Now that Angelina Jolie has revealed that her Cambodian-born son is a huge fan of eating crickets, you may be considering trying the popular snack as well. If little Maddox Jolie-Pitt likes them, who wouldn’t? This is a kid with good taste — between the faux-hawk and having his own Battambang-based NGO since the tender … read the full post

So many tourist markets, boutiques, jewellers and craft shops in Siem Reap can make shopping here a real pleasure. On the other hand, if you have a case of the midnight munchies, or just need batteries, its charms can seem a little over-worked. The practical things in life can rarely be found in the bottom … read the full post

Despite completely surrounding Phnom Penh, Kandal province is often ignored by visitors to the capital city. It’s worth a day trip, though, to check out the many beautiful pagodas that are found there.                    

Unlike India, it’s not easy in Cambodia to find a sympathetic ear if you’re a vegetarian. Instead, you will be confronted with everything ranging from open disbelief, to dark mutterings that the barang is clearly mad, to acts of rebellion with secret sprinklings of shrimp or bacon bits. And sometimes the struggle is not even … read the full post

Much maligned as the unsavoury cousin of spicier and more glamorous Thai food, real Cambodian cooking is unfortunately under-appreciated by many visitors to Cambodia, although this is hardly their fault. Among the reasons is their simple lack of awareness. “People are familiar with Vietnamese food, Chinese food and Thai,” says French chef Joannès Rivière. “But … read the full post

A few years ago, a young French chef came to Siem Reap as a volunteer to train the students at Sala Baï, an NGO that every year trains about 100 young disadvantaged Cambodians from the surrounding area in the arts of cooking, front of house, house-keeping and waiting tables. The school has a solid reputation … read the full post

Seeing a doctor in a foreign country can be an overwhelming experience. Medical care in Cambodia is generally awful — marginally less so in Phnom Penh — but at the same time, travellers often have lots of reasons to see a doctor in Cambodia. Just some of the reasons a traveller may need to see … read the full post

On July 3, 2011, Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni and French Prime Minister Francois Fillon were in Siem Reap for a special ceremony to mark the official opening of the restored Baphuon temple. The opening was the culmination of nearly 100 years of work, punctuated by wars, conflict and occupation, made possible by the tireless dedication … read the full post

If you’re looking for an excuse to start drinking mid-afternoon, Kingdom Breweries offers a tour of their Phnom Penh facilities, which includes at least two sample beers. Kingdom Breweries dubs itself as the only “premium” Cambodian beer. They’ve no stiff competition in that department — no matter how drinkable they are, one can hardly pretend … read the full post

How hot and sticky is it in Siem Reap? Even in the cooler months of the year, after a day spent trampling around Angkorian temples or visiting any of the many other things to see, you feel horrible before it’s even midday. Clothes are stuck to everything. A river, a whole river, of sweat has … read the full post