Enthusiastic travel agents will tell you there is never a bad time to visit Siem Reap. Which is sort of true, as long as you are flexible with how you spend your precious time once you get here. Ignore the climate stats at your peril or you could well find yourself unable to do the … read the full post

In a town that owes its place on the tourist map to some of the most spectacular spiritual monuments in history, it’s only fitting that you can still find a quiet retreat to feed your own 21st century spiritual needs — and re-fuel with some quality vegetarian food at the same time — just a … read the full post

If you’re lucky enough to have a few days to spare in Phnom Penh, there’s plenty of opportunity to learn a new skill or try out something different. Thanks to a growing expat community, courses and taster sessions held in English are plentiful. So pull out your dancing shoes, learn what all those buttons are … read the full post

For a long time one of the joys of Siem Reap was that with so many choices of places to dine, the thought of booking anywhere was almost unimaginable except, perhaps, at some of the classier hotel bistros, and even then that would mostly be for form rather than necessity. It added to the sense of … read the full post

Describing itself as an intimate “boutique” villa, The Landing Point Villa Hotel is one of a handful of Siem Reap hotels whose size, service levels and visually pleasing design make it genuinely deserving of that now ubiquitous adjective. With rack rates from $90 a night for a double room – and online offers making it … read the full post

Angkor Wat-bashing seems to have become the pastime du jour for many of the more sniffy travel writers, largely due to the ever-increasing volume of visitors at the justifiably popular temple sites. Of course we would all prefer to enjoy our very own private view rather than share our Angkorian sunrise with thousands of the … read the full post

You’re never far from a beer in Cambodia — the market is dominated by the jingoistically named Angkor, for sale alongside beers called Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Banker, Anchor (pronounced An-chor to distinguish it from Ang-kor) and Klang — strong by name, strong by alcoholic content. But if you’re bored of Asian lager and have a hankering … read the full post

If the word circus conjures up images of top-hatted ringmasters, fearless lion-tamers and sinister-looking clowns, then a night at Phare, the Cambodian Circus will quickly erase those distant childhood memories. With performances seven nights a week, the circus of the world-renowned Battambang Art School – full name Phare Ponleu Selpak — is now wowing audiences … read the full post

A few blocks and a world away from sweaty and crowded Phsar Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market) food court, Aquarius Dessert Cafe revels in cutesy pastel colours, fancy furniture and effective air-con. On a quiet Phnom Penh side street, not far from the Flicks movie house, step into one of the new breed of Cambodian … read the full post

If you’re looking for a top-end place close to Phnom Penh’s riverside and are keener on views and facilities — such as a rooftop pool — more so than character, Frangipani Royal Palace Hotel may fit the bill. This is the newest in the Khmer-owned chain of otherwise much smaller hotels in the Cambodian capital … read the full post