082013 ISSUE80
The
Beat
GoesOn
www.asialifemagazine.com
note from the editor AsiaLIFE Group Group Editor-in-Chief / Director Cambodia: Mark Bibby Jackson mark@asialife.asia
Group Director Sales & Marketing / Director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia
Managing Editor Cambodia: Ellie Dyer ellie@asialife.asia
Director Thailand: Nattamon Limthanachai (Oh) oh@asialife.asia
Associate Editor: Marissa Carruthers
Group Creative Director: Johnny Murphy johnny@asialife.asia
Editor-at-Large Cambodia: Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen Siem Reap: Joanna Wolfarth Sales Director Cambodia: Sorn Chantha chantha@asialife.asia sornchantha@yahoo.com
Ellie Dyer Music has the ability to transcend boundaries. No matter where in the world melodies or songs originate from, they can conjure up powerful images, memories and emotions in people’s minds. As expert Patrick Kersalé told me while I was researching this month’s cover feature, music is all about communication. The sheer resilience of the art is evident in Cambodia, where some instruments used today date back to the Angkorian era, and can still be seen in ancient bas reliefs at Siem Reap temples. Much like the country as a whole, traditional music has remained strong despite the fall of an ancient empire and the cultural nihilism of the Khmer Rouge. As shown in our feature, no matter what the swings and roundabouts of history entail, there will always be passionate people — both young and old — who are determined to fight for the survival of their musical heritage. These talented artists, including master musician Sok Duch, are spreading awareness of ancient genres that are symbolic of Khmer culture, so it’s great to be able to highlight their work. I hope you enjoy reading about them. Elsewhere in the magazine this month, we’ve interviewed another force of nature – the superstar businessman ‘The Minister of Papaya Mam’. An easily recognisable figure on the streets of Phnom Penh thanks to his crazy selling techniques and impressive quad bike, he shows that buckets of creativity, coupled with business acumen, is a winning formula. We’ve also talked to Phnom Penh’s quizmasters to get a taste of where readers can test their knowledge and win big. As a self-confessed trivia fan, I can attest that it’s a great way to have fun with friends, with prize money hopefully funding a cheeky tipple or two along the way. There are also a lot of fabulous food stories in the August edition, including the Taste the World feature, where Marissa Carruthers and Lyda Long have investigated the global cuisines available in Phnom Penh. And towards the back of the magazine, our new Siem Reap columnist Joanna Wolfarth has kicked off her first column by exploring ways to shape up in the town, just in case you’ve overindulged.
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Sales and Accounts: Seang Seiha 012 581 455
Art Director Cambodia: Hilary Fastier Photographers: Charles Fox & Conor Wall Distribution: Sorn Chandara 096 9999 351 Printing: Sok Heng Printing House
Accountant: Seang Satya
For advertising enquiries call Chantha on 012 576 878. Special thanks to: Ryan Taylor, Montana Rakz, Darren Gall, Gemma Mullen, Daniel Otis, Cambodia Restaurant Association, Amanda Saxton, Lyda Long, Dara Saoyuthnea and David Preece for their contribution to this issue.
On the Cover Pictured: Chomnit Lun admiring an image of his grandfather Sok Duch Portrait Photography: Charles Fox Art Direction: Hilary Fastier AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark. No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. © 360º Media.
Next time you're in Vietnam, check out the latest issue of AsiaLIFE or download it from www.asialifemagazine.com
082013 ISSUE80
14 Picks of the Month
front
16 Openings
44 Taste the World
food
46 La Patisserie 47 CrĂŞpe Mania
20 Dispatches 22 Phnom Penh Calendar 24 Photo Essay 28 Q&A: Seang Leang Hong
getaway
48 Making Waves
on the cover
30 The Beat Goes On
style & design
50 Behind the Design
storyboard
36 Bringing Back Bayon
back
57 Listings
38 Meet the Minister 40 A Dengue-Free Future
52 Denim & Diamonds
90 Phnom Penh Map 98 Pub Quiz
42 Quizzing the Quizmasters
28 36 6 asialife Cambodia
38 52
August 2013
Amrita Inspires
A carefully choreographed dance took viewers on a panAsian journey when a crosscultural collaboration took place last month. Produced by Phnom Penh-based Amrita Performing Arts, a thoughtprovoking dance piece called Mahabharata hit the stage on Jul. 12 and 13 at the Department of Performing Arts. Directed by one of Japan’s top choreographers and writers, Hiroshi Koike, Mahabharata is an ancient Indian sacred text known as the largest epic in the world. The first chapter was told in Cambodia, with more dance
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performances taking place in Vietnam. Chapter two will take place in India next year and the final in Japan in 2015. Amrita Performing Arts executive director, Fred Frumberg, says, “Hiroshi used to run his own company called Pappa Tarahuma. I saw their work years ago and always admired them, so when I found out he was now freelance I was keen to get involved.”
River Orchid Strikes Gold Cambodian communications company River Orchid has brought home a clutch of gongs after stealing the show
at a prestigious American awards ceremony. River Orchid walked away with three gold and five silver awards from the 19th Annual Communicator Awards, held in the United States, for its work with clients including Infinity Insurance, Nokia, KFC and Hello Axiata. With recognition for work done for outdoor, print, and television, executive creative director Peter Sutherland says, “We are proud to be recognised internationally in this way and to be able to bring these global awards back to our home here in Indochina.” The Communicator Awards is a leading international awards programme honouring creative excellence for communications professionals. For more information, visit www.riverorchid.com.
Help Youth to Homeless Football World Cup
Happy Football Cambodia Australia has stepped up its fundraising campaign to send a squad to the homeless world cup from Aug. 10 to 18. With just a few weeks to go until the tournament kicks off in Poland, the team is training to represent Cambodia in the
cup. Fundraising efforts have seen the club raise more than $20,000 to send the squad, but it needs another $2,500 to send a sixth player. Jimmy Campbell, head of coaching, says, "We have received generous donations from across the globe to make this once in a lifetime opportunity happen for these dedicated six players, but we're not there yet. We still need funds for one more flight, and we need your help." Football Cambodia Australia — launched in 2005 with the aim of working with disadvantaged youngsters through football — has started a campaign where people can donate cash for the cause online. To make a donation, visit: www.pozible. com/CambodiaHWC.
AirAsia New Route
AirAsia has unveiled its latest route with daily flights from Siem Reap to Bangkok. Travellers wanting to get from the two destinations can bag themselves a bargain with a promotional price of 79THB ($2.50) one way, not including airport taxes and fees. Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia, says, “We’ve been on the lookout for new routes and saw Siem Reap as a destination that would enhance our network.” The new route will start from Oct. 1 and Siem Reap will be the airline’s sixth stop in Indochina. AirAsia already flies direct from Bangkok to Phnom Penh. The airline plans to continue expanding and will launch more destinations in the Indochina region this year. To book a flight, visit: www.airasia.com.
Rugby Wins Big
Former rugby player Gavin Hastings attended a rugby fundraiser in June that raised more than $8,400 to help educate youngsters with hearing difficulties. Hastings, a full-back and former captain of Scotland and the British and Irish Lions, joined rugby commentator Justin ‘Sambo’ Sampson as a speaker at the Cambodia Rugby Charity Gala. The gala, organised by Innov8 Event, saw a string of top goods being auctioned off for Cambodia Rugby Federation’s Grassroots programme, which is working with more than 70 children across 11 schools and organisations, including Krousar Thmey. In total, the auction raised $8,425.50.
Embassy Brings Aboriginal Art to Cambodia
Local students can discover more about Australia's rich indigenous culture after the Australian Embassy donated two books on aboriginal art to the Royal University of Phnom Penh library last month. Dave Gordge, the acting head of mission at the embassy, presented the books about the country’s aboriginal people, who arrived from Asia at least 50,000 years ago. Another indigenous group, the Torres Strait Islander people, first settled on islands north of the mainland between the tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea about 10,000 years ago. Today most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples live in cities and towns, but many still live in rural and remote areas and follow traditional lifestyles. Indigenous culture is diverse and strong and makes a vital contribution to Australia's national identity. asialife Cambodia 9
August 2013
Singapore National Day at Raffles
Top chef Jeremy Teo will bring authentic Singaporean spice to mark the country’s 48th National Day at Raffles Hotel Le Royal in August. The chef will be jetting into Cambodia from the sister hotel in Singapore to cook up a feast and supply Phnom Penh with four days of authentic food. Teo, who has more than 15 years’ experience in the kitchen, will be on hand to prepare dishes that reflect the ethnic diversity of Singapore, with influences from Chinese, Malay and
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Indian traditions. Meals on the menu include Hainanese chicken rice (simmered chicken with rice cooked in chicken broth, accompanied with chili sauce dip, dark soy sauce and ginger paste), laksa (noodles in a spicy broth with shredded chicken, sliced cucumber, boiled egg, tofu, fish dumpling, bean sprouts and laksa paste) and popiah (spring roll or rolled crêpe, stuffed with stewed turnip, Chinese sausage, shrimp and lettuce). Singapore’s 48th National Day celebrations take place between Aug. 8 and 11.
Noodle Café Celebrates
Following a successful soft launch in May, Noodle Café on Street 113 marked its official grand opening on Jul. 9 with a party. The event saw food and drinks served by the 24-hour restaurant’s professional chefs and staff members. Noodle
Café originally opened in Phnom Penh in 1981, but has relocated to its new home, offering noodles, coffee, pastries and ice cream. The eatery has committed itself to retaining its original flavours and old family recipes passed on from generation to generation.
August 2013
L’Osteria Re-launches
In Italy, an osteria is the place to go for home-cooked food, wine and a warm welcome. In Siem Reap all of this can be found at L’Osteria, which re-launched last month and offers a menu of traditional Italian food. Neighbours and long-term Siem Reap residents Francesco di Leo and Steve Mojica decided to partner up after discovering they share Napoli roots and a love of good food. There is a family-run feel to the place and the shared mixed platter of meats and cheeses comes highly recommended. This little piece of Italy can be found on Alley West, near the Old Market.
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Speaking Out
Spoken Arts Siem Reap launched on Jul. 9 at J4B bar with more than 30 people in attendance. Poet and organiser Sarah Pycroft says that the open-mic night offers more than just poetry, and people are encouraged to read their own work or the work of an artist they love. Co-organiser Tony Patrick thinks that “Siem Reap needs to be about more than just bars and clubs. Poetry and literature are a good place to start in a town with so many artists who haven't surfaced yet." Spoken Arts takes place on the first and third Tuesday of every month. It starts at 8pm, with promotional $1 cocktails.
Chef Goes International
Siem Reap chef Kimsan Sok will represent her home province at the Pattaya City Culinary Cup competition in Thailand this month. Kimsan is the executive chef at the Angkor W group of restaurants, which includes Siem Reap favourites Champey, Amok, Cambodian BBQ and Banana Leaf. She will be competing against eleven other international teams and is hoping to better the second place she achieved at the Thailand Chefs Challenge in Bangkok in May.
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picks of the month Watch: The Sopranos
Click: Whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com
Since the tragic death of actor James Gandolfini earlier this year, fans have paid tribute to his scintillating performance as Tony Soprano in the epic TV series The Sopranos. Debuting in 1999, the show follows a mobster crime family and its antihero leader Tony, who is referred to a psychologist after collapsing during a barbeque. Created by David Chase, it is a timeless classic that is still regarded by some critics as the greatest TV series of all time. Funny, poignant and deep all at once, pick it up to watch genius at work.
View: Continuity The creative minds at the Royal University of Fine Arts are holding an exhibition of etchings at the InterContinental Hotel until Aug. 25. Two years ago, a group of artists called Tequio, The Good Impression donated a press to set up the Char Printmaking Studio at the university. Last year, a lithographic press and marble stones were purchased, adding to its facilities. Continuity will showcase the results of the etching workshop — the only one of its kind in Cambodia.
Transportation by Chan Vitharin
Attend: BarCamp Kampong Cham The popular BarCamp festival is expanding across Cambodia, with the next event set for Aug. 24 and 25 at the Chea Sim University of Kamchaymear in Kampong Cham. With plenty of speakers set to share the secrets of their success and opportunities for interaction with leading technology enthusiasts, it’s the perfect forum for students and computer buffs alike to explore the technology industry in Cambodia. For more information, visit www.kc.barcampcambodia.org.
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You might enjoy life a bit more if you take it less seriously. Instead of resenting that waitress who seated others before you, remember the slight won’t matter next week. What Should We Call Me is a good reminder of how unimportant we are. The Tumblr site thrives on self-deprecation. Exhibit A: A Glee character saying “Pizza is good.” The title: “When I try to contribute to an intellectual conversation.” It’s really a kind of caption contest. File it under time wasters, with a little perspective.
Try: Online Classifieds From global marketplace eBay to craft site Etsy, the internet has made it easier than ever to source goods. The latest site to expand the world of e-commerce in the Kingdom is kampucheadeal.com, a classified website where individuals and businesses can buy and sell almost everything, from motorbikes to earphones. Co-creator Greg Mo said there was a need for a “good place” for expats and locals to sell second-hand goods. And with both a ‘for sale’ and ‘wanted’ section on the site, it’s sure to prove a useful tool to source your heart’s desire, whatever it may be.
Kevin Rudd Back-stabbing is the name of the game in Australian politics, as Rudd deposes Julia Gillard to fight the next election for Labor. Starbucks Though yet to enter the Kingdom’s coffee war, T-shirts displaying the Starbucks logo have become a hot item for local fashionistas, reports the Cambodia Daily. Andy Murray The Scotsman triumphs at Wimbledon, becoming the first British man to win the tennis tournament on home ground for 77 years. The Rolling Stones The aging bad boys are back in the spotlight after rocking crowds at Britain’s Glastonbury festival. Noise Levels Pre-vote fever meant a lack of sleep for residents, as early campaign starts and ear-splitting loud speakers took their toll.
GOING UP GOING DOWN Egypt Tanks take to the streets as the ancient nation descends into violence following the ousting of controversial president Mohammed Morsi. Brunei Rugby Hard work pays off as Cambodia’s national team crush the Brunei leopards 28-0 in the HSBC Asian 5 nations division 5 series. Taxis Horror in Bangkok as a local taxi driver is accused of killing an American expat during a fight over a fare of less than $2. Whale/Surfer relations Sydney’s Bondi beach in shock after rogue humpback whale knocks surfer unconscious after “frolicking” with locals in the waves. Helmets Mass motorbike rallies take over Phnom Penh, but how many participants were wearing helmets? What’s good for politics may not be so positive for road safety.
openings Siren Call
Emergency Room The huge silver carousel horses hanging from the ceiling of Emergency Room, the newest addition to Phnom Penh’s buzzing Street 240½ alleyway, are indicative of the fun yet industrial feel of this stylish bar. Developed by the team behind The Dollhouse salon and Paperdolls boutique, the venue contains pared back echoes of its bright and bubbly sister venues, with pink, purple and green touches lifting grey cement walls and a statement black and white tiled floor. Along with its lounge vibe and chilled-out electro music, drinks include a selection of 10 ‘doctor’s orders’ cocktails ($5 each) with fantastical names that include the Legless Cinderella and Barbie Doll-licious. A monthly drink special, along with a happy hour running from 6pm to 9pm in August, will ensure that revellers are drawn to its special brand of medicine. Street 240½, Phnom Penh. Tel: 016 620 908. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 6pm to midnight.
Branching Out
Fox Wine Bistro
Wine bars seem to be the newest trend to sweep across Phnom Penh and the latest to open its doors is Fox Wine Bistro. It is run by the masterminds behind Cambodian coffee chain Brown, who hope to transfer their success to the rapidly expanding wine world. Aimed at medium- to high-end customers, Fox has a minimal, contemporary design with concrete floors and pillars, an artistically placed stack of used wine barrels behind the bar, and a neatly manicured outside area surrounded by water. Boasting a selection of wines from across the world, the bistro also serves a selection of cocktails and Western-style food with an Asian twist. “We have really tried to focus on the design here and it’s totally different from other bars,” says its manager. Fox Wine Bistro, 104 Sothearos Blvd, Phnom Penh. Tel: 090 625 656. Open from 5pm to midnight daily.
City Retreat
Aura Spa Conveniently located on Mao Tse Tuong Boulevard, Aura Spa has everything necessary for a perfect in-city retreat. Besides staples like deep tissue and aroma massages, Aura also offers Asian-inspired massages, including traditional Khmer, Chinese and herbal varieties. There is also a range of natural beauty treatments, such as aloe vera wraps, facials, waxing and manicures. Aura’s most popular treatment is the slimming massage ($28 an hour), where a masseuse uses natural techniques to help tone the body. The body exfoliation menu is comprised of homemade fruit scrubs, such as avocado, apple, rose, green tea and papaya. Spa packages are also available and can include a steam and jacuzzi. 12 Mao Tse Tuong Boulevard, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 555 3209. Open daily from 9am to 11pm.
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New Look
Park Hyatt Siem Reap
The former Hotel de la Paix in Siem Reap is set to re-open this month after a lengthy renovation to transform the complex into the first Park Hyatt hotel in Cambodia. Thanks to renowned designer Bill Bensley, the modern hotel is said to mix “cool and understated sophistication” while reflecting Cambodian culture. The complex in downtown Siem Reap contains 108 rooms and 13 suites, each containing Khmer inspired contemporary art, Italian marble bathrooms and luxury products. Two swimming pools — including a lagoon-like space — a multi-level spa and a 24-hour fitness centre are set to ensure relaxation for temple visitors. The foyer is also set to provide ample space for art exhibits. Sivutha Boulevard, Siem Reap. Tel: 063 211 234. Email: siemreap. park@hyatt.com.
Weighing In
Mr Grill Restaurant and Bar With new restaurants opening left, right and centre in Phnom Penh, it’s hard to make one stand out from another. Mr Grill not only manages to distinguish itself with its modern, rustic design, but also in the way it serves its dishes. This market-style restaurant allows customers to pick and weigh their appetiser and main before the dishes are freshly prepared. The menu has a small but well conceived selection, with options including a selection of meat and seafood — imported from Australia, New Zealand and the United States — all cooked to order. There are also a variety of sauces, from Japanese and Italian, to go with the meat. The specials board also features a cut of the day. 23 Street 288, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 997 255. Open daily from 11am to midnight.
Classic Twist
Copin Pizza and Pasta
When you think of pizza and pasta, Italy immediately springs to mind, but this is where new eatery Copin stands out. It’s in fact a Japanese restaurant serving up Italian dishes with a twist. “We want to give the people of Cambodia pizza and pasta with a Japanese style, which is very delicious,” says manager Jun Tashiro. “We don’t use sauces like the Italian pizza. Japanese pizzas have soy sauce instead.” Pasta dishes include pomodo-ro (tomato, garlic and cayenne) and resuketone (shrimp, squid, tomato, garlic, cayenne and olive oil). A selection of sandwiches and salads is also available. Jun hopes his recipe of serving up reasonably priced dishes in simple surroundings will be a success in order for the brand to expand further. 64B Street 294, Phnom Penh.Tel: 077 627 135. Open 11am to 10pm.
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Inner Peace
Essence of Health
Good health, inner peace and happiness is key to Essence of Health‘s philosophy. After moving to The Netherlands to study martial arts and Chinese medicine 20 years ago, owners Dominique Pierre-Justin and Brigitte Prud'hon took their skills to Vietnam where they opened up a wellness centre. Now the couple have brought their concept to Phnom Penh and are offering a range of treatments, such as traditional Chinese medicine, massage, reiki and acupuncture. Essence of Health also runs classes in tai chi, yoga and meditation. “We don’t want to treat people but give them the tools to treat themselves. Chinese medicine teaches you about global harmony and how everything is related and this is what we teach,” says Prud'hon. Spread over three floors, Essence of Health has three treatment cabins, a yoga and meditation room, and a space for classes. 8A Street 112, Phnom Penh. Tel: 0889 235 306. Open 9am to 7.30pm.
Fresh and Friendly
QuitAnEpas Fresh produce is a key ingredient at Quitanepas, where head chef and coowner Joaquin Campos has made it his mission to keep diners coming back by changing the menu in the quaint restaurant and lounge daily. With dishes such as goat cheese balls with caramelised onions ($5) taking pride of place on the menu when AsiaLIFE's visited, it’s already proving popular. Aiming to create something different in the capital, the co-owners transformed a colonial mansion into a downstairs restaurant that evokes the spirit of Spain, with terracotta tiled floors and walls in rustic colours of red and pea green. Upstairs lies a relaxing lounge bar split into several rooms where people can choose to enjoy a drink in private or socialise with strangers. 14b Street 264, Phnom Penh. Tel: 088 442 9320. Kitchen open from Monday to Saturday, 6pm to 11pm. Lounge open from Monday to Saturday, 6pm to 1am.
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DISPATCHES
Travel news from around the region and beyond
High-flying Golf
A group of golf and resort properties has reissued its ‘ultimate New Zealand golf package’, with options that include heli-golf on glaciers and mountain tops. The offer includes nine nights across three lodges and six golf rounds on the country's two main islands, with biodegradable golf balls provided. Ask about the scenic tours of stunning Lake Wakatipu and longdrive opportunities from vertigo-inducing tees atop of glaciers and peaks in the Remarkables mountain range. The offer starts at $7,700 and can be found at kauricliffs.com.
Summer’s End
Built in the Cham architectural style, Pandanus resort in Mui Ne, on Vietnam’s east coast, features gardens full of streams and lotus-filled lakes, as well as displays of Cham cultural icons. The infinity pool surrounds an island of palm trees, while the grounds were created to blend with the area’s natural environment and golden beaches. Until the end of August, the hotel has a VND2.8 million package that includes two nights of accommodation, dinner for two and a walking tour of Mui Ne. To close out the summer, Pandanus is also offering half-off treatments at its Peony Spa. Inquire at pandanusresort.com.
Blast from the Past
The historic 19th century Villa Pottipati is a boutique hotel in Bangalore that celebrates old-world heritage. Red cement floors, teak beams and high ceilings revive a sense of the gentry's lifestyle in colonial India. Period rooms have been refurbished with collector’s art and furniture, each symbolising a different region. When the city chokes the senses, visitors can take shelter under the garden villa’s giant Shivalinga tree. It’s 20 percent off through to September, guests receive a welcome drink and breakfast with their booking and children aged under 10 stay free. More details can be found at neemranahotels.com.
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Have an event coming up? Send information and dates to k8bluesky@gmail.com
CALENDAR PHNOM PENH mountain nation of Nepal will be the focus of an AUG The exhibition of historical photography at MetaHouse
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that launches today. The unique collection of images, collected by a family over the course of 120 years, runs until Aug. 29. For more information, visit: www. meta-house.com.
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Singapore’s 48th National Day, with Monivong restaurant holding a series of food events and activities. Guest chef Jeremy Teo will be in Phnom Penh to prepare classic dishes including Hainanese chicken rice, laksa and popiah.
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is set to play an acoustic gig at The Latin Quarter on Street 19 on Aug. 16. Additional shows have been scheduled for Aug. 17 at The Village, and Aug. 24 at Memphis Bar on riverside. For more information, visit: www.tobiofficial.com.
The Cambodian Forgotten Songs exhibition opens at the Bophana Centre. Funded by the US Embassy, the project seeks to revive old Khmer songs that were forgotten, but are still available on musical scores. Photographs, taken by Vann Channarong, will display important moments from the project, such as the rehearsing and recording sessions as well as the research stage, and will be displayed at Bophana until Sep. 13. Free admission, all are welcome.
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‘Groove sessions’ are being held from Aug. 16 to 18 and ‘acoustic sessions’ from Aug. 19 to 25. Artists set to rock the venue include Dub Addiction, No Forever, Kin, DJ Lisa, Akhia, Amanda Bloom, Charlie Corrie, Euan Grey and Rhiannon Johnson among others. Visit the Doors Phnom Penh facebook page to find out more.
BarCamp AUG The technology festival
British singerAUG Young songwriter TOBI
AUG
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6pm to 8pm. The show features collected objects and new drawings that consider notions of offering in religious and social structures. For more information, visit: sasabassac.com.
restaurant on Street 84 is hosting a brand AUG Doors new summer festival called Vibe from Aug. 16 to 25.
Hotel Le AUG Raffles Royal will celebrate
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an exhibition by Than Sok, opens at the AUG Promotion, Sa Sa Bassac Gallery on Sothearos Boulevard from
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runs from Aug. 24 and 25 at Chea Sim University of Kamchaymear in Kampong Cham province. For more information, visit http://kc.barcamp cambodia.org.
Living Arts presents its archiving project. AUG Cambodia Four documentaries detailing smot chanting, classical
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wedding music, kantaoming (funeral music) and arek (music for possession ceremonies) will be screened at the CLA office on Sothearos Boulevard in the afternoon. CLA will open a photo exhibition about the project and the art forms at 6pm, and will inaugurate a new media station with the US Embassy, the project’s main supporter. Finally, visitors will finally be able to enjoy these art forms with live performances.
EVERY DAY
Yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, close to BKK market. For more information, please visit yogaphnompenh.com or enquire at 012 739 419. Every afternoon Sofitel in Phnom Penh serves a red-themed afternoon tea from 3pm to 5pm. Tickets cost $25 for sparkling rosé wine, abundant fruits and delights. Every evening except Sundays and Mondays at Le Bar, Sofitel Phokeetra Phnom Penh, DJ Lady Bluesabelle plays soul, jazz, world music and tropical beats from 6pm until late. No cover charge. Sofitel Phokeetra Phnom Penh, 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200, www. sofitel.com/phnompenh.
EVERY MONDAY
Mad Monday at The Empire, 6pm. Yoga at Yoga Phnom Penh. Sweat and Samadhi at 8am, Slow Flow at 12.15pm and Deep Flow at 5.45pm. See yogaphnompenh.com
EVERY WEDNESDAY
Drink & Draw at ARTillery, 7pm. Get your creative engines going with a live model, a couple of drinks and a whole lot of creative fun. Latin Fever at The Latin Quarter. Trivia in the garden at The Willow, $2 entry and 7.30pm start. Salsa Classes at Ebony Tree on Street 29. Beginners class from 7pm to 8pm. Intermediate class from 8pm to 9pm. $5 for expats, $2.50 for locals. Salsa with DJ Jimmy at Equinox on Street 278.
EVERY THURSDAY
Open Mic at Paddy Rice Irish Sports Bar. Art House Sessions at 8.30pm at The Flicks Community Movie House. Rare art house and foreign films. Enjoy the secret treasures of the big screen for $3.50.
EVERY FRI. & SAT.
Cultural performance at the National Museum at 7pm. Tickets on sale at the door, price for foreign adults $12, $5 for Cambodians. For booking and information call 017 998 570 or email events@ cambodianlivingarts.org.
EVERY SAT. & SUN.
Fishing trips on the Tonle Sap river from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. For more information, visit fishinginphnompenh. wordpress.com or email fishingboattrip@yahoo.com. Kids Sessions at 2pm at The Flicks Community Movie House. $3.50 for adults, $2 for under 18. Steak Night at The Empire. Weekly special at a big discount. Swing dancing at Equinox on Street 278, Phnom Penh. Women’s Night at The Riverhouse.
EVERY FRIDAY
Special happy hatha yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, 5.45pm discounted happy hour class.
EVERY SATURDAY
Regular yoga workshops, Sweat and Samadhi lessons, and lunch delivery from ARTillery Cafe at Yoga Phnom Penh. For more information, please visit yogaphnompenh.com.
EVERY SUNDAY
Escape at the InterContinental hotel’s Regency Café from 11.30am to 3pm. Free-flow wine at $36 plus taxes per person. Morning meditation with Beth Goldring, a zen Buddhist nun teacher. Sessions held in a private home close to the national museum, all religions welcome. yogaphnompenh. com. Phnom Penh Hash House Harriers’ run. Meet at 2.15pm at the railway station.
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PHOTO ESSAY
Correfoc When devils hit the streets
The tradition of Correfoc, or fire running, is one of the most spectacular customs in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. To the beat of thumping drums and endless explosions, costumed devils from villages across the region run through the streets of Barcelona and cause mischief in a wild, unhinged display of anarchy and fire. Amid the mayhem, teams push carts carrying five-metre-tall dragons and goblins, which spout fireworks from their nostrils at terrified onlookers. Tom Perry is a writer and photographer from Melbourne, Australia. Visit www.tomperry.com.au for more of his work.
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Seang Leang Hong The floor manager of the climbing zone at new adventure centre Kids City shares his delight of heights with Amanda Saxton and Lyda Long. Photograph by Conor Wall. Rock climbing is a little known sport in Cambodia. How were you introduced to it? The first time I climbed was here at Kids City after I got my job as manager. This is the only place of its kind in Cambodia, and the first of its kind in Asia. I was trained by a guy from Clip ‘N Climb, the New Zealand company who helped set us up. What is the company’s role in the climbing zone? Our walls were designed by Clip ‘N Climb. They also supplied the equipment, like harnesses, and trained our staff. The design is unique because it uses an auto belay system, so you don’t need another person to belay [secure the rope] when you climb. This is really convenient, as customers can just clip themself to a rope and start climbing. The auto belay system will drop them smoothly when they fall. What do you enjoy about climbing and how do you keep fit? I enjoy the challenge of competing with the trainers here. I try to climb two to three times per week, and am happy to see my times improve. I like sports such as boxing, football, and volleyball — these help keep me fit for climbing. There are
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different techniques for climbing; some you use only your hands, some you use only your legs. Basically you have to have strong muscles to be a good climber. Who attempts the climbing wall? We target for 50/50 foreigners and Khmer, but actually we have many more Khmer. However, they come from higher income families and communication here is mainly in English. We work with local schools in Phnom Penh and have contact with international schools. So a lot of school groups come during the week. On the weekend, families often come to enjoy climbing together. As long as they are brave enough, anyone can climb! We also get foreigners who used to climb rocks and mountains trying with us. Can you describe some of the different climbs you have available? We have 26 different climbs… each one is unique and brightly coloured. The easiest is the hanging ladder, then there are more traditional indoor climbs going straight up a wall using different types of handgrips. There is a climb in the shape of a tree, which is easy if you use branches, and very challenging if you just use the trunk.
What about the non-climbing challenges? The ‘vertical drop slide’ involves getting pulled up a big slide, to a maximum of 10 metres high. Then you let go of the handhold and drop until the slide slows you down. The ‘leap of faith’ involves climbing up a ladder to a high platform. Then you leap off to grab the sausage [shaped object] hanging one to 10 metres away. Both are scary but exciting. Clearly you provide an exciting experience. How do you ensure it’s also safe? The Clip ‘N Climb company provided a trainer who flew from New Zealand to train us one month before we could operate. This involved maintenance, customer service and safety precautions. We also have a rubber floor and helpful staff. How can climbers measure their progress? Each wall has three levels — easy, intermediate and hard. Having the levels motivates them to come back by giving them the challenge to improve. Someone who reaches level three, who on his first climb could only reach level one, is very proud of himself. There is also a
‘speed wall’ which records your time, so people can try to climb faster. Do you get more smiles than tears? Surprisingly, the little children are really brave. They just climb straight to the top and jump down freely. Most customers overcome their fear on the same day; some do have to come back to try a few times before they can overcome it. About 96 percent manage to reach the top, but if not our instructors climb up to help. Do you get many people coming back? Our trainers try their best to put smiles on everyone’s faces, not just the children. It’s a lot about social interaction between customers and staff, and natural friendships get formed. So customers come back not just to challenge themselves on the wall, but also because of the cheerful people here. A one-hour climbing session costs $8 for kids and $10 for adults. First timers will be briefed on the walls. Extra fees and training are needed for the ‘leap of faith’ and ‘vertical drop slide’. Opening hours are between 8am to 9pm weekdays and from 8am to 10pm on holidays and weekends. Sessions start on the hour.
asialife Cambodia 29
The
Beat
GoesOn
More than 30 years after the Khmer Rouge regime decimated Cambodian arts, a new generation is helping to ensure that traditional music remains strong in a rapidly changing modern world. Ellie Dyer, Dara Saoyuthnea and photographer Charles Fox meet the musicians who are keeping an ancient culture alive. A clear voice soars over the fields of Kampong Speu province, demonstrating total control as touches of vibrato are added to the haunting tones of smot — an ancient form of sung poetry. The evocative melody is rising from a small concrete building, surrounded by greenery, where young pupils are being tutored in the art that explores themes of life, death and religion. In popular culture, smot is often associated with funerals and ghosts, but this class is more symbolic of renewal. As curls of incense rise from a shrine in the centre of the room, blind master artist Koeut Ran raises a delicate finger or murmurs a few words to adjust the students’ technique, ensuring that their breathing 30 asialife Cambodia
patterns manage the difficult chants that can each take one month to learn. Born in 1953, Koeut learnt to smot at the age of nine, garnering skills from her father whenever she settled down to sleep near him. Today, she still sings with a crystal clear tone through which — like her dad before her — she instructs willing trainees. “When I learn how to smot, I can also help society to preserve our culture and religion, and to keep it for the next generation of Cambodians,” says student Phan Rony during a break in class, describing the music as a “kind of dharma” that helps people to understand Buddhism. The 18-year-old is just one of many enthusiastic youngsters who are ensuring
asialife Cambodia 31
that traditional music lives on, despite the legacy of the 1975 to 1979 Khmer Rouge regime, during which many cultural figures were wiped out, along with their collective knowledge.
Music Reborn
“We lost almost everything,” says professional musician Nhok Sinat, who hopes to one day open an arts school in his native Siem Reap province. “When the regime collapsed, people didn’t think about the arts yet. What they thought about was [how] to survive.” But even in such dark times, symbols of the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage remained. Carvings of ancient instruments decorate a number of temples in Siem Reap province, including Bayon, and lay waiting to be reborn. “We can see the sculptures of our Cambodian traditional instruments on the wall of ancient temples,” Nhok says, before plucking his ksa diew — a one-stringed instrument that has been immortalised in stone. “So I think that if we can preserve [music], it’s very good for our country as a whole.” Like many successful young artists, Nhok Sinat has been assisted by nonprofit organisation Cambodian Living Arts 32 asialife Cambodia
(CLA). Launched in 1998, it has been instrumental in reviving classical art forms and currently runs classes in genres including smot, classic and modern wedding music, shadow puppetry, opera and dance across the country. At his roadside home in Takeo province, legendary master musician Sok Duch — once called “a living human treasure” by Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts — is teaching one such class. Perched on a shady wooden platform, with lowing cattle providing sporadic accompaniment, the 87-yearold strums a long-necked chapei dang weng guitar. Under the stern gaze emanating from behind his dark glasses, pupils are being tutored in classical wedding music. A teenager pipes a wooden oboe, while another sings and two small boys beat snake-skin drums. “To me, all these Cambodian traditional instruments are priceless because they are hard to make and play,” say Sok Duch, who began performing at 13 and still crafts his instruments by hand — a rare skill that he is passing on to his pupils. “For example, the ksa diew has only one string, yet we can play all songs with this instrument. None of the
other countries have it,” he says. “The [instruments] are born in Cambodia, and they are made by Cambodians.”
Re-building the Past
Yet it is not only Cambodians who are working to preserve the Kingdom’s musical past. Since 2006, ethnomusicologist Patrick Kersalé has been helping to reawaken traditional culture by rebuilding 7th to 13th century orchestras portrayed in ancient bas reliefs, even selling his house to aid the project. “I thought the most important thing for Cambodian people was to re-build the harp,” he says. The instrument, called pin, is displayed in motifs at Bayon temple but later disappeared from society, possibly due to the influence of Buddhism and the arrival of louder instruments like gongs, he says. “I built two kinds, one from the 7th century and one from the 12th century. The shape is very different,” adds the Frenchman, who travelled to meet harp players in Myanmar and learned to play the pin himself before training local musicians. “But what we need to understand is when you play the harp or sitar, the sound is very small. But it’s not for people, it’s for divinities or Gods,” says Kersalé, who
showcased his work at the French Institute in Phnom Penh and has performed live to audiences with a troupe called the Sounds of Angkor. “It’s so incredible,” he says of the public’s reaction. “Really, all generations coming there were crying — because they said: ‘We didn’t know. All these instruments are ours... but we have never seen [them before].’ It was so amazing.” The power of music is undeniable, but Kersalé believes that the art — whether designed to herald war, to entertain or to speak to the spirits — boils down to one thing. “We cannot speak about music, but of communication,” he says.
Moving Forward
For some, music is a way of conveying emotions along with concepts such as heritage, tradition and national pride. Nhok Sinat’s introduction to Cambodian music, for instance, was rooted in tradition. As a boy, he saw farming communities praying for good luck before cultivating their crops. “After listening to the music, all the aspects of the music were in my mind. I remembered every part they played. When I got home, I made sounds on cans to follow what I heard from the ceremony,” he recalls. asialife Cambodia 33
He later learnt to play the ksa diew while living at a pagoda. Now a professional musician, the sound still reminds him of Cambodian land. For example, the song ‘Saray Ondet’ signifies the beauty of nature and its waters and lakes, he says, with emotion also feeding into the sound. “For those who learn to play in the town, they cannot make the sound as sad as the players in the countryside,” he says. “If the people feel angry or so on, the sound will tell the exact feeling of the player.” “I think of the very simple life I have in the countryside. Hence, the sound produced by the ksa diew tells everything about countryside,” he adds. Back in the city, a grandson of master Sok Duch, 23-year-old Chomnit Lun, is carrying on his family tradition by playing the ksa diew. “I always feel good when I play it,” he tells AsiaLIFE. “Without it, I always get angry with something very quickly without thinking clearly. When playing, I feel energy, like an earthquake or a volcano.” Now a freshman at the Royal University of Fine Arts, he believes that playing traditional songs is important as a symbol 34 asialife Cambodia
of nationhood, as well as enhancing Cambodian culture and the reputation of the country. “Because there are small numbers of traditional music bands in Cambodia, people who see the performance are very happy to see that Cambodian traditional music still exists,” he says, calling its future “wonderful”.
New Era
Across the country, organisations are working to ensure that this is the case. In 2008, the Bophana Audiovisual Resource Centre began a project to revive forgotten Khmer songs that were collected by French academic Albert Tricon and set down in a 1921 book of musical scores, called Chansons Cambodgiennes. The publication had been found in a Paris book store and later given to leading Cambodian film director Rithy Panh as a present. With funding from the United States embassy, a band of musicians— directed by master Yun Kean, deputy director general of the General Department of Techniques for Intangible Cultural Affairs — recently recorded a second album of eight historic tracks from the book, including
arek music. Studies indicate that arek predates both Buddhism and Hinduism in Cambodia, with songs used to aid spiritual possession in healing ceremonies. “Songs we selected for the CD reflect Khmer society and history,” says Chea Sopheap, archives project coordinator at the Bophana Centre. “Moreover, we need our people today to discover the beauty of the words and terms used in the songs and poems by their ancestors.” An exhibition of photographs documenting the scheme is set to launch at Phnom Penh’s Bophana Centre on Aug. 16, while CLA is also hosting a series of free events exploring traditional culture at its office on Aug. 27. Live performances are set to entertain audiences, as four documentaries on endangered art forms including smot are screened, and a photo project exploring the organisation’s work launched. In Siem Reap, Patrick Kersalé also has plans to increase public access to Cambodia’s musical heritage by opening a museum at the Golden Silk farm near Banteay Srey temple. “We say in French, if you are going to know where you are going to, you need to know where you are coming from,” he says.
Tradition Demystified Chapei Dang Weng
The chapei dang weng is a twostringed long-necked guitar. One of its most famous players is Kong Nay, who became blind as a result of smallpox at the age of four. With his raspy voice and wit, he is known as the ‘Ray Charles of Cambodia’ and has toured worldwide.
Ksa Diew
An ancient one-stringed instrument made from a long piece of wood and a hollowed-out gourd. Players pluck the string while holding the gourd near to the heart in order for it to resonate. The rare instrument is notoriously difficult to play, say musicians, and is thought to be more than 1,000 years old.
Pin
This Angkorian harp features in bas reliefs on ancient temples and has been rebuilt thanks to the efforts of Patrick Kersalé. A new generation of musicians has been taught to play the instrument as part of the Sounds of Angkor troupe, formed by Cambodia Living Arts, with similar harps found in Myanmar.
Smot
Smot is a traditional form of poetry chanting that explores Buddhist themes and is often — but not always — associated with funerals. Good throat control and breathing patterns are needed to perform the haunting music, with leading artists including singer Srey Pov, who has toured internationally. asialife Cambodia 35
36 asialife Cambodia
International experts are descending on the Angkor Archaeological Park to breathe a new lease of life into the historic temple complex. Marissa Carruthers meets those working among the serene faces at Bayon. Like a scene straight out of Tomb Raider, a web of twisting roots and trees hides a crumbling mountain of stone. Vines creep through cracks in the once-powerful monument and a shabby stone smile peeks through overgrown jungle. This is the Bayon temple that French adventurer Henri Mahout stumbled across in the 1860s — a stark contrast to the structure standing today. Famous for its 37 towers displaying 216 smiling faces, hoards of modern day visitors flock daily to the temple that once sat at the centre of the
"With the ancient techniques, it will keep for about 300 years."
Khmer Empire. They can be seen circling the manicured grounds surrounding the structure, admiring its libraries and outbuildings before standing in awe at the base of one of Bayon's famous faces. Caught up in the excitement, many will fail to notice the work being carried out in small pockets of the temple. In places, a few wheelbarrows used to transport soil are the only sign of the effort underway. In other areas, scaffolding and cranes dominate the landscape
as teams of men, hunched over chipped stones, patiently reconstruct ruined walls, towers, stairs and floors. Other workers, clutching detailed illustrations, duck below ground in one of two large excavation sites near the outer wall. "This is a World Heritage site and therefore [it] is of universal value, so it’s important that it’s maintained,” says Australian archaeologist Robert McCarthy, standing next to a statue of a guardian lion, whose historic scars are waiting to be fixed. "Not only do we want to improve the visitor experience, [but] this is sacred ground and should be maintained and respected as sacred ground.” It's thanks to such behindthe-scenes work that Bayon and the other temples at Angkor Archaeological Park have been transformed from a forgotten city into the breath-taking monuments of today. Built between the 9th and 12th centuries, they were neglected after attacks by Siamese invaders in 1431. Yet over the last century Angkor's importance — historically, politically and religiously — has been revived. Restoration was launched in 1907 by French organisation Ecole Francaise d'ExtremeOrient, which set about clearing the overgrown jungle, repairing foundations and installing drainage systems to protect buildings from further water damage. Work halted in 1970 as Cambodia descended into war, but restarted again in 1993 with Japan, Germany, India and UNESCO involved in restoration. At Bayon alone, more than 700 Japanese and international experts have been flown in as
part of the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (JSA) scheme. “We follow the ancient people’s ways and we get a more consistent product. It’s surprising but machines don’t work as well as the ancient way and that’s amazing,” says McCarthy, who has been working on the JSA project for four years. “It’s truly mindboggling how they managed to move so many stones and build something like this that lasted so long.” To date, JSA has carried out a series of pain-staking schemes, set out in five-year plans, to restore and conserve Bayon’s northern library, prasat sour prat tower, the southern library and central tower. In each project, the surrounding area is thoroughly excavated and mapped to locate scattered or missing stones from the dilapidated buildings. Each stone is then numbered, with any missing stones also logged and given a number. Before restoration work starts, a technical illustration of how the structure should look is drawn on a computer, showing how the building should be constructed. Experts also research the ancient techniques used on the magnificent structures. One of their most effective tools is the compact clay that was created to build the foundations. By blending sand, clay and lime, ancient builders made a mixture that was strong enough to support the heavy stone above. A traditional wooden tool called an elephant's foot was utilised to compress the soil, and is still used by temple workers today. Other practises being replicated include using a hammer and chisel to carve new stones to replace lost
originals. Repairing broken blocks is another critical part of the work. The old stones must be treated by injecting a form of resin called polymerto into decaying parts, then leaving it to strengthen. “Originally, most of the restoration work was carried out using concrete. At the time it was a very effective material to restore, but we found in the humid climate it will only keep for 40 to 50 years before it starts to deteriorate,” explains McCarthy. “With the ancient techniques, it will keep for about 300 years.” Teams, which include more than 70 trained local workers, are currently piecing together tower 57 and restoring the naga balustrades and lions around Bayon — the last state temple to be built at Angkor. It is hoped that restoration work will be finished in the next 10 to 15 years, while conservation will be ongoing. The aim is for Cambodian experts to take over the project. “It's a very complicated structure and there's nowhere else in the world quite like it on a religious, political and structural level,” adds McCarthy. “This is why it's imperative that this work carries on into the future."
Meet the Minister
Dara Saoyuthnea meets a well-dressed salesman whose creative energy has led him to build a business to be proud of, while developing a unique reputation along the way. Photography by Conor Wall. Riding a huge quad bike on his way to the markets and restaurants of Phnom Penh, an energetic man wearing a smart suit and tie is shouting loudly. However, this immaculately dressed businessman is not, as his coat suggests, a highranking office worker. He’s a seller of papaya mam — marinated fruit mixed with galangal, soup powder, salt, sugar and toasted rice. Mao Bora is very different from the other sellers in the capital. Instead of setting up shop in one spot, the friendly salesman travels from place to place, sometime advertising his snacks by singing selfcomposed, papaya-orientated Khmer lyrics to the tune of hits such a ‘Gangnam Style’. After running his business for three years and attracting the attention of local media, the 31-year-old has earned a degree of fame and, thanks to his neat attire, an unusual nickname — the ‘Minister of Papaya Mam’. Although it’s unusual in Cambodia to see someone wearing a suit and tie while selling food, Bora believes that the way he dresses is beneficial for himself and society. “We see that our country is developing, so we have to develop ourselves as well,” explains the entrepreneur, who aims to popularise Cambodian food and whose budding empire now includes eight motorbikes and around 12 employees. Yet three years ago it was a different story. Before becoming the ‘Minister of Papaya’ in 38 asialife Cambodia
his customers’ eyes, he used a single bicycle to sell his fruity fare after withstanding years of hardship. Originally from Takeo province, Bora quit school in the third grade in order to help his parents sell papaya mam and other foods after his mother broke her leg in a traffic accident. He sold snacks at a railway station and later trained in motorbike repairs but, unable to afford the tools of the trade, moved to Phnom Penh to find work. His first job in the city was at a drinks company where he earned just $2.50 a day, but he soon realised that the career didn’t suit him and the salary could not help his family. In June 2010, he began to sell mam on his bicycle with some unique twists — his forwardthinking sales strategies and snazzy image. “It was cold season and I thought that the coat would make me warm, and then I bought it,” says the expressive salesman of his trademark style. “Then someone asked me why I didn’t use a tie with the coat. I replied: ‘What is a tie?’” After being taught to knot one, he quickly decided to exchange some mam for seven to eight of the chic accessories, completing his outfit. “After that time on, I have more and more customers,” he recalls. Though the way Bora dresses is undoubtedly impressive, his inspired selling methods are even more important to the success of his enterprise.
“We have dancing and singing to show our customers, but we start the performance based on place and situation. We have to see if we can play the music at those places,” he explains. “We cannot do so near the pagoda, school, hospital
of salesmen. Most of his employees are aged under 28 and Bora advises them to follow his lead on how to talk to the public and what to wear. The most essential skill is remaining brave when standing in front of customers.
“It was cold season and I thought that the coat would make me warm, and then I bought it. Then someone asked me why I didn’t use a tie with the coat. I replied: ‘What is a tie?’” and older people who are sick.” The businessman makes his own version of songs by adding Cambodian lyrics to catchy classics such as ‘Gangnam Style’ and ‘Gentleman’, both by Korean superstar Psy. “If we mostly copy from others, we cannot be famous. So I have to create ideas by myself,” he says. Thanks to his inspired talents, he has become well known in the capital, appearing in print, broadcast and online media. But it is not fame that spurs his passion for sales. It is his relationship with his market customers. “People here who buy my mam treat me as their son, their relative, their nephew, so I cannot forget them,” he says. “My customers love me, pity me, so they always buy my mam." With his business rapidly expanding, he is also training the next generation
“They are also human like me, so they can also do [the same as] what I am doing. We act normally at home but we act crazily while selling,” the master salesman explains, before adding that a few staff members are still not confident enough to dress the way he wants, instead choosing student uniforms of a white shirt and black trousers. Despite his run-away success, Bora remains humble. Though he can afford to rent a bigger room for making mam, he doesn’t want to leave the wooden house in suburban Phnom Penh that he first rented when the business began. “It always reminds me of the first time I arrived Phnom Penh,” he says. “Even though I have a big villa, I still sell mam. I love it and I love my customers,” he adds. “I don’t want my customers to say that I forget the time when I was poor.”
Chan Rothana (right) with one of his students. asialife Cambodia 39
E U G N E AD
E E FR E R U FUT
ang Nha Tr ef o t s a f the co entially gam king of r o us pot w m native, quito-borne vir l tea r a e n lt a io t a n a rn he mos An inte m is taking bating t i. m na o t c ie o t V rsk in ach ael Tata g appro changin ords by Mich .W dengue
40 asialife Cambodia
Tips to A Professor void De Scott O’N ngue eil thing to a ppreciate l says: “The most importan is that Aed biting mo t es aeg squito, so somethin sleeping ypti is a day g li k u e n th d usually at won er a ne thing is to get bitten around ’t do anything. Pe t or ople th n o e t get bitte ir there are n during house so the key n o m th o squitoes b e day. Ma get rid of ke su reed an house. Th y containers of wa ing in your house re ,s e mosquit ter in or a can contr o round yo o ol them a es don’t fly very far so if y ur round yo ou u r o w n d can reduc w e the risk elling you of dengu e.” Though they are now the enemy of anybody living in the tropics, up until 400 years ago mosquitoes were limited to Africa. European expansion delivered them to much of the globe, and now their range covers more than 100 countries, affecting roughly 2.5 billion people. While everyone knows the annoyance of a mosquito bite, certain insects carry dangerous, sometimes deadly diseases. One of the most virulent is dengue — a name that many in Cambodia are familiar with. According to the World Health Organisation, up to 100 million cases of dengue occur worldwide each year. Of these, 500,000 may develop into a more severe form: dengue haemorrhagic fever. Currently there is no effective cure for the infection. However, the people behind the unique Eliminate Dengue Program are working on a project that could change the way we think about fighting insect-borne diseases, while halting dengue in its tracks. Research began in the 1990s and is centred on a type of bacteria called Wolbachia. According to professor Scott O’Neill, head scientist at Eliminate Dengue and dean of science at Australia's Monash University, the bacteria is carried by 70 percent of insects. However, it is not present in the type of mosquito, known scientifically as Aedes aegypti, that hosts dengue. Originally, the research
focused on shortening the lifespan of the breed. According to a video put together by the team, one scientist discovered that the strain of bacteria halved the lives of fruit flies from 30 days to 15 days. Aedes aegypti has a similar lifespan, and researchers knew that it takes up to 10 days for a mosquito to be able to transmit dengue once it has bitten a person. They decided to see if transferring Wolbachia from a fruit fly to the mosquito would shorten its life, thus reducing its ability to spread dengue. The results stunned scientists on the team. The life-shortening theory worked, but it also turned out that the bacteria acted as a vaccine. “Simply having Wolbachia in the mosquito helped prevent the spread of dengue. We didn’t need any fancy tricks,” O’Neill recalls. Just as important was that the bacteria spread naturally through mating. This breakthrough altered the way researchers looked at a cure for dengue. “We’ve been trying to create vaccines for humans for years unsuccessfully, so this is an alternative approach,” O’Neill says. “The key feature is that once you put it out there it’s self-sustaining … when you put it into a population it spreads by itself.” The Eliminate Dengue team moved from laboratory tests to field trials around eight years ago, when the
program received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They worked on injecting Wolbachia into a few mosquitoes in a small population in northern Australia, with positive results. But Australia doesn’t have enough dengue to provide conclusive measures, so the team looked elsewhere. Testing in Vietnam was their next step. With cooperation from Vietnam’s National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Ministry of Health, Institute Pasteur, the Khanh Hoa province health department and locals, Eliminate Dengue selected Tri Nguyen Island — two kilometres off of the coastal city of Nha Trang — as its proving ground. “We started off by trying to suppress the local mosquito population before we started releasing our own,” O’Neill says. “That way we wouldn’t add to the population once we started the program.” The team is now figuring out which strains of Wolbachia will be the most efficient to deploy. The program is halfway through the release period, and the rate of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia has reached 60 percent. “The test will be to see if the rate reaches around 80 percent, and then the question becomes will it stay that high,” O’Neill says. Depending how things go, the program could
be extended to mainland Vietnam. There is also the possibility that Wolbachia could one day be used to suppress the most dangerous mosquito-borne illness — malaria. It has already been proven that the bacteria neutralises yellow fever and a few other diseases also carried by Aedes aegypti. Another positive about this novel approach is its low human and environmental impact. “We did a lot of work on this and we found that Wolbachia is too big to fit down the salivary ducts of the mosquito,” O’Neill says. Therefore, if you get bitten by an infected mosquito, the bacteria won’t be transmitted. The bacteria also occurs naturally. People are bitten by other bugs carrying the bacteria and no traces of it have ever been found in human blood. O’Neill and his team are confident there will be no negative consequences from an environmental or human health perspective. While questions remain regarding this method, particularly the issue of how long it may take the mosquitoes to develop resistance to Wolbachia, if any, Eliminate Dengue has made great progress. From an accidental discovery to full-field testing, the team has shown that we may finally have a leg up in the fight against insects and illnesses that have plagued humans for centuries. asialife Cambodia 41
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Amanda Saxton and Ellie Dyer meet some of Camb odia’s sharpest trivia minds to dis cover more about the cap ital’s hard fought quizzes. Photos by Conor Wall.
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Test Yourself! Brecht asks ...
From which song does the following wisdom come? “Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive.”
Which word is a type of boat, the dimple at the bottom of a wine bottle, a Catalan newspaper and something done to a ball in sport?
Abigail asks ... David asks ...
What did Jorn Utzon of Denmark design?
Find the answers with the AsiaLIFE quiz on page 98. asialife Cambodia 43
Taste the World
Marissa Carruthers and Lyda Long sample the flavours of the globe without stepping foot out of the Cambodian capital. Photography by Charles Fox.
Russia
PAKISTAN
NEPAL
LEBANON
From the icy chill of Russia to the extreme heat of Cambodia, Irina Godlevskaja, the owner of eponymous Irina’s restaurant, was one of the first to introduce the flavours of the sprawling country to Phnom Penh when she moved here 20 years ago. Described as comfort at its finest, food from Russia and the former Soviet Union is concocted to keep shivers at bay. “A lot of the food is made to warm you up. It’s heavy and there’s lots of meat and vegetables,” she says. “It’s made in the cold with warm hearts.” Signature dishes include the beetroot-based soup borsch, meat-filled pelmini dumplings with vinegar and sour cream, and Georgian cheese pies washed down with a shot of vodka. Try: Irina’s at 22 Street 29. Tel: 012 833 524.
Pakistani food is renowned for well-blended tastes and rich flavours. Despite displaying similarities to Indian food, the cuisine varies in that the majority of the dishes contain meat, as opposed to the frequently vegetarian dishes of India. As a predominantly Muslim country, traditional dishes do not include pork, but are heavy in other meats, vegetables and spices. Majid Wazir, owner of Phnom Penh’s Saffron restaurant, says, "Pakistani people take hospitality very seriously and that can be seen in the food. There are often many courses and many tastes." Staple ingredients include chilli, black pepper, turmeric and salt. Great Pakistani dishes include aloo keema, chicken masala and dal, a soupy lentil sauce. Try: Saffron at 11 Street 278. Tel: 012 247 832.
Nepalese cuisine is often confused with Indian but, despite sharing some similarities, it has fewer spices and herbs. Drawing influences from nearby Tibet, momo dumplings filled with spiced buffalo meat are an authentic example of the fare. "Fried momos are the perfect example of a fusion between the Tibetan and Indian influences that distinguish Nepali food from Indian food,” explains Umadevi Durung, owner of Mount Manaslu restaurant. “A typical Nepalese will eat everyday dal, bhat, and tarkari, which translates to lentil soup, rice and curried vegetables, all served together on a brass or stainless steel plate," he adds. Try: Mount Manaslu at 1A Street 282. Tel: 023 996 514.
The foreign powers that controlled Lebanon for periods of its history have undoubtedly influenced its food. The Ottoman Turks that ruled the country between 1516 and 1918 introduced cooking with lamb, the French took over power until 1943 and left pastries and croissants, while ancient tribes travelling through the country left rice and dates. Lashings of garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and herbs are also commonly found in the unique cuisine. Hem Saron, head chef at Lebanese eatery The Village, explains, “Fresh ingredients are very important and the dishes contain a lot of herbs and spices. There’s a lot of lamb too rather than red meats.” Popular dishes include hummus, falafal, kafta kebab and the mezze platter. Try: The Village at 1 Street 360. Tel: 016 865 597.
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INDONESIA
SPAIN
MOROCCO
BRAZIL
As the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia has many influences and its cuisine uses cooking techniques such as broiling, deep-frying and blanching. Firdaus Firdaus’ Phnom Penh restaurant, Warung Bali, serves up authentic dishes such as gado-gado (boiled vegetables with peanut sauce dressing), ayam goring (fried chicken), and chicken satay with Balinese sauce. Key ingredients used are peanuts and peanut oil. "The sauces are always delicious, especially the Balinese sauce which is made with garlic, peanuts, sweet soya sauce, salt and oil,” Firdaus says. Try: Warung Bali at 25E Street 178. Tel: 012 967 480.
Olive oil and sherry vinegar are two items that can be found in every Spanish kitchen, though spices and butter are often banished to the bin, with very few local dishes using either. "The dishes in Spain tend to reflect the need for fresh quality products, with people enjoying a lot of small dishes," says Joaquin Campus, co-owner and chef at Quitapenas. With the majority of the country surrounded by sea, the Spanish diet relies heavily on seafood, with the famed rice dish paella being a firm favourite. Other traditional offerings include gazpacho (a cold tomato-based soup), cooked and cured hams, and an array of cheeses. Try: Quitapenas at 14B Street 264. Tel: 0884 429 320.
Morocco's geographical location as a gateway to Africa means that its cuisine is a melting pot of Berber, Moorish, Arab and Mediterranean influences. Spices are an essential ingredient to Moroccan food, with cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, saffron, mint and parsley being common. The country's signature dish, tagine — a slow-cooked stew of meat and vegetables made in a clay pot — has people licking their lips across the globe. “Tagine is very traditional Moroccan food,” says Annette Vann, owner of Tamarind restaurant. “We have it with lamb, chicken, or vegetables.” Other specialities include couscous and chickpea soup. Try: Tamarind at 31 Street 240. Tel: 012 830 139.
Meat, meat and more meat — this is what Brazilian's love and exactly what is served up by the bucket load at all-you-can-eat Samba Steakhouse. The restaurant’s Daniel Lira says that authenticity is key and, because of the emphasis placed on good meats in Brazil, Samba throws them on the churrasco, a traditional barbecue. “Meat is very important to Brazilians and we use grills imported from there," he says. "In true style, all 15 types of meat are cooked on charcoal.” Peas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, butter beans and soy beans are also popular ingredients in the cuisine. Try: Samba at 64 Sihanouk Boulevard. Tel: 023 222 599. asialife Cambodia 45
La Patisserie Behind a large glass counter sit row after row of tempting treats, enough to send a lethal sugar rush through the veins of even the most hardened sweet lover. Plump éclairs, draped in a thick layer of chocolate and oozing fresh cream, sit next to a rainbow of macaroons, freshly baked breads and pastries, all waiting to be devoured. Welcome to La Patisserie by Christophe, an elegant café, patisserie and bakery on Street 178 that is serving up a sumptuous selection of tasty treats. Created by Frenchman Christophe Le Cardinal, the shop opened its doors in April, with customers now clamouring for a bite of the action. "My dream has always been to have a place dedicated to selling my pastries and desserts," the pastry chef says. "Pastry is my passion and what I love doing, so to be able to 46 asialife Cambodia
do this here in Cambodia is an amazing achievement for me." Since moving to Cambodia four years ago, the talented chef has cooked up a storm in the kitchen by impressing high-end customers at the capital’s classy La Residence restaurant. Previously, he honed his skills working in a series of luxury restaurants and hotels in Switzerland and Holland after studying for six years in Brittany, France. "I love making pastries, that is definitely my favourite thing, and I try to be creative and produce a range of pastries in many different flavours to cater for the different tastes in Phnom Penh," Le Cardinal adds, as he lovingly looks over at his carefully crafted creations. The chef enjoys tantalising taste buds with his creations, and knows how to push boundaries by experimenting
On a mission to satisfy her sweet tooth, Marissa Carruthers heads to La Patisserie by Christophe. Photograph by Conor Wall.
"I love making pastries, that is definitely my favourite thing, and I try to be creative and produce a range of pastries in many different flavours to cater for the different tastes in Phnom Penh." with a series of flavours that are working a treat with clients. He offers éclairs ($3) in coffee, caramel, green tea and citron-framboise flavours. Macaroons ($0.75 each) come in chocolate, banana, pistachio, raspberry, durian and passion fruit, and generous portions of delectably delicious cakes
range from black forest gateaux to caramel and pineapple flavoured cheese cakes ($3.50). But it is millefeuille — puff pastry and vanilla cream — that is Le Cardinal's signature dish. "This is my favourite thing to make and when people here talk about millefeuille, they tend to think of me. It really is what I'm known for," he says. Le Cardinal has grand plans to expand his clientele further afield than the patisserie, which boasts a fresh and warm decor with a few tables to seat diners, and the venues he sells his cakes at, which include La Residence and Le Safron restaurants and White Mansion hotel. "I would love to share my food with more of Phnom Penh," he says. 9A Street 178, Phnom Penh. Tel: 077 960 504.
Crêpe Mania Be it the Australian pikelet, the Russian blini or the Vietnamese bánh xèo, cultures across the world have embraced the joys of frying, flipping and tossing batter. Whether thick or thin, crispy or soft, the humble pancake is an entity that many associate with a taste of home. Different versions of the dish, which is thought to date back to ancient Greece, abound in Phnom Penh’s culinary melting pot, but one new eatery has upped the stakes by specialising in the worldrenowned French version — the thin and crispy crêpe. Suitably named Crêpe Mania, it is bright and airy café-style restaurant, full of simple furniture, potent coffee and clean lines. Despite the laid-back look, a quick glance at the menu illustrates that it takes its crêpes very seriously. Twelve salty
options — ranging from blue cheese to an intriguing green curry version — are offered along with sweet varieties. We kicked off our lunch with the Greek ($5.25), containing feta, spinach, olives and tomato, and the Four Seasons, stuffed with creamy chicken, onions, tomato, coriander and mushrooms ($6). The first thing to note is that the salty varieties are in fact large buckwheat crêpes, which are dappled brown in colour and distinctly savoury. Served folded into large squares that cover a sizeable plate, I was pleased to see that they benefited from a good ratio of filling to crêpe. The generous portions made me feel more comfortable with the relatively high price point — the advertised prices do not include a 10 percent service charge, though this is clearly pointed out on the menu — and
Writer Ellie Dyer and photographer Conor Wall visit Phnom Penh’s new crêpery to try out the classic French snack. the crêpes had an authentic feel, especially when washed down with a bowl of traditional sweet cider from the French region of Brittany ($1.90 per serving). A stand-out factor was the salty feta inside the Greek, which was satisfyingly crumbly and mixed well with the equally salty olives and savoury wrapping. The Four Seasons was noticeably richer and came loaded with cheese, chunks of chicken and cream. Though the coriander was lost in the mix, the balance of textures was excellent and made for a filling yet indulgent lunch. Given that buckwheat pancakes are a rarity in Cambodia, it’s worth splashing out to experience them. Less successful were the plancha mania ($3.75 for two). The non-crêpe offering consisted of two slices of toasted bread, spread with cream cheese topped with
chunks of avocado and tomato mixed with mint. Sadly, the generous serving of avocado was overpowered by a thick layer of distinctive cheese. Its sheer strength overshadowed the delicate mix of flavours surrounding it. To finish, we had the recommended sweet crêpe with speculoos — a type of European spiced biscuit — and caramel ($4.50). The gentle crunch of cinnamon crumbs laced with a light sauce gave it the distinctive taste of Christmas. I could imagine scoffing one besides a warm fire as snow falls outside. A scoop of ice cream would have made it extra indulgent, but both sweet and savoury fans can find plenty to satisfy them at the restaurant... provided they like crêpes. 38 Street 214, Phnom Penh. Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 8am to 7pm. Tel: 012 948 842. asialife Cambodia 47
Making Waves Simon Ostheimer looks into the haunted past of Khao Lak in Thailand, after it was hit hard by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, and finds a bright future. Photos by Kiri Heald.
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In November 2012, Hollywood released The Impossible, a heartbreaking movie that relived the tragic events of the 2004 Asian tsunami. Based on the true story of a Spanish family that survived, in one memorable scene a wall of water comes straight at the viewer, as a father frantically tries to get his two young boys to safety. The on-screen wave was of course a CGI creation, but the one that hit the shores of Thailand’s Phuket and Phang Nga provinces on that Boxing Day was not. One of the worst affected areas was Khao Lak, a resort area located a few hours north of Phuket, where at least 4,000 people died — a number that included locals, tourists and Burmese migrants. Today, most of the damage has been repaired, with new resorts being built on land where beach huts were instantly washed away. Replanting programmes are helping to re-green a devastated coastline that in many places simply disappeared. While people have moved on, and the tourism industry is once again booming — at any resort breakfast you’ll likely find yourself surrounded by the sounds of Swedish and German conversation — there are still markers of what happened that day. Blue street signposts point the way to evacuation routes, warning you to get to higher ground, and distinctive tsunami shelters — simple concrete buildings raised up on stilts — stand all along the coastal roads, ready in case the impossible should happen again. There is also another, poignant reminder. On December 26, 2004, the 20-metre-long Thai Police Boat 813 sat at anchor about one nautical mile off the coast of Khao Lak, put in place to protect Her Royal Highness Ubonrat Rajakanya Siriwaddhana Phannawaddee, a Thai princess who was staying at a local resort with her family. The power of the tsunami was such that the vessel was swept almost two kilometres
inland, eventually coming to rest close to the tree line of the jungle. It was then left there, rusting, in a quiet empty field to act as a reminder of what had happened. The boat is now at the epicentre of a construction site, as a memorial park is built around it. A work in progress when we recently visited, it is due for completion later this year, and will incorporate a visitors' centre, children’s area, amphitheatre and museum. One can only hope that it also still offers a place for quiet reflection. It’s little known that Khao Lak actually has two tsunami memorials. The other is in a small seaside village called Baan Nam Khen, where a waveshaped tunnel is lined with plaques dedicated to the dead. However, the more moving scene is to be found down by the shore, where local children run and play on the beach and families picnic under the shady trees. It’s a sign that life has once again reclaimed this land from the past and that laughter and happiness have replaced cries and sorrow. The events of some nine years ago may never be forgotten — and they should not be — but by placing December 26, 2004, within the context of history, we are all able to embrace the future. WHERE TO STAY Ramada Khao Lak Fronted by pristine white sand beaches, close to fantastic outlying islands, with lush tropical foliage, comfortable contemporary rooms and villas, sumptuous dining choices, rejuvenating spa treatments and more, the Ramada Resort Khao Lak features a stylish collection of spacious rooms as well as stunning beachfront and private pool villas. The resort also features two restaurants serving cuisine from around the world, a spa and an array of leisure and recreational facilities. For reservations, contact rsvn@ramadakhaolak. com or visit ramadakhaolak. com.
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BEHIND the
DESIGN
TAIPEI 101
Sean Pavone
Looming over the skyline of Taiwan’s capital city, the 508-metre-tall skyscraper Taipei 101 held on to the title of the world’s tallest building for an impressive five years. Though now eclipsed by Dubai’s 829-metre-high Burge Khalifa, the pride of Taiwan still has a clutch of records to its name, all made more staggering when you consider that this mega structure lies slap bang in the middle of a typhoon and earthquake zone. Mixing concepts of nature, wealth and tradition, the tower’s design is symbolic of modern Taiwan. Its body consists of eight soaring segments shaped like bamboo, while the green-grey windows echo the colours of the mountains that surround the city. Old and new lie side by side in the building, with curving architecture lines reminiscent of a traditional Chinese temple and the ‘01’ in its name symbolising binary code and the digital age. As suits a centre of finance, the lucky Chinese number eight is rhythmically repeated all over the structure to signify prosperity, and a giant coin, stretching from level 24 to 27, has been placed on its exterior.
Inside gleaming corridors — home to a giant shopping mall, a food court and offices — the world’s fastest lift leads visitors to the 360-degree observation deck in 37 seconds, ascending at an ear-popping 1,010 metres per minute. But perhaps the most impressive element in the landmark, officially opened in 2006 and built on bedrock, lies at its heart. The key to enduring stability through vicious tropical cyclones and earth-shuddering quakes is the world’s largest wind damper. The golden beehive-shaped object placed on the 88th floor helps stabilise the tower in the face of the extreme weather. Made of 41 layers of 12cm-thick steel plate and weighing 660 metric tons, it sways to offset the motions rendered by large storms or seismic activity. Staring at the damper on a recent trip to Taipei and fully aware that a strong typhoon was about to ravage the city the next day, I could only be grateful that this modern feat of engineering has been designed to withstand the potential earthquakes and winds of the next 2,500 years. Words by Ellie Dyer asialife Cambodia 51
Top: Ken Wong@Paperdolls Skirt: La'Or Bracelets: Paperdolls Previous page Top & Skirt: La'Or Earrings: Paperdolls
Earrings & Ring: Paperdolls Skirt: Anne Noelle T-shirt: Stylists own
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Denim Origami Dress: Anthea Mooney@Paperdolls Bracelets: Paperdolls Hair and makeup: Ryan@The Dollhouse Styling: Ryan@The Dollhouse Model: Sothy Sith Photographer: Montana Rakz
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Listings
hotel & travel Airlines & Agencies
Air Asia Domestic Terminal Arrival Office NºA17, Phnom Penh International Airport Tel: 023 890 035 Asiana Airlines Room A16 at Phnom Penh International Airport. Tel: 023 890 441 Bangkok Airways #61A, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 722 545 Cambodia Angkor Air Branch Office in Phnom Penh #206A Preah Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 6666 788 Cebu Pacific Air No. 333B, Preah Monivong Blvd, Sangkat Orussey 4, Khan 7 Makara, 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 161 China Airlines #32, Preah Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 056
China Eastern No. 68, st. 606, Sangkat Beung Kak 2, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh Tel: 016 985 668 #304, Steung Thmey Village, Siem Reap Tel: 063 965 229 China Southern Room F-G-H-I,Ground floor Nº53, Phnom Penh Hotel, Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 424 588 DragonAir #168, Monireth Boulevard, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 424 300 Eva Air Suite 11-14B, Street 205, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 911 Jet Star Asia #333B, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 220 909 Korean Air #254, R03, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 2240 47-49 Lao Airlines #58B, Preah Sihanouk Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 956 Malaysia Airlines #35-37, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 218 923-924 Myanmar Airways International No. 90-94Eo, Charles de Gaulle (St. 217), 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 866 404
Qatar Airways Ground floor, Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh. www.qatarairways.com Skywing Asia Airlines IOC buld, Monivong Blvd, Beoung Riang, Doun Penh Tel: 023 217130 Silk Air Regency Complex C, Suite 2-4 Samdach, Monireth Blvd, S.k. Tomnoubteouk, Khan Chamkarmorn Tel: 023 988 629 Thai Airways #294, Mao Tse Toung Blvd., Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 214 359 Tiger Airways No. 296, Mao Tse Toung (St. 245), Intercontinental Hotel, Suit 16B, 12306 Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 5515 888 Vietnam Airlines #41, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 215 998
Battambang
La Villa 185 Pom Romchek 5 Tel: 017 411 880 / 053 730 151, lavilla.battambang@gmail.com, www.lavilla-battambang.com Beautifully restored 1930s colonial house with six rooms is the premium hotel in the country’s second city and with an excellent kitchen and bar. Riverside Balcony Bar & Restaurant West bank of river. Tel: 012 437 421
Traditional wooden house with great views of the river and good food, ideal for a sunset cocktail lounging over the river. Open Tues – Sun, 4pm - 11pm.
Kampot
Blissful Guest House Tel: 012 848 390 www.blissfulguesthouse.com Small guest house, with 18 rooms, set in guest house street with downstairs garden bar and restaurant and bar, Sunday roast, home-baked bread. Bokor Mountain Lodge Riverfront Tel: 033 932 314 / 017 712 062 www.bokorlodge.com Beautiful French colonial building situated on riverfront with well-fitted air-conditioned rooms. Has a good restaurant and bar. Epic Arts Café Old Market Street Employing deaf staff, this café next to the old market has a good range of bagels, shakes, brownies and coffee. Is also the centre for the community arts programme. Open from 7am - 6pm. Les Manguiers 2km north of Kampot Tel: 092 330 050 Small resort with bungalows and rooms set in beautiful gardens overlooking the river with a restaurant which has daily changing, freshly prepared food.
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Mea Culpa 44 Sovansokar Tel: 012 504 769 meaculpakampot@gmail.com Accommodation established by the former manager of Bokor Mountain Lodge set in the French Quarter. Six rooms have air con, hot water, DVD and TV. The large garden has a patio pizzeria and bar. Nataya Coral Bay Resort Prek Ampil, Kampot, Tel: 016 226 471 / 012 902 823. natayaresort@yahoo.com Only 16km from Kampot, this topend hideaway comes complete with eight beachfront bungalows, a 25m infinity pool, a 2km private beach, stilt huts off a 300m pier, and simply oodles of relaxation. 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 7 days a week. Rusty Keyhole Riverfront This British pub is the place for expats to chew the fat over a pint.
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Friendly British owner has recreated the atmosphere of a rural pub in outer Kampot, or at least as close as it gets. The ribs remain as good as ever. Open 8.30am until midnight.
Kep
Breezes Route 33. Tel: 097 675 9072 Situated on the main coast road about halfway between Kep Beach and the ferry to Rabbit Island, this stylish restaurant and lounge is located right by the sea in a green, wooded area. The food is a fusion of Asian and western with a focus on small dishes with plenty of seafood. Free pick-up and return to Kep hotels. Kep Lodge Tel: 092 435 330. www.keplodge.com Nestled just below the calm Kep National Park, this boutique resort offers only 10 standard and luxury bungalows, all with private balcony, hot water and sea view. The comfortable restaurant pampers you with local and Swiss specialties and the lively bar. The beautiful infinity salt water pool has one of the best views in Kep and is the perfect place for a sunset. Knai Bang Chatt Resort Tel: 078 888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal service and modernist style. Lush and private grounds house a collection of remodelled 1960’s
style colonial villas. With 18 unique rooms the resort includes an infinity pool, full spa, and media centre. All rooms refurbished to international standards. Choice of two dining options – upscale The Strand or the adjoining Sailing Club. Le Bout du Monde Kep, Tel: 011 964 181 www.leboutdumondekep.com Individual and separate bungalows in traditional Khmer architecture located at a top of a hill with good views and nice gardens. Serves French and Khmer cuisine. Rooms have hot water, mini-bar, fan and safe. Saravoan Hotel Thmey Village, Kep, Tel: 036 639 3909 012 715 588 / 012 357 729 Recently renovated building with 17 rooms has all the modern amenities including an inviting swimming pool and sweeping views of the sea. Veranda Natural Resort Tel: 033 399 035, 012 888 619, www.veranda-resort.com Traditional wooden bungalows set in the hillside. Settle down for the night and listen to the jungle purr. Has a good restaurant and bar with some quite stunning sweeping views down to the coast.
Mondulkiri
Mayura Hill Resort (Mondulkiri 4 star Boutique Resort) Phnom Penh Office: 225 Sisowath Quay
Tel: 017 711 177/017 811 188 www.mayurahillresort.com Mayura Hill Hotel & Resort located in Mondulkiri Province has 14 exclusive private Bungalow villas embodying the north eastern lifestyle. The first eco-tourism resort in Sen Monorom city located just 1 Km from downtown, surrounded by wonderful views of the highlands.
Phnom Penh – Deluxe
Amanjaya 1 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 214 747 www.amanjaya-pancam-hotel.com Large hotel with a great central location along the riverfront. The rooms are spacious and wellequipped with tasteful Khmer decorations. The downstairs restaurant doubles up as the air-con K-West bar. Bellevue Serviced Apartments 68 Tonle Sap Street. Tel: 023 432 999 www.bellevueservicedapartments.com www.facebook.com/ bellevueservicedapartments Located in a deluxe hotel complex on the riverbank of the Tonle Sap, Bellevue offers spacious, contemporary accommodation 10 minutes away from the city. Facilities include infinity swimming pool, tennis court, gym and children’s playhouse, 24 hour security, housekeeping, internet and complimentary shuttle to the city. Studio to 3 bedroom units available.
Cambodiana 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 426 288 www.hotelcambodiana.com Great riverside location with spectacular sweeping views of the confluence of three rivers. Large rooms with air-con, in-room safes and good bathrooms. Live band plays nightly (except Mondays) from 8.15pm until late. The Governor’s House 3 Mao Tse Tung Blvd. nr cnr Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 987 025 www.governorshouse.net Welcome to The Governor’s House Colonial Boutique Hotel in Phnom Penh. The Governor’s house offers an exclusive 10 rooms 5-star boutique hotel embodied in an original colonial-style mansion in the heart of BKK I, surrounded by the top residential area in downtown Phnom Penh city, Kingdom of Wonder. Himawari 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 214 555 www.himawarihotel.com The 115 beautifully-designed suites have air-con, cable TV, IDD, Internet, inroom safes and large bathrooms. Nice swimming pool and good gym facilities as well as two good tennis courts. Imperial Garden Hotel 315 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 219 991 Large hotel and villa complex next to the Cambodiana. Has a swimming pool, gym and tennis court. InterContinental 296 Mao Tse Tung. Tel: 023 424 888 www.ihg.com One of Phnom Penh’s most luxurious 5-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 a spa. Raffles Hotel Le Royal Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 www.phnompenh.raffles.com 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. Beautiful gardens with a separate swimming pool for kids plus reasonably priced apartments for long stays. The rooms at the front are particularly special. Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Set riverside amongst landscaped gardens this 12-storey colonial style hotel is close to key attractions, embassies and the central business district. Along with 201 luxurious rooms and suites with Mekong or Bassac river views, are chic restaurants and bars, an upscale spa, two swimming pools, a sports club and the finest conferencing facilities in Cambodia.
Phnom Penh – Mid Almond Hotel 128F Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 822 www.almondhotel.com.kh
56-room hotel located close to the Royal Palace and the riverfront with spacious rooms with WiFi. Downstairs restaurant serves dim sum and Cantonese food. AQUA Boutique Hotel 2 Street 278. / Tel: 012414596 info@aqua-pp.com Modern Indochina villa offers 7 rooms in a stunning Art Deco building, All en-suite with A/C. and on-sight pool, sun bed, wine bar and tapas restaurant. Asia Club 456 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 721 766 An oasis of water and green in the city, the five bungalows and four rooms with air-con and bath, large safe and flatscreen tv. The beautiful swimming pool is tucked around the back of Man Han Lou Restaurant and you can have drinks and food delivered from Man Han Lou Restaurant. Blue Lime 42 Street 19z (off Street 19), Tel: 023 222 260. www.bluelime.asia Centrally-located mini-hotel with a great swimming pool and contemporary rooms is a good flashpacker option. FCC Phnom Penh 362 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 253 222 www.fcccambodia.com Phnom Penh’s landmark restaurant has seven rooms with balconies offering views of the river. Each is individually designed and meticulously outfitted with high-speed Internet access and the latest mod cons. Hotel Cara 18 Street 47 & 84 Tel: 023 430 066 / 023 998 422 stay@hotelcara.com www.hotelcara.com Just north of Wat Phnom, this stylish boutique hotel has well-fitted rooms at very reasonable rates and a great sushi restaurant. Lebiz Hotel & Library 79F Street 128. Tel: 023 998 608 / 610 info@lebizhotel.com www.lebizhotel.com Luxury accommodation with a competitive edge and sleek modern design offers a full range of specialty services tailored to business needs, and cutting-edge technology to maximise comfort and productivity. Has unique library. Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 990 321. www.paddyrice.net Former Hope and Anchor has newly refurbished rooms with solar hot water, cable TV, air conditioning, WiFi and great views of the river from its balconies. Downstairs restaurant offers full western and Asian cuisine Splash Inn Hotel 5 Street 244. Tel: 023 986 174 www.splashinncambodia.com The Splash Inn opened in March 2011 after full renovations to two traditional Khmer villas, one block from the Royal Palace. All rooms boast handmade furniture, en-suite bathroom, flat-screen LCD TV, DVD, Wi-fi, fridge and mini-bar.
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River 108 2 Street 108. Tel: 023 218 785 www.river108.com Art deco hotel aimed at the flashpacker set, the river view rooms are extremely comfortable with flat screen TV and separate bathroom and toilet. Efficient WiFi, good working space and spacious rooms make this the perfect business option.
Villa SALT 4 Street 294. Tel: 012 815 066 villasalt@sentosasilk.com Whether you are touring Phnom Penh or planning a long vacation, Villa SALT along with SentosaSilk, create an atmosphere that makes you feel at home. Explore 14 artistically decorated rooms, each created to give you that authentic sense of uniqueness.
The Little Garden 8 Street 398. Tel: 078 217 871 Stylish boutique hotel with a swimming pool. A quiet retreat from the city’s chaos. Rooms feature attractive Cambodian furniture and gorgeous colonial tiles.
Phnom Penh - Budget
The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa 28 Street 184. Tel: 023 215 151 http://theplantatation.asia 70 rooms – including a penthouse suite, two swimming pools, a restaurant, two bars, a gym, a spa and a meeting room. Centrally situated close to most of Phnom Penh’s main attractions.
Feeling Home Cnr. Streets 278 & 63 Tel: 023 221 522 www.feelinghomecambodia.com Stylish nine-room boutique hotel with ample rooms at competitive rates, including flatscreen TV, aircon, security box and great beds. Also has two apartments, an Asian restaurant and a Café Sentiment coffee house.
The Pavilion 227 Street 19. Tel: 023 222 280 www.pavilion-cambodia.com Beautiful boutique hotel set in a colonial building with large, unique rooms, each with either a small balcony or garden. Outdoor swimming pool, free WiFi and a small poolside restaurant.
California 2 79 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 503 144 www.cafecaliforniaphnompenh.com New guest house and bar on the river front with well-priced rooms with air con and security box. Downstairs bar has great Tex-Mex food and pool table.
L’Imprevu Highway 1, 7km past Monivong Bridge. Tel: 024 390 405 Complex with twenty-four bungalows just outside of Phnom Penh. Tennis courts and excellent swimming pool make this a good break from the city.
The Quay Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 894 http://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 Chow Restaurant with WiFi.
Le Rit’s 71 Street 240 Tel: 023-213-160 Small & charming 6-room guesthouse with spacious rooms is managed by NYEMO NGO, part of its hospitality training. Rooms equipped with queen sized bed, cable TV, private bathroom. The restaurant has a European set lunch menu and serves authentic Khmer food a la carte for diner.
Queen Boutique Hotel 49A Street 214. Tel: 023 211 683 om@queenboutique.asia Boutique hotel located conveniently close to all the major attractions including the Royal Palace and National Museum.
Tonle Sap Guest House 4-6 Street 104. Tel: 023 986 722 www.tonlesapguesthouse.com Clean, well-kept guesthouse upstairs with 15 rooms, with air-con, fans, hot water, cable TV. Downstairs Pickled Parrot bar open 24 hours.
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Club RED 25 Tola St., Ochheuteal Beach Tel: 068 319 481 Located in the very heart of the city, this unique nightclub, bar, and lounge is open every night of the week. Great music, dance shows and live entertainment. Enjoy exclusive drinks and cocktails served in stylish surroundings by our friendly staff. Open 8pm till late. Independence Hotel Independence Beach Tel: 012 728 090 www.independencehotel.net Beautifully restored hotel on Independence Beach, originally opened in 1963, reopened in 2007 following a complete refurbishment. Has sweeping ocean views from most rooms. Also has a gym, conference rooms and circular restaurant. Reef Resort Road to Serendipity Beach Tel: 012 315 338 www.reefresort.com.kh Guesthouse set around a beautiful pool with well apportioned air-con rooms, in-room safe and cable TV, family rooms also available. Has a welcoming bar with excellent TV screen, slate pool table and excellent Mexican cuisine. Scuba Nation Lane off road to Serendipity Beach Tel: 012 604 680 / 012 715 785 www.divecambodia.com Five-star PADI centre offering daily trips to the area’s many islands and reefs including the decent dive sites at Koh Rung Samloem and Koh Kon, also runs a range of PADI-certified courses, and has an office in Phnom Penh. Sokha Beach Resort Sokha Beach. Tel: 034 935 999 With its own private beach, excellent swimming pool and fine restaurants, Sokha is the most up-market place to stay in Sihanoukville. A live Filipino band plays around the cocktail bar at night. The Secret Garden Otres Beach Tel: 0976 495 131 www.secretgardenotres.com
Modern beachside air-con bungalows with hot water, jungle showers or baths, TV, WiFi and Otres Beach’s only swimming pool. Restaurant run by professional Australian chef with draught and imported beers. Zoco Independence Hotel Road to Serendipity Beach Two fashion boutiques – one on the way to Serendipity Beach, the other in Independence Hotel – run by the Spanish-born Nuria, sells dresses, skirts, bags and accessories.
Travel
Cambodia Uncovered 11B Street 370. Tel: 012 507 097 www.cambodiauncovered.com Offers village and cultural tours in Phnom Penh and surrounds including road trips, Mekong cruises, accommodation, cooking classes and other activities. Exotissimo Travel No. 66, Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 218 948 www.exotissimo.com Excellent French-owned agency specialising in adventure tourism, flight bookings, package holidays and a range of tours of Southeast Asia. Helicopters Cambodia 10 Street 310. Tel: 012 814 500 www.helicopterscambodia.com Over 12 years experience operating in the Kingdom offers scenic flights around the Temples of Angkor and beyond. Is a wholly owned subsidiary of Helicopters New Zealand Group. Intrepid Travel 468 Sivutha Blvd. Tel: 063 966 655 For travellers with a yearning to get off the beaten track, Intrepid opens up a whole new world of adventure travel. With a huge variety of tours available. Travel Indochina 43-44EO Street 108 Tel: 023 991 978 www.travelindochina.com.au Australian-owned and managed travel company specialising in small group journeys around Asia that can tailor trips for individuals.
Listings
Street with great mellow decor and extremely cool t-shirts. Free drink during the 6pm to 9pm washing hours. Open 6pm until late. Linga Bar Alley behind Pub Street Tel: 012 246 912. www.lingabar.com Laid back, gay-friendly bar with extremely chilled Buddha Bar tunes and some amazing light boxes that serves a great range of cocktails. Free WiFi. Open 5pm until late.
siem reap Siem Reap - Bars
AHA The Passage. Tel: 063 965 501 Sophisticated and beautifully designed wine bar selling a wide range of wines from around the world and tapas, as well as great cheese and Lavazza coffee. Open 10.30am to 10.30pm. Angkor What? Pub Street. Tel: 012 181 4001 “Promoting irresponsible drinking since 1998,” this graffiti-laden bar is the mainstay of Pub Street. A healthy mix of loud rock, punk and grunge, buckets of vodka and red bull for $6. Fresh at Chilli Si-Dang East River. Tel: 012 723 488 Riverside dining, balcony views, a relaxing lounge downstairs, and a pool table. Fresh food, including traditional Khmer cuisine, cheese, sandwiches, a generous selection of vegetarian food. Laundry Bar Old Market Extremely chilled music bar just off Pub
Little Pari The Lane, off Pub Street, The newest and bluest bar in town! Very sweet, very stylish little jewel of a bar, much like the eponymous owner herself, Pari. This jazz/wine bar serves delicious Asianised cocktails, wines and beers. Open from 7pm until closing. Miss Wong Lane off Pub Street. Tel: 092 428 332 Imagine yourself in China at the turn of the last century and you won’t go much wrong in Miss Wong with excellent and original cocktails and dim sum. Open late. Nest Sivutha Blvd. Tel: 017 925 181 A step up for Siem Reap, Nest is high level drinking and dining, serving light Mediterranean and Asian food in a unique, highly stylised setting, with loungers and table settings. Picasso Alley West A very cosy wine and tapas bar, with artful décor and a curved bar making conversation easy and fun. Good selection of wines and delicious tapas make this a regular haunt for expats. Open 5pm until midnight.
The Station Wine Bar Street 7, close to Pub Street Tel: 097 850 4043 www.thestationwinebarsiemreap.com For lovers and lovers of wine offers a selection of fine wines, always 20 by the glass and a list of over 100 by the bottle. Good music and pleasant decor in air conditioned comfort. Tuesdays, varietal wine tastings and every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday our Lady Boy Variety Show. The Warehouse Old Market Tel: 012 530 227 Popular expat bar plays great music with good Asian-Western fusion cuisine. Best stocked bar in town and homemade infused vodkas. Open 10am to 3am.
Siem Reap - Cafés
Blue Pumpkin Old Market Tel: 012 946 227/ 063 463 574 www.tbpumpkin.com Popular café with a great range of freshly baked breads and pastries, shakes and coffee. Also at Angkor Wat and the airport. Open daily from 6am to 10pm. Free WiFi.
Siem Reap - Galleries
Diwo Galleries One at Vat Svay, Tonle Sap Road and another between Monument Books and Ta Prohm Hotel on the riverside Features a selection of refined Khmer statues and Buddhas. The larger Vat Svay location features a gallery exhibition of Thierry Diwo’s photography, as well as sells home decor and books. Drinks are available in the garden and on the terrace. Happy Cambodia Gallery 2 Hospital Street, between Psar Chaas and Pub Street Tel: 063 963 114 www.happypainting.net
McDermott Gallery I & II FCC Complex Pokambor Avenue, Alley behind Pub Street. Tel: 092 668 181 www.mcdermottgallery.com Two galleries devoted to photographic works. with permanent exhibition of photographs taken by John McDermott. Open 10am to 10pm.
Siem Reap - Hotels
FCC Angkor Pokambor Avenue Tel: 023 992 284 www.fcccambodia.com Boutique hotel with 31 contemporary Asian-designed rooms spread around the garden and swimming pool. Free WiFi for guests both in rooms and around the pool. Golden Orange Off East River Road Tel: 063 965 389 reservations@goldenorangehotel.com www.goldenorangehotel.com Mini-hotel with good sized air-con rooms that tends to have customers when others are empty. Nice outside bar makes for a good place to sit and have a few beers. Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor 1 Charles de Gaulle Tel: 063 963 888 www.raffles.com Elegant hotel with opulent gardens and a spectacular swimming pool in its grounds. Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort Vithei Charles de Gaulle Tel: 063 964 600/ 610 www.sofitel.com Ultimate in comfort and refinement, combining the traditional architecture of Cambodia with elegant French colonial style. 5-star accommodation, 5 bars and restaurants, swimming pool, spa and international standard18-hole 72-par golf course, 16km outside Siem Reap.
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Siem Reap - Leisure
Angkor Silk Farm Puok District (20min from Siem Reap downtown) Open daily from 8am to 5pm Tel: 063 5555 768 www.artisansdangkor.com Enjoy Cambodia’s countryside while admiring the skills of the silk workers. During a free guided tour, learn about the meticulous process of silk-making, from the mulberry trees which nourish the silkworms and unwinding the cocoons to the tie-dyeing of threads (ikat technique) and the traditional silk weaving. A free shuttle bus departing from Artisans Angkor’s shop in Siem Reap center to the Angkor Silk Farm is available daily at 9.30am and 1.30pm. Body Tune 293-290 Pokambor Av. (next to the old market along Riverside) Tel: 063 764 141 www.bodytune.co.th When you need to re-balance and rejuvenate your body in between daily routines, BODY TUNE is the perfect place to regain your energy. Open daily 10:00am - 10:30pm.
L’Oasi East River Road. Tel: 092 418 917 The best Italian restaurant in, or rather just outside of, town. The combination of the beautiful garden and home-cooked Italian pasta and pizza makes the trip well worth it. Maharajah Indian Restaurant Next to Pub Street, btwn CAB bank & provincial hospital. Old Market Area Tel: 063-966221 / 092-506622 Authentic Indian vegetarian and nonvegetarian food. Maharajah believes that exclusivity with a touch of simplicity is important in the creation of every dish. Open daily 11am – 10pm. Marum 8a Route B, btwn Wat Polanka & Catholic Church. Tel: 017 363 284 contact@marum-restaurant.org Great food, good service. Part of the Friends International group that trains marginalized and vulnerable young people for a career in the hospitality industry. Profits go back into the training programme.
Siem Reap - Shops
Khmer Ways Wat Svay Village. Tel: 077 367 790 www.khmerways.com Ride specially adapted motor-scooters to explore parts of Siem Reap nobody else gets to, including villages, temples and waterfalls. No previous experience required. Lunch, water, sunscreen and snacks provided.
Artisans Angkor Boutique and Workshops Stung Thmey Street (2min from the Old Market) Open daily from 7.30am to 6.30pm Tel: 063 963 330 www.artisansdangkor.com Boutique offering a large collection of handmade souvenirs such as high-quality silk scarves, clothing and accessories, wooden and stone sculptures, lacquer paintings and decorative items for all contemporary lifestyles. Also offers free guided tours of the handicraft workshops to see some of the secrets of traditional Khmer craftsmanship.
Sam Veasna Centre Wat Bo Area. Tel: 063 96 37 10 Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award winner. Some of the rarest birds in Asia can be seen at Prek Toal and Ang Trapang Thmor, a day-trip from Siem Reap, or combine bird watching with temple trips to Koh Ker and Beng Melea.
De Silk 18 Oum Khun Blvd Tel: 063 761 198 / 011 775 168 www desilk.com Boutique offering 24/7 tailoring services using 100% Khmer traditional silk, that has expertise in making clothes and accessories.
Phokeethra Country Club Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Vithei Charles de Gaulle Tel: 056 396 4600 reservation.angkor@phokeethragolf.com International standard 18-hole, 72-par golf course 16km outside of Siem Reap. Clubhouse facilities: pro shop, rental equipment, restaurant.
Eric Raisina 53 Veal Village Tel: 012 965 207 / 063 963 207 Accessories, decor, textiles and clothing created by Madagascan-born and French-trained designer. Phone in advance for an appointment.
Helicopters Cambodia 658 Hup Quan Street. Tel: 063 963 316 Professionally run company that has flights over the temples and beyond in modern, safe helicopters.
Siem Reap - Medical
Royal Angkor International Hospital National Route #6 Phum Kasekam, Khum Sra Ngea. Tel: 063-761-888. Fax: 063-761-739 www.royalangkorhospital.com Royal Angkor International Hospital is part of the well known Bangkok Hospital Network. We offer high quality care for all eventualities from routine care to emergency treatment 24 hours a day.
Siem Reap - Restaurants
FCC Angkor FCC Complex, Pokambor Avenue Tel: 063 760 280 Elegant bar and restaurant serves a mix of Asian and international cuisine. The complex includes shops, the McDermott Gallery, Visaya Spa and boutique hotel. Le Malraux Street No. 7. Tel: 063 966 041 Beautiful French restaurant offering alfresco, café and brasserie style dining with a menu catering to a range of budgets and tastes. Both food and service is consistently good. An attractive wine list rounds out this restaurant’s promise.
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Jasmine Boutique FCC Angkor, Pokambor Avenue Tel: 063 760 610 Same sophisticated, stylish boutique as on Street 240 in Phnom Penh. Smateria The Alley West Tel: 063 964 343 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.
Siem Reap - Spas
Sokkhak Spa Sok San Street, next to Haven Restaurant, Old Market Area Tel: +63 763 797 www.sokkhakspa.com In Khmer, Sokkhak means ‘tranquility’. With a nature-inspired décor with a soft, warm and tranquil atmosphere in which to relax, refresh and indulge and using carefully chosen natural botanical and marine-based products, Sokkhak Spa is a Cambodian owned and managed business with over 16 years experience in the spa industry throughout Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and South America. Open daily 11am - 10pm.
Your Body is a Temple Joanna Wolfarth The seductive qualities of ice-cold, 50 cent beers and plates of cheap food are hard to resist, but what happens when the boozy late nights and long lazy days get to be too much? How can one get healthy and feel virtuous in Siem Reap and justify all those $1 cocktails? Surprisingly, the options for exercise are myriad. At the cheaper end of the scale is a free run/jog/crawl around the Royal Gardens, opposite Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor. Goal-orientated folk can also register for the annual Angkor Wat Half Marathon, which takes place in the archaeological park on Dec. 1. Next up is Cambodian aerobics, a bargain at just 1,000 riel for an hour of sweating. Not having the right kind of exercise gear is no excuse, as many locals rock up in daywear, including high heels. As an added bonus, new arrivals are likely to learn how to count to four in Khmer and possibly some new dance moves. You can find classes along the riverside from 5.15pm. For those who don’t break out in hives at the thought of going to a gym, there are plenty of options in town. Local gyms offer weights and usually a few machines — a treadmill, exercise bike and cross-trainer — for about 1,500 riel per session. At the other end of the scale, you can get air conditioning, steam
rooms, good machines and a decent pool at many of the top-end hotels in town. It’s pricier, but worth every dollar for the post-workout jacuzzi. Team players can find sporting company at 7 Sports, off Wat Bo Road, where football enthusiasts meet every Tuesday at 7pm. A weekly women’s football group meets every Wednesday at 6pm at the Siem Reap Sports Club. For the socially-inclined, it’s a great way to get fit and meet new people, plus justify all the post-game beers. Cyclists can join Saturday morning rides, which meet at Grasshoppers at 8am and consists of a 30 kilometre adventure into the countryside. It costs $5, which includes mountain bike hire. Those in need of something extra to take their bodies from a neglected Beng Melea to the restored wonder of Angkor Wat should get in touch with the Hariharalaya Retreat Centre. Located in countryside near the beautiful Bakong temple, it hosts yoga classes and meditation sessions. Better yet, they offer a four-day detox program to purge the body of Anchor, Mekong Whisky and all the other indulgences of Pub Street. You can find out more at www.hariharalaya.com. If none of the above appeals, there are always the nightly dance workouts held at Temple and Angkor What bar. I’m pretty sure lifting a bucket counts as a bicep curl.
Listings
food & drink Cambodian
Khmer Surin 9 Street 57. Tel 012 887 320 Elegant restaurant featuring wood and silk décor with a tropical garden that serves Cambodian and Thai favourites. Dishes are well prepsred and large enough to share. K’NYAY 25K Suramarit Blvd. (Street 268) Tel: 023 225 225 / 092 665 225, www.knyay.com knyay@hotmail.com Modern Khmer restaurant tucked away down an alley off Sihanouk Blvd, with a menu including a selection of freshly prepared, vegan dishes, along with traditional Cambodian specialities. Offers a selection of cakes, ice creams and sorbets, using all vegan ingredients. Open 12pm - 9pm (Mon - Fri), 7am 9pm (Sat), closed Sunday. Malis 136 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 221 022 www.malisrestaurant.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. Restaurant Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 (see also restaurants, French) Romdeng 74 Street 174 Tel: 092 219 565 Come to Romdeng and order some delicious Khmer food for you and also for your children from our new kid’s menu, serving creative and healthy treats for little one! While waiting for your dishes, let you kids enjoy the playroom while you relax by the pool… And before leaving don’t miss our new gift shop in the first floor. Special lunch set menu everyday. Open 11am - 9pm. Chinese Emperors of China 19 Street 163 Tel: 097 929 2699 Up-market Chinese restaurant, popular with the capital’s large Chinese community, private dinning rooms, specializes in Peking duck and dim sum. Fortune Palace NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park Chinese restaurant with authentic Greater Chinese cuisine and all-youcan-eat Dim Sum buffet on Sundays. Open from 11am - 3pm, 5pm 10pm.
Fu Lu Zu Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd. 023 999 200 x 6613 Elegant Chinese restaurant specialising in contemporary Cantonese delicacies and dim sum with private rooms for intimate ambience. Open from 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm. Dim Sum weekend from 8am - 2.30pm. Hua Nam 753 Monivong Bvd. Tel: 023 364 005 Large Chinese restaurant that specialises in seafood and duck and has a good selection of wines, with VIP rooms. Open 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 10pm. Man Han Lou Restaurant 456 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 721 966 Micro-brewery with four types of German-style beer. Has extensive Chinese, Thai, Khmer and Vietnamese menus, as well as dim sum breakfast. Open from 6am - 10am. Sam Doo 56-58 Kampuchea Krom Tel: 023 218 773 The place for dim sum in Phnom Penh, baskets of steamed prawn dumplings, pork buns and more go for a pittance. The wonton soup and other tasty meals are a steal. Open 7am - 2am. Xiang Palace InterContinental Phnom Penh 2/F, 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 023 424 888 x 3562 Xiang Palace is locally acclaimed for its authentic Cantonese cuisine and delicious dim sum, all prepared with the finest ingredients. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Yi Sang Chinese Restaurant 128F Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 922 www.almondhotel.com.kh Set on the ground floor of the Almond Hotel, this stylish restaurant specialises in Cantonese food and dim sum that fuses the traditional with the contemporary, including excellent dim sum. Open from 6.30am - 10am, 11.30am - 2pm and 5.30pm - 10pm – Dim Sum not served in the evening.
French
Armand’s 33 Street 108 Tel: 015 548 966 A true bistro experience in a cosy wood-panelled space, despite the informal and relaxed ambience it has the menu to even satisfy high-rollers. Open 5pm until late. Closed Mondays.
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Brasserie du Port 49E Sisowath Quay, cnr Street 84 Tel: 012 607 507 Seaside bistro featuring eclectic menu of haute cuisine mixed with pasta and ish specials. French classics including flambéed duck, pork filet mignon and home-made fois gras available at reasonable prices. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Brasserie’s long wooden bar is the perfect spot for enjoying a sea breeze and the restaurant’s comprehensive wine list. Open daily, 8am – 11pm. Comme à la Maison 13 Street 57. Tel: 012 951 869 www.commealamaisondelicatessen.com Sophisticated French restaurant with a beautiful outdoor terrace area at the front, yet secluded from the street. One of the best French kitchens in town. Small delicatessen at the back of the restaurant. Open daily from 6am - 10.30pm. K West 1 Street 154, cnr. Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 214 747 Stylish aircon bar and restaurant below the Amanjaya with an excelllent steak menu and good value happy hour from 6pm to 8pm Fridays. Now has a brasserie menu with daily specials. Also has free WiFi. Open 6.30am until midnight. La Marmite Cnr Streets 108 & 51 Tel: 012 391 746 This small, reasonably priced French bistro has two adjoining rooms (one non-smoking) creating a relaxed, cosy atmosphere. Serves excellent fish, steaks and offal as well as daily specials, for a taste of real homecooked French cuisine. Open 11am - 2.30pm, 6pm 10.30pm. La Residence Restaurant 22/24 Street 214. Tel: 023 224 582 Fine dining on an international scale in this sophisticated restaurant, where French classics meet gourmet, modern cuisine. Open from 11.30am - 2pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm. Le Café Mith Samlanh French Institute, Street 184 Tel: 092 471 791 Set in the lush garden of the French Institute (formerly CCF), Le Café offers an extensive à la carte menu with Khmer and French dishes. All proceeds go towards Mith Samlanh’s programmes for marginalised youth. Open 7am - 5pm, closed Sundays. Le Gourmet NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park Tel: 023 228 822. Kitsch meets tradition at this up-scale restaurant. Quality ingredients come together in beautiful presentation on the plate, with the luxury of the surroundings complemented by professional and attentive service. Open daily from 12pm - 3pm and 6pm - 10pm.
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Le Jardin 16 Street 360. Tel: 011 723 399 Beautiful shaded restaurant with large garden and spacious outdoor play area for kids with excellent ice cream. Open 8am - 10pm (closed Mondays). Restaurant Le Royal Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh dining. phompenh@raffles.com Treat yourself to the finest French & Khmer cuisine in one of Indochina’s most elegant restaurants. The Chef’s Degustation menu allows you to try a myriad of dishes in a single meal in a refined atmosphere. Private rooms are available on request. Open from 6.30pm - 10.30pm. The Wine Restaurant 219 Street 19. Tel: 023 223 527 Excellent fine dining restaurant in the same grounds as Open Wine deli. The fresh food and extensive selection of wines make this one of the exclusive places to dine in town. 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 city’s Post Office. Open daily 11.30am 2.30pm, 5pm - 10.30pm.
Indian Sub-Continent
Dosa Corner 15 Street 51. Tel: 012 673 276 This small south Indian restaurant opened in January. True to its name it has a wide range of very good value dosa as well as thali and biryani dishes. Air-conditioned. Open 7am - 10pm. East India 9 Street 114. Tel: 023 992 007 South Indian cuisine predominates in this pristine restaurant with excellent breads including nine types of dosa. Open 11am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 10.30pm. Flavours of India 158 Street 63. Tel: 012 886 374, Relaxing Indian and Nepalese restaurant with friendly staff and a good range of dishes including good value vegetarian and meat thalis. Open 10am - 11pm. Shiva Shakti Street 63, between Mao Tse Tung Blvd. and Street 466 Tel: 012 813 817 / 023 213 062 Decidedly upmarket and sophisticated Indian restaurant in a beautiful setting with prices to match. Good place for an Indian treat. Open from 11am - 2pm, 6pm 10.30pm. Closed Mondays.
Indochine
Indochine NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park With a focus on Southeast Asian cuisine, Indochine offers tradition dishes from Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand in a sophisticated space. Open 11am - 11pm. Irrawaddi 24 Street 334. Tel: 012 979 510 Authentic Myanmar food at very reasonable prices in a clean setting with paintings of the Burmese countryside decorating the walls. Open 10am - 10pm, closed Mondays. Lemongrass 14 Street 130. Tel: 012 996 707 Elegant Thai-managed restaurant with stylish use of heavy wood and artefacts to create a far more luxurious ambience than the reasonable prices would suggest. Open 10am - 10pm. Le Wok 33 Street 178. Tel: 092 821 857 Light and modern pan-Asian and French eatery with dishes such as prawns with lime and wasabi and Mekong lobster thermidor, and a comprehensive list of wines and cocktails. Open daily 9am - 11pm. Ngon 60 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 151 www.ngonpnh.com Open air restaurant that features a vast range of Vietnamese food in a garden environment. Meaning delicious, although the food does not live up to its name, the ambience makes up for it. Pangea Fusion Restaurant NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Pan-Asian fusion restaurant with a western flair that specialises in allyou-can-eat dinner buffets. Open daily 6am - 10.30pm.
International
AQUA Modern Eatery Reservations: info@aqua-pp.com New location opening soon, Sacha’s Aussie XL Café 205A Street 51. Tel: 023 301 301 Aussie style bistro food with quick lunch menu and a good selection of house wines and retail wines. Open 7am - 11pm. Beirut Resto-Café 117 Sisowath Quay, (after night market) Tel: 023 720 011/ 092 483 759 The only authentic Lebanese halal cuisine and Sisha Lounge in the town. Offering middle east flavours including mezze tapas – hummus, shish kebab, baba ganouj, falafel, vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebab wraps. Delivery, takeaway, catering. Open daily 10am until late.
Cafe Monivong Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 Wicker armchairs and marble tables covered with crisp white tablecloths create the perfect place to relax and linger over a delightful alfresco breakfast, lunch or dinner. Western and Asian cuisines are available buffet-style or a la carte. Private rooms are available on request. Buffet from 6am - 10am, 12pm 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm, A la carte from 11am - 11pm. Doors Restaurant 18, Street 47 & 84. Tel : 023 998 114 www.doorspp.com New tapas restaurant, with live music. Open 11am until late eLYXIR 3 Street 466 (near Thai embassy), Tel: 023 211 711 Elyxir is dedicated to wine, luxury and gastronomy. Each course was dreamed up in order to marry perfectly the wines on our menu. Elyxir includes a swimming pool, champagne bar, private rooms & all our wines are available at our Wine Shop. Open Tuesday - Sunday, 10am until late. Equinox 3a Street 278. Tel: 023 676 7593 www.equinox-cambodia.com marco@equinox-cambodia.com anthony@equinox-cambodia.com French-run bar and restaurant. International menu, pool tables, split-level bar. Art exhibitions each month and live music gigs most Saturdays. Bachata class on Tuesdays, Salsa class on Wednesday and swing nights on Thursdays. Open daily 11am – late. 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 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, the cocktails are half price and draft beer goes for $1. Open daily from 7am to midnight. Fish Sisowath Quay, cnr of Street 108, Tel: 023 222 685 www.fishphnompenh.com Contemporary, modern restaurant specialising in all things oceanic. Menu includes everything from lobster through sushi to gourmet fish and chips for upmarket, but reasonable prices. Open 7am - late. Flavours 158 Street 63 Tel: 017 765 896 Relaxing restaurant and popular bar run by Quebecois with comfortable chairs that fall out onto the street. The mix of Asian and western cuisine has proved so popular that they have a copycat restaurant opposite. Open 7am - late.
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FOX Wine Bistro 104 Sothearos Blvd & St. 266. Tel.: 098 78 99 61 Casual wine-dining. For passionate food and wine lovers who want an unforgettable dining experience or even just a place to hang-out that’s unlike elsewhere in Phnom Penh. Serving simple yet thoughtful dishes and drinks in a comfortable, hip and trendy atmosphere. Friends 215 Street 13 Tel: 012 802 072 Non-profit training restaurant where all the proceeds go to the neighbouring street-kid school. Food is a reliable mix of Mediterranean and Asian with tapas thrown in if you are not feeling too hungry. Great juices. Another one of Phnom Penh’s places designed to take it easy, but this time with a clear conscience. Open 11am - 9pm. Gasolina 56/58 Street 57. Tel: 012 373 009 The largest garden bar in town has an extensive menu. Crèche facilities make this a popular choice with families at weekends. Has regular events with live music and DJs, even fashion shows. Open from 8am - 12am. Gastrobar Botanico 9b Street 29. Tel: 017 873 101 info@gastrobarbotanico.com Located in its own habitat with over 2,000 plants. Open-air. Offers tapas, salads, sandwich, and straightforward food, yet with character, in lush garden setting. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. Espresso bar. Cocktails, wines, fruit shakes. Open daily 8am - 9:30pm. Irina Russian Restaurant 22 Street 29 Tel: 012 833 524/ 092 833 524 www.irinacambodia.com Russian restaurant of iconic Phnom Penh status. If you can walk out of the restaurant after hitting the vodkas then you are doing well. Open daily from 11am until the vodka runs out. Java Cafe & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 420 www.javaarts.org 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.
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Kandal House 239 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 986 803 Very friendly riverside established serving good and reasonably priced homemade pasta and a variety of Asian dishes. Open 8am - late. 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. La Croisette 241 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 220 554 Riverfront restaurant with an ample outside dining area screened off by trees that serves good, reasonablypriced food, also has a cool, air-con restaurant inside. Often arranges special events. Open 7am until late. La Plaza Spanish Tapas Bar 22b Street 278, nr cnr Street 57 Tel: 012 825 443 Phnom Penh’s one and only Spanish tapas bar. It recreates to perfection the best known and most delicious Spanish tapas, making of seafood Paella its signature dish. Tapas are the result of hundreds of years of Spanish culinary history and evolution. Simple, tasty and healthy dishes have become a standard to be enjoyed with friends while drinking large amounts of sangría. Open 11am - 2pm,5pm - 10pm. All day on the weekend. LA ROSE Restaurant 164b Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Revive your strength and restore your health with La Rose Restaurant’s healthy option menu. Cozy ground floor restaurant with experienced chefs serving both Asian and Western cuisine. Latin Quarter Cnr Street 178 and Street 19 Tel: 093 319 081. Latin restaurant and bar that serves excellent tapas and mains with extra salsa. Beautiful courtyard often hosts live music and salsa dancing while the air-con restaurant is available for private hire. Open from breakfast until the music stops.
dining
n sushi
Le Quay Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 110 Tel: 023 998 730, www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Enjoy the menu of sushi, salads, paninis, crepes and Asian specialities, with a wide range of healthy power juices, smoothies, cocktails, coffees, beers and wines, either beside a relaxing water feature or on the riverside terrace. Smoke free environment for lunch and dinner. Open from 10.30am to 10.30pm. Lime Restaurant + Bar 79F Street 128 Tel: 023 998 608/ 610 info@lebizhotel.com, www.lebizhotel.com Located in Lebiz Hotel Lime serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering a stylish mix of Asian and western favourites with a focus on fresh, healthy and local ingredients, with regular changes to the menu. Lotus Blanc 152 Street 51 Tel: 017 602 251 Run by local NGO Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, this centrally located training restaurant has a monthly changing lunch menu as well as a la carte Khmer dishes. Serves both Asian and continental breakfast. Open Monday – Saturday, 7am - 10 pm. Metro Café 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 smoke-free (until 10pm) atmosphere. Open daily 9:30am - 1am.
Mike’s Burger House TEL 023 21 51 79 Russian Blvd, inside Sokimex
eryday
Petrol Station. Tel: 012 633 971 Hugely popular burger bar that serves food with plastic knives and forks and equally plastic French fries with cheese sauce. Ideal for those who believe that American culture starts with a Mc.
book.com/RahuMetro
New York Steakhouse 264 Street 63 cnr Mao Tse Tung Blvd. Tel: 023 987 500, www.steakhouse.com.kh Indulge in a seductive dining experience in the famed Phnom Penh
Steak restaurant. The innovative menu features New-York Steakhouse signature prime cuts of beef charred to perfection accompanied by decadent sides and desserts. Open Daily from 11am - 2pm and 15pm -Midnight. Ocean 11 Street 288. Tel: 017 766 690 European managed Mediterranean restaurant that dishes up some of the best fish and seafood in town. Try the red snapper or the squid with rocket. Often has exhibitions around the understated walls. One More Pub 16E Street 294 Tel: 017 327 378 (see bars) Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023990321 www.paddyrice.net (see bars) Restaurant Tell 13 Street 90. Tel: 023 430 650 Up-market eatery that re-creates the genuine feel of an Alpine chalet, has a spacious indoor restaurant and outdoor terrace with rotisserie and bar. European menu with imported steaks, fondue, raclette and an extensive wine list. Open 11.30am - 2pm, 5pm - 11pm. Rising Sun 20 Street 178. Tel: 012 970 718 (see bars) Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 012 277 882/ 023 213 898 Popular restaurant with expats and tourists alike mainly due to its large outdoor terrace area to view the river. Serves a mixture of Asian and western food with an emphasis on German cuisine. Has rock music videos and a pool table in the music bar at the back. Open from 7am - 2am. Samba Brazilian Steakhouse 64 Sihanouk Blvd. (Nr Independence Monument). Tel: 023 222 599 Experience the unique Brazilian Churrasco way of cookingwith a large variety of meats skewered and roasted to perfection and served piping hot direct from the skewers to your plate! Open daily 11am - 3pm, 5pm 10:30pm.
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Sonoma Oyster Bar 159 Street 278 Tel: 023 223 617/ 077 723 911 Phnom Penh’s first and only independent oyster bar has drawn a crowd of expats and Cambodians seeking high-quality oysters in a cosy setting. Open daily 10:30am – 2:00pm, 5:00pm - 11:00pm. Stella Restaurant 55 Street 75 Tel: 099 574 188 / 012 735 002 A cosy restaurant located near Wat Phnom, Stella serves pizzas, grilled food and Asian cuisine in a peaceful garden atmosphere. Steve’s Steakhouse 8 Street 240. Tel: 023 987 320 Longstanding restaurant specialising in local grain-fed beef as well as a large variety of imported steaks, hamburgers, ribs and Greek cuisine. Has a terraced lounge with pool tables upstairs as well as a sports bar with large screen TV and happy hour from 12pm to 7pm. Open daily 11am - 10.30pm.
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The Lost Room 43 Street 21 Tel: 078 700 001 A hidden gem, with eclectic food in an urbane environment. This small restaurant and bar owned by the former owners of Talkin To A Stranger offers small plates of food for sharing. Using imported and local foods, the menu encompasses global foods and unique cocktail and wine listings at reasonable prices. Caring and experienced staff makes for a pleasant evening. Come find The Lost Room and ring for directions. Open from 5pm Monday to Saturday. Kitchen closes at 10pm. Closed Sundays. Lunch by appointment only.
Italian
Aria D’Italia 41EO Street 310. Tel: 012 840 705 Cute little Italian pizzeria tucked away between Street 57 and Street 63. Well-priced lunch set menu and homemade ravioli. Home delivery available. Open 10.30am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 10pm.
Stonegrill 649 Sisovath Quay. Tel: 023 999 950 www.stonegrill.com.kh Stonegrill offers a unique interactive dining experience where diners meals are served cooking at the table on a natural volcanic stones heated to 400C (752F). Open daily 11am - midnight.
Bistro Romano NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Best known for its sumptuous Sunday Prosecco Brunch, this stylised Italian restaurant in the NagaWorld complex specialises in Italian cuisine. Open daily 11am - 11pm.
T-Bone Steak House 392 Monivong Boulevard & Street 360 Tel: 012 900 138 Contemporary restaurant serving a premium selection of both imported and Cambodian beef, in a sophisticated air-conditioned setting – a carnivore’s delight. Open 12pm - 2pm, 5pm -11pm.
Cafe Monivong Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Tel: 023 981 888 Indulge in home made antipasti, fresh prepared pasta and risotto as well as oven-baked, crispy pizzas and pair it all with the finest selection of Italian wines, every Saturday night 6pm - 10pm.
Tepui Restaurant Lounge Chinese House, 45 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 991 514 Located on the second floor of Chinese House, Tepui offers a mix of Mediterranean and South American small plates with Asian accents.The skilled Venezuelan chef is considered one of the city’s best culinary talents. Open 6pm - 10.30pm, closed Mondays.
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.
The Exchange / The Vault 28 Street 47. Tel: 078 886 889 Large colonial mansion contains The Vault, Phnom Penh’s first private member’s club for thoses who have $1000 to burn. Underneath, the Exchange has elegany exposed brickwork and low lighting as well as an impressive fusion menu. Open daily, 10am - midnight.
Dolce Italia da Giorgio 96 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 562 892 Authentic neapolitan pizzeria ristorante. Pizza prepared in traditional wood-fired oven. Delivery service now available at yourphnompenh.com last orders at 9pm. Open from 11:30am - 2pm and from 6pm - 10pm, closed on Sunday.
The Quay 277 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 894 Rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to enjoy a drink during half price 4pm-8pm happy hour. Food is a mix of tapas and more substantial offerings, including an excellent duck confit. Open daily 7am – 11pm.
Genova Italian Restaurant 19Eo Street 154. Tel: 012 390 039 This small restaurant has the feel of an Italian trattoria with food just like mamma made. The spaghetti al pesto Genovese is its signature dish. Good range of meat and fish dishes as well as some Khmer dishes. Open daily 10am - midnight.
La Volpaia 20–22 Street 13. Tel: 023 992 739 Part of a global pizzeria chain that includes Florence, Tokyo, Seoul and Phnom Penh, the cuisine is excellent with pizza and pasta cooked fresh in front of your eyes. Limoncallo 81E0 Sisowath Quay Tel: 081 800 210/ 081 800 240 Authentic Italian cuisine with pasta, risotto and pizzas prepared in the traditional way and baked in a blazing wood-fired oven. Open daily 11:30am- 2:30pm, 6pm10:30pm Luna d’Autumno 6C Street 29. Tel: 023 220 895 Beautiful courtyard or stylish interior air-con restaurant, whichever you choose, Luna has more classical pizzas, both red and white, to choose from than most restaurants. Also serves excellent pasta and other up-market Italian food. Good wine cellar on view in the restaurant. Open 11am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm 10.30pm. Pasta & Vino 45 Street 288. Tel: 086 314 400 Cosy Italian spaghetteria that specialises in well-priced authentic Italian pasta and wines in a smokeless air-con environment. Open daily 12pm - 2pm, 6pm 10pm. Pop Café da Giorgio 371 Sisowath Quay Tel: 012 562 892 Sophisticated, small Italian restaurant located next to the FCC that serves light, contemporary Italian cuisine including fresh pasta and pizzas. Delivery service now available at yourphnompenh.com last orders at 9pm. Open daily 11.30am 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm.
Japanese & Korean
Fusion Sushi Cnr. Streets 47 & 84 Tel: 023 986 114 Located inside Cara Hotel this beautifully decorated restaurant dishes up excellent Japanese and Korean food.
Le Seoul 62 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 012 971 516 Popular up-market South Korean restaurant specialising in BBQ, each table is equipped with its own charcoal burner, with all beef imported from the U.S. Open daily, 11am - 2.30pm, 5pm 10pm. Origami 88 Sothearos Bvd. Tel: 012 968 095 Up-market, contemporary Japanese restaurant with a spacious air-con area downstairs and four private rooms upstairs. Specialises in sushi and tempura, and has Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo beers. Open daily 11.30am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 9.30pm. Rahu 159 Sisowath Quay. Tel 023 215 179 Stunning, upscale atmosphere with a mix of modern Chinese décor, high ceilings, muted colors and rich woods. Japanese food takes the main stage but there is also Khmer and Western fusion cooking. A good place to go late night for sushi or a bowl of congee. Open daily 5pm - 2am. Udon Café 29B Street 288. Tel: 086 426 530 Freshly made Sanuki-style udon noodles offer a real taste of Japan. Noodles and accompanying soups and sauces from are prepared from scratch using traditional methods and fresh ingredients. Open from 11:00-14:30 and 17:3021:00 Closed every 2nd Wednesday. Yumi Restaurant, Bar and Grill 29a Street 288 Tel: 092 163 903 Elegant but inexpensive English-run Yakitori restaurant nestled in a quiet street in BKK that serves top-notch Japanese nibbles, hot and cold sake, plum wine, wine and beer. Don’t leave without trying the salt and chilli squid.
Mexican & Tex-Mex
Hachi Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 ext.: 6612 A taste of Japan in a Zen atmosphere with tatami rooms and sushi bar. Open daily, 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm.
Alley Cat Café Off Street 19 (side street behind Royal Art School) Tel: 012 306 845 Small, friendly patio café serving good Mexican food and claiming to have the biggest burgers in town. Hard to find, Alley Cat is tucked down an alley at the back of the National Museum, the first on the right if you are coming from Street 178.
Kan Ji Japanese Restaurant 128f Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 016 318 383 / 016 312 828. Kan Ji is three floors of Japanese culinary delight in a bright and modern setting. Open for lunch and dinner, it features a stylish mix of ancient and modern creative cuisine. Open daily, 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm.
California II 79 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 503 144 American-style bar with some of the best Mexican food in town, the excellent pool table and great tunes make this a good place to while away a few hours on the riverfront. Open 24/7 with good rooms upstairs.
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recipe
Van’s Restaurant Grilled Scallops With Green Quinoa INGREDIENTS 150g big scallops 4 green asparagus Salmon eggs 40g quinoa 10g parsley 10g spinach 5g shallots Chicken stock 3 passion fruit
10cl olive oil 5g sugar 1 soup spoon organic palm vinegar 20g red bell pepper 20g yellow bell pepper 20g carrot 20g zucchini 15g shallots 15 spring onion
STEP ONE Rinse the quinoa to remove residue of ‘saponin’, a natural insecticide that surrounds the seed, making it bitter and protecting it from birds and insects. In a saucepan, add the quinoa to almost twice its volume of chicken stock. Bring to the boil, reduce and simmer. Cover and put over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover and let rise for another 10 minutes. Cooking is complete when each grain has doubled in volume. STEP TWO Dip the parsley and spinach in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 10 seconds, then put into ice water to stop the cooking process. Mix with a little water and strain the jus through a mesh strainer. Mix the quinoa and the green jus and season with salt and peppercorns. STEP THREE Mix the passion fruit pulp with sugar and palm vinegar in a blender. Slowly add the olive oil and then season. Strain the sauce through a mesh strainer. For a vegetable tartar, peel the remaining vegetables — except for the asparagus — and cut into small brunoise. Heat a pan, add olive oil and fry the vegetables for a few seconds to keep them slightly crunchy and add herbs. STEP FOUR Cook the asparagus for a few minutes in a saucepan of boiled salted water and place them in ice water. Open the BBQ, season the scallops and grill them. Heat the sauce, quinoa and asparagus, add the salmon eggs on top of the scallops and garnish as per your choice. Van’s Restaurant, Street 102, Place de la Poste, Phnom Penh. Tel: 0855 23 722 067. Email: contact@vans-restaurant.com, www.vansrestaurant.com
Recipes provided by members of:
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Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 222 502 A mainstay of the riverside scene, this is a popular meeting place for local expats with a large selection of Mexican beers and tequilas, and sinfully good margaritas. Serves good Mexican fare, and features photographs that capture the changing face of Cambodia. Kitchen open 3pm - 10:30pm. Closed Saturdays.
The Vegetarian 158 Street 19 Tel: 077 900 210 / 012 905 766 With a lush garden space in the heart of Phnom Penh, The Treez provides a relaxing dining experience. Whether it be amok, curry or tom yam, The Treez, creates vegetarian versions of popular Cambodian, Indian and Thai dishes. Open 10:30am - 8:30pm, closed Sundays.
Casa Lika 16 Street 136. Tel. 012 429 542 American-run family restaurant serving up good Mexican fare in an authentic setting with rustic brick walls and colourful Mexican artwork, great music and even better tacos make this a good place to share some Coronas with friends. Open 10am - midnight, closed on Mondays.
Vego’s 3E0 Street 51 & 21b Street 294 Tel: 012 984 596 Salad bar with an emphasis on greens and a menu of healthy western items. Also offering bagels, salads and wraps with a wide array of super fresh toppings. Choose from ready-made or d.i.y. options. Also on offer are a vegetarian soup of the day as well as fresh-squeezed juices, yogurt and granola.
Freebird 69 Street 240, Tel: 023 224 712 Aircon American bar with neon lighting, a variety of memorabilia, comfortable seats and rock music. International menu with good lunch offers, an excellent range of bottled sauces, excellent International, Mexican food and burgers. Be prepared for some good solid R&R. Open 7am - midnight.
Cafés
La Citá 13 Street 282 Tel: 092 388 123/ 092 626 123 www.lacita.ox2net.com Get ready to change your tune about what you think Mexican food is! Just one taste of our hand-rolled burritos, tacos and quesadillas will tell you how much effort we put into our mouthwatering products. Open daily, 9am-10pm. Taqueria Corona 14E Street 51 (btwn Sihanouk Blvd and Street 242) Tel: 089 281 626 / 012 629 986 Enjoy our mexican specialties, barbacoa, cochinita pebil, texas chile, carnitas, pollo and carne asoda in our festive dining room. Open daily from11.30am - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm (Sunday evenings only).
Vegetarian
Fresh Salad Bar 37E0 Street 310 Tel: 081 555 559 / 016 977 790 The first salad bar in Phnom Penh which provides healthy organic salad and other foods to help you maintain you healthy lifestyle. We serve salad coffee and bakery goods. Free Wifi. Free delivery, call Jung on 081 555 559. Open daily, 8am - 10pm. K’NYAY (see restaurants Cambodian)
Art Café 37 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 834 517 Elegant bistro in the style of a European coffee house is now transposed to the Meta House with regular classical music performances. Blue Pumpkin 245 Sisowath Quay and at Monument Books on Norodom Blvd Tel: 023 998 153 Siem Reap’s favourite café also offers two locations in Phnom Penh, serving breakfast sets, Asian and Western entrées and an array of ice cream flavours. Open daily from 6am - 11pm. Botanic Cafe-Art gallery 126 Street 19 Tel: 077589458 botaniccafe@yahoo.com, www.botanica-gallerycafe.com Cafe and food inside over 80 year old building, with garden is display art works, pot plants and premium souvenirs. First floor exhibition and event space is for promote local artists. We have special lunch and dinner set for your special times. Open daily 8am – 9pm. Brown Coffee & Bakery 17 Street 214 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 7.30am - 8pm. Café El Mundo 219 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 520 775 Affordable and stylish riverside café and restaurant with adjacent apartments for short-term hire. Seating available on the mezzanine lounge, ground-floor restaurant and on the streetside terrace. Open 6.30am - 10.30pm.
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Café Fresco 363 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 217 041 Cnr. Streets 51 & 306, Tel: 023 224 891 The FCC’s café chain sells strong Illy coffee and mix-and-match sandwiches. Interiors have a slight retro 70s feel to it and there are pleasant outside seating areas. There are currently four outlets in town Open 6am to pm. Café Namu 28b Cnr Streets 30 & 57, Tel: 023 220 074 Breakfast, brunch and lunch venue. Serving pizza, cakes, cookies, desserts, teas, coffees and fresh juices. Café Yejj 170 Street 450, Tel: 012 543 360 / 092 600 750 Quiet, cosy café serving bistro-style western cuisine, with extensive range of coffees, pasta dishes, pannini and wraps and fabulous cheesecake making this an ideal spot to escape the bustle of the nearby Russian Market. Open every day from 7am - 9pm. Chill Ice Cream & Coffee Lounge 219d Sisowath Quay Tel: 092 547 534 Pretty, casual lounge on the riverside offering coffee, sandwiches, cocktails, and some of the best homemade ice cream in town, as well as inventive ice cream cocktails. Open 11am - midnight. Coffee Room 385 Street 215. Tel: 098 518 888 The first coffee house in Phnom Penh to have an electronic menu, at the Coffee Room you simply tap in your order and wait for your order to arrive. Serves coffees, juices. Pastries and breakfast. Open daily from 7.30am - 6pm. Cross Town Café 193 Street 29. Tel: 017665204 Japanese-owned restaurant with welcoming wooden interior. which spreads from floor to bar. A recently opened venue serving traditional Japanese cuisine with an added twist, the restaurant aims to add new dishes to its menu every week. Open daily from 11am - 10pm. Daughters of Cambodia 65E0 Street 178. Tel: 077 657 678 www.daughtersofcambodia.org The cafe, called Sugar ‘n Spice, serves light lunches, a few main courses, home baked goods, desserts, coffee and some original smoothies. The cafe is a place for vocational training, where trainees will train and then have the opportunity to graduate into working in top end restaurants and hotels. Value for money. Free Wifi. There’s also a shop selling clothing, accessories and jewellery made on site. Or relax in the spa which offers head, shoulder, face and foot treatments.
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The Deli 13 Street 178. Tel: 012 851 234 Chic delicatessen, bakery and small restaurant serving excellent bread and pastries, with take-away menu. Open from 7am to 9pm (closed Sundays). Gloria Jean’s Corner of Street 51 & Street 310, Tel : 092 404 365 Sisowath Quay along Phnom Penh Port, Tel: 092 555 973 Canadia Tower Monivong Blvd., Tel: 092 555 937 Popular cafe in three differences area BKK 1, on the riverside and inside the commercial building Canadia Tower. Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 420 (see restaurants, international) Kiriya Café No.174, St.51 Cnr St.370 Tel: 016 363 730. This Japanese café chain offers good locally sourced coffee, delicious desserts and a relaxing atmosphere. Open daily 6am - 2am. Morning Café 32C Street 592. Tel: 023 982 109 Cosy air-conditioned coffee house with relaxed atmosphere, located in Toul Kork district serves Khmer, Thai and European cuisine. Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6am to 9pm. Renature Aquarium café 35AE Street 288 near corner Street 83 Tel: 088 333 5338/017 827 766 Enjoy your coffee surrounded by the gentle glow of beautiful aquaria and relaxing fish. Open from 10am – 10pm. The Shop 39 Street 240, Tel: 092 955 963 / 023 986 964 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 to 7pm (Mon. to Sat, 7am to 3pm Sun.)
Bars
Aristocrat Cigar Bar NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Club aimed at attracting wealthy expats and Khmers who like a good cigar and glass of wine. Not as stuffy as you might imagine with cigars from $10. Open daily from noon to midnight. AQVARIVM Bar 23 Street 55 Corner Street 254, Tel: 077 536 342 Drop by for Happy Hour drinks and nibbles from 5:00-9:00 PM. Available for special occasion and group discounts. AQVARIVM: Drink like a fish! Cadillac Bar and Grill 219 E0 Sisowath Quay, Tel: 011 713 567 Riverfront air-con bar and restaurant. Has good American cuisine as well as ariverfront vantage to watch the world go by.
California II 79 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 503 144 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 222 502 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Chow 277 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 894 Contemporary and sophisticated riverfront restaurant that serves Southeast Asian cuisine, a wide range of cocktails, juices and Illy coffee. The rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to have a drink during its half-price 4pm to 8pm happy hour. Open daily from 7am to 11pm. Do It All Pub & Bistro 61 Street 174. Tel: 023 220 904 Dishes out African, Asian and Western cuisine, with hip hop and reggae played into the early hours of the morning. Open daily 9am to 4am. Elephant Bar Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 Flamboyant carpet, comfortable wicker chairs and hotel pianist provide a sense of a time gone by, you can imagine Jackie Kennedy drinking here. Its many signature cocktails, including the femme fatale make this a popular place with expats especially during the twofor-one happy hours (4pm to 8pm). Open 2pm to midnight from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to midnight. Equinox 3A Street 278, Tel: 012 586 139 / 092 791 958 (see Restaurants, International)
FCC 363 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 724 014 (see Restaurants, International) Freebird 69 Street 240. Tel: 023 224 712 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Howie’s Bar 32 Street 51 Air-conditioned and open until very very late, this is the Heart’s unofficial chill-out bar although the sound system could give its neighbour a run for its money. Tends to be a popular late night hang-out, especially around the ‘mini’ pool table. Open 7pm to 6am. K West 1 Street 154 (Cnr. Sisowath Quay), Tel: 023 214 747 (see Restaurants, French) Le Bar Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 A modern colonial style lobby bar with a fine selection of comfort food, tapas, champagnes, wines, premium spirits and large selection of coffees and teas. Le Moon Cnr of Sisowath Quay and Street 154 Tel: 023 214 747 Rooftop terrace bar at Amanjaya Hotel has arguably the view of the river of any of the city’s rooftop bars. Full bar and small food menu, while the service is slow enough to afford you sufficient time to soak up the view. Liquid 3B Street 278. Tel: 023 720 157 Welcoming open air bar on golden street run by the same owner as Flavours. Has one of the best pool tables in town with happy hour from 5pm to 8pm.
Lobby Lounge 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd (InterContinental Hotel) Tel: 023 424 888 An elegant lounge situated in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel. Reasonable prices and excellent service. Open daily from 10am – 11:30pm. Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd, opposite Phnom Penh Centre Tel: 012 607 465 / 067 867 305 www.meta-house.com Multi-media arts centre established by German film-maker Nico Mesterham has a very cool bar. Open from 2pm till midnight. Closed Mondays. Metro Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 (see Restaurants International) One More Pub 16E Street 294. Tel: 017 327 378 English-style bar with comfortable wooden bar stools. No hip hop or techno, only great classic 60s & 70s music. Has terracotta-tiled terrace and 3 guest rooms upstairs. Open from 5pm to late, happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, closed Sundays. Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023990321 www.paddyrice.net Irish sports bar on riverside with big screen live sports, serves home cooked western and Asian favourites alongside a fully stocked bar including Guinness and a fine selection Irish whiskeys with daily happy hour from 4pm to 8pm. Often has live music events and a weekly pub quiz. Open 7.30am to late. Rising Sun 20 Street 178. Tel: 012 970 718
English-style pub with reliable breakfast, meat pies and hamburgers. Has a regular following around the bar at night especially on Fridays. Great posters of British films and TV classics adorn the walls. Ideal for that touch of nostalgia and good fish and chips – though not wrapped in a newspaper. Open daily from 7am till late. Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148, Tel: 012 277 882 / 023 213 898 (see Restaurants International) Sharky Bar 126 Street 130. Tel: 012 228 045 , www.sharkybar.blogspot.com Countless pool tables and a large balcony to look out over the street. Guaranteed to be lively – a place where anything can happen, especially if you get a bit too close to the local clientele. Serves good Mexican food, and has frequent live music. Open 4pm to 2am, take away 5pm til late. The Bungalows Mekong River. Tel: 077 555 447 Stylish simplicity located within a quick cruise from Sisowath Quay port. The floating bar serves basic drinks and nibbles. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm to 8pm, available for private events if booked at least two days in advance. The Chinese House 128 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 356 399 Decadent cocktail bar set in beautiful old Chinese house. Has art exhibitions, film nights and parties down stairs and opulence upstairs. Open from 6pm until late, closed on Tuesdays.
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Finding Nero Darren Gall Homer and Virgil sent Odysseus and Aemeas to Sicily’s shores. There they encountered harpies, sirens and Aeolia the god of winds. This is a place where gods broker deals with mere mortals and wreak havoc upon those who refuse their will. Sicily is a spectacular mix of many different and ancient cultures including Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Saracen, Spanish, French and Norman. Each has contributed to the island’s culture, particularly its cuisine and architecture. It seems her vines have endured through all, originally as wild bushes and eventually as cultivated treasures. Sicilian wines first registered on my vinous radar many years back when I found myself overseeing a panel of young judges tasked with the adjudication of the Italian red wine class for an international wine challenge. One entry was unfortunately corked and the requested second bottle failed to turn it up. With only minutes to spare, the bottle was found and went on to win three trophies — including wine of the show. It was, as you have probably guessed by now, a red from Sicily and what it had just managed to achieve was no mean feat. The wine was judged in the trophy classes among gold medal winning wines from all over the globe by a host of judges and acute
palates, not one of them Italian. The final piece of amazement was that the wine was made from a then little known indigenous variety of grape called Nero d’Avola. The wine in question was the magnificent Tasca d’Almarita Rosso del Conti, one of the island’s greatest wines and now one of its most famous. The wines made from Nero d’Avola are a rich, full-bodied style with the rapturous appeal of a Christmas pudding. They are all dark berries, plums and brandied fruits, with hints of chocolate and coffee bean, all-spice, mixed peel and vanilla oak. They have a magical, mystical quality to them and a creamy texture that swirls across the palate. Sicily’s wine industry today is devoting considerable time, effort and resources into researching, reviving and cultivating some of its oldest and long forgotten varieties. This is at a time when international research suggests that the global palate is tiring of big name varieties. Recently, I had the enduring pleasure of a meal at Le Residence with Alessio Planeta of Sicily’s Planeta winery, and I was once again reminded how brilliant the wines of Sicily are, and how undervalued. Alessio’s Chardonnay was outstanding, but the indigenous varieties were the talking point of the table.
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. He currently resides in Cambodia developing the wine market with Celliers d’Asie. gall.darren@ yahoo.com
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The Tap Room Kingdom Breweries 1748 National Road 5. Tel: 023 430 180 www.kingdombreweries.com Sate of the art European brewery specialising in premium pilsner. Tours of the facility are organised on a regular basis, culminating in frothy cold ones at the brewery’s bar overlooking the Tonle Sap. Zeppelin Bar 109C Street 51. Tel: 012 881 181 Over 1,000 vinyl albums played by stone-faced DJ owner in small bar next to the infamous Walkabout. Remarkably good food considering the setting, especially late at night. Try the dumplings. Open daily 5pm - 4am.
Wine Bars
Bouchon Wine Bar 3-4 Street 246. Tel: 077 881 103 Sophisticated wine bar with a very French ambience and a wide range of French wines and bar food. Often has music as well as a mellow jazz sound track. Open noon until midnight. Elyxir 3 Street 466 (near Thai Embassy) Tel: 023 211 711 Elyxir is dedicated to wine, luxury and gastronomy. Each dish was dreamed up to marry perfectly with the wines on our menu. Elyxir boasts a swimming pool, champagne bar and private rooms. All our wines are available at our Wine Shop. Open 10am until late, closed Mondays. Open Wine 219 Street 19. Tel: 023 233 527 Large wine shop and deli with wellpriced wines from around the world. Has outside dining area. Open daily 7am - 11pm. Rubies Cnr Streets 240 & 19. Tel: 015 670 024 Intimate wood-pannelled wine bar that is a mainstay of the female expat population with well-priced wines. Often has parties at the weekend. ZINO 12 Street 294 Tel: 023 998 519 Zino wine bar and restaurant provides a comprehensive wine list and cocktail menu and a regularly changing Mediterranean menu while providing its customers with a friendly and very atmosphere. Zino is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays.
Gay
Blue Chilli 36 Street 178. Tel: 012 566 353 www.bluechillibar.com This welcoming bar run by Thai national Oak is currently the number one gay bar in town. Chic décor makes this one of the coolest bars in town, even if you’re straight. The drag shows on Friday and Saturday are an additional draw. Open 5pm until late. K2 25k Street 268. Tel: 093 665 225 www.fb.com/K2Bar.PhnomPenh Classy addition to the Phnom Penh scene and it’s first straight-friendly, chill-out bar. Contemporary design and LGBTIQ artwork. Secluded space, attracting a socially conscious, Khmer crowd who mix easily with expats/visitors. Open 6pm until late.
The Rainbow Bar 73 Street 172. Tel: 097 741 4187 Intimate bar designed to get to know people better has a range of welldesigned cocktails to make the night go with a swing.
Nightclubs
Bouchon Wine Bar. (see Wine Bars) Occasional performances by jazz bands. Darlin Darlin NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park Tel: 023 228 822 Top-end nightclub with live music popular among the high-flyers of the city. Semi-private booths in a chic environment make for an unrivalled experience. Open daily from 7pm until late. Equinox (see Restaurants – Intrenational) Has regular live music from expat and cal bands at weekends and swing dancing on Thursdays. Heart of Darkness 38 Street 51. Tel: 023 222 415 The most famous of the city’s nightspots with a good-sized dance floor make this the in-place in town. Has well priced spirits and mixers and is totally packed out on Friday and Saturday nights. Open 8:30pm to 4am. Mao’s Cnr Street 106 & Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 992 726 Chairman Mao has been reconstructed into one of Phnom Penh’s liveliest nightspots with djs and occasional live bands. Open 5pm - 2am. Memphis 3 Street 118. Tel: 012 871 263 Only permanent rock venue in town with a house band that plays covers from 10pm til 1:30am, later at weekends. Also has open mike sessions on Mondays. Open from 8pm til late, closed Sundays. 2-for-1 cocktails everday from 8pm until 10pm. Paddy Rice (see Bars) Often has live music events. Pontoon Street 172. Now no longer the Penh’s floating hotspot, Pontoon still manages to pack in the punters, especially when international DJs are in town. Riverhouse Lounge 6 Street 110. Tel: 023 212 302 The alternative dance venue for both expats and young Khmers with a self-contained air-con dance room and great balcony to chill out. MonWed, Fri is hip hop, Thu is Ladies night, Sat is house and Sun is dance remix. Open daily 4pm - 2am. Saint Tropez 31 Street 174 Tel: 077 212 100 / 097 9000 401 Upscale club, complete with fake beach, deck bar, that suggests the French Riviera. Open daily 6pm - 2pm. Sharky Bar 126 Street 130. Tel: 012 228 045 www.sharkybar.blogspot.com Has regular live gigs at weekends involving local and expat bands with an emphasis on heavy rock.
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culture Cinemas
The Flicks 39B Street 95. Tel: 078 809 429, theflicks-cambodia.com Local expat oriented movie houses with revolving schedule of international and art house films, screened in comfy air con movie rooms. Also offers potential 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. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day. The Cineplex 5th Floor Sorya Shopping Centre, Tel: 017 666 210 www.thecineplexs.com 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 - 10:30pm. Le Cinema French Institute, 218 Street 184 Tel: 023 213 124. 100-seat cinema shows International art house and mainstream movies with occasional films in English. Children’s cinema on Saturday mornings at 10am. Cinema on Saturday mornings at 10am. Legend Cinema 3rd Floor City Mall, Monireth Blvd. Tel: 088 954 9857 www.legend-cinemas.com International quality cinema showing Hollywood releases in air-conditioned environment including 3D. Screenings:10am - 9pm, box office: 10am - 9pm. Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd., (opp. Phnom Penh centre). Tel: 012 607 465 Movie shorts and documentaries from Cambodia and the rest of Asia. Movies normally start at 7pm, closed Mondays.
Galleries
Bophana Audiovisual Resource Centre 64 Street 200. Tel: 023 992 174 Preserving much of Cambodia’s audiovisual material, has regular exhibitions. Open 8am-6pm Mon - Fri, 2pm-6pm Sat. Dori Thy Gallery 12R Street 256. Tel: 012 661 552 Features the black and white photographs of German photographer, Doris Boettcher. Open Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm. FCC Phnom Penh (see Restaurants, International) Phnom Penh’s landmark restaurant has a permanent, rotating exhibition devoted to photography. French Institute 218 Street 184. Tel: 023 213 124 Formerly the Alliance Française, the French Culture Centre (CCF) 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.
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Happy Painting Gallery 363 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 221 732 www.happypainting.net A must see. Since 1995 this art gallery has been dedicated to showing and selling the work of Stef, a local iconic artist with a very personal and positive insight in everyday life in Cambodia. Open daily 8am - 10pm Java Café & Gallery (see Restaurants, International) Contemporary art gallery with regular exhibitions of Cambodian and international artists. Has second gallery on the ground floor. Website has details about Cambodia’s contemporary art scene. Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 012 607 465 Multimedia arts centre on three floors has regular exhibitions, interviews with filmmakers and short films, contains the Art Café. Open Tues – Sun, 2pm - 10pm. Reyum Institute of Arts & Culture 47 Street 178. Tel: 023 217 149 Gallery with regular exhibitions of Cambodian artists. Part of an NGO established to preserve traditional and contemporary Cambodian arts. Sa Sa Bassac 18 Sothearos Boulevard, Upstairs. 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
Amrita Performing Arts 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 424 www.amritaperformingarts.org Performance art company that puts on contemporary & classical music and theatre. Apsara Arts Association 71 Street 598. Tel: 011 550 302 Organisation that promotes Cambodian arts & culture. Open from 7.30am - 10.30am Cambodian Living Arts 407 Street 246 Art organisation devoted to the revival of traditional Khmer performing arts that puts on occasional performances. 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 7am - 11.30am and 2pm - 5pm (Mon. to Fri.). Chenla Theatre Cnr. Mao Tse Tung & Monireth Blvds. Tel: 023 883 050 www.culturalcenter-cambodia.com One of the capital’s major theatres, it has regular performances of theatre, dance and music. Epic Arts 1DE0 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 998 474 www.epicarts.org.uk Organisation that uses art to empower people with disabilities. Sovanna Phum Khmer Art Association 166 Street 99 corner of 484 Tel: 023 987 564 Theatre with performances of shadow puppetry, classical and masked dances every Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm.
Listings
leisure & wellness Amusement
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 until late. Parkway Square 113 Mao Tse Tung Blvd. Ten-pin bowling alley and dodgem track. Phnom Penh Water Park 50 Street 110, Tel: 023 881 008 Traditional mix of slides and wave pools is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm. 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 8am - 4pm.
Boat Cruises
The Butterfly Cambodia Tel: 012 602 955 thebutterflycambodia@gmail.com Cambodian river adventures, sunset cruises, birthdays and events to floating villages, Silk Island. Plan your trip, per hour, half-day and fullday rates available.
Classes
Cambodian Cooking Class Frizz Restaurant, 67 Street 240 Tel: 012 524 801 First and only Khmer cooking school for travellers & expats in Phnom Penh, includes transport to the market and a colourful 16-page recipe booklet. Open 10am - 10pm. Capoeira Home of English, Building D 10B Street 57, Tel: 012 242 396 Lessons in this rhythmic Brazilian cross between dance and martial arts are held every Tuesday from 6.30pm to 8pm. Central School of Ballet Phnom Penh 10 Street 183 (entrance on Street 406) www.centralschoolofballet.com Cambodia’s first purpose-built ballet school offering classical ballet training for children in the afternoons, contemporary dance, ballet and dance conditioning for adults in the evenings. Spacious dance studio equipped with large, custom-made mirrors, barres and a professional, sprung dance floor. Dance World Cambodia At Hotel Cambodiana. 313 Sisowath quay. Dance studio entrance at Physique Club Gym. Tel: 012634008 danceworldcambodia@yahoo.com.au www.danceworldcambo.wordpress.com RAD ballet, neo classical, modern
dance, jazz, tap dance, hip hop and k pop, breakdance, raqs sharqi bellydance, classical pilates. Classes for kids aged 2.5 and up. classes for adults, beginner and intermediate. performance and choreogrpahy group for advanced/ professional level adults. Equestrian Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 015 231 755 / 012 704 759 With 31 ponies and horses, an international sized arena and spacious stables, the only horseriding centre in Phnom Penh Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am to 11am and 2pm to 5.30pm. Global Art 1 Street 181 & Street 475 (nr Chinese Embassy) Tel: 023 222 084/ 087 222 084 World renowned art and creativity program for young children. Franchisee of Global Art Group. Available in 17 countries with more than 400 centres worldwide. Music Arts School 9A Street 370. Tel: 023 997 290 www.music-arts-school.org New NGO school providing music training for Cambodians and expats - of all ages and levels - at affordable tuition fees. Learn guitar, piano, violin, vocals, and tradtional Khmer instruments. Also has a scholarship fund to provide music education to the less fortunate. Nataraj Yoga Center 52 Street 302. Tel 012 250 817 www.yogacambodia.com Daily classes in yoga and pilates, check website for schedule and prices. Photography Tours 126 Street 136. Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Weekend 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 2 days in Sihanoukville on the boat. We conduct refreshers, try dives and kids’ pool parties as well as the full range of courses. Open 9am-6pm, Sat & Sun 9am-5pm. Simphony Music School No. 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 recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Royal government of
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Cambodia. The faculty is composed by experienced and qualified music teachers from overseas, speaking fluent English, Chinese, and French. Our curriculum is based on USA curriculum following Orff and Kodály music teaching methods.
Mole Lookout Dr Chistoph Bendick Moles, also called nevi in medical terms, are a very common occurrence. An average white young adult has between 10 and 30 of them and, generally speaking, it is rare for them to transform into the most dangerous and feared form of skin cancer, known as malignant melanoma. However, melanoma can also develop de novo, i.e. independently of a pre-existing mole. The question of whether a mole should be removed or not results mostly from the fear that it might transform into melanoma, but occasionally also esthetic and/or practical considerations play a role. If a decision to remove a mole is considered, it tends to be made on the basis of its size, appearance and whether it has changed character. In the judgment of a suspicious mole, the so-called ABCDE rule is a signpost: 1. A symmetry — One side of the mole or lesion does not look the same as the other side. 2. Border — The edges of the mole or lesion are ragged or uneven. 3. Colour — A mole or lesion has an uneven pigmentation (black, brown, white, pink, blue).
4. Diameter — A mole or lesion is larger than a ½ cm in diameter, especially if any of the other warning signs are present. 5. Evolution —A mole or lesion has changed appearance over a relatively brief period of time, has started bleeding, itching or feels sore. If a mole is thought to have any features that could suggest malignant melanoma, it is always removed for further examination by an experienced histopathologist. Removal is done under local anesthesia and mostly only takes a short time. Usually it is excised on a piece of skin the shape of an eye so that the skin can then be stitched together to leave a straight scar. If malignant melanoma is detected by the histopathologist, a wider excision of the skin around the original site is usually recommended. Always get a mole checked if you notice the above changes. It is certainly better to have a harmless mole removed than to let a malignant melanoma — one of the most serious and, in case of metastasis, fatal cancers — grow.
Dr Chistoph Bendick is a dermatologist and STI specialist at International SOS clinic in Phnom Penh. If you have any enquiries regarding this or any other medical matter, please contact info.cambodia@internationalsos.com.
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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 for life 126 Street 19. Tel: 077589458 Learn to release stress and tension, find peace and live a healthy life with yoga classes taught by yoga and massage virtuoso, Azmi Samdjaga from Singapore. Classes every Wednesday from 7:30pm witht more classes starting late June 2012. Healthy food and Wifi are also available. Yoga Phnom Penh 172z2 Norodom Blvd. (alley nest to Sushi Bean) www.yogaphnompenh.com 012 739 419 / 012 739 284 Daily drop-in yoga asana classes for everybodys body. Classes include Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow and core power yoga. Join our great teachers to improve your flexibility, strength, balance, posture and reduce stress. Also offering private 1-2-1 or small group classes ,regular workshops and retreats.
Chemists
U-Care Pharmacy 26-28 Sothearos Bvd. Tel: 023 222 499 14 Sihanouk Bvd. Tel: 023 224 099 High quality western-style chemist and pharmacy that sells the full range of beauty products, including international brands.
Counselling Services Alcoholics Anonymous 11 Street 420 Tel: 012 813 731 www.aacambodia.org Meets on Friday, Wednesday & Sunday.
Indigo Psychological Services 28 Street 460. Tel: 023 222 614, indigocambodia@gmail.com Professional counselling services in English, French or Khmer for adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families. Assessment and intervention services for children and adolescents with learning and developmental difficulties. Narcotics Anonymous 11 Street 420. Tel: 012 813 731 NA meets on Monday, Thursday at 8pm and Saturday at 7pm.
Dental
European Dental Clinic 160A, Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 211 363 www.europeandentalclinic-asia.com Total dental care, Implant, Orthodontist Treatment by expat dentists. Open Mon - Fri 8am-12pm, 2pm-7pm. Sat, 8am-1pm International Dental Clinic Phnom Penh 193 Street 208. Tel 023 212 909 www.imiclinic.com Siem Reap 545 National Road N6, Banteay Chas, Stor Kram. Tel: 063 767 618 IMI Dental Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry Centre has been successfully creating beautiful smiles in Phnom Penh and throughout Cambodia. Open Mon – Sat, 8am -7pm, Sun 9am - 12pm. MALIS dental clinic 445 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 012 513 222 / 023 964 142 info@malis-dental.com Facebook: MALIS Dental Clinic A Japanese dentist provides professional and high-quality service. Shigeta Dental Clinic 25 Street 294 cnr Street21 Tel: 023 223 225 / 010705083 Email: info@shigetadental.com Faebook: shigetadentalclinic High-end Japanese Dental Clinic that caters your dental needs. Open from Monday to Sunday, 8am - 8pm. SOS Dental Clinic 161 Street 51. Tel: 023 216 911 International standard dental clinic providing family dental care, from routine cleanings and fluoride treatments to crowns and root canals. Dr. Deborah Moore is a UK dentist with a gentle manner suitable for children and nervous patients. Open 9am - 12pm, 2pm - 6pm Mon – Fri, 9am - 12pm Sat. Open 24/7 for emergencies.
Gyms
The InterContinental Fitness Center 3/F Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, Tel: 023 424 888 ext. 5000 A sophisticated retreat from the crowds, The InterContinental Fitness Center is the place to attain peak performance and wellbeing. Pump up with a full body workout on state-ofthe-art equipment, benefit from the experience and guidance of qualified trainers, and relax all year round in the open-air swimming pool. Fitness Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla. Tel: 015 704 759 Achieve individual targets whether sports specific or to tone, lose weight, build strength or improve cardiovascular fitness for a healthier and fitter lifestyle. Open daily 6.30am until late.
Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Le Royal Hotel. Tel: 023 981 888 Modern gym and pool in Phnom Penh’s most elegant hotel. Use of gym, pool, sauna and Jacuzzi is available to nonguests. Open 6am - 10pm. Physique Club Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 810 432 Reasonable selection of equipment in the gym and a pool overlooking the river. Open 6am - 10pm. The Gym at The Place 90 Sihanouk Blvd.Tel: 023 999 699 Modern establishment featuring a fully equipped gym and weekly classes in dance, yoga and aerobics.Open 6am 10pm , Mon – Fri, 8am - 10pm Sat/Sun
Hairdressers
De Gran 19 Street 352. Tel: 023 999 707 Classy yet affordable Japanese-run hair salon in beautiful premises with excellent service. Open 10am – 8pm, closed Tues The Dollhouse 46AE0 Street 322 Tel: 010 329 999 / 016 620 907 www.dollhousecambodia.com Salon offers cutting, colouring and various treatments, including the Brazilian Keratin Treatment with Collagen to replenish the condition of your hair. Western hairdresser with international experience. Open Tues – Sat 9am- 7pm, Sun 11am-7pm, closed Monday. The French Element Himawari Hotel Unit D, 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 077 283 332 www.thefrenchelement.com Over-looking the Tonle Sap, wonderful spot to relax and pamper yourself. Offering all hair services such as highlights, colour, cut, Brazilian Keratin Treatment and more. International hairdresser. Open 10am 8pm, closed Sun.
Medical
American Medical Centre Ground Floor Cambodiana Hotel 313 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 991 863 Led by American surgeon, team of international and Khmer doctors provide general practice services to clients. Can arrange emergency evacuation. 24/7 service. International Chiropractic Clinic, 67 Bis Street 240, (100m from Monivong Blvd) Tel: 023 223 101 www.cambodiachiropractic.com First and only Chiropractic clinic licensed in Cambodia. Our chiropractors are US trained and we provide modern Chiropractic care, physiotherapy and custom made medical grade orthotics. Common conditions treated include neck and back pain, sports injuries, knee pain. Open Mon - Fri 8.30am-6pm , Sat 8.30am-1pm.
International SOS Medical Clinic 161 Street 51. Tel: 023 216 911 Global provider of medical assistance and international healthcare. Expat and Khmer doctors offer general practice, specialist and emergency medical services. Appointments 8am - 5:30pm Mon – Fri, 8am - 12pm, Sat. Open 24/7 for emergencies. Physiotherapy Phnom Penh 45C Street 456. Tel: 023 99 63 44 General physiotherapy practice specialising in manual therapy, sports injuries and acupuncture Royal Rattanak Hospital 11 Street 592, Toul Kork Tel. 023 991 000 www.royalrattanakhospital.com A Thai owned and run private hospital with extensive services that strives to provide high standard and quality medical care by professional care team.
Optics
Grand Optics 11 Norodom Bvd / 337 Monivong Blvd / 150 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 213 585 Modern opticians with the latest equipment including free computerised eye test. Makes prescription glasses and lenses.
Pools
Asia Club 456 Monivong Bvd. Tel: 023 721 766 Beautiful swimming pool at rear of Man Han Lou Restaurant. Members get a discount at both restaurant and Master Kang Health Care Centre.
Spas
Amara Spa Cnr Sisowath Quay & St.110 Tel: 023 998 730 www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Comprehensive day spa providing a wide selection of facials, body massages and treatments, arranged in a four-storey modern facility at riverfront. Open 11am - 11pm. Aziadee Spa 16 a/b Street 282. Tel: 023 996 921 aziadee1@yahoo.fr French-run spa offering a good choice of treatments, a range of massages, scrubs, facials, floral baths, manicures, pedicures and waxing in relaxing and tranquil surroundings. Open 9am-9pm. Bi Nail Salon 213a E0 Stret 310 Tel: 023 6324 524 / 097 798 1122 Bi NAiL is a full service nail salon, for both women and men. Our Japanesetrained nail artists have years of experience. We provide expert personal care in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Full Set Care (Manicure and Pedicure) More than 250 Nail Lacquers and More than 350 Nail Design Simples. Acrylic and Gel Nail (Gel Colors) are available. Open daily 8am – 7pm.
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Bliss 29 Street 240. Tel: 023 215 754 Health spa at back and upstairs in this beautiful French colonial building. Open 9am - 9pm, closed Monday. Bodia Spa 26-28 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 226 199 www.bodia-spa.com Using natural, own-brand products Bodia spa offers body wraps, floral baths, scrubs, facials, aromatherapy, massages and mani-pedies, alongdside Jacuzzi and steam. The peaceful atmosphere is enhanced by scented oils and soft music. Open daily 9am – 9pm. Derma-Care Skin Clinic 161B Norodom 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 - 9pm. Derma-MK Skin Center 183 Street 63. Tel: 023 452 5626 Focused on Dermalogica products, this care facility offers facial treatments, including anti-aging and brightening, as well as body treatments such as body scrubs and massage. Dermal Spa 4C Street 57 Tel: 023 720 042 /
012 415 552 Spa offering beauty salon, foot massage and body massage servies, specializes in Dermalogica skin and beauty products. Open daily 9am – 9pm. EL Skin and Wellness Centre 115E0 Street 101. Tel: 012 681 948 Using Dermalogica, L’Oréal, Jane Iredale and OPI products for a variety of face and body treatments, spa provides a professional, relaxed ambience for customers to sample products before purchase. Open 9am - 7pm. LA ROSE Spa 164b Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Professional, experienced, qualified therapists offer a tailor-made range of remedial, relaxation and nutritional advice. High-end natural products and a wide range of homeopathic remedies, creams, flower essences and signature organic massage oils. Master Kang Health Care Centre 456 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 721 765 Health centre next to Man Han Lou Restaurant offers foot massage in public or private rooms, with both Chinese and oil massage. A grand piano is played in the evenings. Open 10am - 12pm.
TROPICAL & TRAVELLERS MEDICAL CLINIC
Passion Spa & Salon 29 Street 302 Tel: 081 998 227 / 089 998 227 Dedicated to helping you celebrate a happier, healthier lifestyle. Your Day in a healthy, beautiful way. Open daily 9am – 10pm. Raffles Amrita Spa Tel: 023 981 888 Raffles Amrita Spa offers relaxation and rejuvenation through a wide selection of services and facilities including treatment rooms, outdoor lap and fun pool, Jacuzzi, fitness centre, sauna and steam room. Open daily 6am - 10pm. The Spa at NagaWorld Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 This luxurious spa promises to bring the ancient Cambodian spa therapy to the world, and claims to be the only all-suite unisex spa in Cambodia. Therapy rooms with sauna, steam and flower bath are inviting, and the spa uses Tomichik flowers as part of its treatment. Open 10am - 3am. So SPA with L’Occitane Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Tel: 063 964 600 Offers rejuvenating world traditions combined with French cosmetology in the privacy of an intimate setting. Treatments are provided with international and local high-end products. Open daily: 10am – 10pm Villa Spa 456 Monivong Blvd., (cnr. Street 466) Tel: 023 721 765 / 012 357 561 www.asiagarden.com.kh Aromatherapy massage in private boutique VIP rooms (villa and bungalow style) from professional Chinese and Khmer therapists from Master Kang; women customers only.
Sports General Dr.Scott BSc.MBChB. DRCOG.DipVen. (U.K.) -20 years of medical experience in Cambodia
Tel: 012 898981 No.88 St.108 Phnom Penh www.travellersmedicalclinic.com
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Ball Hockey Played every Thursday night at City Villa, corner of Streets 360 and 71 at 7pm. To play, contact Mike: michaelwarford@ispp.edu.kh Beeline Arena Sangkat Chroychangva, Phnom Penh Tel: 067 716 565 www.banzaicambodia.com Located on the Chroy Changvar peninsula, facing the city of Phnom Penh, the Beeline Arena is the
first multi-purpose sports arena in Cambodia with international standard, including Multi-surface state of the art FIFA regulation pitch, 2,000 person capacity, VIP lounge and restaurant. Rental for futsal, basketball, volleyball, events and more. Open daily 8am until late. Cambodian Federation of Rugby cambodianfederationofrugby.com Proper 15-a-side rugby league with four senior teams as well as kid’s touch and women’s rugby teams. Contact Larry: khmer_rugby@yahoo.co.uk for more details. Cambodia Golf & Country Club Route 4, Kompong Speur Tel: 023 363 666 International standard, 18-hole golf course. Open 6am until dark. Football: The Bayon Wanderers www.bayonwanderers.com Mixed Khmer and western team. Training at the City Villa court on Wednesday and Friday, 8pm to 10pm, Old Stadium on Tuesday from 4.30 pm. Contact Billy Barnaart on 012 803 040 (available from 11am to 10pm). Sunday play at 2pm. Hash House Harriers 8, Street 360 (cnr. Street 71) Meets at the railway station every Sunday at 2:15pm. An ideal way to see the countryside walking or running. Tel: 012 832 509. Phokeethra Country Club Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Tel:063 964 600 reservation.angkor@phokeethragolf. com International standard 18-hole, 72-par golf. Clubhouse facilities: pro shop, rental equipment, restaurant. Phnom Penh Ultimate Frisbee A fast paced fun game that is open to everyone, regardless of skill set or gender, Phnom Penh Ultimate has weekly games at ISPP and Northbridge. Contact CraigDGerard@ gmail.com for details on times and locations. Touch Rugby Mixed touch rugby is played most Saturday afternoons at 3-5pm at ISPP. Contact pptouchrugby@gmail.com.
Listings
family Cafés & Restaurants
Café Fresco II Cnr. Streets 51 & 306 Tel: 023 224 891 Let your children play with puzzles and Lego on beanbags, watch films like the Lion King looked after by a trained staff as you enjoy your cappuccino. Open daily 6am - 9pm. Java Café 56 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 420 Kid’s menu includes chicken nuggets and pizza bagels. Colouring pages and crayons to keep the kids amused. Highchair is available on request and babychanging facilities are in the toilet. Open daily 7am - 10pm Le Jardin 16 Street 360 Tel: 011 723 399 This garden retreat has a great kids’ area with playhouse and sandbox, specialises in birthday parties, with cake, decorations, toys and drawing materials provided for children of all ages. Open Tue – Sun, 8am - 8pm.
Entertainment
Cambodian Country Club Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla, Tel: 012 231 755 Sports centre and a peaceful heaven providing tennis, swimming, badminton, fitness centre and horse riding in an amazing landscape 15 minutes away from the city. Dedicated to leisure, rest and entertainment, CCC is suitable for children. Open daily 6.30am until late. Dragon Water Park Diamond Island (Koh Pich) Tel: 023 45 54 023 / 023 224 776 Clean-Safe-Exciting! Wonderful Water World, the biggest amusement land, fit for all ages. Have fun with Crystal Blue Clear Water, immense pools, giant slides up to 15m high & water toys. Open daily 10:30am until late. Monkey Business Paragon Department Store, Second Floor. Tel: 023 319 319 Kids can rejoice now that this indoor children’s play centre offers clean, safe facilities. Available for private parties. Open daily 9am - 8pm. Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park Phnom Tamao Cambodia’s best wildlife centre. All the animals are either rescued from traders or bred at the centre. Many of the animals are critically endangered. Open 8am - 4pm.
International Schools
Eton House International School 16 Mao Tse Tung Blvd Tel: 023 22 8818 www.ehis.co Eton House is committed to the pursuit of excellence in education. Eton House is represented in 10 countries with over 56 pre-schools and schools around the world. In our early years program we offer a playbased, ‘Inquire, Think, Learn” pedagogy. This programme has been inspired by the I.B program and the Reggio Emilia schools of Northern Italy. Ages: 18months - 6years. Full and Half Day Programs Footprints School 220 Street 430, Tumnub Teuk, Tel: 077 222084 www.footprintsschool.edu.kh Established in 2007 Footprints School offers nursery (age 2) through grade 6 and has 4 campuses. The curriculum is designed for the dynamic needs and interests of our students and the staff are hired for their experience and love for children.
Aircon Restaurant Art Exhibitions Dance Theatre German Classes Film School Musical Events Fixed +855 (0)23 224 140 Mobile +855 (0)10 312 333 Homepage: www.meta-house.com Email: mesterharm@gmx.net
Workshop Space Open-Air-Cinema
Giving Tree International Elementary School of Phnom Penh 40 Street 334. Tel: 017 997 112 www.thegivingtreeschool.com Established to provide an exceptional, affordable, and unique learning environment, based on small class sizes and a international curriculum incorporating compassion, communication, conservation, contemplation, creativity, conscience and global citizenship. ICan International School 85 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 222 418 www.ican.edu.kh Offers affordable, high quality education to 330 children, aged 2-12, from 31 different nationalities, using British curriculum. iCAN is a contemporary, purpose-built school and is the first in Cambodia with interactive whiteboards in every classroom. International School of Phnom Penh 146 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 213 103 www.ispp.edu.kh Founded in 1989, this non-profit, nonsectarian international school currently has over 600 students from Pre-K to Grade 12. The largest international school with over 70 professional teachers, and a fully-authorized IB programme. Lycée Français René Descartes Street 96. Tel: 023 722 044 French school offering primary and secondary level education, extra-curricula activities include basketball, football, rugby.
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Northbridge International School 1km off National Road 4 on the way to the airport. Tel: 023 886 000 www.nisc.edu.kh Founded in 1997, NISC is a fullyauthorized IB World School with a growing enrollment of 500 students age 3 to Grade 12. Spectacular purpose built campus unlike any in Cambodia. Zaman International School 2843 Street 3. Tel: 023 214 040 www.zamanisc.org International school that teaches a full curriculum to children from four to 18. Facilities include basketball and volleyball courts, a football field and a science lab.
Pre-Schools
Canadian International School of Phnom Penh Bassac Garden, Norodom Boulevard Tel: 023 727 788 / 077 503 778 www.cisp.edu.kh Offers a Canadian curriculum in English, certified through the Canadian province of New Brunswick. DK Schoolhouse No. 7 St. 466 078 777 466 / 095 777 466 www.dkschoolhouse.com DK Schoolhouse is an early learning preschool/kindergarten for children aged 2-6. Established by long time residents of the Kingdom, DK Schoolhouse aims to minimize the gap between quality and cost in education while providing a safe and stimulating learning environment. Our staff are native English speaking, qualified early childhood educators. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-4:00pm Sat 9:0011:00am (by appointment only). Gecko & Garden Pre-school 3 Street 21. Tel: 092 575 431 www.geckogarden-preschool.org This is a not-for-profit pre-school, established over ten years ago, which emphasises learning through creative play in a supportive environment forchildren aged 18 months to 5 years. Open daily 7:30am - 12pm. An after school program offering a range of fun activities is available 2:30pm - 5pm daily. The Giving Tree Nursery and Preschool House #17, Street 71, Bkk
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Tel: 017 997 112 www.thegivingtreeschool.com Preschool committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment that supports and extends the child’s overall development. With an international, experienced team of teachers the school offers a play-based programme that is fun and motivating. Sambo’s Tots www.sambostots.com Playhouse and playschool provides fun edutainment experience for babies and toddlers from 3 months to 5 years where imagination comes to life. Tchou Tchou 13 Street 21 Tel: 023 362 899, www.tchou-tchou.com Kindergarten and pre-school for 18 months to 5-year-olds, open from 7.30am to 12pm (Mon to Fri). French is the main language, although English and Khmer is also practised.
Shops
Monument Toys 111 Norodom Bvd. Tel: 023 217 617 To the rear of Monument Books is a well-stocked toy section. It features an excellent range of well-known board games and toys including Barbie dolls, Transformers, Magic 8 balls and more. It has to be the best place in the city for brand name toys and games. Open daily 7.30am - 8pm. Shade 7 Outdoor Living Co Ltd Showroon; Borey Chamkarmon Tel: 077 962 467 david@shade7.com www.shade7.com www.springfreetrampoline.com Supplier of Shade7 premium aluminium umbrellas and exclusive distributor of original Springfree range. World class products now available in Cambodia! Stock in country for immediate supply. Toys & Me 159A Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 023 212 081 / 016 808 676 www.toysnme.net Established in 2007, Toys & Me is a leading toys shop in Cambodia. A onestop shop you can trust when it comes to educational needs for your children. Willi Shop 769 Monivong Blvd Tel: 023 211 652 All products are imported from France, including bébé brand baby products, the range includes prams, baby care, cots and toys. Open 8am - 8pm.
kids corner Bump in the Night Gemma Mullen
Cast your mind back to a time when the thought of a darkened bedroom was your worst nightmare. For some that may only be last night, so imagine how children must feel. Little ones aged three and up are the most susceptible to a fear of the dark, as it is at about that age when imaginations really start to develop. By the age of four, many kids will have wild imaginations and can often have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality. All of a sudden, a shadow on the wall in a dark room becomes a very real, very scary monster. The first thing to do is to talk to your child about it and show them that you understand. Under no circumstances tell a child that they are being silly, as this will make them feel ashamed and could intensify the fear. Instead, reassure the child and make them feel safe. Tell them it’s normal to be scared but do not exaggerate it, as playing up the fear is a terrible idea. Going along with it — saying things like: “I will look to see if the monster’s gone” or “I’ve checked under your bed and there’s no boogey man under there” — will certainly not help. This, in a way, will confirm that such
things do exist. That is the last thing a child needs, given their already active imagination. Similarly, don’t let your little one sleep in your bed to help ease the panic. They will need to learn to cope with fear, and providing a way out of it may lead to other anxieties. Make sure you start winding down before bedtime and ensure it is a soothing time of day. It will help if your little one doesn’t watch television before bedtime and, of course, you should refrain from reading scary stories. Fun, happy stories that don’t involve monsters or bad guys are a much better option. If a night light has been used as an emergency measure, there will come a time when your child has to get used to sleeping without it. Ask when they want this to happen, build up to it and discuss it. Ask if they would like you to come in and check on them. Allow them to choose how often these checks take place. This will provide a confidence boost and a sense of empowerment. Most children will overcome a fear of the dark. If you are positive, supportive and don’t pay undue attention to it, little ones will banish their imaginary demons in no time.
Gemma Mullen has been working in child care for more than 10 years. She holds an NNEB diploma in nursery nursing and is currently a creative writing teacher at Zaman International School in Phnom Penh.
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services
money matters
Listings
business & services Architecture, Interior Design & Construction
Baby Millionaire Vanessa Vrdoljak A long-standing client and personal friend came bounding into my office the other day full of the joys of life. He had a smile as wide as the Mekong and was as giddy as I have ever seen him. The day before, he had received the news that his daughter had given birth to his first grandchild. He was planning a trip back to the United Kingdom to welcome the newest member of his family. After the initial congratulations were complete we sat down and he posed a very interesting question that, with his permission, I believe deserves sharing. He told me that he wanted to find a way to make the baby a millionaire and wanted my help to make it happen. I was a bit taken aback, as it is not exactly a standard request, but after a chat it became clear that he was not looking to hand over the readies that minute, but wanted to put a long-term plan in place so that in later life his new granddaughter would not have to worry about her pension and would be able to provide for her family in turn. He wanted to leave a legacy that would provide security for his family long after his lifetime. That is what I call forward financial planning. Excited by the challenge, we started to crunch some numbers.
In the end, we found a very workable way to make it happen. This is how we have structured the plan. My client will deposit $1,000 immediately and then make a contribution of $300 a month, every month until his grandchild’s 18th birthday. That adds up to a total investment of $65,800. We have factored in an interest rate of 6.5 percent. After the initial 18-year period, no more money will be added but the balance will stay in the investment fund for a further 32 years, accumulating compound interest year-on-year. By the time his granddaughter reaches 50, she will be a millionaire with a total balance of $1,005,919.84. Now, I know 50 years is a long time but this tale is the perfect illustration of how long term, small, regular savings can mount up to a sizeable sum. In the 50th year of my client’s new super plan, the interest on the balance is set to be over $63,000 — almost equal to his entire contribution. This is the power of compound interest at work, reinvesting year-onyear and helping the pot to grow bigger and bigger. What this tale demonstrates above all else is the value of saving early. Time is the key to getting your money to work for you and building a nest egg for the future.
Vanessa Vrdoljak is a senior financial consultant at Infinity Financial Solutions. This company provides impartial, tailor-made, personal financial advice to clients in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Should you wish to contact Vanessa, please send an email to info@infinitysolutions.com or visit infinitysolutions.com.
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Beyond Interiors 14e Street 306 Tel: 023 987 840 / 012 930 332 ww.beyondinteriors.biz Managed by Australian designer Bronwyn Blue, this interior design showroom can provide the ultimate design solution to your interior dilemma. All products from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia have been treated to withstand any climate. Open 9am - 7pm Bill Grant Landscape Design Tel: 012 932 225 / 012 738 134 The city’s most talented landscape designer. Green Goal Ltd 10 Street 296. Tel: 023 223 861 Consultancy offers sustainable and creative architectural and construction services to clients taking into account environmental considerations. Hemisphere Design & Interiors Tel: 012 602 955 william@norbert-munns.com Western managed renovation company specialising in swimming pools and Jacuzzi construction in fibreglass and concrete. I Ching Decor 85 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 220 873 / 012 558 000 / 092 660 746, Boutique interior design shop offering advice on architectural work and interior design, as well as providing custommade furniture, home accessories, kitchenware, lighting and bedroom suites. Open 9am - 6pm, closed Sun. The Room Design Studio 9AB Street 288. Tel: 023 992 620 Interior design and architectural company that has 12 years’ experience of designing flats, villas, offices, shops, homes and offices in Asia.
Bikes & Mechanics
Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136. Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment. Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting. The Bike Shop 31 Street 302. Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as renting them out in the first place. Also provides dirt bike tours. Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills. Motto is “We don’t know all, we find out all, then we fix.”
Business Groups
Australian Business Association of Cambodia (ABAC) 20 Street 114 (cnr. Street 67) For information, contact Derek Mayes. Tel:012 385 157 abacambodia@gmail.com British Business Association of Cambodia (BBAC) 35 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 012 803 891 Contact enquiries@bbacambodia.com Chambre de Commerce FrancoCambodgienne Office 2nd floor, 33 Street 178 Tel: 023 221 453. www.ccfcambodge.org Canadian Cooperation Office Cambodia Commissioner Service 50 Street 334. Tel: 023 215 496 www.cco-cambodia.org Malaysian Business Council of Cambodia Unit G21, Ground Floor, Parkway Square 113, Mao Tse Tung Blvd. mbcc.secretariat@gmail.com
Car Rental
ACC Car Rental Services 43 Street 160z Toul Kork Tel. 012 456 003 / 015 456 003. Professional, prompt and organised rental service that provides vehicles for rent with or without a driver. ACC also rents a range of buses that seat from 12 to 45 people. All vehicles can be delivered to your door. Asia Vehicle Rental 27 Street 134. Tel: 078 666 557 www.avrcambodia.com With the motto “leave your driving to us”, the rental service offers sedans, pick-ups, SUVs and minibuses in 2WD or 4WD for self-drive or with driver. Insurance offered. Larryta Trading & Travel Co. Ltd. 9 Street 310. Tel: 023 994 748 www.larrytacarrental.com.kh Vehicle rental for all types of cars, vans and mini-buses with flexible go-anywhere packages to all areas of Cambodia and neighbouring countries by the day, week or month. Royal Limousine Services Attwood Business Center, Russian Confederation Blvd. Tel : 023 218 808 www.royallimousine.com.kh Fleet of late model Mercedes that provides transport for hotels, embassies and luxury tour operators as well as foreign delegates.
Commercial Banks
Acleda Bank 61 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 998 777 www.acledabank.com.kh Specialises in micro, small and medium loans to people throughout the country. ANZ Royal Bank Main Branch, 20 Street 114 www.anzroyal.com Cambodia’s major commercial bank has brought international standards of banking to Cambodia, with a large number of ATM machines around Phnom Penh. Can arrange money transfers. CIMB Bank PLC 20AB Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 988 388 www.cimbbank.com.kh Full range of commercial and consumer banking products and services for both Cambodian and foreign businesses and individuals. The first Japanese bank in Cambodia. Maruhan Japan Bank 83 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 010 First Japanese bank in Phnom Penh.
Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136, Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment.
Tel: 023 211 700 / 010 624 001 www.ocean-tech.biz Technology company that offers GPS navigation systems, an online map directory and vehicle tracking system.
Internet Provider
Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting.
EMAXX 99 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 818 EMAXX offers fast internet access via WiMAX, Optical Fiber and Satellite.
The Bike Shop 31 Street 302. Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as renting them out in the first place. Also provides dirt bike tours.
AG Cambodia Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sovanna Sisowath Quay Tel: 017 360 333. nfo@agcambodia.com Professional insurance agent offering health, home, car, factory, employee and hotel insurance packages.
Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills.
IT & Software
Cresittel Co., Ltd. Office 705, KT Tower, 23 Street 112. Tel 098 518 888 Company that provides software solutions and systems, point of sales systems for bars and restaurants, website designing and telecoms consulting. Has showroom at 385 Street 215. Netpro Cambodia 11 Street 422. Tel: 023 215 141 www.netpro-cambodia.com, IT supports company that delivers high quality and reliable services to home and small to medium size organisations in Cambodia. Ocean Technology T-20 St Topaz, Sovanna Shopping Centre
services
Bikes & Mechanics
Insurance
Infinity Insurance 126 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 888 Prfessional insurance company offers motor, property, home, marine cargo, personal accident, healthcare, construction and engineering insurance. Group policies can be customized.
Legal
BNG Legal 64 Street 111. www.bnglegal.com Tel: 023 212 671 / 023 212 740 BNG Legal is a leading Cambodian law firm providing comprehensive legal services to foreign and local clients. We differentiate ourselves by coupling a deep understanding of the local business environment with international professionalism and integrity. DFDL Legal and Tax Advisors 33 Street 294. Tel: 023 210 400 www.dfdlmekong.com Law firm providing international standard legal and tax solutions with local and cross-border experience with offices in neighbouring countries.
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services
Gordon and Associates Asia (Cambodia) 21 Street 214. Tel: 023 218 257 US lawyer works with local Cambodian lawyers to provide international quality advice. Specialises in foreign investment, joint ventures and advising entrepreneurs with an in depth knowledge of the telecoms, agriculture, banking and hospitality sectors. Sciaroni & Associates 24 Street 462. Tel: 023 210 225 Law firm with a good reputation. Just the ticket if you get into a spot of bother.
Media & Design
Anon Creative Energy Tel: 089 812 123 anoncambodia@gmail.com Internationally trained advertising talent at your service. Strong, strategic ideas. Available for freelance art and copy writing projects. Asia Media Lab Tel: 012 818 917. www.asiamedialab.com Full service video production company specialises in the creation of dynamic visual content to help bring NGO stories to life for fundraising and advocacy.
Miscellaneous
Sunbird Angkor Co. Ltd. 78 Monireth Blvd. Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdangkor@yahoo.co.kr Worldwide Hotel Reservation, Car Rental Service, Worldwide Medical Service, Convention, Marketing. Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm Sunbird Global Co., Ltd. 78 St. Monireth Blvd. Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdglobal@yahoo.co.kr Insurance Service, Air Cargo, Worldwide Express, Trading. Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm
Post Office
Main Post Office Cnr. Streets 102 & 13 The place to go if you want to send something overseas or get a PO Box. Open 6.30am -9pm.
Photography
AsiaMotion Tel: 092 806 117. www.asiamotion.net Photographic agency established in November 2008 as a cooperation between local and international photographers. Nathan Horton Photography Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Full service professional photographer. Hotels, bars, restaurants, spas and location work. Call for Travel Photography workshops and tours.
Printing
Sok Heng Printing House 1297B Street Luo 5, Stoeung Mean Chey Tel: 011 939 255 / 012 939 255 Modern print house providing a full range of printing services. Graphic design available.
Real Estate and Property Services
240Condo 50B Street 240. Tel: 012 271 636 www.240phnompenh.com 240 is the home of 42 luxury serviced apartments set in the most stylish area of the city with spectacular river and city views. The condominium was designed by leading international architects gfab and represents the most contemporary luxury apartment development currently available in Cambodia.
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CB Richard Ellis (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. 9th Floor, Hyundai Phnom Penh Tower 445 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 964 099 www.cbre.com.kh The world’s largest commercial real estate services company offering premier quality real estate, valutions, consultancy, investment and property services. Property Care Services (PCS) 2A Road 7. Tel: 017 555 203 Solution for property support services, including waste management, security, pest control and cleaning. Only company to clean high-rise windows with abseilers.
Relocation, Shipping
Crown 115-116 Street 335. Tel: 023 881 004 www.crownrelo.com Global transportation and relocation company with over 150 offices in 50 countries, specialising in expat support and household shipment. Open 8:30am - 5:30pm Mon - Fri, 8:30am - 12pm, Sat. Home Connect Cambodia 86 Street 160. Tel: 023 88 56 85 www.homeconnect.asia Home search company, dedicated to making the home search process easy and specializing in finding rental homes for the expatriate community. Best of all for our clients, our services are FREE.
Taxi Services
Choice Taxi Tel: 023 888 023 / 090 882 882 Metered taxi service with rates from US$1 for first 2km. Giant Ibis Transport Phnom Penh Phnom Penh: 3 Street 106, next to Night Market. Tel: 023 999 333 www.giantibis.com Siem Reap: 64 Street Sivatha, Mondol 1, Svay Dankum. Travel in “Affordable Luxury” to Siem Reap and other destinations in brand new 2012 buses with comforablt reclining seats, spacious leg room, A/C, Wi-fi, complementary snacks and pick-up service. Global Meter Taxi Tel: 011 311 888 092 889 962 016 680 118 Modern metered taxi fleet with rates from less than US$1 for first two km.
Telecoms
Ezecom 7D Russian Blvd. Tel: 023 888 181 www.ezecom.com.kh Internet service provider that promises boundless internet packages suited to everyone’s needs. Good packages for those looking for unlimited downloads. Mobitel 33 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 012 801 801 Largest ISP in the country. Major mobile phone company which issues the 012 SIM card. Smart Mobile 464A Preah Monivong Blvd. Tel: 010 201 000 www.smart.com.kh facebook.com/SmartMobileKH One of the most dynamic and fastest growing mobile telecom service providers in the country. Issues the 010, 069, 070, 086, 093 and 098 prefixes.
Listings
shopping Art
Hanuman Fine Arts 13B Street 334, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 211 916 tradition@hanumanfinearts.com High quality, beautiful antiques and objets d’art from all over the Kingdom. Furniture, ornaments, silverware, jewellery and more are well displayed in a treasure trove of a store. Very helpful and friendly staff. Open 8am - 5pm. Happy Painting Gallery 363 Sisowath Quay (nr. FCC) Tel : 023 221 732 www.happypainting.net Established in 1995 this art gallery is dedicated to Stef, a local icon artist with a very personal and positive insight into everyday life in Cambodia. Open 8am - 10pm
Beauty Products
Angkor Soap 16C Street 374 Tel: 023 223 720 / 015 935 789. www.angkorsoaps.com Specialising in handmade soaps and natural spa products. Open daily 8am - 5pm Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh spa. phnompenh@raffles.com Distinctive collection of Raffles Amrita spa private label and international spa products are available for purchase. Open 6am - 10pm.
Books & CDS
Carnets d’Asie French Cultural Centre 218 Street 184. Tel: 012 799 959 French-language bookshop has sections on Cambodia and Asia as well as general fiction, with a good range of French magazines and newspapers. Open 8am - 8pm
D’s Books 79 Street 240 & 12E Street 178 Tel: 012 726 355 www.facebook.com/ ds.books.shops New and used bookshops with over 20,000 original books and some copies, with a great range of best sellers. Coffee, smoothies and more available all day at Street 240. Open 9am to 9pm.
handmade pieces produced at Artisans Angkor’s workshops in Siem Reap province: silk scarves, clothing and accessories, home furnishings, lacquer paintings and tableware, stone and wooden sculptures, silver-plated ornaments and silk paintings. Special commissions and custom orders welcome.
Le Phnom Shop Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh, Small shop offering books and souvenirs including recipes from the hotel’s pastry chef. Open 7am - 9pm.
Artwood 6B Street 302. Tel: 016 934 999 www.artwood.asia Drop in to our showroom to experience modern wooden furniture designed and manufactured in Cambodia. Offers free consultations for both commercial and residential custom-made needs.
A.N.D. 52c Street 240. Tel: 017 854 726 artisandesigners@gmail.com The designers at A.N.D. work with many local artisans, giving a fashion twist to traditional skills: look for generously-sized ikat wraps in pure cotton, innovative up-cycled bags, and covetable jewellery combining hand-carved hardwoods with silver and vintage porcelain.
DeCosy 219 Street 19 Tel: 023 219 276 Stocking charming knick-knacks and furniture,is the place to find the things to make your house a home. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.
Bambou Indochine 7 Street 178. Tel: 023 214 720, Facebook: bambouindochine High-quality T-shirts, Polo shirts and comfortable clothes in original designs. A full-range of sizes for men, women and children. Open daily 8am -10pm.
NatureWild 10Eo Street 420 Tel: 023 727 407 www.naturewildcambodia.com A sustainable lifestyle store featuring community products made from natural and wild materials from the forests of Cambodia, ideal for gifts.
Beautiful Shoes 138 Street 143. Tel: 012 848 438 Family-run business measures your feet and designs the shoe exactly as you wish. The shop also caters for men. Open from 7am to 6.30pm.
Monument Books 111 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 217 617 Extensive range of new Englishlanguage books in town including recent releases and sections on Asia, Cambodia, travel, cuisine, design and management. Good children’s section as well as a wide choice of magazines and newspapers. Open 7am - 8.30pm.
Crafts & Furniture
Art des Lignes 42B Mao Tse Toung Blvd. Tel: 012 211 520 www.artdeslignes.com This new interior design showroom provides branded products of highquality like luxury leather sofas and LED lighting, as well as furniture and metal artworks in contemporary style. Upstairs, the architecture and interior design office can offer complete solutions for projects, with a resolutely modern spirit and French Touch. Open 8:30am - 7:00pm .closed Sun. Artisans Angkor 12AEo Street 13 (in front of Post Office) Open daily from 9am to 6pm Tel: 023 992 409 www.artisansdangkor.com Boutique with a wide range of traditional and contemporary
Pavillon d’Asie 24, 26 Sihanouk Blvd Tel: 012 497 217 Antique lovers dream, a large array of well-restored furniture and decorative objects. Wooden cabinets jostle for space with Buddha statues and old wooden boxes. Upstairs are pieces from the French colonial era. Open 10am - 7pm, closed Sun.
Fashion
Ambre 37 Street 178. Tel: 023 217 935 The high-end fashion designs created by Cambodian designer Romyda
Keth are popular all over the world, this beautiful colonial building makes the perfect setting for the city’s most glamorous design shop. Also has men’s fashion. Open 10am - 6pm, closed Sun.
Bliss 29 Street 240. Tel: 023 215 754 A beautiful colonial building houses this exquisite shop with funky patterned cushions, quilts and an excellent clothing line. The health spa at the back of the shop also sells Spana beauty products. Open from 9am to 9pm (closed Mondays). Color Vintage 168 Street 13 Color Vintage is Phnom Penh’s premiere shop for refined vintage styles for men and women. We source authentic articles from around the world and offer free alterations for a perfect fit! Buy, sell or exchange.
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Couleurs D’Asie 33 Street 240 Tel: 023 221 075/ 099 499 478 www.couleursdasie.net info@couleursdasie.net Established in Cambodia for more than 15 years, Couleurs d´Asie has developed a full range of textile products for home decoration, clothing and fashion accessories. Jewellery, essential oils, soaps and more are on offer. A custom service for existing products is also available. Jasmine Boutique 73 Street 240. Tel: 023 223 103 www.jasmineboutique.net Established in 2001 by Kellianne Karatau and Cassandra McMillan, this boutique creates its own collection of designs twice a year using hand-woven Cambodian silk. Open 8am - 6pm. Khmer Attitude Raffles Hotel Le Royal Tel: 023 981 888 Fashion boutique that offers the finest Khmer silk clothing for men, women and children, including designs by Romyda Keth, and exclusive jewellery that complement the limited edition outfits. La Clef de Sol A design boutique offering home decor, women’s fashion, kids clothes, bags, accessories and continually updated design surprises. Next to K’nyay restaurant, in the alley across the park from java cafe. Open 10am - 7pm, closed Sun. Lim Keo 9 Street 222. Tel: 012 941 643 Pret a porter by Lim Keo, son of Sylvain Lim, the master of Cambodian fashion. Lost‘N’ Found Vintage Store 321 Street 63 cnr Street 322 Tel: 023 640 5047 Vibrant vintage shop offering a selection of interesting, handpicked second-hand dresses, handbags, belt, purses and other accessories. Men’s clothing available too. The collection is constantly changing and the attractive prices already make it popular amongst expats. Luna Boutique 8E1Street 278. Tel: 023 220 176 www.lunaboutiquephnompenh.com Original and stylish fashion designs
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for men and women, from work suits to evening dresses. The tailor-made creations, designed by modern Cambodian stylist Mengchou Kit, are fit for any occasion. Luna Boutique is located in the heart of Phnom Penh, in front of Anise Hotel, while its sister shop - Luna Shoes - is just next door and hosts a large selection of shoes, bags, and women’s accessories to complement your style. Open daily 8am - 9pm. Promesses and Kaprices 20 Street 282. Tel: 023 993 527 Lingerie shop stocked with exclusive French and Thai undergarments. Chic, new prêt-à-porter shop Kaprices is located upstairs. Open 9am - 7pm. SALT 2 Street 294 Tel: 012 815 066 SentosaSilk’s younger sibling has just opened in the comfortable surroundings of BKK1. Its stylish wooden interior complements the products sold, ranging from bags and shoes, clothes and dresses to accessories. Open daily 9am - 7pm SentosaSilk Uniform 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 012 962 911/ 023 222 974 sentosa@online.com.kh Well known for its professional management ability, SentosaSilk gives clients efficient and reliable service through quality systems and procedures that consistently enhance product quality and reliability. Sobbhana Boutique 23-24 Street 144/49 Tel: 023 219 455/ 023 219 452 www.sobbhana.org, A not for profit organisation founded by Princess Norodom Marie, offering a range of colourful, handwoven silk products. Profits fund training, medical care and education of weavers. Smateria 8Eo Street 5. Tel: 023 211 701 7 Street 178. Tel: 023 214 720 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old fruit juice cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.
Subtyl 43 Street 240. Tel 023 992 710 www.subtyl.com Up-market boutique selling Cambodian handmade women’s clothes, scarves, shoes, bags and other accessories in contemporary and interesting designs, the Subtyl collection combines class with colour. ChilliKids children’s clothing is also stocked at the shop. Open 9am - 7pm.
Food & Wine
AusKhmer – The Pantry Shop 125 Street 105 Tel: 023 993 859 /023 214 478 This small deli features a variety of well priced wines, Australian beers, and French delicacies, cheeses, antipasti, and cold cuts. Open 10am - 8pm. Camory – Premium Cookie Boutique 167 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 023 224 937 Makes cookies using produce from the provinces such as cashews from Kampong Cham and Mondulkiri honey. A portion of the profits fund education for a local orphanage. Open 9am - 8.30pm. Celliers d’Asie 62B & 98 Street 432. Tel: 023 986 350 Wine supplier with the largest quantity of retail stock in town, has been providing wine to most of the top hotels and restaurants for over ten years. Open 8am -12pm, 2pm - 6pm, closed Sun. Comme a la Maison 13 Street 57. Tel: 012 951 869 Decidedly sophisticated French restaurant has a small delicatessen and bakery at the back of the restaurant ideal for that morning baguette or croissant with your coffee. Open from 6am - 10.30pm. Dan Meats 51A Street 214. Tel: 012 906 072 Phnom Penh’s man of meat, Lanzi, supplies his strictly non-vegetarian products to many restaurants around town. Open7:30 - 6:30, closed Sun. Kurata Pepper Cnr. Streets 63 & 322. Tel: 023 726 480 Selling organic Koh Kong pepper and associated products, Kurata is one of the more unusual shops in town. Open daily 8am - 7pm.
Open Wine 219 Street 19 Tel: 023 223 527 Aircon wine shop and tasting gallery sells wines, severac, calvados and meat. Open 7pm - 11pm. Red Apron 15-17 Eo Street 240 Tel: 023 990 951 Home of wine enthusiasts in Phnom Penh is both a wine boutique and tasting gallery. With around 300 wines, the boutique has more range than the supermarkets. Open 9am - 9pm. Supercheap Cambodia 87 Street 360 Tel: 023 631 3668 www.supercheap.com.kh Budget shop claims to offer the biggest variety of wines and spirits in Cambodia as well as the cheapest prices. Open 8am - 10pm. The Deli
13 Street 178 Tel: 012 851 234 Café and bakery with take away breads, sandwiches and pastries. Now has a second outlet on Street 51. Open 6.30am - 6.30pm, delivery service (within 30 minutes) 7am-11pm.
Silks & Accessories
Friends ‘n’ Stuff 215 Street 13 Tel: 012 955 722 Colourful shop with unique products designed by Mith Samlahn/Friends students and parents of former street kids. Range includes cclothes, necklaces, purses and second hand goods. Has a nail bar run by students from the beauty class. Open 11am - 9pm. Mekong Quilts 49 Street 240 Tel: 023 219 607 www.mekong-quilts.org Outlet for NGO Mekong Plus, stocks a large range of hand-crafted bed covers, home accessories, gifts and decorations. Benefits Mekong Plus, which promotes health initiatives in Svay Rieng Province. Open 9am - 7pm. Sentosa Silk 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 023 222 974 www.sentosasilk.com Using a colourful range of Asian silks, Sentosa creates men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and soft furnishings. Sentosa employs disadvantaged people. Open daily 8am - 7pm.
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St. 466
St. 462
Man Han Lou CIAPP
in B
St. 400
St. 398
St. 392
St. 422
ROCK Entertainment Club
Sambo’s Tots
ail Salon
St. 310
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DK Schoolhouse
St. 73
Lost’n’Found
St. 320
leva
St. 63
The Little Garden New York Steakhouse
St. 63
e
Bou
Thida Salon
St. 464
Kurata Pepper
St. 380
St. 322
St. 334
St. 352
VI Bar
The Governor’s House
St. 360
57
dom
et)
St. 370
(Pasteur Stre
Noro
St. 478
aurant
To Choueng Ek Killing Fields approx. 12 km
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Opening Event @ Emergency Room
Duck Does Duck @ The Duck
Photography by Charles Fox, Amanda Saxton & Conor Wall
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Acoustic Music Night with Andre & Scott @ Artillery
BBQ Party @ Mad Monkey
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soundfix album review
by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen
Ciara
Mavis Staples
Ciara
One True Vine
Mayer Hawthorne
Matias Aguayo The Visitor
Where Does This Door Go “Ladies, it’s your sound” announces Ciara on the rousing opener of her fifth album. In a male-dominated industry, Ciara proves that R&B belongs to girls as well. “A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, making up her own rules,” she sings on another track. Her 2004 Grammy-winning debut Goodies, including the hit ‘1, 2 Step’, gave Ciara fame and acclaim, but it’s been a while since her name has garnered much attention. She’s back with an album designed for a girls’ night out, with tuneful anthems ideal for getting ready for the club, driving to the club and dominating the dance floor (at the club). Lyrics rely on stale tropes about love, self-aggrandisement and female empowerment, but popular R&B always needs a bit of grease to flow. Standouts include seductive slow jam ‘Body Party’ and catchy closing song ‘Overdose’, which evokes a ‘90s tune updated by electronic dance beats.
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Mavis Staples has been making music for over half a century. As part of family group The Staple Singers during her youth, her music became associated with the civil rights movement. But listeners don’t need to know about Staples’ history to appreciate One True Vine. Rather than recycling the gospel sounds of the 1950s and 1960s with which she launched her career, Staples shows that there’s a way to respect one’s roots without sounding outdated. Her latest album is the second collaboration with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, whose production refreshes Staples’ classic sound without seeming forced. Although her range may be somewhat limited by age, Staples’ voice still feels like a sincere embrace. Her songs offer inspiration, not only through spiritual metaphors, but also through a pervading sense of warmth. In our youth-obsessed society, this septuagenarian teaches us that listening to our elders shouldn’t be a duty, but a pleasure.
Does it matter if a soul singer has blue eyes? The term blueeyed soul, coined in the 1960s to refer to white musicians performing African-American music, has been applied to Adele, Justin Timberlake and now Mayer Hawthorne. Cultural appropriation debates aside, Hawthorne’s music echoes his record collector appreciation for the retro sounds of Motown and a genuine feel for the genre. While retaining a soul core, his third album forays into 1970s rock, hiphop and R&B, with the help of Pharrell Williams on ‘Reach Out Richard’. Smooth, upbeat and easily digestible, Hawthorne’s record makes for a persuasive cocktail. Like his contemporary Robin Thicke, Hawthorne is putting soul — albeit a tweaked, party-friendly version — on the Billboard charts and perhaps turning a new generation onto the sound.
Try as I might, I’ve never been able to roll my r’s in that alluring Spanish way. Matias Aguayo gives me all the more reason to keep practising, with an opening track on his latest album called ‘Rrrrr’, which is full of those purrs that I long to pull off. Born in Chile and raised in Cologne, Aguayo creates music that combines the rhythms of South America with the electro beats characteristic of underground German clubs. That’s a simplistic description, because the globetrotting musician picks his sounds from all over the world, although the Latin influences are the most overt. Lyrics are mostly in Spanish, but the record communicates through the universal language of dance. Collaborations with other artists from Aguayo’s Cómeme label make for a lively, diverse record. Chaos reigns on some over-thetop tracks, but in general Aguayo has delivered music that is fun, a bit offbeat and uniquely global.
topten
endorsed
Official 97.5 Love FM Phnom Penh Top Ten 1. Come & Get It Selena Gomez 2. Beat It Sean Kingston 3. Mirrors Justin Timberlake 4. Something That We’re Not Demi Lovato 5. Crazy Kids Ke$ha 6. Here’s To Never Growing Up Avril Lavigne 7. Can’t Hold Us Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 8. #That Power will.i.am & Justin Bieber 9. Beautiful Maria Carey 10. Cruise Florida Georgia Line & Nelly
UK Top Ten 1. Blurred Lines 2. Love Me Again 3. Reload 4. I Love It 5. Bang Bang 6. Brokenhearted 7. La La La 8. Let Her Go 9. Get Lucky 10. The Other Side
Robin Thicke John Newman Sebastian Ingrosso, Tommy Trash & John Martin Icona Pop will.i.am Lawson Naughty Boy Passenger Daft Punk Jason Derulo
US Top Ten 1. Blurred Lines 2. Get Lucky 3. We Can’t Stop 4. Radioactive 5. Cruise 6. Can’t Hold Us 7. Mirrors 8. Treasure 9. Come & Get It 10. Cups (Pitch Perfect When I’m Gone)
Robin Thicke Daft Punk Miley Cyrus Imagine Dragons Florida Georgia Line Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Justin Timberlake Bruno Mars Selena Gomez Anna Kendrick
Diaries Amanda Saxton Whether it consists of scribbles on wine-stained napkins, a series of sleek moleskin notebooks, notes filed on a laptop, or a blog, the benefits of keeping a diary are as varied as its physical formats. Diaries aren’t just repositories for the emoesque ramblings of a tormented soul, kept under a mattress to be read years later with wincing embarrassment. Exorcising one’s demons has cathartic benefits, and there are plenty of more up-beat ways to utilise a diary. For me, a blank page represents a wasted day, while scribbled words represent action and discovery, and no one can deny that a life consisting of the latter is best. I credit my diary with transforming me from a rather misanthropic girl with a book, to one with her own reservoir of swashbuckling stories. Instincts to say “no thanks” have been battled along the way. Hitchhiking from Paris to Tbilisi with just 12 Euros and a smile, fending off sly monkey-thieves to sleep atop Myanmar’s Mount Zwegabin, “borrowing” a wandering pony in Bulgaria for a week in the wilderness, and accompanying Albanian fishermen to remote islands are all adventures that I’ve accepted on the basis that
the absurd diary entries would override any discomort. Living in Southeast Asia provides daily, even hourly, opportunities to capture glorious absurdity. For many people, life here is a chapter with tastes, conversations, and sights that deserve documentation: the greasy crunch of a fried frog beneath a golden pagoda or the motorbike impossibly laden with piglets and chickens. Scribbling a note about such things makes for delightful nostalgia trips in the future, as well as impressed grandchildren. But diaries are more than snapshots — they are points of reference. Famous diarist Joan Didion advises us “to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not.” By doing so, one can monitor preferences, reactions, and goals. For self-improvement’s sake, this is valuable. A diary can safeguard against repeating mistakes, and keep one on track. Keeping a diary is both a record of the past, and a reminder for the future. Pens and paper, or computers, are seldom in short supply, and Cambodia is rife with material. For the sake of remembrance, and self-improvement, start writing. Memoirs have diverse worth.
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bookshelf The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells
Andrew Sean Greer Ecco/HarperCollins Publishers Time seems to be a fixation of Andrew Sean Greer. The author of The Confessions of Max Tivoli, which featured a man who is born elderly and grows younger each day, has returned with another time-bending scenario. In The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells, the protagonist finds herself travelling through the 20th century after an electroconvulsive therapy session goes wrong. The story begins in 1985, when Greta loses her twin brother to AIDs and is abandoned by her lover. After seeking treatment for her subsequent depression, Greta is transported back to 1918 and again to 1941. The same characters appear in each decade, but the situations differ. With this clever concept, the novel explores the many possible outcomes of a single life.
The Property Rutu Modan Drawn and Quarterly For those of you who think that books with drawings are only for children, here’s a graphic novel that may persuade you to think otherwise. Israeli illustrator and cartoonist Rutu Modan tells the story of a grandmother, Regina, and granddaughter, Mica. Bound together by the death of Mica’s father, they visit Poland to recover a property lost during World War II. Mica finds out that there’s more to her family’s past than she’s been told. Modan’s clear, evocative style captures the character’s emotions, expressions and airs, within atmospheric illustrations and a sombre colour palette. The plot itself is powerful but, coupled with images, the book is an invitation for readers to enter deeper into the story.
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Blood and Beauty: The Borgias Sarah Dunant Random House Associated with scandals and ruthless schemes, subject of countless biographies and a recent Showtime television series, the Borgias are perhaps the most notorious family in Italian history. There’s Rodrigo Borgia, who maintained his children and a young mistress during his time as Pope Alexander VI. His son, Cesare, is believed to be the inspiration for Machiavelli’s The Prince, whereas daughter Lucrezia is thought to have murdered people using poison. In this new look at the Borgia clan, Sarah Dunant draws on over a decade of research on Renaissance Italy to debunk myths and bring the family to life. Dunant’s narrative doesn’t deny that the Borgias were death-dealing and power hungry, but the author insists that the rumours about them aren’t all true.
The Cuckoo’s Calling Robert Galbraith Mulholland Books Copies of The Cuckoo’s Calling are flying off shelves around the world. That’s what happens when a seemingly unknown author is discovered to be a pseudonym for one of the best selling writers in the world. When a recent leak — or possible publicity stunt — exposed Harry Potter creator J K Rowling as the mystery novel’s true author, sales skyrocketed. Far from the world of wizards, The Cuckoo’s Calling follows a detective as he delves into London high society to crack a case. Cormoran Strike is a former military man whose private eye business is on the rocks, but his luck seems to change when he’s given an assignment to investigate the murder of a carousing model. A larger-than-life character, Strike seems destined to be the star of another popular Rowling series.
boxoffice
Elysium
Planes
The Wolverine
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
The year is 2154. Ravaged and overpopulated, Earth has become a planet of slums. But none of Earth’s problems touch the wealthy elite, who are able to buy their way to a utopian space station. The inhabitants of Elysium, where poverty, crime and war do not exist, have access to medical machines with instant cures. When Earth-bound factory worker Max de Costa (Matt Damon) contracts cancer, he risks all to hijack his way to Elysium and treat his disease. His mission pits him against Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster), whose strict antiimmigration laws defend the extravagant lifestyles of Elysium’s citizens.
Judging by the success of its Cars series, Disney’s latest animated film is sure to take off. The sky is the limit in Planes, which follows the same model of personified vehicles, comedy and action. Dusty is a plucky crop-dusting aeroplane who aspires to enter an around-the-world air race. But afraid of heights and without the right build for racing, Dusty’s chances to compete appear to be slim to none. The determined crop-duster refuses to give up, conquering his fears and qualifying for the race. With the help of his friends, can Dusty conquer the odds and defeat the formidable defending champion, Ripslinger?
For Wolverine, immortality is a curse. He watches friends age and die, while he remains untouched. But in this sixth instalment of the X-Men film series, Logan — Wolverine’s alter ego — finds himself more vulnerable than ever. Summoned to Japan, Logan (Hugh Jackman) finds his friend Shingen Yashida (Hiroyuki Sanada) on his deathbed. Considerably aged since they met during World War II, Yashida offers to exchange his own mortality for Logan’s immortality. However, when an enemy known as Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova) attempts to steal Wolverine’s gift of eternal life, he must summon all his strength to fight back.
The adventures of Percy Jackson continue in this sequel to 2010’s The Lightning Thief. As we learned in the first adaptation of the young adult book series, the legendary gods of Olympus are real. Their children with humans are known as half-bloods, with powers inherited from their divine lineage. When the half-bloods’ training ground comes under threat from an ancient evil, it’s up to Percy Jackson — a son of Poseidon — to save his home. He and his friends embark on a quest into deadly waters to find a magical golden fleece. The journey pits them against some of the most terrifying monsters in the sea.
Coming Soon August Movie Releases Platinum Cineplex, Sorya See platinumcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule. RED2 Aug. 1 The Wolverine (3D) Aug. 1 Smurfs 2 (3D) Aug. 15 Planes (3D) Aug. 15 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (3D) Aug. 22
Legend Cinema See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule. The Wolverine (3D) Aug. 1 Smurfs 2 (3D) Aug. 15 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (3D) Aug. 22 Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall Aug. 22 Planes (3D) Aug. 29 Elysium Aug. 29
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pub quiz
6. Which religious movement was founded by the Sun Myung Moon in 1954? 7. In which city was Sun Records founded? 8. What happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned with the Earth in the middle? 9. What is lit by the light of the Sun every two years in Greece? 10. In the song, the ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ is in which city?
Asia Pacific Leaders 11. Who, according to bookmakers, is the favourite to become the next Prime Minister of Australia? 12. Which Asia Pacific country currently has the world’s longest-serving head of state? 13. Which country joined APEC in 1998, under the advice of then president Alberto Fujimori? 14. Peter O’Neill is the current Prime Minister of which Southern Hemisphere APEC member country? 15. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the president of which country?
Coffee 21. Which dark liqueur, originally made in Jamaica, was first concocted with coffee beans? 22. Which Nordic country consumes the most coffee per capita? 23. Which coffee beans, thought to have a chocolate taste, are named after a port in Yemen? 24. Which Italian dessert is made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee? 25. Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer. Which South East Asian country is second?
Celebrity Statues 26
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Tea Time? 16. Who shares a tea party with a hatter, a hare and a dormouse? 17. Which British peer and former Prime Minister has a blend of tea named after him? 18. “The destruction of the tea,” as it was known at the time, took place in 1773 in which American city? 19. Which European country, with a population of 4,500,000, drinks the most tea per capita?
Spotted by Charles Fox
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Sun
20. What does OP stand for on a packet of tea?
1. Don’t You (Forget About Me) 2. Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise 3. Rainier III 4. (Somewhere) Over the Rainbow 5. Bermuda 6. Unification Church (The Moonies) 7. Memphis 8. Lunar Eclipse 9. Olympic Torch (or Flame) 10. New Orleans 11. Tony Abbott 12. Thailand 13. Peru 14. Papua New Guinea 15. Indonesia 16. Alice (in Wonderland) 17. Earl Grey (II) 18. Boston 19. Ireland 20. Orange Pekoe 21. Tia Maria 22. Finland 23. Mocha 24. Tiramasu 25. Vietnam 26. Leonard Nimoy 27. Robert Pattinson 28. Halle Berry 29. Michael Clarke Duncan 30. Mel Gibson
1. “Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling. Down, down, down,” is a lyric from which Simple Minds hit? 2. Who played the brothers in the Oscar-winning film Rain Man? 3. Who ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years? 4. Which song won an Oscar for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz? 5. Hamilton is the capital of what British Overseas Territory, which has no source of fresh water apart from rainfall?
Spot something that tickles your fancy? Take a picture, send it to hilary.fastier@outlook.com and it could appear here next month!
“Quizzing the Quizmasters” answers (from pg 42) Abigail Asks: Punt; Brecht Asks: ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ by Survivor; David Asks: The Sydney Opera House
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