I should declare my interest first: my husband is the director of the Center for Khmer Studies, a research centre and library in the grounds of Wat Damnak, which makes him the only person I know who gets to go to work along fragrant, frangipani-lined paths, and settle down to his desk in a beautiful, … read the full post

There has been no regular train service in Cambodia since at least 2009, and even when there was it didn’t go anywhere near Siem Reap. So how The Station Winebar got its name remains a bit of a mystery. One thing is for sure, though, whether you are on foot, bicycle, moto or tuk tuk, … read the full post

Visitors to Phnom Penh are sometimes surprised at the cost of food, but it’s perfectly possible to eat for $5 — or 20,000 riel — a day if you know where to look. The first trick to cheap meals is to put aside thoughts of familiar nosh and get experimental. A Western breakfast can set you … read the full post

Further update: Now the latest reports we are hearing are that the festival is cancelled in Phnom Penh only. We’ll let you know definitively as soon as we know! Update: Xinhua reports that the Cambodian Water Festival for 2012 has been cancelled to mourn late former King Norodom Sihanouk who passed away last week. The … read the full post

Molly Malone’s location in the absolute thick of the bar scene in Siem Reap — look up as you walk from lively Pub Street toward Sivatha Boulevard, the town’s main shopping street, and you’ll see the signs — makes it a great choice if you want a midrange guesthouse with a friendly bar, a decent … read the full post

More than two million people will come to Cambodia before this year is out, and it’s a number that’s projected to keep rising as the years roll on. The government is preparing for six million visitors in 2015 and, since most of them will presumably still be coming primarily to visit the temples, it’s going … read the full post

I remember reading somewhere that the reason many older women go to the hairdresser so often is that, widowed and often neglected by family, it is their way of obtaining the physical human contact we all crave, no matter what our situation. This rather devastating insight is a sharp reflection of the fact that throughout … read the full post

It’s best known as a viewing point for sunset at Angkor Wat and if you’re fond of battling your way through the masses, all with cameras surgically attached to their faces or at a constant arm’s length from their body as though it’s in control of them and not they in control of it, then … read the full post

While some might argue that a large bowl of glistening French fries is the best accompaniment to any dish, sometimes it doesn’t quite do the trick. In fact, what might work best is simply a better view, and this can be hard to come by in Siem Reap. The colour green is said to create feelings … read the full post

Sopheap works in a Siem Reap hotel, perhaps it’s your one. He’s actually a partial owner of the hotel, despite his young age, and he’s working hard to improve himself, learn more and be more. He also works at an NGO. As he gives you some advice on what to do and where to go … read the full post