/ beyond/EMERGING
42 AUGUST 2017 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
dancers who have disabilities. Shows
will resume in December.
+ The Kampot Arts and Music
Association ( fb.com/kampotarts),
established a couple of years ago by
the famed rock n’ roll band
Cambodian Space Project and
operating out of a crumbling colonial
bu i ld i n g t h at once ser ved a s a
bordello, is providing a space for
aspiring musicians to hone their
myriad skills.
+ More recently, band founder Julien
Poulson was part of a team that set up
the Kampot Writers and Readers
Festival (kampotwritersfestival.com;
November 1–6), which had its first
edition in late 2015 and has proved a
rallying point for members of the
country’s literary set. As well as
being the staging point for several
book launches, last year’s event
fostered a relaxed atmosphere by
including music workshops and
oral storytelling.THE SHOPS
+ Wandering along the riverfront, I
stumble upon Atelier (atelierkampot.
com; condiment packages from
US$7–$34), a gorgeous store-meets-
eatery designed by French-and “happy” pizzas (toppings mixed
with marijuana) that were once
Kampot staples. “We’ve got to the
point that unless you’re doing
something new and original, you’re
not lasting,” he says.THE ARTS
+ One of the first creative initiatives
that attracted visitors was Epic Arts
(epicar ts.org.uk), which began with a
café that opened in 2006 to empower
the local disabled community by
providing them with employment
opportunities and the chance to
experiment with different art forms.
Last year, the organization started
staging—in the town’s iconic Old
Royal Cinema—its well-received
Come Back Brighter, a live telling of
the country’s story, featuring someK ia r a Not a r a s. “I h a d to do a l l of t he
plumbing, electrics, water in, water
out. It was a challenge.” The update
was worth the work: the minimalist-
industrial feel in the space is
balanced by a friendly atmosphere
(dogs and children are most welcome)
and hearty, modern brunch fare such
as the pork tacos followed by ricotta-
and fig-jam pancakes that I devoured
there on a recent lazy morning.
- As the trickle of travelers to the
town has turned into a stream, this
high standard of cuisine is what
people are now expecting, according
to Angus, who also recently opened
Kampot Espresso Bar ( fb.com/
kampotespressobar; coffee and small
bites US$1–$5) in the center of town.
Few businesses now rely on the
backpacker trade of 50-cent beers
CLOCKWISE FROM
ABOVE: Café
Espresso; the
café’s pulled pork
tacos; pouring a
cocktail at
Fishmarket;
sunny shades at
Rikitikitavi hotel.