Located in the mostly residential Tonle Bassac area, The Willow offers just 16 air-con rooms in a building shaded by a series of tall trees — hence the name — and is a good option if you want to spend a little more than a backpacker for a touch of luxury, but still enjoy the … read the full post

Q&A isn’t the only bookshop in Sihanoukville, but it’s the only bookshop cafe in town. If you’re a book lover, that alone makes taking the time to find it down at the bottom of Mithona Street at Ochheuteal beach worth it, but you’ll find a solid collection of more than 8,000 books and a nice … read the full post

Although the official Khmer new year doesn’t start in Cambodia until April, Cambodians and expats love a party and there’s plenty of celebrations planned for Western New Year. From gala dinners to largin’ it DJs with a few fireworks thrown in, you won’t forget your New Year’s Eve to welcome in 2013 in Phnom Penh. … read the full post

For as long as most people can remember, New Year’s Eve in Siem Reap has meant just one thing: the Pub Street party. Such is its notoriety that last year a group of 100 Singaporeans shunned the charms of their home town and chartered their own plane to transport them to Siem Reap’s festivities instead. … read the full post

Update: 30 December 2012 – The Big Event on Ocheuteal Beach on New Year’s Eve looks like it’s going to be the Soundwave Music Festival. According to their flier, it is going to be a “Massive Music Festival” with a “Massive sound stage” and a “Huge stage & lighting.” Tickets are $6 on the day … read the full post

The leafy riverside neighbourhoods around Siem Reap’s Royal Gardens are home to a number of luxury hotels where the likes of Angelina Jolie and Hillary Clinton stay when they’re in town. But cross over the river to the equally peaceful, and rather more traditionally Khmer River Road East and you will find Rosy Guest House, … read the full post

Despite its English-language name, the one thing you can’t buy at Phnom Penh’s Phsar Toul Tom Poung is a Russian. But for almost everything else, this warren of stalls has it covered. The market became popular with foreigners in the 1980s when most of its visitors were Soviets, hence the name. Since then, it’s become a … read the full post

If you take a walk down Sihanoukville’s Serendipity Road looking for something to eat during the daylight hours, Bad Panda will probably catch your eye. Return after dark and you may wonder why Bad Panda’s doors are closed and its next door neighbour has invaded its patio space. No, the eye-patched panda hasn’t been muscled … read the full post

It’s a surprise to find a quiet, low-rise area in the heart of rapidly developing Phnom Penh, but those in the know head for Tonle Bassac whenever they hit the city. Minutes from Independence Monument and a short ride from the Royal Palace and riverside, this small area has all you need for a relaxing stay. … read the full post

Sunday is a good day to escape the crowds in Sihanoukville. It used to be easy — you’d just go to Otres beach instead of Ochheuteal. Now that the road is paved, that doesn’t work quite as well. If you really want to escape the weekend hordes, you have to push on a couple of … read the full post