Kampot sea salt

Kampot sea salt is a type of sea salt that is extracted from seawater through evaporation ponds in the coastal regions of Kampot and Kep provinces in Cambodia. These salt farms span approximately 4,748 hectares of land and are managed by around 200 families who are part of the Kampot-Kep Salt Association.

The salt pans are located along the river at the town's outskirts, where large warehouses store the equipment and protect the harvested salt from the elements. The salt is produced using an evaporation technique where, each year in December, seawater is allowed to flow into salt fields.

The water then evaporates under the sun, leaving behind salt crystals. These crystals are collected by workers who rake the salt into small mounts. The production of Kampot sea salt is artisanal and organic, relying on handcrafting by local farmers using simple, mostly wooden tools like hoes, spades, rakes, and baskets.

This process typically occurs only in the dry season when channels and dikes are prepared, and the clay surface of the evaporation pools is compacted. Kampot sea salt is available in various forms, including the chef's favorite fleur de sel, used for final seasoning, rare salt flakes or "salt pyramids," and coarse-grained salt that fits various types of grinders for everyday use​.