Cambodia & Tourism: Return to Kep, yoga, Hobie Cat and massage at Knai Bang Chatt by Kep West
- kepwest
- May 2
- 6 min read
After a first day spent discovering the wonders of the Knai Bang Chatt Hotel, we decided to start this new sunny day with a yoga session before heading out to discover the activities on offer at the sailing centre. My little family will have the chance to discover the Hobie-Cat, a totally new experience for us.
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As I mentioned in my previous story, my name is Thy Hang, I'm 40 years old and I've decided to spend a wonderful, invigorating holiday at Knai Bang Chatt by Kep West.
After a peaceful night lulled only by the murmur of the wind, we have breakfast under the great Strand thatch, trying not to be too tempted by the delicious pastries fresh from the oven prepared by Chef Chuong Sokheng's team. A wide selection of artisanal jams, bursting with vitamins, is also available in addition to the hot dishes that can be ordered. We decide to keep it light and settle for an excellent coffee, some fresh fruit and a pain au chocolat. This will give us enough energy for the yoga session that awaits us.
It is in this huge colonial-style wooden house, a few dozen metres from the hotel, that everything happens under the guidance of Lana, our yoga teacher. Originally from Malaysia, she has lived in Cambodia for a long time and has built up a solid reputation for efficiency in the discipline she teaches.
I don't really know much about yoga; at most I've tried a few sessions of gentle exercise at the sports club in the Phnom Penh Borey where I live. So, this is a completely new experience for me. As with any physical activity, the session starts with a warm-up.
Unlike my previous soft gym experiences, the movements we are asked to do not give me the impression of being ‘rusty’ and Lana kindly and patiently corrects us and explains why she is doing so throughout the session. Not all the postures are easy, but I still manage to move in a reasonable way, even though I know that the other people in the class have had much more practice than me.
After an hour I feel barely tired and surprisingly rested, ready for more physical activity. I loved the relaxation phase at the end of the session, when Lana walked past us and gently touched a small copper gong. This technique is designed to induce deep relaxation and reduce stress. And it works beautifully. At this moment, after a lovely first day of relaxation and this morning's yoga session, I am not stressed, I feel good, invigorated and ready for a new day of happiness at Knai Bang Chatt.
After a quick dip in the pool, we put on our beachwear and head to the water sports centre. We meet up again with Roberto, the energetic manager of the centre. He takes the time to tell us about his background and how he fell in love with the sea and sailing as a child while living in the Philippines.
Roberto had previously worked at the reception of the Knai Bang Chatt for about ten years, then left for a while. He then returned at the request of Jef Moons to look after the sports club. Roberto had to go to Thailand to obtain the necessary certifications and since then he has been introducing hotel guests and anyone else who wants to discover the pleasures of sailing and water sports, whether they are residents or tourists.
Roberto makes no secret of his satisfaction at "working in the sun, close to the beach and teaching the sport he loves". He proudly explains that the club is starting to become popular locally, with many schools now using it, and that one day he would like to train a team of Cambodian sailors to compete internationally.
So, we put on our life jackets with complete confidence after Roberto has shown us some rudimentary techniques for using the wind with his board and miniature boats. Meanwhile, leaving my husband with another instructor, my son and I climb onto the trampoline of a Hobie Cat 14. As Roberto explains, we are going to sail into the wind. For a few hundred metres, Roberto is at the helm and we watch him. He explains how to optimise the settings of the rudder and the halyards (ropes) for this type of sailing. Finally, he lets go of the ropes and hands the helm over to me.
A little stressed, but enthusiastic, I follow his lead carefully. It's a great feeling to be in control of this boat as it speeds out to sea. It's especially exhilarating when Roberto lets me sail for a while before taking over again to head back to shore.
This is called downwind sailing. As he manoeuvres the boat, Roberto patiently explains the technique to me and then, as we reach the edge of the beach, he asks me to try the same journey again on my own. The sky has darkened a little and the breeze is getting cooler.
This time I feel much better prepared, but I'm still a bit scared. Roberto reassures me: the wind isn't very strong (10 knots at most) and the worst that can happen is that I drift away in a strong gust or make a wrong move. Anyway, I started, zigzagging a bit before finally gaining confidence and steering the Hobie as if I had been doing it all my life. I was ecstatic, dreaming, over the moon.
I even started thinking about the sea gypsies, my ancestors from Southeast Asia, who set out to conquer the Pacific in big canoes, using the sun, the currents and the stars as their guides. A good, salty wave hits me in the face, bringing me back to reality. It's time to change direction. I am a little stressed because my manoeuvre is rather difficult and takes a long time, but I manage it and head back downwind towards the beach, full of enthusiasm and proud of having mastered the sailboat after just one session.
Then it was my son's turn, but as he is a bit small. Roberto helps him during the whole exercise. I will then do two round trips and then a final one, like almost experienced sailors, with my husband and son.
After so many emotions, my husband and I decided to treat ourselves to a massage. Then we meet the staff at the spa. Lana introduces us to the three young Cambodian women who run the spa. The morning yoga session had left me feeling pretty energised, so I opt for a facial massage from the range of services on the colourful and varied menu.
I am comfortably settled in a beautiful room that exudes the scent of natural essences. The masseuses wrapped a towel around my body and hair, then began to gently cleanse my face before applying ointments and giving me a circular massage. From the first few minutes, I felt a deep sense of well-being and peace.
So much pleasure that I am on the verge of dozing off. I see my husband by my side, very close to falling asleep. Finally, after an hour, the session ended. I looked in the mirror and found myself superb, as if I had turned a few years younger. Superb, exhilarating, an unforgettable experience...
I wake my husband, and we decide to go for a walk on Coco Beach before dinner at CRAB&CO. After sipping a cool cocktail on a deck chair and watching the sunset, we head to the gourmet restaurant in the Kep West complex. We meet many young locals and tourists who have also come to enjoy cocktails at the end of the day.
CRAB&CO is the restaurant everyone is talking about in Kep. It has become a real gastronomic destination, popular in and around the seaside resort, but also in the capital Phnom Penh. It is now common for Phnom Penh residents to travel all the way to Kep just to enjoy a meal at this restaurant.
On Peter Brongers' advice, we decide to try the bouillabaisse with a good French wine. It will also be a first for me, as I am not very familiar with this dish, apart from the fact that it is a French speciality, from Marseille to be precise. It is an iconic dish, an ode to seafood and fish.
The discovery is sublime: a creamy rouille sauce, fresh seafood, equally fresh fish, and above all, the dish is so filling that we could share it between us. A very successful recipe from our friend chef Chuong Sokheng, which could compete with the bouillabaisse served in a restaurant in Marseille.
Another day ends, this time with a walk under the stars from The Wave back to our rooms. A day ends on a high, just as successful as the first, and I can't wait for the new adventures to begin tomorrow!
To be continued...
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