Jasmine Valley Jungle Eco-Resort in Kep, Cambodia • The Blonde Abroad

Updated: June 2020

After a short stay in Kampot, a small French-Cambodian town in the south of Cambodia, I hopped a motorbike to explore the seaside town of Kep.

The drive took about 30-45 minutes as the scenery changed from endless rice fields to the lapping waves of the sea.

Despite Kep's dark past, it is currently one of the fastest developing tourism areas in Cambodia.

About Kep

Kep was once Cambodia’s most popular and prestigious beach destination for the French and Cambodian elite. But, after decades of civil war, the town is now haunted by the abandoned remains of old French villas. While much of Kep was destroyed during the Khmer Rouge days, some of the charm still remains.

The national park, an island archipelago, beautiful beaches, fresh crab, and world-famous black pepper are just some of the reasons I was determined to visit Kep.

I only had a single night to spend in Kep but made plans to stay at the Jasmine Valley Eco-Resort per the recommendation of a fellow traveler I met in Bangkok.

Cambodia Travel Guide

Cambodia is a popular stop along the Southeast Asia backpacking route. The main attraction being the awe-inspiring ancient temples of Angkor Wat. Learn more about the country before you go!

Staying at Jasmine Valley

Jasmine Valley features solar-powered accommodation, healthy, home-grown foods, the sound of the Cambodian jungle, magnificent views across islands to Vietnam, and the sweet fragrance of jasmine and jungle blossom.

Upon arriving, I was warmly greeted by the loveliest staff. The receptionist offered me ice blended lime juice and a wet towel. I quickly checked my emails and then was showed to my room.

My accommodation was an amazing ensuite mud-brick and thatch bungalow right in the middle of the Kep jungle!

The owner, Owen, and his beautiful wife, Jasmine, keep the resort running using as few resources as possible. It’s the perfect “off-the-grid” accommodation for travelers to relax, completely.

The Ultimate Eco-Travel Guide

If you want to ensure your lifestyle is more eco-friendly when you travel, I’ve compiled a guide on all the things you can start doing to be more “green”. Even if you can only do a few things on this list, every little bit helps!

Hanging Out at the Property

I hung out around the resort all afternoon, relaxing and catching up on my last few days of blogging. I was just a few days into my first-ever solo trip and loving the independence and confidence I felt as I organized the rest of my travels from Cambodia to Vietnam and then to Bali.

When deciding what to do for dinner, the owner, Owen, suggested I indulge in fresh-caught crab at the restaurant Srey Kev at sunset.

I took the rainforest trek from the resort up the mountainside and back down to the coast to the famous Kep Crab Market. The trek took about an hour and I can’t even begin to describe how humid it was.

My clothes were absolutely drenched by the time I arrived!

The Freshest Seafood

It took a bit of trial and error to figure out which beachside crab shack was Srey Kev (and I may never know for sure if I actually ended up there) but wherever I arrived was a little slice of heaven.

The view from my table was absolutely surreal. Immediately after ordering fried crab with Kep pepper (said to be the best pepper in the world) and an ice-cold Angkor beer, I watched as a Cambodian woman walked out of the restaurant and enter, about knee-deep, into the water to pull up a cage and literally fetch my dinner.

I’d say that’s fresh seafood!

The sunset was the most beautiful one I’d seen in my entire journey in Cambodia. The sun burnt the sky in orange and pink as rays of light reflected off the surface of the ocean and glimmered endlessly towards the horizon.

The warmth of the humidity subsided as the sea air blew through my hair. For a moment, all I could hear were the crashing of small waves onto the shore.

I was revived from my daydream as the smell of freshly prepared crab arrived at my table. While it may sound like an exaggeration, it was, quite literally, the best meal of my life. Literally. Life-changing.

(I even asked the young boy serving me for the recipe!)

Two young German guys, Nicolas and Sebastian, (curious about my lack of company at dinner) asked if they could join me. After cracking open another Angkor beer, we shared stories about each others’ travels.

They were on a similar trip as myself, only they are spending more time in Vietnam which I wished I could have done too. Nicolas told me about a man he ran into in Phnom Penh who spent 15 months traveling from Madrid to Cambodia by bicycle. I’m not sure how that’s even possible!

I never could find his blog, so if anyone knows who they were talking about, be sure to comment below!

It was an incredible (albeit short) stay in Kep, but it was unforgettable nonetheless. I highly recommend visiting if you’re traveling through Cambodia and be sure to book a stay at Jasmine Valley Eco-Resort.

Do you have any accommodation tips for Kep, Cambodia?

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

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January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

Sun-drenched mornings, salty air, and the kind of place that makes you instantly exhale @waldorfastoriacostarica ✌️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Our stay at this brand-new property was truly a dream — sweeping ocean views, elevated design, and more pools than I’ve ever seen at a hotel in my entire life.

From award-winning wellness to coconuts by the pool, every detail felt thoughtful and intentional.

🧖‍♀️ The Spa
Recently named Costa Rica’s Best Resort Spa, this sanctuary blends modern wellness with local healing traditions — volcanic mud rituals, rainforest-inspired therapies, and grounding treatments that leave you floating.

🛎️ Amenities
World-class service, beachfront access, a stunning collection of pools (truly — endless), curated experiences, and those sweet elevated touches everywhere you turn. Newly opened, yet already operating like a seasoned 5-star icon.

💦 Kids’ Club
One of the coolest spaces for littles — crafts, games, toys, and outdoor play areas that made traveling with Oliver feel easy (and fun for him, too).

🥥 The Food & Coffee
Fresh, locally sourced Costa Rican flavors with elevated execution. Oceanfront bites, poolside snacks, handcrafted coffee experiences, and yes… plenty of coconuts.

🌿 Sustainability
Proud holders of the Bandera Azul Ecológica for conservation and environmental efforts — luxury and responsibility beautifully intertwined.

We truly cannot wait to come back. ✨

If you’re looking for a luxury, family-friendly escape in Costa Rica — this is your spot.

A huge thank you to @waldorfastoriacostarica for hosting us on this sunshine-soaked getaway.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#costarica #waldorfastoria #luxuryfamilytravel #familytravel

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A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18380851606081524

A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18083248064243187

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

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Cambodia Real Estate

Such a beauty kept and undiscovered! Too bad it has already closed down.

September 20, 2017 at 6:29 am · Reply

Rebecca

Hey! I will be in Cambodia in June on a medical mission trip, but planning to extend a few days for some sightseeing and using your posts as a guide. They are so comprehensive and helpful! I saw you mentioned the terrible humidity and while I don’t know what time of year you went, I have heard it is BRUTAL (particularly when I will be there…). I am a born and raised Houstonian, so I thought I knew my way around humidity, but apparently this is on another level. Any tips for battling the heat there? I am thinking loose/light layers (to stay modest for temples) like breezy joggers and flowy tops?

March 5, 2018 at 12:34 pm · Reply