Buses between cities, the Kampot slow-down, and the island beaches

Giant Ibis and Mekong Express buses connect Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Kampot, and Sihanoukville cheaply and safely, bookable online. Kampot, on a river under the Bokor hills, is the place to slow down for a few days: pepper farms, a cave temple, kayaking, and cheap guesthouses. Koh Rong Sanloem's beaches are reachable by fast ferry from Sihanoukville; the island has no roads and little electricity, which is the point. Avoid Sihanoukville town itself.