On first impressions, Siem Reap might not seem like a shoppers’ haven, but there are options here and, believe me, it’s better than a few years ago when female expats had to be physically restrained from mugging arriving planes of visitors in the hope of getting their hands on trousers they could pull up past … read the full post

As a visitor, it’s sometimes easy to miss the nuances of public life in a country. You’re less likely to pick up a newspaper or have a chat on current affairs at the supermarket. But you’d need to be really cultivating an ‘ignorance is bliss’ approach not to have noticed that Phnom Penh is in … read the full post

Close to Independence Monument, Equinox is slap bang in the middle of the evening entertainment strip on Street 278, usually known as Golden Street. Away from the tour groups on riverside or the appealing mother-wouldn’t-approve sleaziness of Street 51, the more refined Golden Street is home to several bars, and the multi-level Equinox is one of … read the full post

It’s true that there are many wonderful things to do in Siem Reap, none of which involve a stranger sticking a needle in your arm and draining the life-force out of you but I’m still going to tell you it’s a good idea. The Angkor Hospital for Children is facing a critical shortfall in vital … read the full post

The problem with scams is we all think we’re too clever to fall for one, until we do. Tourists in Phnom Penh have recently been discovering that a friendly interaction can escalate into having their bank account lightened by US$4,000. As will all good scams, the set up is innocuous. A smiling non-threatening member of … read the full post

There may be no beach in Siem Reap, but we do have a baray which, when you look into it, is arguably much cooler. The West Baray is an enormous reservoir that was most likely constructed during the 11th century. At 8,000 metres long and 2,100 metres wide, it is equivalent in size to more … read the full post

I’m definitely not the violent type, but one of my favourite things to do on a quiet Phnom Penh weekend is going to a kick-boxing match. It’s free, it’s noisy and it’s a totally  Cambodian experience. Most people’s first encounter with Khmer boxing is walking past a cafe full of shouting, grunting men and thinking it’s all about … read the full post

As you walk the streets, or drink and dine in Siem Reap you will at some stage undoubtedly be petitioned by children and adult male landmine victims to buy books or, in the case of the kids, postcards, jewellery or flowers. This post is not just a request to not buy anything from the children, … read the full post

Occupying a corner plot, the white four-storey Happy 11 Backpacker guesthouse does a good job of living up to its name. Formerly a lakeside institution, the owners and staff have been helping travellers to Phnom Penh relax for many years. The new location in a mainly residential area is a five-minute walk to the river … read the full post

It’s an impossible challenge to spend any time in Phnom Penh‘s tourist areas without being approached by hawkers, beggars or tuk tuk drivers. Street commerce is a fact of life here, but for some visitors the constant “Wanna buy book?” and “OK, tuk tuk” get a bit wearing. So how can you deal with the … read the full post