Confucius said, “All good things are difficult to achieve.” I don’t wish to contradict the wisdom of the ancients, but let’s just say that fortunately, The Spirit House isn’t excessively difficult to find, even though it is a darn good thing if you love a sunset. Because, while there are bars aplenty on the western … read the full post

Mention the word ‘lakeside’ to any traveller who visited Phnom Penh before 2009, and they’re likely to get a faraway look in their eyes, accompanied by a smile or a shudder. Famed as a backpacker ghetto, Boeung Kak (Green Lake) is the stuff of myth and legend. There were $2 rooms, suspicious herbs in bowls … read the full post

Sadly lacking in Robert Redford lookalikes, at least Sundance Inn won’t break the bank like the Kid and Butch Cassidy did. In business for a year, Sundance brings a touch of good value originality to the Phnom Penh guesthouse scene. On the up-and-coming Street 172, Sundance is two blocks back from the riverside and a … read the full post

Unless you are one of the blessed few, the time will come when you have to leave Cambodia. Chances are, you’ll be departing from Phnom Penh International Airport. As a connoisseur of departure lounges (memories of Nairobi still leave me in a cold sweat, only to be relieved by thoughts of heavenly Singapore), I’ve cast … read the full post

On oh-so-elegant Street 92, planted between Raffles Hotel Le Royal and the impressive Ministry of Economics and Finance, the National Library is off the radar for most visitors to Phnom Penh. Set in lush gardens, the number of cars and motos may lead you to believe Khmers have a passion for reading, but actually it’s a … read the full post

A few hundred metres from Phnom Penh‘s Central Market, Yong Hout‘s location makes for an interesting alternative to riverside or around Independence Monument. The unapologetically green guesthouse occupies a corner plot on Street 136 halfway between the must-see market and Norodom Boulevard. The street is lined with fashion boutiques and fruit shake stalls, and also … read the full post

As Mark Twain is often misquoted as saying, “rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.” Fans of the Olympic Stadium are hoping that holds true for this Phnom Penh institution too. Murmurings of demolition and redevelopment abound, despite a carefully-worded reassurance from the Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation, currently developing land close to the National Sports … read the full post

Visitors here sometimes expect a risque night life scene similar to that found in cities in Thailand, but Phnom Penh is emphatically not Bangkok. There are sensitivities and taboos that may seem curious in a city known for its hostess bars, even though those hostesses are more likely to play Connect 4 than demonstrate table … read the full post

Although it’s a small hotel, there’s certain things Monument Hotel likes to do big. There’s the impossibly large entrance gate, the enormous tassled room keys and the ear to ear smiles from staff as you walk in. Even better, they don’t miss the little things that make your stay — candles at night around the … read the full post

Tucked into a difficult-to-spot shophouse on Street 178 in Phnom Penh within spitting distance of Phnom Penh’s National Museum, Warung Bali only has nine tables. So before we go any further, you have to promise not to go there when we want dinner. Deal? At first sight, hidden a few doors up from the corner of the … read the full post