Following the death of the former King Norodom Sihanouk, an official week of mourning in Cambodia has been declared and will continue until October 23, 2012. Observance will have a minimal effect on most visitors, but if you care to acknowledge the passing of a historically significant figure, the Royal Palace has become a focal point … read the full post

When the news first broke that the former king of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk had died, many Cambodians were in the countryside provinces marking the Pchum Ben festival. As the word spread, Facebook statuses and profile pictures were updated. Many who had remained in the capital made their way to the Royal Palace to pay their … read the full post

The death of former King Norodom Sihanouk, aged 89, on October 15 during the Pchum Ben festival is being mourned by Cambodians. Increasingly frail, the King Father’s last visit to Cambodia from his home in China earlier in the year proved to be his last. His death has saddened but not surprised Cambodians, who are paying … 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

Sihanoukville’s Serendipity beach area has been changing so fast it’s hard even for those of us who live here to get our heads around it. It all went into high gear late in 2011, when they started paving Serendipity Road. Suddenly, what had been a rough road leading to the backpacker haven of Serendipity beach … read the full post

Phnom Penh’s Post Office Square was made famous by the film City of Ghosts, recommended viewing for any visitor to Cambodia on a rainy afternoon when sightseeing is off the agenda. A short detour from riverside and Wat Phnom, the area deserves a visit in person, too. The Post Office, built in 1890 and restored … read the full post

Say “Kratie!” to any Khmer (or any Khmer fisherman who happens to fish near Kratie) and they’ll probably say, “Dolphins!” Well, not really, but if you happened to come across an English-speaking Khmer fisherman who happened to fish in the waters north of Kratie they might say that, but as most fishermen you meet in … read the full post

A hotel attached to a casino isn’t normally the kind of place we would recommend, but the Victory Beach Hotel is an exception. Credit for the hotel’s popularity with non-gambling types has to go to managers Verona and Douglas McColl, whose first Sihanoukville venture, the Coolabah Resort near Serendipity Beach was an immediate success with … read the full post

As the rains are determined not to shirk their seasonal obligations, it seemed an appropriate time to visit the Monsoon Boutique Hotel in Phnom Penh. From its jazzy facade of wonky white metal to the leaf imprints on the stepping stone entrance, it’s clear this property, which opened in August 2012, hasn’t been knocked together … read the full post