Ochheuteal is a beach. Despite persistent rumours to the contrary, Serendipity is not. Yes, innumerable visitors to Sihanoukville talk about having visited Serendipity Beach, but there really isn’t a beach at Serendipity Beach. So why do they call it a beach? Let’s go searching for Serendipity Beach. Maybe we’ll find the answer. Officially, the road … read the full post

My father thinks I’m an idiot. This might be cause for concern if he thought that intellectual acuity had any function beyond enabling the exchange of smart-arsed ripostes over a game of darts, but fortunately he doesn’t. Indeed, his progeny’s evident feeble-mindedness is far from a flaw in his mind. My pride and I are … read the full post

The quickest way to be immersed in Cambodian life is to dive into a market that is not aimed at tourists. Before you take the plunge, though, ask if you are ready for a taste of unadulturated daily activity, with the sights, sounds and smells of a traditional market. Phnom Penh‘s Phsar Chas (Old Market) is … read the full post

Cambodia has big plans for Sihanoukville. By 2040, if all goes according to plan, a million and a half people will call Sihanoukville home and the vacant land that stretches for several kilometres directly behind Otres and Ochheuteal beaches will be a sea of highrises and residential areas. That’s a few years away yet, but … read the full post

A long time ago I waitressed at a posh restaurant in Dublin, the kind of place where the pandan chicken and monkfish in red curry sauce, though incredibly good, were of secondary importance to the hob-nobbing possibilities. This was where you went to see and be seen and, since it was offered, you might as … read the full post

Two minutes from Phnom Penh‘s riverside, just around the corner from perennial tourist favourite the FCC, you’ll find the small but perfectly formed Lucky Pho. If you’ve crossed from Vietnam and have a hankering for soup, you won’t be disappointed here. The price may be higher than on a Hanoi street, but then again, so are … 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

It’s the reply no tuk tuk driver wants to hear: “I’m walking, thanks.” Often, the most sensible thing would be to sit in his comfy carriage, be transported around the streets and let him worry about the traffic. But for getting-lost-exploring in Phnom Penh and answering the question, “I wonder what’s down there?”, you can’t … read the full post

I recently discovered that German baronesses and French princesses can be counted among my forebears, which might explain why I’ve still never set foot in a KFC. It would have been better if the witches hadn’t apparently spent absolutely everything, leaving me with nothing but their tastes, but this is what I’m now stuck with: … read the full post

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