AsiaLIFE Cambodia April 2018 v2

042018 ISSUE136

042018 ISSUE136 08 Events

front

note from the editor

10 Openings 11 Trending 12 News 14 AsiaLIFE's Picks 17 Cambodia Profiles 18 Photo Essay 22 Q&A: Mark Bochsler

& San Kimsean

Marissa Carruthers “Art has the ability to heal, to help, to nurture, to educate, to inform.” These are the words of Onn Sokny, Epic Arts codirector, who has spent the last 10 years using art to educate, liberate and offer a new lease of life to those with disabilities.

And this forms the subject of this month’s cover feature, which throws the spotlight on some of the people who are shaping Cambodia’s art movement.

As Cambodia Living Arts announces its 2018 batch of artistic leaders to take part in its year-long Fellows programme, which aims to equip the country’s artistic leaders with the skills to push the arts scene and realise the vital role it plays in society, we look at the important role the arts play and how the industry is being used to push Cambodia into new realms.

Elsewhere, Matt Surrusco visits Skateistans new home at The Factory in Phnom Penh to find out more about the NGO’s work in Cambodia and how it is settling into its new setting.

I head out of town to Mahope by Rotanak. Here, charismatic chef Rotanak has opened up her stunning traditional Khmer home to serve up some of the finest home cooking around. And she has grand plans to revive Khmer cuisine to its former glory.

I also catch up with Grace Smith on her return from Siem Reap, where her and five other women represented Cambodia in the annual Raid Amazones, a five-day sporting challenge that took place in Temple Town this year.

On top of this, we have the usual food and drinks reviews, openings, fashion and interviews, so enjoy April’s AsiaLIFE.

on the cover

24 Creative Push

storyboard

32 Creative Cuisine 34 Skating Towards A Bright Future 36 Temple Challenge

getaway

38 From Saints to Sinners:

food

40 Sher-e-Punjab

The Bars Of Brussels?

41 Trattoria Bello 42 Sora

style & design

44 Check In

back

60 Appchat

46 Fashion

61 Box Office

AsiaLIFE Media Vol. 121

|APRIL 2018

SONGKRAN IN SAIGON

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SIMRAN THE BAKER BATTLE OF KHE SANH 50TH ANNIVERSARY

REDUCE RECYCLE REPURPOSE

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHING HOUSE

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AsiaLIFE Cambodia 5

t h e p l a c e t o e at

OYSTERS

oyster lovers be tempted one dollar each everyday 6 to 8 First Floor, maline apartment building, street 214, between norodom & street 51 tel: 092 776 552

rooftop.lounge w i n e c o c k t a i l b e e r e a t e r y

UBER BILL A drunk Uber user was slapped with a $1,635 bill after falling asleep and taking a 300-mile journey across three US states. Kenny Bachman took the trip after a night out with friends in West Virginia.

But instead of being dropped off at where he was staying nearby, he passed out and woke up two hours later in New Jersey, more than 300 miles away. In a drunken stupor, he failed to remember ordering the pricier UberXL or why a stranger was driving him.

GOLD RUSH

r i ve r s i de & s t re et 1 5 4 087 600 768 | 087 600 856 fb.com/lemoonphnompenh lemoon@amanjaya-pancam-hotel.com

Tons of gold tumbled from the sky in Russia after a cargo plane malfunctioned in mid-air. The aircraft was carrying $370 million worth of platinum, gold and diamonds when the hatch flew open, scattering the precious metals into the sky. According to TASS news agency, Russian authorities have recovered more than 170 gold bars weighing 20kg each. The plane was travelling from Yakutsk Airport - a major diamond-producing region - to Krasnoyarsk.

VIDEO SHOOT A pregnant woman who shot her boyfriend dead in a botched YouTube stunt in Minnesota, US, has been jailed for six months. Monalisa Perez and Ricardo Ruiz III plans to create a viral video by stopping a bullet with an encyclopaedia went horribly wrong when Perez fired a .50 calibre handgun at Ruiz from about a foot away as he held the book to his chest. The bullet pierced the book, and he died. Perez pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter.

D’OH! DRIVER Police were shocked when they were handed what appeared to be the identification of The Simpson’s Homer Simpson by a driver. Traffic officers in the UK were handed a licence with the name H. Simpson, who lives at 28 Springfield Way, USA. It also bore a photograph of the iconic fictional father. Thames Valley Police said in a Tweet: "PC Phillips stopped a car... When she tried to identify the driver's ID, she found the below... (pictured licence)."

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EVENTS

4 APR

Rama and the Monkey Soldiers @French Institute The Kok Thlok shadow puppet artists take over the gardens of the French Institute for their telling of the story of Rama’s adventures and alliance with the monkey god-king and his army. This is a shadow theatre play that is packed full of fun, action, gods and demons, and a battle between good and evil featuring a monkey army. Free entry.

5 APR

Cinema Paradiso I @ Raffles Le Royal Watch a classic movie under the stars with a half bottle of wine and canapés. A Dry White Season, directed by Euzhan Palcy and starring Donald Sutherland and Janet Suzman, follows teacher Ben du Toit. He mostly ignores the problems of apartheid in South Africa until he discovers that the son of a gardener at his school has been killed by a corrupt policeman and persuades a human rights attorney to try the long-shot case. During the trial, Du Toit's transformation into an advocate for justice is so absolute that it distances him from his family. $23, including half bottle of wine and canapés, $35 for half bottle of Cava. 6.30pm.

Kids’ Climbing Trip @Chelae A fantastic half day of outdoor climbing at Chelae, only 45 minutes from Phnom Penh. This trip will give kids a real taste of what climbing outdoors is all about under the expert guidance of Phnom Climb coaches. Parents are recommended to join or top rope belaying sessions to gain some experience before this trip. $30 Including transport from Phnom Climb and back; $25 if parents bring their own vehicle.

6am to noon. To book, email welcome@phnomclimb.com.

7 APR

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19 APR

Technodelic DJ Party @Meta House Meta House hosts Phnom Penh's most diverse electronic music event. Dj dvd invites djs from over the world, special guests who cover a multitude of genres from minimal deep tech, house, techno, trance, funk and more. Great if you are out for a night with the sound of underground or fast driving basslines. Melting psychedelic visual projections, laser and UV lighting, open-air chill out space, $1 beer plus cocktail specials. From 9pm to 2am.

Kids Create @Sa Sa Bassac

28 APR

As part of its neighbourhood programme, Sa Sa Bassac is collaborating with Hiroshima House's free school in Wat Ounalom temple. Kids Create is facilitated by Sa Sa Bassac's Sin Many and Tum Yuryphal, Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator of Exhibitions and Public Programmes. Many is a visual artist and Yury is an architect and researcher.

They will guide children on a tour and in discussion about Instinct, followed by a playful workshop on abstract sculpture using reclaimed wire. From 2.30pm to 5pm.

Fascinating Fermented Foods @Pelican Food Company

26 APR

In today's world, overflowing with information and dietary trends, it's sometimes hard to figure out what's good, what's not, in what amount and at what times. We are flooded with all kinds of research and often contradictory dietary guidelines. Many people struggle with allergies or sensitivities or choose to eat specific diets. The Pelican Food Company wants to find and share as much dietary information as possible by hosting this discussion with Tangy Turtle Probiotics. From 10am to noon.

SATURDAY SUSHI BUFFET 11.30AM TO 2.30PM ON THE BLACK GRANITE SUSHI BAR, JAPANESE CHEF KATAYAMA PREPARES UNLIMITED SUSHI AND SASHIMI WITH FISH IMPORTED DAILY FROM JAPAN.

JOIN US ON SATURDAYS AT HACHI 11:30AM-2:30PM $35++ PER PERSON, UNLIMITED BUFFET

SOFITEL PHNOM PENH PHOKEETHRA 26 OLD AUGUST SITE SOTHEAROS BLVD 12301 PHNOM PENH TEL. +855 (0) 23 999 200 - H6526@SOFITEL.COM WWW.SOFITEL-PHNOMPENH-PHOKEETHRA.COM

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OUT & ABOUT This month, AsiaLIFE looks at a competition launched to beat the traffic and the latest exhibit to take over Plantation hotel.

CHALLENGE TO SOLVE ROAD ISSUES IS ROLLED OUT

A CALL is being made for budding entrepreneurs hoping to solve issues surrounding transport and road safety.

Impact Hub Phnom Penh will this month launch its Toyota Impact Challenge, an

entrepreneurship programme that will support young Cambodian innovators who create solutions to challenges surrounding transport, smart cities, road safety and the environment.

“The Toyota Impact Challenge’s goal is to help young innovators through the most difficult part of developing a venture – the first few steps and access to funding,” says Olivia Hough, Impact Hub’s managing director. “We will support entrepreneurs to create an impact driven product and a business plan that can realistically grow, attract investment, and most importantly, create a positive impact.”

As the first entrepreneurship scheme in Cambodia to focus on transport and road safety specifically, the challenge, in partnership with Toyota (Cambodia) Co., hopes to raise awareness around these largely untapped sectors and inspire youth to become passionate leaders in these fields.

After six months of incubation at Impact Hub Phnom Penh, one team will be awarded $10,000 to grow their venture.

“We hope that by supporting the startup ecosystem in transport, smart cities, environment, and road safety, that we can create more collaboration and potentially new, innovative services between Cambodian entrepreneurs and Toyota,” says Hiroyuki Itoh, president of Toyota (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. Applications will open on April 7 – the day of the official launch. The programme includes university visits around Phnom Penh to raise awareness and encourage youth to think

about entrepreneurship and how they can use it to positively influence the sectors.

A total of 10 teams will then be selected to go through an intensive two-day bootcamp and will have one month to validate their ideas and prepare to pitch their venture in July. Three teams will then go through incubation for six months at Impact Hub. The teams will once again pitch their ideas at the end of the incubation period for the chance to win $10,000 to fund their venture.

Traffic accidents were the leading cause of death in Cambodia in 2016, according to Cambodia's Institute for Road Safety. A 2013 study by Handicap International revealed traffic accidents cost the government $337 million that year, equal to about three percent of gross domestic product.

They can also have huge ripple effects.

School dropouts increase by 30 percent in victim’s families and cause financial insecurity for families.

As urbanisation continues to rise – Cambodia’s urban population is expected to double by 2030 – along with vehicle ownership (expected increase of 37 percent by 2030), challenges will no doubt appear, and with it the opportunity to pioneer innovative solutions to create more sustainable development in Cambodia’s cities and transport.

A launch event takes place at Impact Hub Phnom Penh, 17 Street 306, on April 7, from 10am to noon.

ARTIST PUSHES BOUNDARIES

SCRAPS of discarded metal and wood collected from Phnom Penh’s poorest neighbourhoods have been given a new lease 10 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

of life in street artist Alias 2.0’s latest exhibit at the Plantation this month.

Feel Free is a series of installations and abstract paintings from the artist.

As the materials turn from high-rise to shantytown to artwork, these materials represent impermanence and the regeneration of all matter.

The paintings are composed of iconography found during the artist’s travels, expressing experience, doubt, joy and freedom throughout.

The street provides both the inspiration and physical materials for the collection. Graffiti and calligraphy, hallmarks of street art, are used throughout, but Alias 2.0 pushes his work further.

Phnom Penh's haphazard architecture is materially deconstructed and re-imagined.

Physical structures have become simple compositions, a balance of colour, shape and form. With change the only constant, evolution is inevitable.

But don't over-intellectualise, says Alias 2.0. “I want to surprise people with my work, to evoke an emotional response, a feeling.

If you observe your surroundings and pay attention to detail, you find art everywhere.

I am taking a piece of the city and mixing it with my technique to express my time in Cambodia. Every day is new, and I’m showing my way.”

Feel Free runs at the Lotus Pond Gallery until May 2.

OPenings

inspiring arts

KANJI SIGNATURE CUISINE

FRESH FLAVOUR

Master chef Luu Meng has opened his latest venture in the Cambodian capital in the form of Kanji. Renowned for his culinary innovations, having fashioned the term “living Cambodian cuisine”, the chef aims to rejuvenate traditional flavours, using natural ingredients. He says, “The inspiration is the philosophy of using natural seasonal flavours, using the finest Cambodian seafood and meat, enhanced by the freshest vegetables and botanicals to produce a distinctive cuisine.” Dishes on the set menu, such as sashimi and sushi, carry all the hallmarks of balance and depth of flavour which propelled Meng’s food to fame. The tasting menu embraces Cambodia’s seasonally available produce. A lengthy wine and sake list is also available.

128F Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh. Tel. 016 206 888. Open Monday to Saturday, from 5pm to 10pm.

JAVA CREATIVE CAFÉ MODERN COFFEE As a stalwart on the Phnom Penh coffee shop scene, Java has opened a third branch of its popular cafés in Toul Tom Poung. As well as serving the usual mix of freshly baked goods, breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes and quality coffee, the spacious setting also takes in indoor and outdoor seating, a private room and a black box theatre with seating for up to 54 people to enjoy the range of shows that span dance, music, poetry, talks and film screenings. Java has also teamed up with choreographer and TED fellow Prunsodun Ok, who founded Prumsodun Ok & NATYARASA the country’s first gay dance troupe. They will perform their reinterpretations of classical Cambodian dance three times a week. A range of other live performances will also take to the stage.

53 Street 468, Phnom Penh. Tel 077 873 929. Open daily, from 7am to 10pm.

A story from the arts: Sao Sreymao Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) believes that arts and cultural expression are essential to a thriving future for Cambodia.

This month, we tell the story of SAO Sreymao, an independent visual artist, who was recently awarded a Dam Dos Grant by CLA. Sao Sreymao is an artist from Battambang who specialises in drawing. She is a former student at Phare Ponleu Selpak, graduating in 2004 before starting her first job as a painter at Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity in Siem Reap.

She developed her interest in conservation, and in 2008 became Environmental Arts Consultant at Cambodian Rural Development Team.

After this project, Sreymao moved to work in Phnom Penh as an assistant consultant at Romeet Contemporary Arts Space.

Now, Sreymao works independently, illustrating novels, comics and children’s books.

Sreymao says there is a lot of competition in her field right now, and that some illustrators compromise the quality of their artwork in order to take on more projects and increase their income. She hopes that more people, and more of her customers will understand that producing meaningful artwork takes time.

She mentioned, however, that being a female artist has never disadvantaged her – she has been surprised to find many opportunities, and a lot of support especially for women working in arts, although she notes, “I don’t want people to see me just because I am a woman, I want them to actually see my ability.”

Sreymao was recently awarded one of the first Dam Dos Project Grants

by CLA. She plans to carry out an art project showing the effect of hydropower development on communities living along the Mekong River in Kratie province.

Building on her past research into the environment, she now wants to return to communities she has previously visited and compare how the lives of people have changed as a result of hydropower development, and find out about their experiences of migrant work and their predictions for the future.

After her mission, she will produce an exhibition of photography augmented by digital drawing in Phnom Penh. She says, “I can’t say now what the final result of this project will look like – I’m looking forward to creating the digital drawings and presenting them to the public very soon.”

To learn more about Cambodian Living Arts, find CLA on Facebook, @CamboLivingArts on Twitter, CambodianLivingArts on Instagram, or visit cambodianlivingarts.org.

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news

APR BY KATE 2018 BURBIDGE

FIRST CAMBODIAN MARINE CONSERVATION PARK CREATED

CAMBODIA’S marine wildlife received a much-needed boost after the country's first official marine national park was announced.

Koh Rong Marine National Park covers a 524kms area in the Gulf of Thailand and aims to conserve and protect the water’s biodiversity. It takes in the seven islands that make up the Koh Rong archipelago, 10.5km offshore, and the web of coral, seagrass and mangrove ecosystems around them.

It is a step up from the conservation area established in 2016 that already restricts certain kinds of fishing. Cambodia’s waters have long been plundered by illegal fishing gangs feeding an ever-increasing demand for seafood.

“The existing plan is not enough; the new area extends to protecting terrestrial, as well as marine [areas],” says Thay

Chantha, director of marine conservation at Cambodia’s Environment Ministry, which is charged with managing the new park.

Under the 2016 conservation plan, island locals were put to work patrolling their waters. The scheme appears to have curtailed illegal activity, but not eradicated it.

The health of the coral reefs continues to improve, with fewer foreign fishing vessels reported in Cambodian coastal waters in recent years. Instead, more people are visiting Cambodia to dive.

As Cambodia’s tourism industry and economy boom, its tropical islands and coral reefs are becoming increasingly popular among domestic and foreign tourists.

The Environment Ministry plans to assign at least 30 full-time rangers to patrol the new park’s waters and environmental issues on

the islands.

Since 2012, UK-based NGO Fauna and Flora International has been carrying out conservation work on the Koh Rong archipelago, including establishing and managing the original protected area alongside the Fisheries Administration. Its project manager for coastal and marine conservation in Cambodia, Marianne Teoh, says, “There is the opportunity now for the new legislation to build on the work at the site, to reinforce existing management capacity and enhance ongoing efforts.”

Ouk Vibol, head of marine conservation at the Fisheries Administration, adds, “We all want to see more coral, more seagrass, more mangroves, more tourism and more income for locals.”

PHNOM PENH AIRPORT RAIL LINK SCHEME TO ROLL OUT A NEW rail service linking Phnom Penh International Airport and the city centre train station is slated to open this month.

Hoeurn Somnieng, deputy director of the cabinet at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said the infrastructure for the project has mostly been completed, with only a few small tweaks remaining.

He added it is set to start operations on April 10, ahead of Khmer New Year.

“The new train service will reduce traffic congestion and reduce the time for travelling

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from the centre of the city to the airport,” Somnieng said.

The service will be free for the first twoand-a-half months before changing to a farebased system, according to Royal Railways CEO John Guiry.

“We will try to get many people using it and see what it is like and experience it,” Guiry said, adding that the 10km trip takes between 22 and 30 minutes – less than an average tuk tuk or car ride from the city centre to the airport.

While Royal Railways eventually plans to install three train engines imported from Mexico, delays in the procurement process caused the company to launch the route with two existing carriages with a capacity of 110 - 130 passengers.

Once operations begin, the train cars will depart from the station every 25 minutes.

A new 1.5km of railroad tracks has been built branching off existing lines to drop passengers off at the airport.

TRIBUTES PAID TO CHANNTHY TRIBUTES to Cambodian Space Project’s Kak Channthy are expected to continue to pour in, with a host of fund-raisers in her memory set to take place this month.

The 38-year-old, who was the driving force behind the Khmer rock ‘n’ roll revival, was killed when the auto-rickshaw she was travelling in was hit by a Toyota Prius. Her death has left a gaping hole in the country’s music scene.

Described by fellow CSP member, Julien Poulson, as his “copilot” in the band, Channthy captured the hearts of the nation and further afield with her strength, spirit and heart.

Born into a desperately poor community in Prey Veng province, Channthy worked as a rice farmer from a young age, before turning to a rubber plantation. She moved to the capital as a teen, working on building sites and cleaning homes for little money.

Having harboured a love of the singers that gave rise to the country’s golden age of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1960s, she eventually found work as a karaoke singer in a beer garden.

It was while working there that she met Julien, and the musical magic began. CSP was founded in 2009, covering the classics Channthy had treasured growing up sung by the likes of Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea. They went on to collaborate with a plethora of international artosts, including Iggy Pop and Paul Kelly, taking their psychedelic sounds across the globe.

Her death sent shockwaves across the country, with a series of fund-raisers launched to raise money to support her family and 13-year-old son, Makara. A GoFundMe page has also been launched, raising more than $16,000 within the first few days.

A memorial concert takes place at FCC Mansion on April 1, from 4pm. Live entertainment will come from Cambodian Space Project, Kampot Playboys, Laura Mam and more.Stay tuned on CSP’s Facebook page for more events, and to donate to Channthy’s fun, visit www.gofundme.com/channthy.

ELECTRIC CRAZYLAND EXHIBIT PRESENTS ECLECTIC ART

AN explosion of psychedelic projections and a spectacle of pop art print has landed in Siem Reap.

Self-taught visual maverick Grande Dame’s (a.k.a. Tiff McGinnis) eye-popping colourful array of art has made its debut in Temple Town at One Eleven Gallery.

Electric Crazyland features hyper-coloured graphics and animations from the UK-based multidisciplinary artist, whose work has gained an incredible following of music, animation, art and design fans from around the globe.

From hand-detailed giclee prints to animations for MTV, embroidered fabric, GIFs, and even a couture shoe line in collaboration with renowned designer Terry de Havilland, Grande Dame’s adventurous approach to art defies convention.

Electric Crazyland can be seen at One Eleven Gallery, 402 Street 7, Siem Reap, until April 28.

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April is upon us, the humidity is at its peak, the sweat is pouring, and the AC is roaring. Here are our picks on the best ways to cool off this month.

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Seek Out A Pool There are plenty of pools dotted throughout Phnom Penh and Siem Reap that allow outside guests to take a dip for a small fee or purchase of food and drinks. Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra boasts a spacious pool that can be lounged around for $15 a day. This includes access to the sports club and gym. Or for the perfect lazy Sunday, treat yourself to brunch, with access to the pool included. Rambutan also opens up its pool at both its Siem Reap and Phnom Penh locations to small groups of outside guests who spend $7.50 on food or drinks. If outside guests splash out $7 on food and drinks at Villa Langka in the capital, they can enjoy lying in the dappled shade before taking a refreshing dip in the pool.

Take A Break With the Khmer New Year celebrations falling on April 14 to 17, this is the perfect time to take a break and escape the heat. For those wanting to stay in Cambodia, then head to Kirirom, where the temperature dips a few degrees lower in the cooling pine forests than in the city. Chambok Ecotourism Site is worth a visit. Here guests can stay with families, trek, take an ox-cart ride and swim in the river. If you fancy going further afield, then Banyan Tree Samui on Koh Samui is running a Songkran Indulgence package throughout this month to mark Thai New Year. A 90-minute massage is followed by a 60-minute Rainforest Experience – a series of water jets at varying pressures and temperatures, steam room and sauna, ice facial treatments and an ice bucket bath – a great way to beat the heat.

Stay Indoors Cambodia’s rapid development has led to a rise in air-conditioned venues to hang out at, meaning your electricity bills don’t sky rocket through the month hibernating in the AC at home. Aeon Mall is a cooling break from the oppressive air outside, so browse the boutiques, grab a bite to eat and spend a few hours at the arcade, bowling or at the cinema. It is also home to The Ice Park, and the rink is the perfect place to chill down. There’s no shortage of coffee shops, restaurants and bars boasting AC to cool off at in the capital, and film fans can steer clear of the heat while watching a string of Hollywood hits and documentaries by buying a ticket offering access to films featured that day at The Flicks Movie Theater on Street 95, The 11 Happy Movie House on Street 136 (formerly The Flicks 2) and Tarantino Movie Theater and Restaurant on Street 258 (formerly The Flicks 3).

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Get Creative To stay cool while looking cool, then invest in a fan. While they can be snapped up at locations across Cambodia, expat Anne Tandonnet is doing things a little differently and calling on her artistic streak to add some fun to her fans, as can be seen in the photo. They are made to order and come in a range of shapes, sizes and styles. Alternatively, you can get creative and make your own. Simply buy a plain fan from the market, some paints, glitter, ribbons, sequins – whatever your heart desires – and craft a fabulous fan to stave off the heat. For more information about Anne’s fans, contact her at anne.tandonnet@gmail.com.

Live the High Life With the muggy air showing no signs of reprieve even after dark, hitting a rooftop bar is a good way to catch a bit of a breeze. The latest contender to the capital’s growing collection of spots offers a super-stylish way to get on a high.

Sora, Rosewood Phnom Penh’s 37th floor sky bar, offers fantastic sun set views and 360-degree panoramas of the capital below. Alternatively, refreshing breezes often sweep through Eclipse Sky Bar at the top of Phnom Penh Tower, Le Moon, on the top floor of Amanjaya hotel is a popular spot, especially with the young Khmer crowd, and Sun and Moon hotel’s Cloud 9 rooftop bar is a great spot. Vehaa is another relatively recent additions to the capital’s roofbar scene and is a delightful spot to watch the world pass by below.

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SYAHRULFIKRI SALLEH & LOLLI PARK Words by Marissa Carruthers.

Photo by Lim Sokchanlina.

W

hen creative couple Syahrulfikri Salleh – or Ajin – and Lolli Park decided to launch their venture, they knew they had to make their mark on the capital’s blossoming contemporary art scene.

“It was Halloween and we thought we really need to do something to market ourselves,” says Ajin, recalling how he and Lolli created caricature papier-mâché masks of themselves and adorned them for the night. “We went around the bars, and people still talk about them [the masks] now.”

Having created hype, in December 2015 they opened their studio, N o w h e r e Art Space, on Street 312 as an independent art space in Phnom Penh.

“We wanted to create a place where people can learn, collaborate and inspire,” says Ajin. “We also wanted to offer something different for people to do.”

N o w h e r e houses a quirky collection of art, ranging from postcards and paintings, to uniquely designed notepads, stickers and other creative merchandise. Workshops are also hosted weekly, and take in everything

from pottery, sketching and rubberstamp making, to book binding and calligraphy.

“We are also young artists so we’re trying to find our own style and way,” says Lolli, adding the workshops provide the duo with a way to explore new artistic skills and styles.

Bored with lecturing in typography and graphic design in his homeland Malaysia, in 2013 Ajin quit his job to travel the world, making art as he went. He spent two years crossing overland from Kuala Lumpur to Spain, getting creative with a plethora of artists along the way.

It was while he was in Hanoi that he met Lolli, who had relocated from her job as manager of a fashion company in her homeland of South Korea. After completing his journey, Ajin was offered a job at an advertising agency in Phnom Penh. He worked there for a year before taking the plunge with the art studio, inviting Lolli to join him.

As well as serving up workshops and nurturing a new niche in the capital’s contemporary art space, popular projects

that have helped push their vision include Mouy Dollar, drop-in sessions where Ajin sketches portraits for $1.

“This is a great way to re-introduce ourselves to the community and meet people,” he says. “We had a real diverse audience. We welcomed local grandmothers and their grandsons, neighbours, fathers and their sons. That was great to see.”

Ajin is currently running personal project 100 Faces of Phnom Penh. For this, he is sketching 100 Cambodian portraits of people with compelling stories, nominated by another. “I’m interested in visual art and social art and as an artist,” he says. “I’m trying to figure out how to combine the two.”

Lolli, who made a name for herself with her now iconic sketches of life at The White Building, has shifted her focus to capturing street life in Toul Tom Poung. “This has been such an amazing journey so far and we have learned so much and met so many people, and this is just the start,” says Lolli.

N o w h e r e Art Space is now located at the small alley on the opposite side of Norodom Boulevard from Street 380.

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PHOTO ESSAY

A

freshman at Royal University of Phnom Penh, Tay Theara Rithyrack, uses his self-taught photography skills to depict his thoughts about the rapid growth of plastic use in his country.

As the Kingdom’s population rapidly grows, plastic has become a major issue, with more and more plastic being used every day.

It’s unstoppable. The growth of using plastic is one of my biggest concerns.

Plastics severely harm to the environment. It takes 500 to 1,000 years for plastic to break down into small molecules, but they are not biodegradable. What to do with it then? Burn it? Dump it?

Any action you choose will lead to a certain scenario, and be warned no scenario is ideal, creating air, water and land pollution and contributing to climate change.

This photo essay aims to raise awareness about plastic. I hope my shots remind readers to try to reduce their use. You’ll be surprised by how much impact you can make by not using the plastic cup, plastic straw, plastic bag and a bunch more.

To contact Rithyrack, phone 0965 896 535 or email taytheararithyrack@gmail.com.

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Q&A

DIRECTOR

STAR OF THE DOCUMENTARY 22 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

Having made its premier at Cambodia International Film Festival, Surviving Bokator follows one man’s fight to preserve Cambodia’s traditional martial art of bokator. Marissa Carruthers speaks to Canadian director Mark Bochsler and star of the documentary, Grandmaster San Kimsean.

What is Surviving Bokator about?

MB: It is a heartfelt story about reclaiming cultural identity and building bridges between generations. The story is told through elder genocide survivor San Kimsean, who is struggling to resurrect the ancient Cambodian martial art of bokator and preserve it by passing on the tradition to the country’s youth. The film gets to the very core of the generational fracture happening in Cambodian communities around the world today, between genocide survivors determined to revive and maintain traditional ways and Cambodia’s youth looking to forge anew and take the country in a new direction while keeping traditions alive.

Why did you choose this topic?

MB: It happened by accident. We [Bochsler and his wife and producer Sandra Leuba] were on holiday in Southeast Asia and were looking for a small arthouse project about culture and cultural revival. Sandra always liked Cambodia, so we did some research and Grandmaster Kimsean’s Facebook page came up. The idea of martial arts as a dying culture struck us. We were amazed that those spearheading the revival are average people; citizens who do this in their own time and with their own money. Despite having very little, they have this unwavering commitment. When we sat with him in Phnom Penh in April 2010, we immediately saw the Grandmaster’s energy and realised the scope of his commitment. For me, it was a no brainer.

Why is it important bokator

survives?

SKS: Bokator belongs to Cambodia. Our great, great, great grandfathers and great kings from thousands of years ago practised it, you can see it on the walls of Angkor Wat and the Khmer Empire used the martial art in their fighting. I spent my life liking martial arts, sports and art, and was very concerned and sad when I saw bokator was dying. I worried very much that it would get lost; thousands of years of history gone. When I look at other countries, such as Thailand and Japan, their martial arts are alive, people are training and fighting across the world. This is not the case with bokator. Why doesn’t Cambodia have a proud national martial art?

I knew I had to do something.

When did you start learning bokator?

SKS: I started learning from my uncle and other elders in my village at the age of 13 and travelled across Cambodia to learn from bokator masters. From the age of 18, I knew I had to do something to keep bokator alive – I’m now 73. During the Khmer Rouge, I had to hide my skills as many bokator masters were killed. I went to the US for more than 20 years after the Khmer Rouge and even there my heart and dreams were with bokator, which I taught there. In 1992, I came back to Cambodia to promote, research and revive the art.

I spent my life liking martial arts, sports and art, and was very concerned and sad when I saw bokator was dying

What do you want the film to achieve?

MB: We did a screen test in Long Beach,

US, and saw the impact of that experience, it was incredible. From the feedback, we realised it was more than just a film about the revival of lost culture; it had such great social value. Now we see it’s a discussion piece for people, it puts Cambodia on the map in a new way. It’s about hopes and dreams and being human.

SKS: I hope it will inspire more people to try bokator and come and enjoy it with us.

We welcome everyone from Cambodia and across the world to train and help bokator survive.

What were some of the challenges?

MB: We didn’t realise how long it would take. As a filmmaker, you’re looking at trajectories and the story arch. Grandmaster was waiting to hear back from UNESCO about whether they would be accepted to perform bokator in South Korea for the first time, so the beginning of the film was there.

From then on it was a matter of filling in the gaps, but the story really developed as things unravelled. Things started to evolve, and we had to stick with the story. It took eight years to complete, which is a long time.

Will the film help the fight for bokator’s survival?

SKS: I was so happy when Mark came to me because no one has done this before.

For my entire life, I have dreamed that bokator will be brought back to life and my dream is close to coming true. I have been working hard with the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia and we are waiting to hear back if our submission for bokator to be added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list is accepted. That is my ultimate dream. If we get that then my life is OK. If I die, then I can die happy. This film is helping to show our culture to the world.

How else do you promote bokator?

SKS: I know more than 10,000 bokator techniques and am currently drawing them to be published in books so my knowledge doesn’t die with me. We have released the White Krama [first grade] book, with 100 techniques, and I have already drawn another 3,000 to be published. I have to do all 100,000 otherwise what is the point of me devoting my life to learning them if I can’t share them and pass them on to others?

For more information on Surviving Bokator, visit bokatorfilm.com.

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 23

Art plays a strong role in influencing how a society develops, but who shapes the direction the country’s artistic movement takes? Cambodia Living Arts (CLA) has developed a Living Arts Fellow Program aimed at developing the Kingdom’s next generation of artistic leaders. Editor Marissa Carruthers profiles several Fellows who have benefitted from the scheme.

24 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

“N

ot many people realise arts and culture play an important role in the development of society,” says So Phina. “Many people take it for granted; they enjoy it but don’t think deeper than that.”

So is one of a handful of graduates from Cambodian Living Arts’ (CLA) Living Arts Fellow Program, which aims to equip the country’s artistic leaders, whether they be artists, curators or managers, with the skills to push and shape the future of the arts scene and realise the role it plays in society.

“They don’t see the value it has in community development or highlighting changes in society,” she adds. “The arts can be used to address environmental issues, for social justice, education and peace building.”

Launched in 2013 as pilot programme Creative Leaders, the scheme shifted to its current format in 2015, with a strong focus placed on cultural exchange and forging networks with other artists and art leaders across the region. Each year, four to six creative Cambodians who are already leaders in their field are selected for the 12-month course.

As CLA unveils its latest batch of Fellows, who are listed below, we throw the spotlight on some of the movers and shakers, from artists and writers to creative directors and managers, who are shaping Cambodia’s contemporary arts and culture space, and steering it into a new and exciting chapter.

THIS YEAR’S FELLOWS Cambodia Living Arts has just announced its 2018 batch of Fellows.

1. Kim An Arun: principal writer and script supervisor at the Khmer Mekong Film Company.

2. Nang Yanna: arts manager and project coordinator at Artsolute Cambodia's ASEAN Puppetry Exchange Programme.

3. Srey Bandoul: co-founder of Phare Ponleu Selpak and arts teacher.

4. Thon Seyma: singer and co-founder of The Khmer Magic Music Bus. 5. Yim Sotheary: independent arts therapist.

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 25

ONN SOKNY

CO-DIRECTOR OF EPIC ARTS

O

nn Sokny may not be an artist herself, but she is a huge driving force behind inclusive arts organisation Epic Arts, which works with people with disabilities. And it is her passion, strength and leadership skills that are helping the organisation spread its message.

Born into a poor family in a village in Kampong Cham, at the age of two Onn contracted polio, leaving her without the use of her right leg. While she acknowledges she was lucky to survive – she was unable to move her entire body at one point – she recalls a lifetime of being shunned by society.

“I remember hearing people around me, even my own family, saying things,” she recalls. “Not because they’re mean but because of a lack of understanding about disabilities. There were a lot of negative 26 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

voices growing up. When it comes from your family, community and society, you lose yourself. I lost myself for a long time.”

As a teenager, she moved from Kampong Cham to the capital, where she worked as a tailor and craft maker for low pay and no passion.

In 2006, she stumbled across an Epic Arts creative movement workshop and signed up.

“The workshop was 2.5 hours, but it changed my life,” she says, recalling how for the first time she was given the space to move freely and express herself through movement. “I felt like at the age of 24, I had finally woken up. I’d always thought if you have a disability, it ruins your life and you can’t have any dreams for the future.”

In 2007, she applied for a job at Epic Arts as an accountant assistant, shifting roles until stepping into the shoes of co-

director, organising Asia’s first inclusive arts festival, countless events and performances, carrying out placements in the UK and US along the way.

In 2015, she became a Fellow. “The idea of managers or leaders in the arts in Cambodia is quite new and can be quite lonely,” she says.

“I wanted to build up my professional network and challenge myself by finding out more about the power the arts has.

The key work Epic Arts does is change attitudes through the arts and that shows its strength.”

Onn says this highlights the many facets of art, with Epic Arts using it to educate and address social issues.

“Art is very powerful,” she says. “It has many uses. The beauty of art is that is can carry a very strong message in a silent and subtle way.”

CHHAN DINA

PAINTER AND SCULPTURE

B

y the age of 12, Chhan Dina was already discovering her creative streak. “Phnom Penh was very different then to what it is today,” she recalls of the capital in the mid-1990s.

“There were no proper roads, just dirt tracks. When it rained, the mud turned to clay.”

A young Chhan would scoop clumps of earth from the ground and spend her time carefully crafting it into buffalos, pots and figurines, before watching them dry in the sun. American artist and teacher Ron Rieman, who worked at an NGO teaching visual art, was so impressed by a cow she gave him, that he asked her parents if he could teach her art.

“I became really engaged with art,” she says, adding she studied with him until the age of 17, learning for the first time about abstract and contemporary art. “I thought

he was crazy, I didn’t get it at first. He taught me to really use my imagination.”

At the age of 20, Chhan had her first solo exhibition and quickly made a name for herself as one of the Kingdom’s leading female artists, using her work to tackle topics such as the landmines that litter parts of the country and environmental issues. She has also worked with a swathe of NGOs, including teaching visual arts for fun to 70 children at Friends International.

“My heart was really with those children,” she says. “Art was very therapeutic for them because not only was it fun and a way for them to forget, but they could also use it to communicate.”

Chhan proved the healing and therapeutic role art can play when she worked as an art counsellor, using art therapy with vulnerable children at another NGO. “As a Cambodian, I felt it was my

duty to help others in whatever way I could, and for me that was using art,” she says. “I was very inspired and started to understand the other uses for art and how I can use it to help my country.”

In 2016, Chhan became a Fellow, taking part in a cultural exchange to Vietnam and exploring the endless forms art can take on through the four labs.

And while she acknowledges that Cambodia has some way to go when it comes to recognising the importance of the arts, she says the country is on the right track.

“Many people think art is just something to look at or watch; something fun,” she adds. “They often don’t realise the role it plays in educating, healing, politics and social issues. Being a Fellow taught me that, and people in Cambodia are starting to see this too."

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 27

MENH CHANVANDA

FASHION DESIGNER

M

enh Chanvanda – more commonly known as glamorous female celebrity Romdoul Lich Tek – is using art to break down barriers held against the transgender community, while putting a creative modern spin on traditional Cambodian costumes and accessories.

Since launching his Facebook page in 2015, showcasing for the first time his delicately designed Apsara crowns fashioned from fruit and flowers, accessories crafted from Cambodia’s swathe of natural resources and elaborate gowns created from waste, he has gathered a firm following of more than 10,000 social media fans.

In his mission to preserve ancient Cambodian crafts while injecting his own contemporary style, Menh works with local craftsmen and women across the country.

He researches and then promotes each

28 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

artisanal skill he discovers along the way to his network of fans, helping to keep heritage alive.

“These skilled people help me stay in keeping with Cambodian tradition. It is important that I remain sensitive to this while making these items relevant to modern Cambodia,” he says, adding it is essential this generation carves its own signature style that sets it apart from its predecessors.

“We have to build something creative, not throw away the old concept, but make it relevant by fusing together the traditional and modern.”

Menh, who was selected for the 2017 Fellow scheme, also uses his bold designs to raise awareness of environmental issues. His series of dresses made from recycled materials and plastic bags aims to encourage recycling and cut the use of plastic, which scars Cambodia.

“Being a Fellow allowed me to know myself and my work more,” he says.

“Before, I just knew I loved arts and culture, but I didn’t know what I could do to promote this or the importance of it.

Now I have a clear understanding.”

Menh is also using his art to challenge prejudice by performing at cultural events and festivals across the country in character as glamorous Romdoul, sporting his own designs.

He is regularly asked to perform at Angkor Sangkran in Siem Reap, which takes place during this month to celebrate Khmer New Year.

“There is still a lot of discrimination against the transgender community in Cambodia and I use my work to challenge that,” he says. “I want to inspire the next generation and act as a role model to show people that they can be brave enough to do what they want and be who they are.”

SO PHINA

AUTHOR AND HEAD OF THE WOMEN WRITERS’ COMMITTEE AT PEN CAMBODIA

S

o Phina returned from Australia in 2013 where she gained a master’s in social work, inspired to play her part in breaking down gender barriers. Her weapon of choice was the written word.

Having penned short stories and poetry as a child and started a blog about her experiences in Australia, she decided to write a series of stories tackling issues close to her heart.

“I came back from Australia with this new knowledge about gender equality and realised I had to do something that related to women, equality and social justice, so I started to write short stories,” she says.

However, working then as a full-time researcher, finding the time to complete her anthology was tough, so So invited fellow female writers to contribute.

In March 2015, she published Crush Collection, a series of short stories

aimed at inspiring women about positive relationships and self-esteem.

“I saw many examples of women who were so hurt when they broke up,” she recalls. “It took me back to the Chbab Srey [a code of conduct on how women should behave, which was included in school curriculums until 2007] and how women lose value when a relationship is broken; they feel guilty or dirty. I wanted to write short stories where relationships break, and the woman is OK.” In the same year, So applied for the Fellowship scheme, keen to learn more about how to use the art of the written word to educate, inspire and bring about change in Cambodia.

“I learned a lot because I came into the arts accidentally and immediately applied for this,” she says. “I learned about the role arts and culture has in shaping the development of our society, which I didn’t

acknowledge before, and I understood the role we have to play.”

Since then, So has published a further two anthologies, organised the first Khmer literature festival, which took place across three days in Siem Reap in October, and played an instrumental role in nurturing the country’s nascent writing scene. “It inspired me to do more for the writing community. Now I dare to call myself a leader in this field.”

In 2016, she was recruited by CLA stepping into the role of knowledge, networks and policy programme manager, with part of her work being to oversee the Fellowship programme. “This has been really exciting for me, and the Fellowship programme really helped me realise my potential and gave me confidence in what I do.”

“I can see the literature scene is growing,” she adds.

AsiaLIFAE Cambodia 29

SOUS SINATH

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT PHARE PERFORMING SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

S

ous Sinath is a shining example of how you don’t have to be an artist to play a major part in pushing the scene.

Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, management and accountancy, and a master’s degree in law, Sous started working with Phare Performing Social Enterprise (PPSE), which provides arts training, education and social support to young people, as an accounting assistant 10 years ago at the organisation’s Battambang home.

After nine years, she relocated to Siem Reap after being promoted to a senior management role, and has worked as director of human resources and community engagement at PPSE for the last three years.

30 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

Under her title, she works with Phare’s wide-ranging troupe of artists, as well as developing educational art programmes within local communities and organising festivals both home and abroad.

“At first, I didn’t think I fitted the programme because I’m not an artist,” she says. “But I was encouraged by my director, who said I’d been working for Phare for more than 10 years and my job is related to the arts, I’m involved with many arts festivals in Cambodia and Europe, so I applied.”

Sous is one of the latest Fellow graduates, having taken part in the 2017 programme, travelling to Laos to meet fellow arts leaders and artists, as well as attending a series of workshops and organising February’s festival in Kampong Thom, which used the arts to raise

awareness about environmental issues in Cambodia.

“I really learned the true value of arts and what it can do for my community and my country,” she says. “I believe art can change the world and bring about social change. Many Cambodians, not just those working in performing arts, are understanding more about the role the arts have to play, but there is still a long way to go in Cambodia for people to fully recognise this.”

Now Sous is using her newly found skills with aplomb and is already putting them into practice by sharing her knowledge and expanding PPSE's range of programmes that use art as a tool to educate.

“I truly believe that we can do something for our country, and I believe that art can help to change things,” she says.

CHEA SOPHEAP

DIRECTOR OF BOPHANA CENTER

C

hea Sopheap’s passion, vision and drive is helping to shape a promising future for Cambodia’s film industry.

Having studied history to master’s level at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, graduating in 2008, Chea started working as an archivist at the Bophana Center, which acquires film, television, photography and sound archives on Cambodia. He was later promoted to project manager and three years ago became Bophana's director.

“I love history and wanted to know more about Cambodia’s history, especially the Pol Pot regime,” he says, recalling his love of films, which stemmed from staying up all night as a child watching movies on a special outdoor screen in his village.

“Bophana is the only centre in

Cambodia using moving images as a tool for education and archiving historical documentaries. I fell in love with my job.”

Enrolling on the Fellowship scheme in 2015, Chea says the workshops and trip to Myanmar equipped him with valuable knowledge on how the arts – in his case still and moving pictures – can contribute to society.

Tapping into the educational side of the arts, Bophana Center last year released mobile app, Khmer Rouge History, which allows users to learn about the regime by exploring timelines, listening to audio files, watching film clips and viewing artwork.

“Every country needs to have an arts scene,” says the 2015 Fellow. “Art is not only beautiful, it’s education. It’s for the good of society. Every country has to have a strong arts scene. Cambodia is not at

that level yet, so we need to work together and train more people in the different areas of the arts, understanding art, making art and also managing art.”

While preserving Cambodia’s heritage within its archives, Chea says Bophana Center is also playing its part in stimulating the country’s contemporary film industry.

He was involved in last month’s Cambodia International Film Festival, which has grown from 700 visitors to more than 20,000 in eight years.

“The arts scene is getting better but we’re still a long way off,” he says, adding for the film industry to truly bloom a dedicated film school is essential.

“People are starting to understand the creative and contemporary arts scene more, and this will only continue in the future. I am very hopeful.”

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 31

32 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

Chef Rotanak Ros has opened up her quaint home on the outskirts of Phnom Penh as part of her mission to revive and reinvent the ancient art of Cambodian cuisine. Words by Marissa Carruthers; photography by Lim Sokchanlina.

T

he sound of traditional music rings through the air from two musicians performing on a nearby balcony.

Chef Rotanak Ros – affectionately called Chef Nak – emerges from the spacious kitchen that neighbours an openair terrace, where a group of 10 guests are about to be taken on a delectable exploration of Cambodian cuisine.

During the next three hours, a fivecourse meal cooked, served and eaten in Nak’s traditional wooden home that sits close to the banks of the Mekong River about 8km from Phnom Penh, is devoured.

Each course comes with its own story, with Nak refining and reinventing dishes from her childhood, carefully cradling tradition along the way.

Her face lights up as she recites memories of her grandmother cooking up fragrant chicken curries or munching on shrimp cakes – her favourite snack – on her way home from school. “I want to share the taste of Cambodian home cooking with the world,” she says, before returning to the kitchen to put the finishing touches to the next course.

Giving a modern twist to the fine-dining concept, Nak, who cooks from the heart with infectious passion, has created an eating experience that sheds away the stuffiness of a top-class restaurant while injecting a dose of luxury into home cooking.

The self-taught chef started honing her skills when she worked as an administrator for Cambodian Living Arts. Inspired by the organisation’s pledge to preserve, promote and push forward the traditional arts scene, she decided she wanted to do the same with Cambodian cuisine, elevating its status locally and globally.

She opened up the doors of her stunning stilted wooden home, complete with tropical gardens and a swimming pool, to cater to private CLA gatherings.

In October, Nak officially opened Mahope

by Rotanak to the public, with the aim of serving the finest Cambodian food in an authentic home setting.

“Everything I cook is inspired by what I buy fresh that morning at the market,” she says. “I try to show the differences in Cambodian cooking, from stir-fry and grill, to soups and salad, and sweet, sour and savoury. A lot of the food I put on the table has a story relating to me; something I remember from my childhood.

These are sometimes sweet memories but sometimes quite bitter because life was up and down.”

Despite being born into a foodie family, growing up in the wake of the Khmer Rouge meant life was tough, and food was considered a necessity rather than a luxury to get creative with.

“My parents were young during the Khmer Rouge and didn’t receive a proper education,” she recalls. “They had to do hard labour and were away from home a lot, so we ate whatever my mum could think to cook for us the night before. I got sick of eating the same thing so started to make my own food.”

As she grew up, Nak noted the number of traditional Cambodian dishes were dwindling – and rapidly. “Cuisine is an art form, and like other traditional Cambodian art forms, Khmer cooking is in danger of dying,” she says. “I feel it’s my responsibility to protect and preserve it.”

And Mahope is the latest step in her mission to rekindle national pride in Cambodian cuisine, while elevating it to the international levels of recognition neighbouring Thai and Vietnamese cuisines have gained.

“In Cambodia, we pass traditions on from old to young generations orally and a lot of things aren’t written down,” she says.

“It’s the same with Cambodian cuisine. I know if we don’t rush to do it now then there won’t be enough time. I know the secret keepers of these recipes are

the ones who are living in villages across Cambodia.”

In a bid to preserve the country’s cooking culture, Nak is visiting villages across the country to collect age-old recipes from elders. “I need to find those who still have knowledge of what they remember eating when they were young, especially before the Khmer Rouge,” she says, noting it is a race against time.

To date she has more than 100 recipes she is compiling, with the ultimate aim of creating a cookery book. And in a bid to inspire Cambodians to take pride in their cuisine, she is also sharing them on her website, along with posting videos demonstrating how to cook up tasty Cambodian meals.

Another factor Nak says has contributed to Cambodian cuisine’s demise is urbanisation, with an increasing number of the young generation moving to the capital or other urban centres, where they lead busy lives, often juggling work and study and have little time to spend in the kitchen.

“Cambodia is putting on a new face for the future confidently, and national pride stemming from food also forms part of this,” she adds. “I want to bring modernism to traditional recipes. My aspiration is that in two years Cambodians living in the city will be cooking what I call urbanised traditional Cambodian food.”

To help achieve this, Nak is creating a series of YouTube posts showing how to cook up quick and easy creative Cambodian dishes that still have their roots steeped in tradition in 20-minutes.

“I want to educate people, both Cambodian and foreigners, about the food here and the incredible ingredients and traditions,” she says. “I want to inspire people to not just eat mindfully but cook mindfully as well. Cambodian food has a rightful place in the world.”

For more information on Mahope by Rotanak, visit rotanak.co.

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 33

At a new Phnom Penh skateboarding school, whose staff intend to include more children in its educational and sport programmes than before, kids are learning new tricks and new confidence, while being encouraged to stay in school. Words by Matt Surrusco. Photography by Enric CatalĂ .

34 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

A

young girl wearing a helmet, elbow pads and kneepads climbs up the side of a 1.8-metre-high quarter pipe.

Seconds later she steps on one end of a skateboard before leaning forward and plummeting down the curved ramp to boisterous applause.

She is the first to drop in at Phnom Penh’s newest skate park, opened in late February by Skateistan, an international non-profit organisation that uses skateboarding to engage with and educate underprivileged children in Cambodia, Afghanistan and South Africa.

At the inauguration of the organisation’s new $34,000 facility, which includes the skate park, a classroom, library and office space, primary school children are dropping in and riding up and down a mini ramp taller than themselves.

The skate school – located inside newlyopened The Factory, a Meanchey district industrial complex of former garment factory buildings being repurposed as co-working and office space – replaces Skateistan’s original Phnom Penh facility in the fast-developing Tuol Tom Poung neighbourhood.

With a bigger space, the organisation is aiming to expand its skateboarding and educational programmes and increase the number of kids who participate.

Of the 240 children, aged five to 17, who are involved in Skateistan’s Phnom Penh programmes, the majority come from low-income backgrounds. Most who have recently signed up for classes are the sons and daughters of moto drivers or garment workers, says communications manager Hannah Bailey.

Oliver Percovich, the organisation's founder and executive director, says poor children tend to be the biggest risktakers, which allows them to get good at skateboarding quickly. Their peers, as a result, admire their abilities and they become heroes for the first time in their lives, Percovich adds.

But Skateistan, he emphasises, is not concerned with how good kids become at skateboarding – it’s just a hook.

“The fact that skateboarding is seen as a little rebellious is a great way to attract rebellious kids,” Percovich says.

“It has a cool factor.” He adds educating underprivileged children remains Skateistan’s focus.

Heab Sok Huoch, programme manager in Cambodia, says the community surrounding the new facility in Chak Angre Leu commune is “more in need of opportunity”. “Kids are hanging around without anything to do,” he adds. “They need us.”

In Phnom Penh, about one-third of Grade 12 students dropped out of school in the 2015 to 2016 school year, according to data from the Ministry of Education.

Poverty and related factors such as

migration, prohibitive school costs and families needing children to work in order to contribute to the household, as well as inadequate schools and a lack of qualified teachers, contribute to the nation’s dropout rates, Bunly Meas, a Unicef Cambodia spokesman, says.

“Children from the poorest households are almost eight times more likely to be out of school than those from the wealthiest households,” he adds.

At the new facility, Sok Huoch says Skateistan plans to implement a back-toschool programme to encourage kids to remain in their studies.

A library, which the former skate school did not have, will be stocked with books and computers and used as a place for youth to receive help with homework after school hours.

Just outside the library, a helmeted boy, who appears less confident on his board than some of the other children, is holding hands with Nem Chan Mony Mora, 18, as he rolls down a bank ramp.

Mora, who started skateboarding at Skateistan two years ago and now works as a youth leader, says she guides boys and girls in skateboarding and classroom lessons alongside older teachers and staff.

“I never went to a school that had ramps,” she says, smiling. “[At Skateistan,] people don’t walk. They roll the skateboard.”

More than half of the programme's active students are girls, Sok Huoch says. Some,

like Mora, have had to push back on social and cultural mores.

When she started attending Skateistan classes, the teen says her mother was not enthused by the idea of her daughter skateboarding.

“You’re a girl. Do things like other girls.

Wear a skirt,” Mora recalls her mother telling her.

Her father, on the other hand, encouraged her, she says. “I have only one daughter, so I want you to be amazing,” she says her dad told her. “You have freedom.”

After graduating high school next year, Mora plans to study art in university, a passion, evidenced by the blue paint on her hands, which was nurtured in the weekly after-school art and life skills classes at Skateistan. Today, she helps teach the classes, on topics ranging from graffiti art to heart health and children’s rights.

The programme and her teachers have instilled greater confidence in her, Mora says. They also taught her and every other student how to stand on a skateboard and fall properly on their pads to avoid injury, Sok Huoch adds.

While Mora fell down a lot when she started learning to skateboard, now she can land simple tricks like a fakiepop-shove-it, she says. She adds that skateboarding, has made her braver.

Skateistan’s skate park is open to the public Tuesday and Thursday, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, and Saturday, from noon to 4pm.

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 35

The ancient temples of Angkor Wat provided the backdrop for a gruelling six-day sporting challenge that saw 175 women from across the globe gather in Siem Reap.

Words by Marissa Carruthers; photography by Juveris Tenisons.

36 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

C

anoeing across the Tonle Sap lake, mountain biking past remote historic temples, orienteering through Ta Prohm and trail-blazing along tracks that slice through almost-forgotten areas of Angkor Archaeological Park summed up six days of work for more than 175 women who descended on Siem Reap.

Historic Temple Town and the surrounding province was thrust under the international spotlight in March when it hosted the annual Raid Amazones, a French sporting event that aims to highlight female empowerment, while raising funds for good causes.

Taking in running, mountain biking, canoeing, archery and orienteering, the ultimate aim of the game is for each team to start and finish together, backing each other up along the way, and the 17th Raid Amazones outing has been hailed an all-round hit.

“I wanted to challenge myself physically,” says Phnom Penh expat Grace Smith, who was in one of two teams from Cambodia. “I said I wanted to do a triathlon in 2018 and a few days later heard about this. It was similar to a triathlon, and involved team work and canoeing, which I love. The teamwork side really appealed to me as you have to support each other; it’s not about the medal or winning, it’s more about helping each other.”

In October, the women got together, with Grace teaming up with pals Lidwina Niewold and Isabelle Krintz to form team Deva 1, and Melanie Fournier, Marina Krong and Clémence Lépine making up Deva 2. They started training in early November, and on March 5, set off to Siem Reap for the challenge.

The next six days saw the province's stunning countryside and remote temples provide the perfect setting for the women, who ranged from 26 to 56 in age.

Rising at 3.30am, the first day took in an 18km run through Angkor Wat and the surrounding park, giving the runners access to remote temples, well off the tourist trail.

The afternoon was spent relaxing before the teams visited a rice farm that doubles up as a social enterprise.

The second day saw the women jump onto mountain bikes for an early morning, 50km off-road ride through tough terrain that took in sandy tracks, rocky paths and mud, thanks to heavy overnight rain.

“We knew we had to cross a stream and cycle through a lot of water, but it had been raining overnight and it was

not a stream,” Grace says with a smile, recalling all of the women competing to get through the water. “There was a lot of competition, and a lot of fun.” The afternoon was spent on the archery field.

The next morning was spent canoeing 17km from Kampong Khleang floating village, with the last 2km spent battling choppy waters on the open lake. “That was hard but such a buzz,” says Grace, adding her team finished third. “The canoeing gave me a real rush.”

After an afternoon of recuperation, the next day saw the women land at Ta Prohm temple at 6.30am, ahead of all the tourist crowds, to start the day with breakfast – cockroaches, spiders and crickets. This was followed by a treasure hunt that put the women’s orienteering and map reading skills to the test.

“This was such an incredible experience,” says Grace.

“Being given the opportunity to spend time at Ta Prohm temple without the crowds was incredible. We were surrounded by all this history and soaking it all up was really something special.”

In the afternoon, they visited CDO (Children’s Development Organisation), one of the organisations the Devas are raising funds for. The family-run centre on the outskirts of Siem Reap offers a roof, food, basic healthcare and education to street children and orphans.

The fifth day took in a 50km bike ride, 3km run and an afternoon of archery. A 13km run completed the sporting challenge on the sixth and final day.

The other element of the event is the fundraising side, with both Deva teams already raising stacks of cash for their chosen charities – CDO, Shanty Town Spirit, which works with new mums living in the slum at Phnom Penh’s Boeung Trabek community, and Kampuchea Balopp, which uses rugby to break down barriers among disadvantaged and disabled children.

“It was so much fun,” says Grace, who has now signed up to take part in the 2019 Marathon des Sables, a six-day 251km ultramarathon through the Sahara Desert.

“It was an incredible challenge and great to see so many women from a range of backgrounds and ages take part and work together.”

For more information or to donate to the Devas causes, visit: www.gofundme.com/devasfundraiser.

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On a long weekend in the Belgian capital, Mark Bibby Jackson experiences the bars of Brussels, and leads a merry dance with the local clientele.

I

fell in love with Brussels while interrailing across Europe, what seems an eternity ago now. Then, sleep-deprived, I had staggered off a train following an overnight trip from some other part of the continent to discover the most majestic Grote Markt (Grand Place), as its traders were setting up for the day. I sat on the cobbled stones in one corner and saw Brussels slowly come to life. Eventually, I treated myself to a coffee.

Fast forward 20-plus years and my arrival this time is less welcoming. Taking the evening Eurostar, I decide to walk from Brussels Midi station to the centre, thus landing myself in typical station environs – hostile and unfriendly. Lifting my iPad up to the gaslight, to take direction from the map I discover myself as the focus of attention.

“Do you have a light?”, “Where are you from?” Strangely, I find my interlocutor’s leg wrapped around mine, as if he wants me to join him in some traditional folk dance.

Soon his hand reaches towards my pocket

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where my wallet lies. Politely, I reject his overture for I am no dancer.

Fortunate to have encountered the only mugger less competent at his profession than I am at dancing, I hide my iPad and stride off confidently towards the centre.

My intention is to spend my first evening in the Belgian capital at Kafka Café, a familiar haunt from the time when I knew Brussels well, only to discover it closed, seemingly forever. However, the worthy Le Coq, in the central St Catherine district, named after the church that dominates the square, just around the corner, proves a more than adequate replacement.

Belgians excel in beer – that and moustaches; sometimes the two are combined to excellent comic effect. Forget craft beer and its flash in the pan notoriety, Belgian beer is based on centuries of tradition. There’s a reason those Trappist brewers did not speak; it’s no vow of silence but the by-product of perfected experimentation.

For me, the bars of Brussels are the city’s museums. It’s not just the quality of the beer on display, but the way the bars have been preserved timelessly themselves. The wood-panelled interiors provide a warmth that invites a longer stay.

A sense of bonhomie, sadly often absent elsewhere, consumes the bar. I strike up a conversation with a dancer and a sound engineer, the latter has just had his heart broken by the latest love of his life.

His handle bar moustache bristles with disillusionment as he empties his heart to this stranger from Wales and he drowns his beer with tears.

Beer is presented as if part of a religious ritual. Each has its own glass and the froth is carefully smoothed away by knife before the goblet is placed on the altar. Broken bread and sliced sausages substitute for the wafers. There is also a lack of stags or hens, maybe it’s not the season, or perhaps there is an understanding that this is a beer to be savoured rather than guzzled.

Narrowly avoiding the adjoining bars, we swerve our way around the corner to Le Pré Salé, where my second treat awaits.

Nothing quite compares with mussels from Brussels, and this unassuming restaurant has a reputation for excelling in all things moules. For me, the gastronomic experience starts as the pot is delivered before you and the lid is lifted, and you inhale the glorious vapeurs in anticipation of the delight that lies in store. It does not disappoint; a healthy portion of moules crowned with the freshest celery served in a marinière sauce.

I conclude by pouring my chips into the pot to soak up the remaining liquor.

The following day, I awake slightly later than usual – nothing to do with the beer the night before, of course – and return to saintly Catherine, to join the procession of devotees queuing outside the stall at De Noordzee. Staff dish out bowls of fish soup from a large cauldron for a few euros.

Breaking with habit, I wash this down with a glass of white wine as this seems to be what is expected, although there is also the option of Champagne for those who prefer their stall-standing fish soup experience to be conducted premier classe. Like the meal the preceding evening, the quality is of the highest order.

Earlier, we set off from our apartment in the up and coming St Giles district to stop off at the delightful Brasserie von Schueren for coffee. I get the sense of an Islington café some 30 years ago only transported to Montmartre. People sit and read or meet their friends and chat. Trendy in an alternative artistic way – more designer than designer clothes – Hoxton before the Hipsters, as the riffs of Hendrix morph into Miles Davis.

From here, it is a short stroll to the flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle, where I narrowly resist the temptation to buy a fishshaped container for nibbles that would have shamed even the most excessively kitsch dinner party. A jazz band plays in the corner of the square to a packed audience despite the winter cold, and I notice another punter walking off with the fish.

Mindful of my remit to experience the culture of Brussels to the full, the following day I stride off with purpose across town from St Giles, where I pop into Brasserie von Schueren for a coffee, across town to the Botanical Gardens some five miles away. Along the way, I pass through the Grote Markt and up to the Museum Quarter where I marvel at the grandiose architecture. All are wonderful in their own way, but I feel like an interloper in a strange land. I’m tempted to pop in and say hi to Magritte but isn’t Brussels a living museum and its main exhibit the beer.

Eventually, I discover myself back at St Catherine, where I stray into Monk bar, before returning to Le Coq to reacquaint myself with broken-hearted mustachioed sound engineers and lambic beer.

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SHER-E-PUNJAB 16Eo Street 130, Phnom Penh. Tel. 023 216 360. Open daily, from 8am to 11pm.

Over savoury samosa, tasty tandoori chicken, buttery naan and more, Matt Surrusco spoke with the owner of Sher-e-Punjab about how one of Phnom Penh’s favourite Indian restaurants came to be.

Photography by Enric Català.

Sher-e-Punjab, an Indian restaurant well-known to those living in Phnom Penh, has been in business for 15 years, and was opened almost by chance.

Owner Rajkumar Bhujel, from Nepal, first came to Cambodia in 2002 from Singapore, where he was working in a similar restaurant for about a year until he was unable to renew his visa and decided to try his luck in the Kingdom.

“It was a difficult time,” Bhujel says of his start in Phnom Penh. For a month, he worked as a moto driver just to survive. He then returned to Nepal to save money before heading back to Phnom Penh and opening Shere-Punjab in 2003 with $1,000.

Today, Bhujel owns three other Indian restaurants with different names across the 40 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

capital. While his staff has grown from two to more than 70 people at his eateries, Bhujel says he has remained committed to serving quality food. And he has done so with the help of the same Indian chef at Sher-ePunjab since it started, the same local purveyors of chicken, fish and vegetables, and the same supplier of rice, lentils and spices, which are shipped from India every three to four months.

The restaurant’s consistency and the variety of spices used in Indian cooking has helped Bhujel craft a menu of more than 200 dishes, mostly from northern India.

We started with the vegetable samosa (four pieces for $3), a savoury, deep-fried delight.

Potatoes, peas and a mix of spices are sautéed before being

stuffed inside a dumpling, wrapped up and fried. Bhujel recommends a green mint and yoghurt sauce, or red tamarind sauce for dipping.

Next, the tandoori chicken ($5.50) consists of four pieces of tender chicken cooked on skewers over a tandoor charcoal oven, marinated with ginger, garlic, lime juice and yoghurt and seasoned well. Served with a spicy, shredded cabbage and carrot slaw, the grilled-in flavour of the chicken was second only to the next dish we tasted: the chicken tikka masala ($6).

The boneless chicken is lathered in a sweet, spicy tomato gravy, which is delicious whether coating the chunks of chicken or being scooped up with a piece of buttery garlic ($1.50) or cheese naan ($2.50).

The daal tadka ($3), a yellow lentil curry with ginger, garlic, chili and a fried, mealy flavour, also paired well with naan or yellow basmati rice ($1.75) and had me going back for third helpings.

The palak paneer ($4), however, was not my favourite dish, but perhaps creamy spinach and cottage cheese is just not for me.

On the other hand, the mango lassi ($2), a smoothie of fresh mango, yoghurt and ice, was frosty, refreshing and sweet.

At Sher-e-Punjab, a cosy, welcoming restaurant, dining with a group and ordering a few dishes to share is recommended. The Indian food and menu variety are among the best in Phnom Penh. Go and taste for yourself.

TRATTORIA BELLO 17c Street 460, Phnom Penh. Tel. 096 341 0936. Open daily, from noon to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 10.30pm.

Homemade pasta, pizza and more in a casual setting that recalls an Italian bistro: That’s what Trattoria Bello, indeed a beautiful restaurant, has to offer. Words by Matt Surrusco; photography by Enric Català.

Hiroki Kitaura starts making fresh pasta every day at 11am.

He winds a crank on a pasta maker, feeding the dough through the machine to craft long, flat strands of tagliatelle.

Like the dough for the pizza served at Kitaura’s Trattoria Bello, the dough for the pasta rests for hours overnight before being formed into ribbons, boiled and covered in one of more than half a dozen sauces.

Kitaura, the restaurant’s owner, says his preferred dishes are the margherita pizza and pasta bolognese, among the most traditional Italian favourites on the menu. But after working in Italian restaurants in his hometown of Osaka, Japan, for about five years, he also likes to experiment with tradition.

“I want to make something

more,” says Kitaura, citing one of his creations on the menu, a Caprese bruschetta appetizer, which combines two Italian standards.

Another Italian classic with a pleasant twist is the meatballs starter (four for $2.75), which, rather than the usual mix of beef and pork, is made of ground chicken. The sweet tomato sauce, after simmering for hours with caramelized onions, is simply superb. Thankfully, there’s enough remaining to mop up with bread after finishing the ping-pong-ball-size polpettine.

Next, Bello’s tapas plate ($5) offered something for everyone: crispy rosemary potatoes, Japanese-style chicken ham with a dollop of thick, grainy mustard, savoury slices of vegetablemushroom-bacon frittata with

grana padano cheese, and a delicious caponata with a slight spicy kick. The latter left me wishing for a second helping of the saucy aubergine dish, which, like the frittata, potatoes and chicken ham, you can also order as a standalone appetizer.

Pasta lovers will appreciate the homemade tagliatelle, including the pasta bolognese ($4.50 for a medium plate, $5.50 for a large plate). The generous coating of sauce, with crumbles of ground beef, garlic, red wine, butter and grana padano, doesn’t overpower the pasta itself.

On previous visits, the pesto with chicken, amatriciana and carbonara were also delicious.

The mushroom and prosciutto pizza ($7.95 for medium, $10.95 for large) was light on the tomato sauce and mozzarella,

but heavy on the thinly cut slices of Italian Parma ham, Japanese Shimej mushroom, robust rocket, garlic and black pepper.

The thin crust was tasty but outdone by the fresh toppings and variety of flavours – from the salty meat to spicy pepper.

With 13 other pizzas to choose from, other options are sure to please any pizza connoisseur.

For dessert, a glass of creamy, coffee-flavoured tiramisu and cup of espresso ($4) were a sweet and robust end of the meal. After one mouthful of the spongy, cocoa-powder-dusted cake, it was hard to put the spoon down.

Trattoria Bello has casual seating with wine bottles lining the walls and adding charm.

Open for lunch and dinner, the Italian bistro is a delicious choice for a date or meal with friends.

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8

Sora Rosewood Phnom Penh, Vattanac Capital Tower, 60 Street 106.

Tel. 023 936 888. Open daily, from 5pm until late.

Boasting the best views in Phnom Penh, Rosewood hotel’s sky bar Sora is the place to be seen, serving up a range of sumptuous drinks to compliment the unparalleled views of the capital. Words by Marissa Carruthers; photography by Enric Català.

For the last few years, Vattanac Capital Tower has dominated Phnom Penh’s skyline.

Measuring 188 metres, the 39-storey building shaped like a dragon’s back – although many have dubbed it the Angry Bird building – has long been on the lips of city dwellers.

Now, after 18 months of delays, the tower’s pièce de résistance has opened its doors to guests in the form of five-star hotel chain, Rosewood. Spread across the top 14 floors, the 175-room luxury property hasn’t reserved its sophisticated style that seamlessly blends vintage and modern to hotel guests alone.

In fact, some of its finer elements are open to the public, including Japanese restaurant Iza and the spectacular sky bar, Sora.

Perched on the 37th floor on a spacious cantilevered terrace, Sora undoubtedly boasts the best views of the capital – it is the highest building after all.

High tables dot the space, private pergolas housing soft seating that cater to groups sprinkle the edge of the deck, and a large bar forms the centrepiece.

With the menu spanning 14 pages, there’s something to suit everyone.

Fancy a whisky? Choose from more than 80 varieties. If sake is more up your street, then there are 42 options on display. The wine and Champagnes take up three pages, while spirits, craft beers, soft drinks and cocktails make up the remainder.

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It was sundowner cocktails that we were there for, and they didn’t fail to disappoint. Containing all of the classics, given a Rosewood contemporary Cambodian spin, there is plenty of creative cocktails to choose from.

First, we opted for the Pisco Aperitivo ($9). The delicate pink concoction comprises of Rinomato aperitivo, pisco, violette liquer, citrus and egg white. The well-balanced beauty sees the sweetness of the pisco complimented by the sour citrus and the bitter aperitivo.

The egg white adds a head of froth to the drink.

Next up was the Cambodian 53 ($13). Acting as the perfect sundown cooler, this concoction blends gin and absinthe with prosecco and cucumber. While on paper, it may look mindblowingly strong, it is in fact tame, with the cucumber adding a refreshing kick.

We rounded off our sunset drinks with a Tiki ($11), served in an impressive tiki ceramic mug complete with the traditional Polynesian theme.

This delight is the definition of tropical, fusing rum, fragrant amaro Montenegro, sweet falernum with a hint of ginger, passion fruit and pineapple.

With top-class cocktails coupled with unparalleled views, the background beats of a DJ and tapas served throughout the evening, it’s easy to see why Sora has become Phnom Penh’s most sought-out spot.

imbibe

The Best and Wurzt of wines Darren Gall Gewurztraminer is a rather motley looking grey, rose coloured grape in the vineyard its wines are perfumed, spicy and highly aromatic.

A controversial wine, the legendary Christies wine auctioneer and Master of Wine Michael Broadbent is credited with noting that Gewurztraminer wines smelled like a tart’s boudoir.

It is usually pungent in aroma and relatively high in alcohol, offering up a bouquet of rose petals, geranium, lychee, citrus and pineapple with subtle spices and a touch of wild honey and even pepper and bacon fat in there as well.

The name translates in German as “spice traminer” or “perfumed traminer” and originates from Alsace on the French German Border. The variety prefers a cool climate and is notoriously badly behaved in the vineyard, in that it is vigorous and hard to manage and highly susceptible to diseases such as powdery mildew.

In Alsace, the variety produces both dry white wines and the exceptionally sweet styles of Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.

Gewurztraminer is often over-looked or outright criticised for being too pungent, too alcoholic and too low in acidity to go well with much food, and the French tend to

recommend it with their smelliest of cheeses, such as Munster and Livarot.

However, for all its misbehaving, bad press and lack of notoriety the variety is one I find unusual, interesting and challenging.

When planted on a great site, well managed and well made, it is capable of producing delightfully interesting, exotic and enjoyable wines that are something different from the norm.

I also think they have a place with food in Cambodia, alongside the more pungent dishes that involve prahok, herbs and river fish. A combination that for locals is definitely well worth experimenting with.

The extraordinary Zind Humbrecht, 2013 Vieilles Vignes (Old Vines) Gewurztraminer comes in at a very generous 14 percent alcohol and is from vines planted in 1947 by Olivier Humbrecht’s grandfather just west of the small commune of Wintzenheim at the foot of the Voges mountains near the Rhine river border with Germany.

The nose is exotic, heady with pan juices, ginger and spices under the ripe fruit notes, it is a dry style wine but not overly so, with intoxicating fruit and a rich mouthfeel leading to a silky finish on the palate, an exceptional wine to try with a wide variety of Khmer dishes.

Darren Gall has spent a quarter of a century involved in virtually every aspect of the wine industry and the passionate pursuit of the next great bottle continues. gall.darren@yahoo.com.

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CheckIn

ROYAL SANDS KOH RONG Words by Marissa Carruthers.

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I

sink my feet into the powder white sands and let the soft grains rush between my toes. As I look out across the Gulf of Thailand’s crystal clear turquoise waters, I let a wave of calm wash over me. This is the stuff that postcards are made of.

A lone set of footprints mark the pristine beach and there isn’t a single soul scarring my uninterrupted views of the 7.5km stretch of stunning shoreline that makes up Long Beach on the island’s west coast.

Up until now, Koh Rong has mainly been reserved for the budget crowd, with most heading straight for Koh Toch, where the public ferry stops off. Here, the increasing number of guesthouses, bars and eateries that pack the stretch of sand have built up Koh Rong’s reputation as a party island.

However, the majority of the 30sqm island’s 27 miles of beaches remains undeveloped, boasting the kind of deserted beaches you conjure up when contemplating destinations such as the Maldives or Caribbean.

Now a new player has landed on the island in the form of Royal Sands Koh Rong, the first five-star spot.

“We have created a luxury resort and new standards for the island,” says resort founder and major shareholder Luzi Matzig, who stumbled across the beach a few years ago during an exploration of Cambodia's islands with a friend. “The beach was simply stunning; one of the best I’ve come across in Asia.” he recalls. “I knew what I had to do.”

Giving guests the chance to experience tropical island paradise in style was the ultimate aim, and plans were quickly drawn up to create a sumptuous resort nestled on a 550-metre stretch of Long Beach.

What stands today is the embodiment of this vision.

Having opened its doors in December, Royal Sands is home to 67 freestanding villas that seamlessly blend into their natural surroundings. Each affording stunning views of the beach, ocean and sunset, they are

spacious, with high ceilings, airy rooms and floor-toceiling windows allowing the light to flood in.

The stylish but simple villas are kitted out with super king size beds, large sofas, plasma screen TVs and plenty of wardrobe space. The bathroom is a jawdropping affair and is as seemingly spacious as the living area. The outdoor rain shower is a bonus.

In keeping with the sophisticated relaxed vibe the resort oozes, an outdoor sala with seating sits to the front of the villas, some of which feature a private plunge pool – perfect for lapping up the serene setting.

Two- and three-bedroom options are also available.

The beach – which Matzig says is swept twice a day by a sand-cleaning tractor imported from Australia to keep it pristine and the sand flies at bay – is not the only selling point. A large infinity pool complete with private bamboo cocoons and Jacuzzis overlooks the ocean, making a super spot to kick back and enjoy a drink or snack from casual eatery The Chill.

The Ocean Restaurant serves buffet breakfast and evening meals from its romantic open-air deck.

Wellness hasn’t been left off the menu, with SensesSpa serving up a delightful range of treatments, massages and therapies. A dedicated yoga sala offers private classes, and a gym caters to the fitness fanatics.

If lazing on the beach or by the pool gets boring, guests can sign up to a range of activities that include snorkelling, diving, kayaking, fishing, stand-up paddle boarding, mountain biking and trekking.

Whether I stand up to wade through the warm waters, sense the sand crunching like snow beneath my feet, or watch the sun slip from the sky, it seems hard to imagine I could ever tire of Royal Sands or its majestic views. www.theroyalsandskohrong.com.

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Photography: Malidate Van Model: Jennifer Herrod Hair and makeup: Kosal at The Dollhouse Styling: Ryan Drewe Taylor

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Dress and hat: Don Protasio Necklace: Christine Gauthier

Dress: A.N.D Necklace: Christine Gauthier

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Kaftan and feather necklace: A.N.D Scarf: Paperdolls

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Kaftan and feather necklace: A.N.D Pants: Lee & Taylor Indian bag: Paperdolls

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HOTEL & RESORT

Chow Restaurant with WiFi.

Phnom Penh

Raffles Hotel Le Royal Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnom-penh/ Emanates the same class as its more famous namesake in Singapore. The Elephant Bar is a popular expat haunt during the 4pm to 8pm happy hour.

Almond Hotel 128f Sothearos Bld. Tel: 023 220 822 Owned by Cambodia’s top chef, Luu Meng, this hotel boasts 70 guest rooms, and is aimed at the visiting business community. Tasty dim sun is served from the ground floor restaurant, YiSang.

The Great Duke 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888 www.thegreatdukehotels.com.kh Previously the InterContinental, this is one of Phnom Penh’s most luxurious five-star hotels, the 346 air-con rooms have all the expected facilities including in-room safes and king size beds. Also has a large swimming pool, a fitness centre and spa.

The Quay Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 224 894 www.thequayhotel.com Five-storey, 16-room riverside boutique hotel has beautiful contemporary rooms designed by Gary Fell. The stand-out features are the roof-top Jacuzzi and the very contemporary ground-floor bar and

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Rambutan Resort 29 Street 71 Tel: 017 992 240 www.rambutanresort.com Urban modern oasis located in a quiet residential area only 5 minutes from all major sights in Phnom Penh. Deluxe pool view and garden rooms with outdoor bathtubs. Salt water pool and private spa room for some unwinding treatments.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Set on the riverside amongst landscaped gardens this 12-storey, five-star colonial style hotel is close to key attractions, embassies and the central business district.

TEAV Boutique Hotel

14 Street 310 Tel: 023 981 818 / 017 989 191 Email: stay@teavgroup.com www.teavboutiquehotel.com Located in a quiet, peaceful setting in the prestigious central heart of Phnom Penh near the Independence Monument, the uniquely designed art deco style TEAV Boutique Hotel provides single travellers, couples, families, leisure and business with a relaxing and highly personalised stay.

Siem Reap Belmond La Residence DÁngkor River Road Tel: 0845 0772 222 Having undergone a revamp, the all-suite hotel boasts newly-designed interiors, lush landscaped gardens surrounding a salt water pool, a deluxe poolside suite, 20 poolside junior suites, 12 garden junior suites, eight deluxe studio suites and 18 junior suites.

Lynnaya Urban River Resort & Spa Tel: 063 967 755 www.lynnaya.com A luxury resort equipped with swimming pool, spa and restaurant.

Prince D’Angkor Hotel & Spa Sivatha Blvd.

Tel: 063 763 888 Email: info@princedangkor.com www.princedangkor.com Experience ultimate luxury and bask in the splendour of elegance at the Prince D’ Angkor Hotel & Spa, the perfect base from which to explore the legendary Angkor temples.

Rambutan Hotels & Resorts Phum Wat Damnak, Kum Sala Komreuk, Krom 10 Tel: 012 654 638 Email: bookings@rambutansr.com www.rambutans.info The former Golden Banana resort contains the same deluxe suites and villas in modern Asian style build around a salt-water pool. Private balcony or terrace with outdoor bathtub/splash shower. LBGT-friendly.

Sokkhak Boutique Resort Kok Chork village, Wat Thmey Tel: 063 765 697/ 063 765 698 www.sokkhak-boutiqueresort.com Stay in either one of the two suites, four junior suites or five uniquely deluxe rooms and one classic standard room, decorated in a homely style.

Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort Vithei Charles de Gaulle

Tel: 063 964 600/ 063 964 610 www.sofitel.com Ultimate in comfort and refinement, combining the traditional architecture of Cambodia with elegant French colonial style. Five-star accommodation, swimming pool, spa and international standard 18-hole 72-par golf course.

Accommodation established by the former manager of Bokor Mountain Lodge set in the French Quarter. Six rooms have AC, hot water, DVD and TV. The large garden has a patio pizzeria and bar.

Rikitikitavi Riverfront Tel: 012 274 820/ 012 235 102 www.rikitikitavi-kampot.com Western food served in large portions in this river-facing restaurant, bar and three-room guesthouse. A more upmarket venue for Kampot, the upstairs seating affords great sunset views.

Restaurant and bar open daily.

Templation Route du Petit Pont Tel: 063 969 345 From the masterminds behind The Plantation and Pavilion in Phnom Penh, Templation offers a slice of serenity from the madding temple crowds. Boasting a secret lake, swimming pool reflecting majestic palm trees, a vast expanse of tropical flora and 33 living spaces, most with their own private pool.

FOOD & DRINKS

Kep

Phnom Penh

Knai Bang Chatt Tel: 078 888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal service in private grounds housing a collection of remodelled 1960’s style colonial villas. Offering 18 rooms, infinity pool, spa and media centre. All rooms refurbished to international standards.

Choice of two dining options – upscale The Strand or the adjoining Sailing Club.

Blue Pumpkin 245 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 998 153 At multiple locations in Phnom Penh, serving breakfast sets, Asian and Western entrées and an array of ice cream flavours in air-conditioned comfort. Open daily from 6am-11pm.

Le Bout du Monde Tel: 011 964 181 www.leboutdumondekep.com Individual and separate bungalows in traditional Khmer architecture located on a hill-top with good views and nice gardens.

Serves French and Khmer cuisine.

Rooms have hot water, mini-bar, fan and safe.

Spring Valley Resort Tel: 036 666 6673 www.springvalley-resort.com Spring Valley Resort, at the base of Kep National Park, is just a short walk to the beach. The rooms are scattered throughout vibrant green gardens, connected by walkways that wind through vines, trees and flowering plants.

Villa S’aat Tel: 017 383 185 www.villa-kep.com Elegant and spacious villa for rent in Kep during holidays and weekends. Located around 2km from the crab market, with spacious rooms, fully equipped kitchen, swimming pool, large terrace, garden and household staff.

Kampot Mea Culpa 44 Sovansokar Tel: 012 504 769 Email: meaculpakampot@gmail.com

endorsed

Brown Coffee & Bakery 17 Street 214 and other locations throughout the city.

Tel: 023 217 262 Stylish, locally owned café with bakery on the premises serves a variety of coffees and pastries, with the green tea latte a house speciality. Open 7.30am8pm.

The Chinese House 45 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh.

Tel: 092 553 330 Under new management and having undergone a radical revamp, Chinese House has a fine dining restaurant upstairs serving fusion food, and a bar space downstairs, serving tapas. Still has the uber-cool vibe created by the previous management.

Do Forni Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 Sophisticated Italian diner set in the grounds of the Sofitel hotel, dishes up much more than your basic pizza and pasta. Excellent range of wines, dimmed lighting and plush surroundings make this an excellent romantic meal for two option. Open daily 6.30pm-10pm.

FCC Phnom Penh 363 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 724 014 The first stop for newcomers and it’s easy to see why. Set in a beautiful colonial house with sumptuous views across

Giant Gym Balls Kate Burbidge Gym balls, exercise balls, Swiss balls, nosebleedswaiting-to-happen, call them what you will, they are by now a familiar, if not ubiquitous, presence wherever one or more people gather together to exercise.

Every gym has at least one, and many homes and even offices play host to the Sphere of Good Intentions (whether those intentions be directed toward improved fitness, core strength or posture).

These balls are all well and good in their natural environment (gym, Pilates/yoga studio, etc), where they can be correctly stored and nurtured.

It is in the domestic setting where problems can arise.

Where on earth does one store them when temporarily out of use?

Unlike the smaller detritus of the home-fitness regime, free weights, running shoes, resistance bands, they can’t be employed to keep the dust bunnies company beneath the bed. Nor can they be used, as treadmills or static bikes can, to store or air clothing in the corner, whence they stare, accusingly neglected.

If not properly secured they can follow one around, bumping into shins like an exuberant spherical puppy. For those of us of a certain age and disposition, the giant gym ball puts us in mind of a benevolent version of Rover, the huge, malevolent, quasi-sentient weather balloon that blighted Patrick McGoohan’s every escape attempt in The Prisoner.

In a group they can be quite

menacing, jostling together and squeaking ominously as they try to escape the confines of the gym store cupboard.

One way to neutralise this mass menace is placing them on a special perch. From there they can survey the gym, experience a modicum of freedom and compose themselves into a thought-provoking and colourful sculpture to encourage gym users to ever greater feats of fitness.

Which brings us to their entire raison d’etre, keeping us fit is what makes them happy.

They support us during press ups, sit ups, triceps dips. They keep our backs safe during chest presses, flies, pec decks and myriad other wafting about of free weights. They positively encourage core strength by constantly trying to tip us off in any direction possible. This latter is not malice, it’s playfulness, friendly competition. It’s what they were designed for. It’s why we bought them in the first place.

We thought that would be a much better way to sit at a desk, or to watch TV. “Now I can improve my posture and catch up on my favourite Netflix boxset,” we said. “They’ll make all those exercises I always promise to do at home so much more inviting.”

Exactly, how could you?

How could you leave those jolly little globular bodies sad and deflating in the corner?

Use them, don’t store them.

Get your gym ball out, blow it up and bounce your way back to health and happiness.

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the river on one side and the National Museum to the other, it’s best to come at sunset when the streets below are most crowded and enjoy the happy hour.

Open daily from 7am-midnight.

Fu Lu Zu Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd Tel: 023 999 200 x 6613 Elegant Chinese restaurant specialising in contemporary Cantonese delicacies and dim sum with private rooms for intimate ambience. Lunch & Dim Sum Buffet: Monday to Friday, from 11.30am to 2.30 pm/ weekends, from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

Hachi Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd Tel: 023 999 200 On the black granite sushi bar, the Japanese chef prepares guests’ favourite selection of sushi and sashimi, with fish imported daily from Japan.

Il Forno Restaurant Phnom Penh 11 Street 302 Tel: 081 660 515 Traditional imported ingredients from Italy to keep all of recipes 100 percent Italian. Wine bar for nice aperitivo, lunch special menus.

Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 420 Great coffees, salads, mix-and-match sandwiches and juices served in an elegant setting. The upstairs terrace, overlooking the Independence Monument, is a good place to watch the chaos below, while the downstairs space is a great place for coffee and catching up on your emails. Has exhibitions both upstairs and down. Open 7am-10pm.

K West 1 Street 154, cnr. Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 214 747

rambutan hotel&resorts

cambodia

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Stylish aircon bar and restaurant below the Amanjaya with an excellent steak menu and good value happy hour from 6pm-8pm Fridays. Now has a brasserie menu with daily specials. Also has free WiFi. Open 6.30am until midnight. Daily happy hour from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

Khéma Pasteur 163 Street 51 Khéma La Poste Street 13 with cnr Street 98 Tel: 015 823 888 A sophisticated international boutique restaurant featuring an on-site gourmet café, bakery and delicatessen with a wide range of specially imported and house-made delights, Khéma offers a unique concept on Cambodia’s dining scene scene.

La Coupole Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Casual and authentic Indochinese and French cuisine with live cooking by chefs in an open kitchen concept. Offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and the Sunday brunch, all set in a stunning restaurant with high ceilings and natural light.

Metro Cnr Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 Cool east-meets-west decor and a chic menu offering tapas, starters and mains, comprehensive cocktail menu, favourite among which is the Espresso Martini, Metro also offers a range of classic breakfasts and an elegant lunch spot with free wifi in an air-con and smokefree (until 10pm) atmosphere. Open daily 9.30am-1am.

Sher e Punjab 16 Street 130, Phnom Penh.

Tel: 092 992 901 Phnom Penh is blessed with a vast array of Indian kitchens, but many expats put this small place at the top of their list. Top Indian food, with an authentic

Tandoori oven producing fine breads and grilled meats, also excellent for veggies.

Open daily, 10am-10pm.

The Shop 39 Street 240, Tel: 092 955 963023 986 964 Stylish café, with a wide range of fresh bread, tempting patisseries and juices, excellent salads and sandwiches.

Crowded at lunchtime, but the small, cool courtyard at the back creates a perfect haven from the sun. Has a Chocolate Shop three doors along, and a second outlet in Tuol Kork. Open 7am-7pm Topaz 182 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 012 346 555 / 023 221 622 Sophisticated, air-con restaurant with outside dining, upstairs bar, wine shop, cigar room and private rooms. One of Phnom Penh’s finest restaurants. Has a popular piano bar, night club upstairs.

Open 11am-2pm, 6pm-11pm.

Van’s Restaurant 5 Street 102 Tel: 023 722 067 French fine-dining in a grand setting awaits at Van’s, located on the second floor of a well preserved colonial-era building near the Post Office. Has an excellent value set lunch. Open daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-10.30pm.

from the provinces to contemporary creative Cambodian cuisine. It is set in a beautiful colonial building featuring wooden carvings, tables, chairs and unique lights all hand-made in Cambodia. Open daily from 11am-10.30pm (kitchen closes at 9.30pm).

Siem Reap Armand’s The Bistro 584-586 Tep Vong, Sangkat Svay Dangkom Tel: 092 305 401 A true bistro experience in a cosy woodpanelled space, despite the informal and relaxed ambience it has the menu to even satisfy high-rollers.

Chanrey Tree Pokombo Ave. Tel: 063 767 997 www.chanreytree.com Traditional Khmer food in a beautiful contemporary setting. Alongside the river, 50m before Preah Phrum Rath Pagoda. Open daily. Lunch 11am-2.30pm, dinner 6pm-10.30pm.

Il Forno Restaurant Siem Reap Paris Alley, off Pub Street Tel: 063 763 380 Come and try our wood fire pizza and our traditional homemade pastas. New air con room to cool off with a nice Italian wine and a charcuterie.

Malis 136 Norodom Bvd Tel: 023 221 022 www.malis-restaurant.com Beautiful modern Khmer restaurant with a courtyard set around narrow water channels and decorated with terracotta floor tiles. Has air-con rooms inside for those who find the midday sun too much. The cuisine is modern Khmer, with no MSG. Open 6am-10pm.

Hot Stone Café Old Market area, next to Angkor trade center Tel: 012 926 562 063 966 966 Email: info@hotstonecafe.asia www.hotstonecafé.asia The hottest culinary concept in town, with two dining options, cook yourself BBQ selection and Khmer dining.

Romdeng 74 Street 174 Tel: 092 219 565 Romdeng serves Cambodian food that ranges from almost forgotten recipes

King’s Road Angkor 7 Makara Road, Achar Sva Street Tel: 093 811 800 www.kingsroadangkor.com A unique dining and shopping village in

Siem Reap, comprising of 15 restaurants and cafés and 12 boutiques.

CULTURE Cinemas The Flicks Movie Theater 39b Street 95 (BKK3) www.theflicks.asia Local expat oriented movie houses with revolving schedule of international films and art house, screened in comfy air conditioned movie rooms. Also offers possibility for movie parties, with option to hire the movie room for a private session (max 30 people). Minimum two screenings per day. Check the website for the weekly schedule. Reservations advised. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day Major Cineplex Aeon Mall Tel: 023 90 1111 Major Cineplex is located on the second floor of the Aeon Mall Phnom Penh and is the biggest cinema complex in Cambodia with multiple screens, 3D and 4D theatres, showing the latest blockbusters from Asia and Hollywood. Open daily, from 9am to midnight.

Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd (opp. Phnom Penh centre) Tel: 012 607 465 Movie shorts and documentaries from Cambodia and the rest of Asia. Screenings normally start at 7pm. Closed Mondays.

Platinum Cineplex 5th Floor Sorya Shopping Centre Tel: 081 666 210 International-standard three-screen Cineplex featuring the latest Digital 3D technology and the most recent Hollywood and international releases, located in the heart of downtown with ample parking, shopping and eating options.

Open 9am-11pm.

Tarantino Movie Theater & Restaurant 8 Street 258 (Chaktomuk) Formerly The Flicks 3 location. Screening the hit classics from the previous century on the big screen. Includes full restaurant with international kitchen.

Dinner and movie deals available. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day.

The 11 Happy Movie House 89-90 Street 136 Formerly The Flicks 2 location, located inside the 11 Happy Backpacker. Daily screenings of mostly Cambodian orientated movies. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day.

Galleries

Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center 64 Street 200 Tel: 023 992 174 Preserving much of Cambodia’s audiovisual material. Hosts regular exhibitions.

Open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm and Saturday, from 2pmto 6pm.

Din Art Gallery 79 Street 136 Tel: 017 931 900 Located above Feel Good Cafe, Cambodian artist Din Borin showcases his abstract art, with apsara dancers featuring heavily. Browse his work or buy some unique pieces from the collection.

French Institute 218 Street 184 Tel: 023 213 124 Offers cultural activities including exhibitions, festivals, and film screenings to promote French and Khmer culture.

Onsite shop Carnets d’Asie offers a selection of French books.

Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd Tel: 023 987 420 www.javaarts.org Contemporary art gallery with exhibitions of Cambodian and international artists, as well as performing artists.

Has second gallery on the ground floor.

Website has details about Cambodia’s contemporary art scene.

National Museum of Cambodia Street 13 Tel: 023 211 753 The museum houses one of the largest collections of Khmer artefacts in the world, including sculpture, ceramic and ethnographic objects. Spending a couple of hours here is a good introduction to Cambodia’s long tradition of art and creativity, and a brief insight into the spirit of the Kingdom.

Romeet Contemporary Art Space 34E1 Street 178 Tel: 023 650 9392 Founded by Phare Ponleu Selpak in 2011 as a Phnom Penh platform for emerging and established alumni of the PPS’s Visual Art School in Battambang.

Romeet is a dynamic space for contemporary art exhibitions, talks, workshops, local collaborations and international exchange.

Sa Sa Bassac 18 Sothearos Boulevard An expansion of the Sa Sa Art Gallery and a merger with Bassac Art Projects, Sa Sa Bassac is an artist-run gallery for contemporary art. Includes a library, reading and workshop room, and a 60-metre gallery space. Ongoing visual literacy programmes.

Performing Arts

LEISURE & WELLNESS

Amrita Performing Arts 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 424 www.amritaperformingarts.org Performance art company that puts on contemporary and classical music and theatre.

Amusement

Apsara Arts Association 71 Street 598 Tel: 011 550 302 Organisation that promotes Cambodian arts and culture. Open from 7.30am to 10.30am.

Cambodian Living Arts 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 986 032 www.cambodianlivingarts.org A non-profit arts organisation devoted to the revival and transmission of traditional Khmer performing arts that puts on performances and provides tours.

Chaktomuk Conference Hall Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 725 119 Designed by master Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann, this under-utilised building is worth a visit. Open Monday to Friday, from 7am to 11.30am and 2pm to 5pm.

Cambodian Country Club Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 012 231 755 A peaceful heaven providing tennis, swimming, badminton, fitness centre and horse riding, 15 minutes away from the city. Open from 6.30am to late.

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park Phnom Tamao, 44 kilometres out of the capital along Highway 2.

Cambodia’s top wildlife centre. All animals are either rescued from traders or bred at the centre. Many of the animals are critically endangered. Open daily, from 8am to 4pm.

Classes Equestrian Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 015 231 755 With 31 ponies and horses, an international sized arena and spacious stables.

Open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9amto 11am and 2pm to 5.30pm.

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Tel: 023 997 290 www.music-arts-school.org A NGO school providing music training for Cambodians and expats – of all ages and levels – at affordable tuition fees.

Learn guitar, piano, violin, vocals, and traditional Khmer instruments. Also has a scholarship fund to provide music education to the less fortunate.

Nathan Horton Photography 126 Street 136 Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Photography tuition and guided tours to Kampong Chnang and Udong, covering technical and creative considerations in the context of travel photography.

Scuba Nation PADI 5* IDC Diving Centre 18 Sothearos Blvd (near FCC) Tel: 012 715 785 www.divecambodia.com Learn to scuba dive in Phnom Penh. The academic and pool part of the course can be done in Phnom Penh and you finish with two days in Sihanoukville on the boat. Offers refresher courses, try dives and kids’ pool parties as well as the full range of courses. Open Saturday, from 9am to 6pm and Sunday, from 9am to 5pm. canta.pdf 1 1/12/2016 Simphony Music School 243, Street 51

Tel: 023 727 345 / 097 888 8787 www.simphony.com.kh Simphony Music School is the first official music school in Cambodia recognised by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Royal Government of Cambodia.

The faculty is composed of experienced and qualified music teachers from overseas, speaking fluent English, Chinese, and French. Based on USA curriculum following Orff and Kodály music teaching methods.

The Tennis Club CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 017 847 802 The two courts are equipped with specially adapted flooring unique in Cambodia, and with quality lightning allowing play past sunset. Skilled English and Cambodian speaking teachers available for private or group lessons.

Open daily.

Yoga Phnom Penh 39 Street 21 www.yogaphnompenh.com Daily drop-in classes for all levels with experienced, qualified international teachers. Classes include Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Fly Yoga, Fly Fit and Classical yoga. Regular workshops and Bliss weekend also offered.

8:54:51 AM Counsellling Services

Alcoholics Anonymous 11 Street 420 Tel: 012 813 731 www.aacambodia.com Meets on Friday, Wednesday and Sunday.

HCM Educational Psychology Services Tel: 011 955 464 Professional educational psychology assessment and consultation services for children and young people with learning or developmental needs. UK registered, English speaking.

Narcotics Anonymous 11 Street 420 Tel: 012 813 731 NA meets on Monday and Thursday at 8pm and Saturday at 7pm.

Dental Dental Touch 47 Street 75.

Tel: 012 854 408 www.dentaltouchcambodia.com European Dental Clinic 160A, Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 211 363 www.europeandentalclinic-asia.com Total dental care, Implant, Orthodontist Treatment by expat dentists. Open Monday to Friday, from 8am to noon and

2pm to 7pm, and Saturday, from 8am to 1pm.

Roomchang 4 Street 184 Tel: 023 211 338 World leader in clinical implant dentistry.

Complete state of the art dental hospital.

In depth consultations on all procedures.

True precision with digital and robotic technology for an optimum clinical result. Excellent customer service.

Shigeta Dental Clinic 25 Street 294 cnr Street 21 Tel: 023 223 225 / 010705083 www.shigedental.com High-end Japanese Dental Clinic that caters for your dental needs. Open daily, from 8am to 8pm.

Zenith Dental Clinic 41A Street 306 Tel: 023 989 868 / 099 789 188 www.zenithorthocenter.com Dental clinic offering a wide range of professional services.

Gyms Phokeethra Sports Club Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra Tel: 023 999 200 Combine the latest fitness equipment with a range of exercise classes and

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specialised training programmes, two squash courts and four tennis courts.

Open daily from 6am to 10pm.

FAMILY

Spas

Arey Ksat Equestrian Trail Arey Ksat, Phnom Penh.

Tel: 077 357 774 Join experienced instructor Guillaume Larivain on a series of pony trails through the Cambodian countryside.

Bodia Spa 26-28 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 226 199 www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Using natural, own-brand products Bodia spa offers body wraps, floral baths, scrubs, facials, aromatherapy, massages and manipedis, alongside Jacuzzi and steam. The peaceful atmosphere is enhanced by scented oils and soft music. Open daily, from 9am to 9pm.

Derma-Care Skin Clinic 161B Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Two qualified dermatologists, this professional skin clinic offers a range of beauty treatments using American Derma-Rx products, minor dermatologic surgery, antioxidant boosters, chemical peeling, and lipolysis. Open 9am to 9pm.

So Spa Sofitel Phnom Penh Tel: 081 222 037 Worldwide ancient traditions meet the refinement and skill of the latest in French cosmetology to create So Spa.

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Entertainment

BluO Bowling C AEON Mall, Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 901 000 M The country’s latest bowling alley with Y private lanes available for parties. Open daily, from 9am to midnight.

CM MY Kids City 162A Sihanouk Blvd.

CY www.kidscityasia.com CMY Indoor entertainment centre with climbing walls, ice skating, laser tag. toddler K town and other attractions.

International Schools Canadian International School of Phnom Penh Bassac Garden, Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 727 788/ 077 503 778 www.cisp.edu.kh Offers a Canadian curriculum in English, certified through the Canadian province of Alberta.

Sun Heang

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A unique art deco buidling, serving an eclectic selection of creative sharing plates and main courses.

4:24 PM

siem reap

Siem Reap Sunsets Sarah Brown You don’t have to have lived in Siem Reap for very long – or even really cast more than a casual glance towards a copy of the Cambodia Lonely Planet – to know that Phnom Bakheng is the place to go to watch the sun set in this town.

Tour guides and travel bloggers alike speak wistfully of the magical views that unfold once the sun goes down, and really who wouldn’t want to watch the sun set over Angkor Wat? Well, me? Don’t get me wrong, I truly love Angkor Archaeological Park and am endlessly mesmerised by its beauty and history. Phnom Bakheng is a fascinating spiritual structure in its own right, and there’s definitely a poetic mystique about climbing a hill to watch the sun set over the world’s largest and arguably most magnificent religious structure.

On the down side, the authorities – in the best interest of both the temple and its visitors – very wisely limit the number of sunset viewers at Phnom Bakheng to 300 every evening.

If you want to be one of those 300 you’ll need to start climbing at about 3pm, and then wait for a few hours once at the top. For some the wait is absolutely worth it, but it can be a frustrating experience if you’re number

Sarah Brown is a Siem Reap stalwart who comes with an abundance of knowledge about Temple Town.

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Phnom Penh 023 986 350

301 and have to wait until someone else leaves. It’s also not ideal for those in search of a quiet, meditative moment.

So, what are the other options available for sunset lovers?

Well, if you have a ticket to enter the Archaeological Park then taking one of the beautiful traditional gondolatype boats out on the Angkor Thom moat as the sun goes down is hard to beat.

If you’re spending a day in the park you can stop off at the small ticket office at the south gate of Angkor Thom to purchase your ticket ($15 per person) at any point during the day, or indeed arrange your boat when you arrive at around 5pm.

Don’t forget to plan ahead and bring drinks and snacks along with you.

Alternatively, head out of Angkor Archaeological Park and over to the Tonlé Sap Lake, where you can watch the sun set over Siem Reap from Phnom Krom. At the top of this hill you’ll find a working pagoda alongside an Angkorian Temple, the latter of which means a temple ticket is required.

If visiting after 5pm, however, you should be allowed in without a ticket, and can enjoy a peaceful experience as the sun falls gently over the surrounding rice fields.

Kep & Kampot 033 930 000

Siem Reap

Sihanoukville

Battambang

063 964 409

034 934 155

053 953 855

Mineral Water from France

money matters

Don’t Be an April Fool with Your Money Paul Dodd We’ve all heard the phrase, “A fool and his money are soon parted” but I bet you don’t know who said it. Apparently, it was Thomas Tusser, a 16th century English poet and farmer.

You don’t have to look far to find fools making all manner of ridiculous financial decisions, and there are certain unwise decisions I see expats make repeatedly so I’ve put together a list of financial planning mistakes to avoid.

1.Failing to plan for retirement When it comes to saving for retirement there is no such thing as starting too early. With many state pension systems broken while life expectancy is going up, the outlook is bleak for those who fail to make their own pension arrangements.

What will your life be like if and when you reach your century?

It will more than likely depend on the provision you make during your working years. My advice couldn’t be simpler: if you haven’t already started saving for retirement, start now!

2.Putting all your investment eggs in one basket Once you start saving for your retirement you need to get serious about investing to have your money work as hard as it can for you, earning compound interest and growing steadily over the years. The watchword for sensible investing in the long term is diversification. That means holding some cash for

emergencies and then investing in a range of assets – stocks and shares, property and commodities, such as gold. You can and should also diversify geographically and by sector.

3.Trying to time the markets For the average investor hoping to amass a pension pot large enough for a worry-free retirement the best investment strategy is buy and hold.

Of course, your portfolio will need tweaking now and then but I would strongly advise against jumping on investment bandwagons or trying to time the markets and make a quick buck. Slow and steady definitely wins the investment race.

4.Skimping on insurance As well as creating wealth you need to ensure that you are protecting your savings with relevant insurance. Expats should always have a comprehensive health insurance policy to transfer the risk of getting ill to an insurer. Life insurance is also a must to protect your family’s financial situation in the event that you should meet an untimely death.

5.Avoiding estate planning Having a will is the only way to ensure that your assets will be distributed as you wish them to be when you die. In addition, by planning ahead you should be able to reduce inheritance tax and, if you are a parent, there is the issue of guardianship to consider.

Paul Dodd is Country Director at Infinity Financial Solutions Cambodia, living and working in PP for the past 10 years.

Here are the must have apps to make business that little bit easier.

FREE ANDROID

FREE ANDROID

CISCO WEBEX MEETINGS

TRIPIT

The app lets uses hold meetings wherever they are.

Through the WebEx app, you can join any web conference through two-way video and a camera switcher. What distinguishes WebEx from other video conferencing services is that files can be attached to a meeting space.

This means users can pitch a presentation or discuss numbers from Excel spreadsheets in real-time while videochatting with your contacts.

For those who travel a lot, then get TripIt on download.

This app makes it easier to organise and share travel itineraries. As users receive confirmation e-mails from the different services they book with, they are forwarded to plans@tripit.com. TripIt can recognise reservations from more than 3,000 booking sites including cruises, concerts, and restaurants. Trip plans can also be shared through e-mail, Facebook and LinkedIn contacts.

FREE IOS ANDROID

FREE IOS ANDROID

MINT.COM PERSONAL FINANCE

EVERNOTE

If you need a helping hand looking after your finances and sticking to budgets, then this app is the one for you. Mint. com makes it easier to track all of your spending habits through a single, easy-to-use dashboard. The Mint.com app tells you where you have been spending and how you can save money. It also creates a customised budget based on spending and there is a website to track your bank, credit, loans, mortgages and retirement budgets.

Evernote helps keep users organised across all of devices.

Using Evernote allows users to store notes, photos, to-do lists, ideas and voice reminders. The notes are completely searchable. The free version of Evernote caps users at 60MB per month of usage. A usage meter is available so that you can see how much data has been consumed for the month. The data usage can be pumped up by paying a monthly fee.

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boxoffice

SHERLOCK GNOMES

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

BLOCKERS

7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE

When Gnomeo and Juliet arrive in the city with their friends and family, their biggest concern is getting their new garden ready for spring. However, they soon discover someone is kidnapping garden gnomes across London.

When Gnomeo and Juliet return home to find everyone in their garden is missing there’s only one gnome to call, Sherlock Gnomes. The mystery leads to a rollicking adventure.

The latest Marvel outing sees Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet – the evil Thanos.

On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artefacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to.

This comedy follows high school seniors, Julie, Kayla and Sam, who make a pact to lose their virginity on prom night. Lisa, Mitchell and Hunter are three super-overprotective parents who flip out when they find out about their daughters’ plans.

They soon join forces for a wild and chaotic quest to stop the girls from sealing the deal – no matter what the cost. A laugh-aminute movie.

In July 1976, terrorists hijack an Air France flight from Tel-Aviv to Paris and force the flight crew to land in Entebbe, Uganda.

There, the Jewish passengers are held hostage with their safety contingent on the release of dozens of terrorists jailed in Israel, Germany and Sweden.

After considerable debate, the Israeli government employs the Israeli Defense Forces, to execute a daring rescue.

COMING SOON MOVIE RELEASES Major Cineplex See majorcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule 7 Days in Entebbe Apr. 05 Blockers Apr. 06 Sherlock Gnomes Apr. 06 Operation Red Sea Apr. 06 Rampage Apr. 13

Legend Cinemas See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule A Quiet Place Apr. 02 Incident in the Ghostland Apr. 09 The Strangers: Prey at Night Apr. 12 Boonie Bears: The Big Shrink Apr. 13 Avengers: Infinity War Apr. 26

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 61

1. Outside which New York building was John Lennon killed?

AsiaLIFE Group

2. Which character does Morgan Freeman play in Bruce Almighty?

Group Editor-in-Chief / Director Cambodia: Mark Bibby Jackson bibbyjackson@icloud.com

Group Director Sales & Marketing / Director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia

3. Complete the advertising slogan for FedEx: ‘When there is no..’

Managing Editor Cambodia: Marissa Carruthers marissa.asialife@gmail.com

Director Thailand: Nattamon Limthanachai (Oh) oh@asialife.asia

4. Wellington is the capital city of which country?

Contributing Writers: Matt Surrusco

Art Director Cambodia: Thang Pham L.C. leo@asialifemagazine.com

6. Which famous astronaut once said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!”?

7. How many megabytes are there in 1 gigabyte?

8. During which decade did Elvis Presley die?

9. How many of Snow White’s seven dwarfs have names ending in the letter Y? 10. As of 2016, which athlete had won the most Olympic medals?

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Distribution: Son Veasna 096 222 7231

Advertising Sales: Hannah Morris hannah.asialife@gmail.com 011 955 464

Printing: Sun Heang Printing House

Accountant: Sorn Rathana

Special thanks to: Darren Gall, Paul Dodd, Pet Grooming Cambodia, Ryan Drewe Taylor and Cambodian Living Arts for their contribution.

042018 ISSUE136

On the Cover Design & Art Direction: Thang Pham L.C.

AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark.

No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. © 360º Media.

1. The Dakota Building 2. God 3. Tomorrow 4. New Zealand

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Accountants / Distribution: Seang Seiha 012 887 118

Photographers: Enric Català Lim Sokchanlina

Pub Quiz Answers

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Siem Reap: Sarah Brown

5. Letter C 6. Neil Armstrong 7. 1000 8. The 1970s 9. Five: Dopey, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Happy 10. Michael Phelps.

5. What letter is located between letters X and V on a standard keyboard?

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WINE & CHEESE 20 $++ per person Every Tuesday & Thursday from 6pm to 8pm Unlimited cheese & charcuterie. Free-flow of wines.

Bookings recommended at khema.online/booking

Khéma Pasteur

#163 St. 51 Corner St. 228, Phnom Penh +855 (0) 15 823 888

Khéma La Poste

#41 St. 13 corner St. 98, Phnom Penh +855 (0)15 841 888

All prices are subject to 7% service charge and 10% government tax