Most visitors to Phnom Penh who are the club-going type end up visiting one the few Western-oriented clubs in town. But there are even more clubs in town catering to Khmers, and each offers a unique clubbing experience — from daytime discos to live bands and slow dancing — that gives an interesting insight into … read the full post

It’s no secret that one of my favourite daytime activities in Cambodia is dressing up like a Khmer princess and having my photo taken. It is quite possibly the most interesting, non-touristy thing to do in Phnom Penh, and the memories will last forever. It’s also kid-friendly, as most studios have munchkin-sized costumes. There are … read the full post

It’s difficult to imagine what a child sex abuser might look like, but if you have suspicions about someone, knowing what to do when you’re in a foreign country, one that to many appears essentially lawless, can be difficult. Fortunately, Cambodia is not lawless, and there are agencies that can help anyone who has suspicions. … read the full post

Despite rumours to the contrary, getting a SIM card in Cambodia is a simple process. Back in the day, foreigners needed a Cambodian sponsor to get a SIM card and special, overpriced tourist SIMs were all that were available to those just travelling through. But those laws are gone, and now one needs little other … read the full post

Every time I have visitors from out of town I rack my brains trying to think of the perfect place to take them to eat and sample the local fare. Khmer cuisine, with its fermented fishy flavours, can be difficult for those who aren’t familiar with it, and many local restaurants only serve a few … read the full post

Siem Reap may be small compared to nearby travel hotspots such as Bangkok and Phnom Penh, but the gay scene here is very well formed. A Buddhist country, Cambodia is generally pretty tolerant of homosexuality, though there remains heavy pressure on young men and women to follow the traditional path and settle down, marry and … read the full post

If you missed all of the excitement of Cambodia Pride Week, never fear, there are bars and clubs catering to the LGBT crowd in Phnom Penh every night of the week. “The Phnom Penh gay scene is just coming into bloom,” Marcus Mucous, the organiser of Cambodia Pride and mastermind behind the gay night at … read the full post

Recently Aung San Suu Kyi’s opposition party, the National League for Democracy, said that they would begin to support responsible individual tourism, ending their years-long opposition to visitors in Burma (Myanmar). And now that Myanmar Airways International flies from Siem Reap to Rangoon every Wednesday and Saturday, Cambodia is an easy gateway to Burma. Since … read the full post

In the beginning there was only one. Then before you could say “Holy mackerel!”, the infection had spread all across Siem Reap, consuming human flesh and provoking howls and shrieks from susceptible young women. There’s now a rash of garra rufa in almost every part of central Siem Reap, and there’s no escaping their relentless … read the full post

The cheapest and easiest way to travel around Cambodia is by bus. Flights out of Phnom Penh can be ridiculously expensive, so if you’re headed to Siem Reap or Saigon, the bus is a much more affordable alternative. Other local destinations are only accessible by bus, such as Sihanoukville and Battambang. Most of the major … read the full post