is famous for two things: the crab (which is superb, especially fried in Kampot pepper) and the fact that they used to be the seaside resort town of Cambodia, before nearby Sihanoukville stepped in. What’s interesting about this last point is that it has left a residue of French colonial influence in the town, which adds an unusual and attractive aesthetic. Also, that all the backpacking hordes head for Sihanoukville, and leave Kep to those with a finer appreciation of beauty.

It is funny, though, that the main attractions in Kep involve leaving the town to go on day trips. A boat-ride to the beach paradise of Rabbit Island, a tour around the Pepper Plantations, half an hour away by tuktuk, or an exploration of the Kampong Trach Caves, home to a reclining Buddha. After a hard day’s touring, there’s nothing you want more than a comfortable, peaceful place to retire to, and Veranda Natural Resort is an ideal candidate for that place.

The resort has been running for six years and, according to owners Mab and Lily Luu, it’s been a work in progress from the beginning. Six years ago, Veranda was little more than a few bungalows scattered amongst the trees, but Mab, a project manager with a flair for design, quickly got to work creating his dream resort. Lily has a fear of snakes, so his first work order was to build stilted wooden walkways that ensured no snakes would come near their new home. These days, the walkways form a delightful route around the resort, giving it a treehouse feel that’s heightened by the lush vegetation at every turn. The large veranda making up the restaurant and reception area looks out over a stunning view of the ocean and the valley below, and this view is repeated in many of the wooden bungalows and rooms scattered around the property.

Although the views and the garden are lovely, it’s the aesthetic of the rooms that really sets Veranda apart. So many local Cambodian hotels and guesthouses are sterile and block-shaped, lacking character of any description – it seems to be the Cambodian aesthetic, very clean and orderly, but without any charm. Not so with Veranda, where organic wood, bamboo and rock shapes form quirky touches everywhere you turn, and shells are inlaid in walls and floors, nearly but-not-quite hidden from view. Lily says it’s because Mab knows the surroundings so well, “Often these new places will use an architect,” she explains, “who imposes an idea from the outside. Mab has created this place from the inside, so it’s a lot more natural.” Indeed, it seems as if the whole resort is a labour of love – the walls in each bathroom have shapes laid out in white stones that appear only when you take the time to look at them carefully, flowers and crocodiles and birds leaping out of the stone. All the wood used in the resort is local, mostly rosewood, and it is deliciously soft and textured; it almost feels as if it has been worn down especially so that you can run your hand along it or to entice you to ease yourself into one of the chairs or benches dotted around the property. Walk up to the top rooms from the veranda and you’ll find yourself on a moss-covered stone pathway, with trees, ferns and flowers on both sides of you… like being transplanted into a tropical garden.

But it’s an extremely comfortable tropical garden. Wooden loungers covered in white cotton cushions invite lazy afternoons spent reading on the patio, with overhead fans moving the hot air in a cooling breeze. The large bed nestles in a wooden square and looks out onto a room with mostly open space, broken only by the (wooden) desk and quirky (wooden) bookcase. The bathroom’s smooth edges are concrete with tiny inlaid shells, and the floor is cool and comfortable on bare feet after a hot day. Even the lights are carefully chosen – not too bright, receded into the ceiling or hidden behind frosted glass, peeking through orange bottles so that there is no unseemly glare. In the midday heat you might want to hide in the icy aircon interior, but come late afternoon the folding doors let in a delightful breeze, just enough to pull you from your comfortable stupor and lead you down to the veranda, to watch the sunset and sip on cocktails…

If you get hungry during the day, there’s a delicious assortment of French-inspired pastries at the Bakery Shop, including such delicacies as tarte aux cerises, tarte a la rhubarb couverte, apple crumble and the more ordinary muffins and croissants, and some delicious all-natural ice-cream. Come dinner time, the restaurant offers a full menu of local and French-inspired dishes, to be enjoyed overlooking a vast sweep of darkened valley below you. In fact, there’s not a whole lot you won’t like about Veranda. The service is a little laidback, and the reception staff could do with an added dose of charm, but in an environment as slow-moving as this it doesn’t seem too out of place.

Although Kep might not have that much to offer the energetic traveler, it has this: peacefulness. And if you’re looking for a dose of calm amidst a stunningly natural environment, then Veranda Natural Resort is the perfect place to stay. Just be warned: you may be so relaxed that those day trips don’t sound so appealing after all.