Is Kampot Safe for Tourists in 2026?

A seemingly friendly local — often well-dressed and fluent in English — approaches tourists near Kampot's riverside strip or at guesthouses and invites them to a private home for a card game or social gathering. Once inside, victims are pressured or coerced into playing rigged card games and lose large sums of money. In more serious incidents reported across Cambodia, victims have been forced at gunpoint to withdraw cash from ATMs. Multiple government advisories including the US State Department, Australian DFAT, and Canadian DFAT have flagged this as an active scheme.

How to avoid: Never accept invitations to private homes from strangers you have just met, regardless of how friendly or legitimate they seem. If someone insists on showing you a "local experience" or card game, decline firmly. Tell your guesthouse where you are going if you accept any invitation from a new acquaintance.

Where: Kampot riverside strip (Street 724 / River Road), guesthouses on the northern riverside, and the Old Market area where tourists are concentrated

Rental shops in Kampot photograph your motorbike before rental but claim new scratches or damage upon return that were pre-existing. Inflated repair costs are then demanded, sometimes holding your passport as leverage. This is one of the most reported scams in town, particularly targeting long-term renters who cannot monitor the bike constantly.

How to avoid: Photograph and video the entire bike from all angles before leaving the shop. Never hand over your passport as a deposit — use a photocopy instead. Pay only for documented damage from the rental period.

Where: Along the Kampot riverside strip and on streets near Old Market; common at shops on Bokor Mountain Road and near the Durian Roundabout

Bokor Hill Station — Kampot's most visited attraction — has been identified as an active area for organized criminal compounds operating online fraud and human trafficking operations. In August 2025, a 22-year-old South Korean student was found tortured to death near a criminal complex on Bokor Mountain, prompting South Korea to issue a Level 4 "do not travel" warning specifically for the Bokor Mountain area of Kampot province. Cambodian authorities warned in late 2025 that scam compounds displaced from Sihanoukville were relocating to the Bokor Mountain area. While regular tourist visits to the main ruins still occur, the surrounding areas and roads leading away from the main site have been flagged by multiple governments as having active criminal operations.

How to avoid: Visit Bokor Hill Station as part of a reputable organized tour group rather than riding solo on a rented motorbike, especially after dark. Do not explore off-trail areas or buildings beyond the main tourist sites. Avoid accepting rides or invitations from strangers near the mountain. Check your government's current travel advisory before visiting — South Korea, Australia, and Canada had active warnings for this area as of late 2025.

Where: Bokor Hill Station and surrounding areas in Kampot province; the mountain road (National Road 48) leading up to Bokor from Kampot town; areas beyond the main Bokor ruins and abandoned casino

Tourists in Kampot have had drinks spiked at bars and guesthouses, rendering them incapacitated and vulnerable to theft or assault. The UK FCDO and US State Department both flag drink spiking as a documented risk at bars frequented by foreigners in Cambodia. Kampot's bar scene on the riverside and around Bokor Street concentrates tourists in environments where this risk is elevated, particularly late at night.

How to avoid: Never leave your drink unattended, and do not accept drinks from strangers or people you have just met. If you feel unusually intoxicated relative to what you have consumed, alert a trusted companion or guesthouse immediately. Travel in groups after dark where possible.

Where: Bars and guesthouses along the Kampot riverside strip (Street 724), Bokor Street bar area, and open-air rooftop venues near the Old Market