It's an impossible challenge to spend any time in Phnom Penh's tourist areas without being approached by hawkers, beggars or tuk tuk drivers. Street commerce is a fact of life here, but for some visitors the constant “Wanna buy book?” and “OK, tuk tuk” get a bit wearing. So how can you deal with the hassle?

How do you score on the tuk tuk challenge?

For your own sanity, it's good to remember that motos and tuk tuk drivers are just doing their job -- even if they have heard you say "no" to the last five drivers, maybe you've changed your mind. A polite “no thank you” or even better “ortey awkun” will generally be rewarded with a smile and a shrug. A friend of mine tries to beat his personal best each time he walks down the riverside – the record currently stands at over 25 offers of transport between the night market and the FCC.

If you want to walk – and sometimes it feels like an eccentricity – try crossing over to the promenade side of the riverfront, where you only have to dodge energetic locals engaged in dancing or determined strolling. Alternatively, head into the wider city, away from riverside, the Royal Palace and the museums. A mere three blocks from the river, you may actually need to hunt down a tuk tuk, rather than dodge the constant offers.

Riverside can be quiet enough for a snooze

If you're staying in one place, enjoying a cheap beer or a cocktail, it's likely that your conversation will be interrupted by a steady stream of cute kids selling books, bracelets and scarves. Some visitors enjoy these interactions with the surprisingly good English and sense of humour that accompanies them, but it's worth understanding the reasons why it may not be a good idea to buy.

Additionally, you'll meet disabled adults who are proud to be working rather than begging, selling books or playing an instrument in return for a few thousand riel. You'll also be approached by beggars clutching children or displaying missing limbs with hands outstretched. Some people have a daily budget and give small amounts to everyone who meets their personal charity criteria. Others prefer to make a donation to one of the many NGOs working to help street sleepers and disadvantaged Khmers.

If your patience is wearing thin, try selecting outdoor seating that's not right at the roadside, or head upstairs to one of the balconies or rooftop bars where you can finish your sentence and your glass in peace. And then hope there's a tuk tuk driver waiting to offer you a ride when it's time to move on.

Further reading:
Siem Reap blogger Nicky explains why giving money to street kids is a really terrible idea 

Tags: riverside hassle

Our motorbike got stolen in Cambodia last month. A Honda Wave. Reliable. Had a big chain on it. And most sadly for us, it was a rental. Motorbike theft is an unfortunate reality when you live in Phnom Penh. Just about everyone in this city has a motorbike, and from what I've heard — especially if you're a foreigner — bike ownership in Phnom Penh is a lot like a game of musical chairs. Maybe even Russian roulette. So what to do when your rental bike goes missing in Phnom Penh?

For many, it's the family car.

There is much to do. Especially on a Sunday. Especially in a country where underpaid and oft-corrupt police require a bribe to do much of anything, much less go looking for a foreigner's stolen property.

Here's my advice. If you really want your own ride in Cambodia, buy your own bike. Buy a cheap, beat up bike that won't appeal to thieves. And think long and hard about renting, because there is no theft insurance in Cambodia. If someone makes off with your rental motorbike, you're buying the thief who stole it a brand new set of wheels.

Best of all: the rental agencies have been suspected of stealing bikes back from renters. Never put your real address on a rental sheet.

Let me tell you about what happened to us as a kind of cautionary tale. When my boyfriend got a teaching job far across Phnom Penh, we needed a motorbike. “Rent for a month or two, then get your own,” our long-term expat friends told us. So we did, even though we had to put down our passport as collateral.

"Buy a bike that no one would possibly want to steal," our friends told us after we rented, showing us their own rattle-trap bikes covered in grime, oil stains, and mildly offensive stickers in both Khmer and English.

But as it turned out, we really liked our used Honda Wave — so much the idea of switching to a ratty $300 model held little appeal. We also didn't want to pay $600 to buy it outright from the rental agency. We tried to mentally ignore the $800 theft fee if the bike did go missing. We had a huge chain and a huge padlock. We knew all the neighbours in our little alley. We had put a fake address on our rental form. It was a mere $60 a month. The two-month rental turned into seven months.

Than came a couple of weeks ago. "Faine, that's not our bike," my boyfriend said to me, as we opened the door to our alley. He was right. The motorcycle parked in our bike's designated spot belonged to a neighbour. Ours? Evaporated. Not so much as an oil stain.

The Tourist Police aren't open on Sunday. Hell, the police aren't open on Sunday. Finding a cop willing to help with a petty theft incident in Phnom Penh on Sunday is roughly as easy as finding a magical rainbow unicorn in darkest Pittsburgh.

A typical happy Phnom Penh bike.

As in many developing nations, many police in Cambodia operate off a pay-and-play system. If you pay them, they might help you out. Salaries are very low for Average Joe Tourist Cop, and motivation to do much beyond show up everyday to work is low as well.

There is a tourist police station, as most officers will inform you if you hail one down on the street.  But there are three different addresses for this (possibly mythical) tourist police station, according to what you can find via Google. If you manage to make a phone-call to the tourist police on a Sunday, someone will shout at you in Khmer for four minutes, than hang up.

A Khmer-American friend suggested that we bribe the leader of our street's tuk tuk armada into helping us find it. Tuk tuk guys are often alleged to be involved in organised crime, and since they usually sleep in their tuk tuks, they're the best sources of neighbourhood information.

"Our motorbike is gone," I told the tuk tuk chief. "Maybe you can help us find it?" I smiled widely and extended a hand with a folded $20 bill in it. He grimaced at the money.

"No, no," he said, gently pushing my hand away. He shouted for another driver to come over and told him what had happened.

"I'll take you somewhere," the tuk tuk chief decided. We hopped into the tuk tuk, hoping he had some secret knowledge of Phnom Penh's motorbike purgatory. It wasn't to be: he took us to the nearest police station. The only people in sight at the police compound were engrossed in a game of chess. The gate was locked. They weren't open.

I tried to give the chief the $20 again when he drove us back, defeated, to our apartment. He sighed and took $10.

And that was the end of our efforts to find the bike.

It was likely stolen sometime in the night Saturday. By 17:00 on Sunday, our charming little bike had likely already been repainted, tuned up, and quite possibly attached to someone's tuk tuk. Two provinces away.

And so we coughed up the $800 to the rental agency.

Although Cambodia may be a cheap destination, paying up for stolen — and expensive — rented property can make your trip much costlier than you originally bargained for. If you really want to negotiate the semi-psychotic traffic of Phnom Penh on your own, make sure you’ve got some savings. Make sure you’re staying somewhere with a compound and an at least semi-conscious guard. Buy a new padlock and chain.

Because once a motorbike goes missing in Phnom Penh, it’s just about guaranteed that it is going to stay that way.

by Faine Greenwood

Tags: motorbikes, police, tourist police, tuk tuks

I've had the great pleasure of visiting the Phnom Penh International Airport (née Pochentong International Airport) several times recently and I've got loads to tell you.

That's Phnom Penh International Airport to you, sir.

Whenever I head to a new city, I wonder what the airport has to offer. Because the difference between a good airport and a bad one is not trivial. Most importantly, I wonder if I'll be able to get barbecued chicken. I'll try to answer all of the questions you might have about banking, SIM cards and fast food at Phnom Penh airport here.

Which is the best ATM to use? There's a red Canadia ATM outside between the arrivals and departures area that doesn't charge an extra fee for foreign cards -- the others charge $4 or $5 each.

Can I get a SIM card when I arrive? Yes, you can get a SIM card for less than $5 from one of the many mobile carriers that have set up shop directly outside the door when you exit the airport. Currently, Smart, Beeline, QB and Hello all have outlets at the airport (although Cellcard is noticeably absent).

What happened to the Dairy Queen? This is an important one: there is no longer a Dairy Queen inside the terminal. I repeat, the Dairy Queen inside the departures terminal is no more, so do not expect to get a 7am Blizzard. Rest assured though, that Cambodia's second Western fast food chain has not disappeared entirely, as there is now a Dairy Queen at the public concourse of the departure area.

Can I get barbecued chicken at the airport? Yes, there's a BBQ Chicken outlet at the public concourse of the departure area. It's Korea's #1 chicken restaurant.

What else is there to eat at the airport? In the public international area there's a Pho 24 and Cafe Fresco. In public departures area, there's a Pizza Company in addition to the Dairy Queen and BBQ Chicken. Inside the departure terminal the bar is gone but there's a new restaurant, Taste of Asia, and Paris Deli. The FCC will be opening an outlet there soon as well. In the domestic departures terminal there's a Blue Pumpkin ice cream shop.

And lastly, if you're looking for info on how to get into the city, we've covered that here.

Tags: airports, Phnom Penh International Airport, Pochentong

Getting from the airport into Phnom Penh is quite easy and relatively hassle free compared to some other airports. When you exit the arrivals hall, you'll have a dozen men shouting "taxi! taxi!" at you, but feel free to ignore them, as I do. Why reward that kind of behaviour?

Tuk tuk, sir?

Once outside and on the sidewalk, there will be more men asking if you want a taxi. There should be one handing out yellow slips of paper -- this is your receipt for the taxi and proof of the price. The price for a taxi from the airport is $9, with no extra charges for baggage or additional passengers. They may try to charge you $10, but don't fall for this, $9 is the official charge. Tipping is not required.

If you take a tuk tuk from inside the airport gates, it will cost $7 to go to town. This is not particularly good value, with taxis only costing $9. Tuk tuks are less safe but as one enthusiastic driver told me recently, "good way to see city, fresh air, nice ride." And while I do recommend the taxi in order to keep your bags safe, there is something magical about that first tuk tuk ride into the city that I won't ever forget.

If you do decide to take a tuk tuk, consider walking directly outside the airport gates. There will be a dozen tuk tuks lined up who will go to the city for $4. I pay $5 if there will be two stops, but I know of people who manage to pay far less. Your mileage may vary, but it's always much cheaper than the official tuk tuks inside the gates.

There aren't official motodops at the airport, but you can nab one just outside the gate for about $2 into town. A number of people have sustained serious injury after having their bags snatched while on the back of a moto, so ask the driver to hold your bag up front, or carry it between you and the driver. And welcome to Phnom Penh!

Tags: motodops, Phnom Penh International Airport, taxis, tuk tuks

As of this month, there's a direct flight to Burma from Phnom Penh with the option for VOA (visa on arrival). This is noteworthy because currently only flights on Myanmar Airways International from Cambodia and Guangzhou offer the possibility of VOA -- if you're travelling overland you'll need to get a visa the old fashioned way.

Sick of Cambodian pagodas? Check out some Burmese ones, instead.

But if you want to fly, Myanmar Airways International has a new Cambodia to Burma route -- it's a triangle that flies Phnom Penh to Rangoon to Siem Reap. This means that the flight from Phnom Penh to Rangoon is direct, but on the way back there's an hour-long stop in Siem Reap.

I was lucky enough to be on the inaugural flight from Phnom Penh. The gate was mobbed with reporters and camera crews, flowers were being handed out to passengers and the flight left a celebratory 30 minutes late.

Flights run on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a 13:50 departure from Phnom Penh. The return trips leave Rangoon on the same days at 08:50. Tickets cost $285 and can be booked through any local travel agent. MAI has also recently added functionality to buy tickets online, but they are slightly more expensive (and charged in Thai baht).

As of right now, tickets do not seem to need to be booked too far in advance, but that may change once the route becomes more popular. When I booked my ticket, I was initially told the flight was fully booked and asked if I wanted to be waitlisted. The next day, I was allowed to purchase a ticket. So it's worth trying the waitlist if you want to travel on a specific date, although this might have just been an issue on their first flight.

Your ticket to a VOA is flying MAI from PNH.

Most passengers chose to go with the visa on arrival option. VOA costs $30 in USD. If you work for an NGO, as a journalist or in any other similarly sensitive profession, it's still best to get a visa in advance. The Phnom Penh Myanmar Embassy is one of the slowest embassies to grant visas -- be prepared to wait a full 14 days from the time you drop off your passport and application -- and even subtle attempts at bribery will not speed the process along.

The silver lining is that visas issued in Phnom Penh only cost $20. If you are travelling through Thailand, you can get your visa in Bangkok in two days, although it costs slightly more. Bring a letter showing proof of employment to speed the process along -- and make sure it doesn't say you're an aid worker or writer.

Tags: Burma, Myanmar Airways International, Rangoon, visa on arrival

Although many people will tell you not to visit Phnom Penh during the rainy season, it's actually not as bad you might think. Granted, May through October is called "monsoon season", with rain coming more days than not in October, but the early months aren't too bad. This year we are just getting into the swing of rainy season, with some torrential downpours over the last few weeks, but it's still pretty nice out.

Don't bother trying to outrun the rain clouds.

The thing to remember is that in rainy season, although it may rain often, it doesn't rain for long. Most showers last around 30 minutes, and are easy to wait out. Huddling under awnings or jumping into coffee shops is a fact of life at this time of year, so make the most of it and chat up some old ladies while you wait for the weather to clear.

On the upside, rainy season means temperate weather (compared to hot season, anyway) and very few tourists. If you are moving onward to destinations like Sihanoukville and Siem Reap you'll be happy to miss the crowds that show up for the cool, dry season.

The 2,000 riel poncho is stylish *and* practical.

What to wear
Don't brother bringing an umbrella -- when it rains in Phnom Penh it's almost always a windy rain that will turn your umbrella inside out. Even fancy raincoats are less useful than than the bright plastic ponchos sold on all of the street corners for 2,000 riel, or $0.50. They are compact enough to keep in a purse or backpack and provide pretty good protection from the downpours. Wear flip flops. Phnom Penh has a tendency to flood when it rains and if you are wearing real shoes you will inevitably wander into a puddle up to your ankles. When it rains I often wear flip flops for the journey and change into shoes once I arrive.

Tuk tuks have natural protection against rain.

Transportation tips
Most visitors get around town by tuk tuk or moto. Motos are not advisable in the rain because, well, you'll get wet. Most tuk tuks have ingenious rain-covers that they bring out for the inclement weather, but they do tend to charge slightly more when it's raining. Remember that some roads, particularly those leading out of town, are often unpaved or sort-of paved, and may have puddles for a full day after a big rain. This is another reason to not ride a moto (to add to my long list). Taxis are often the same price or only slightly higher than tuk tuks, so when it rains, consider calling one.

Be prepared
If you're using a backpack, get a rain cover for it and keep it on when you are travelling. When everyone else's bag comes off the luggage carousel at the airport soaking wet and yours is spanking dry, you'll thank me. Use plastic bags to keep your passport, wallet, electronics, whatever/everything dry -- things have the tendency to get damp here at this time of year. And remember to remain calm and stay dry (or have fun getting wet!)

Tags: monsoon, raincoats, rainy season, wet season

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.

Two important components of Cambodian medical care: Angkor beer and U-Care Pharmacy.

Just some of the reasons a traveller may need to see a doctor in Cambodia: traffic accidents (be prepared); dengue fever, which is all over town at the moment; sexually-transmitted infections, which occur more frequently than many in Phnom Penh may admit. Others, like yours truly, may wake up one morning with a nasty staph infection, which is like, totally not fair (photos available on request).

One thing to be aware of is that while local doctors are less expensive, most have not had the sort of medical training that most Westerners would deem sufficient. Consider this: in 2008 prospective medical students took to the streets because Phnom Penh’s University of Medicine refused to admit any student that scored less than 50% of their entrance exam. Under pressure, the school ended up admitting all students who scored over 25% -- not awfully reassuring. And because the educational system is so flawed, one can never be sure whether a doctor -- or indeed any other professional -- got their diplomas and positions through connections or "tea money". It's not surprising, then, that locals who can afford it head directly to Bangkok when they need treatment.

Monkey slurping blood from a huge syringe found in a bin outside a Wat Phnom clinic.

My advice? See a foreign doctor or a Khmer doctor who has a degree from a foreign university. I've heard way too many horror stories from even the best clinics and hospitals in town to chance it.

Because medications are sold over the counter in Cambodia, you can also do a pretty decent job diagnosing yourself. I know one long-term expat who takes a round of antibiotics "just in case" every six months or so. While this isn't advisable (it builds resistance), if you've just got the sniffles, head to the pharmacy yourself. Two reputable pharmacies in town are the U-Care chain and Pharmacie De La Gare on Monivong Blvd. Other pharmacies may be cheaper, but you're liable to get counterfeit medications.

If your self-diagnosis has failed, a few decent doctors are in town. Dr Gavin Scott is a British doctor who runs the Traveller's Medical Clinic on Street 108. Dr Scott specialises in tropical diseases and sexual diseases, so if you're worried you may have picked up one or the other, he's the man to see. He's also great for interesting banter and medical horror stories. Consultations cost $50 and lab fees are extra. Others recommend the SOS clinic on Street 51, an internationally accredited clinic that offers 24-hour medical care. To see a foreign doctor at SOS costs $80 -- $24 more than to see a Khmer doctor. I've heard lots of recent complaints about the Khmer medical staff (sorry, beating a dead horse here) at SOS, so be wary. For routine gynaecological care, the expat choice in town is Dr Galina at the Naga Clinic. Appointments with her cost $30.

For lab tests, Pasteur Institute on Monivong is the only reliable independent lab in town.

And if all else fails, head to Bangkok or Singapore. You do have travel insurance, don't you?

Travellers Medical Clinic
No. 88, St. 108 (Wat Phnom Quarter), Phnom Penh
T: (o23) 306 802/ (012) 898 981
www.travellersmedicalclinic.com
drscott@camintel.com

International SOS
House 161, Street 51, Phnom Penh
T: (012) 816 911
www.internationalsos.com

Naga Clinic
#11 Street 254, Phnom Penh
T:(023) 211 300
www.nagaclinic.com
info@nagaclinic.com

Tags: Dr. Gavin Scott, Naga Clinic, Phnom Penh doctors, SOS Medical Clinic, Travellers Medical Clinic

Despite rumours to the contrary, getting a SIM card in Cambodia is a simple process. Back in the day, foreigners needed a Cambodian sponsor to get a SIM card and special, overpriced tourist SIMs were all that were available to those just travelling through. But those laws are gone, and now one needs little other than a few bucks and a passport to get a SIM card in Phnom Penh.

Your connection to the world.

There are nine phone carriers in Cambodia: Cellcard/Mobitel, Beeline, Mfone, Hello, Metfone, Starcard, qb, Excell, and Smart. All carriers have different rates and different levels of coverage (although all seem to perform relatively well in Phnom Penh). To make matters more complicated, it can be difficult to connect to other carriers, and many Cambodians have multiple SIM cards so they can take advantage of promotional offers and to connect with their friends on the same network.

Beeline seems to be the carrier of choice for many of the Cambodian youth in Phnom Penh, and expats favour Cellcard. Cellcard offers cheap data packages, cheapish international calls, and an English-speaking staff, making it the carrier of choice for travellers as well. The setup costs are low, so even if you're just going to be in Cambodia for a week, it's worth getting a pay-as-you-go SIM card.

Getting a SIM card is as easy as rocking up to the Cellcard office on Sihanouk Blvd with a passport that contains a valid visa in hand. The SIM card costs $2 and you need to top it up with a minimum of $1. Calls within Cambodia cost between 5-8 cents a minute depending on network and time. International calls cost 20 cents per minute. Data packages can be added for 50 cents a day or $5 a month.

You can also get a SIM card at any of the thousands of phone shops in town. However, they will often tack on an extra couple of dollars to the price or try and get you to purchase the now non-existent tourist SIM and others will demand proof of address, which isn't necessary if you go to the main office of any of the carriers. Beeline and QB also have stands at the airport that sell SIM cards for $5.

One thing to note is that the different between a $2 SIM card and a $50 SIM card has nothing to do with available calling time -- the expensive SIM cards just have more 8s in them (considered lucky in Chinese culture) or other strings of lucky numbers. However, they don't come with any additional calling time, so it's best to opt for the cheapest SIM.

Cellcard
33 Sihanouk Blvd
T: (012) 800 800

Tags: Beeline, Cambodia SIM card, Cellcard

Recently Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party, the National League for Democracy, said that they would begin to support responsible individual tourism, ending their years-long opposition to visitors in Burma (Myanmar).

And you thought the embassy queue was bad. Refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border.

And now that Myanmar Airways International flies from Siem Reap to Rangoon every Wednesday and Saturday, Cambodia is an easy gateway to Burma. Since Siem Reap does not have a Burmese embassy, secure your visa in Phnom Penh before heading out.

To get a 28-day tourist visa, you need the following:

- 2 completed visa application forms
- 2 passport-sized photos
- a passport valid for at least 6 months
- $20 (payable when you pick your visa up)

The 28-day visa is valid for three months. Processing time takes two weeks, and express service is not available.

If you work at a large NGO, at the UN or any other organisation that the Burmese government might find questionable, it is advised that you bring a letter from your employer stating the purpose of your visit. I was told that this would speed the visa application process along, and if you work for one of these organisations, you may not get the visa without a letter. If you don’t work for an NGO or other suspect organisation, bringing a business card may still be helpful.

Recent applicants have advised that regardless of your type of employment, bringing a letter with proof of employment (or previous employment) may be required. So if you want to be safe, have a letter ready when you go to apply.

Although getting a visa for Burma is said to be relatively easy in Phnom Penh, and the following is not strictly necessary, it can also be helpful to write up a copy of your travel itinerary and bring copies of your flight itinerary. Remember, issuing the visa is entirely at the discretion of the embassy, and they can refuse to grant it for any reason. So plan ahead and bring as much information as possible to try to get your visa application process to go smoothly.

Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
181 Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh.
T: 023 223 761
www.mofa.gov.mm/myanmarmissions/cambodia.html

The office hours of the Myanmar Embassy are Monday to Friday, 8:00-12:30 and 14:00-17:00.

Tags: Burma Embassy Phnom Penh, Burma visa, Myanmar Embassy Phnom Penh, Myanmar visa

With direct flights going from Phnom Penh to Vientiane on Lao Airlines (code-shared with Vietnam Airlines), you can go directly to Laos by air or by land. For many, there’s the option of getting a visa on arrival at Vientiane's Wattay international airport or at the Veun Kham/Dom Kralor crossing, but if you’d prefer to sort it out in advance, getting a visa for Laos in Phnom Penh is a simple procedure.

How Lao can you go?

If you’d like to get your visa for Laos in Phnom Penh, you’ll need:

- original passport with 6 months validity
- 2 application forms (available at the embassy)
- 2 passport-sized photos

Tourist visas are valid for 2 months with a single-entry, 30-day duration of stay.

According to the sign posted, normal visa processing takes 48 hours and "very express visa" processing takes 12 hours. When I asked about the express processing, I was told that it takes one day, but sometimes two. But usually one. What about same-day processing, I asked? Yes, very express, I was told. Drop it off at 8:00 and it might be ready by 17:00. Very express processing costs an additional $10.

Fees are $30 for Australians, $50 for Americans and $40 for those from the UK. The Lao Embassy in Phnom Penh does not accept $100 notes. Some travel agents in town can offer slightly cheaper rates, so it’s worth asking around.

The office hours at the Lao Embassy in Phnom Penh are Monday to Friday, 08:00-11:30 and 14:00-17:00.

When I visited, the embassy was almost completely empty and there was no wait time to speak to someone. However, the staff didn't seem to understand many of my questions, so if you have a complicated or urgent request you might find it easier to use a local agent.

Embassy of the Lao PDR
15-17 Mao Tse Tung Blvd, Phnom Penh
T: (023) 997 931
F: (023) 720 907

Tags: Lao visa, Laos Embassy Phnom Penh, Laos visa