A few weeks ago, I described a short walk on the north riverside of Siem Reap, and attempted to paint a picture of a lively slice of of the town, one that you won’t see around Pub Street or wandering through the temples. It’s a part of ordinary, everyday Cambodia, full of bustle and barking, … read the full post

I’m writing this now, but as it’s 983 degrees I’m as likely to think it’s a good idea to head for the gym as I am to host my own public disembowelment. On the other hand, I do know there are some people out there who are not as congenitally bone-idle as I am, so … read the full post

Downtown Siem Reap is dusty, hot, traffic-clogged and as ideally suited for a walk as a rubber-ducky is for lunch (not unlike KL in that regard). It may look like there’s potential, but you’ll soon be sorry you ever started. Willing walkers often try the circuit on the south river, striking out from the bridge … read the full post

With Siem Reap’s first International Film Festival underway this weekend, it’s high time we looked at what other options film fans have when the festival has passed. First, to break the bad news: Siem Reap is not Bangkok. There are no mega-cinemas to be found here. But on the positive side, Siem Reap is not … read the full post

It will surprise many of Siem Reap’s visitors to know that, despite the enormous amount of money spent by all two million of you each year, Siem Reap province remains the third poorest of Cambodia’s 23 provinces. This is a devastating statistic, and indicates that very little of the money that you spend here is … read the full post

With its incredible colours, sepia-toned dawns and evening light, fascinating daily scenes and easy smiles of the people, Cambodia is a photographer’s dream, and the mystical Angkorian complex especially has drawn artists of all kinds since its rediscovery in the 19th century. For amateur photographers too, Cambodia provides rich opportunities for capturing images that have … read the full post

For years, a rusty, rutted, oftentimes impassable track linked Poipet and Siem Reap, the bane of farmers and tourists alike. Efforts at construction, then re-construction then more re-construction were made, half-hearted and soon thwarted by the elements. If you listened to rumours, they’d tell you that it was all to protect the monopoly one airline … read the full post

Consider this a strong recommendation to take advantage of an opportunity to enjoy a special performance of one of Cambodia’s ancient art forms: shadow puppet theatre. The Angkor Hospital for Children is hosting a performance staged with support from Cambodian Living Arts on Monday November 22. The performance will take place at the circular drive … read the full post

One of the most rewarding ways of exploring another culture is through tasting their food; the different textures, flavours, uses of abundant or scarce ingredients, ingredients you’ve never heard of, and the way that herbs and spices you know are used in new and surprising ways to create new and surprising tastes. The different ingredients … read the full post

We do like to stretch. We can stretch out a dollar, a delicious weekend, or ourselves on a luxurious chaise longue, provided we can find one. If it suits our needs we can stretch a point, or an idiom, sometimes past its breaking point. Because stretching, we know, deep in our souls, is simply a … read the full post