AsiaLIFE Cambodia June issue

062013 ISSUE78

www.asialifemagazine.com

Hidden Treasures

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: Rhi Quinn Sales Director Cambodia: Sorn Chantha chantha@asialife.asia sornchantha@yahoo.com

Ellie Dyer Travel is one of life’s great joys. Thanks to the wonders of flight, tourists no longer have to traverse oceans or walk continents to open their eyes to the endless wonders of the world.

One of the great qualities of Asia is its diversity.

Within this continent lie huge forests, majestic rivers, stunning wildlife, bubbling volcanoes, mountainous terrains, and hugely diverse cultures. With all this on offer, why not make the most of it? After all, budget airliners like AirAsia are making travel ever more affordable, while better roads are making lengthy bus journeys less arduous.

This month, our writers have done just that and ventured to three out-of-the way spots for our cover feature. Our publisher, Mark Bibby Jackson, went north to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of southern Laos, while Faine Greenwood ventured south to brave the jungles of Indonesia in search of one of the world’s most terrifying reptiles — the carnivorous Komodo dragon.

I also set out in search of adventure, heading west to the pristine coastline of Myanmar. We hope our stories give a taste of the range of life that can be found by heading further afield, and inspire you to hop on a bus or a plane.

If you want to treat yourself, we’ve also given a run-down of the design ideas behind some of the region’s top hotels, but remember that travel can be fun on any budget, whether it be bedding down in a $2 hostel, getting down with nature in a tent, or putting your feet up in luxury surrounds.

Closer to home, Marissa Carruthers has headed to Siem Reap to meet some of the performers behind the town’s new circus, which marks a new venture for Battambang-based organisation Phare Ponleu Selpak.

We’ve also discovered more about Phnom Penh’s upcoming heritage film festival. If you don’t have the budget to get away, join one of its free film screenings.

Classics like Singing In the Rain and West Side Story, set to be shown in the capital this month, can transport you to a different country without leaving your seat.

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Art Director Cambodia: Hilary Fastier Photographers: Charles Fox & Dylan Maddux Social Media and Marketing: Kate Burbidge kate@asialife.asia

Sales and Accounts: Seang Seyha 012 581 455

Distribution: Sam Ath Ouk 012 319 172

Accountant: Seang Satya

Printing: Sok Heng Printing House

For advertising enquiries call Chantha on 012 576 878.

Special thanks to: Kate Burbidge, Darren Gall, Gemma Jones, Mary Kozlovski, Jemma Galvin, International SOS, David Preece, and Cambodia Restaurant Association - for their contribution to this issue.

On the Cover Illustration: Kate Burbidge Photography: Dylan Maddux Art Direction: Hilary Fastier Location: Hanuman Fine Arts AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark.

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

SKIN DEEP Next time you're in Vietnam, check out the latest issue of AsiaLIFE or download it from www.asialifemagazine.com

062013 ISSUE78

front

12 Picks of the Month 14 Openings

food

44 Barrels and Vines 46 Piccola Italia 47 Tea Club

18 Dispatches 20 Phnom Penh Calendar 22 Photo Essay 26 Q&A: Erika Pineros

on the cover storyboard

style & design

48 Behind the Design

back

55 Listings

50 Ray of Light

28 Hidden Treasures

90 Phnom Penh Map 98 Pub Quiz

34 A Touch of Class 36 Roll Up, Roll Up 38 35mm Memories 40 Bowled Over 42 The Measure of Success

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June 2013

Homeless Football Squad Picked

Happy Football Cambodia Australia has announced the Cambodian squad for the Homeless World Cup, to be held in Poland in September.

This announcement comes hot on the heels of the success of the Credit Bureau team at the Cambodia Charity Cup in April. Chhun Malivy Lek, Bun Lao Chhunn, Neasa Huon, Chun Ly Prum, Makra Chey and Daneth Nut were selected to play for their country out of a strong field of 22 players.

A charity auction to support the group will be held at The Exchange on Jun. 4 at 7.30pm. www.hfcaustralia.org

tabbouleh and a Tahitian-style dish, a selection of pastas are included on the menu. A variety of filling stews — all served with white rice — are also being made at Gloria Jean’s central kitchen in BKK1. They include a delicious Asian beef stew and a chilli con carne. All outlets are open from 6.30am to 9.30pm. Delivery is available.

Flooded Forest Protection

A remote section of the Mekong river, known as the flooded forest, has been designated a management and conservation site for biodiversity and fisheries resources. Located between

Kratie and Stung Treng towns, in northeastern Cambodia, the area is a mix of diverse habitats, including tall forests, waterways and islands, supporting species that have virtually disappeared.

Fauna include the criticallyendangered Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin and the rare Cantor’s giant soft shell turtle, which was once thought to be extinct in the region. “Current efforts to protect this important area will be strengthened,” said Nao Thuok, director general of Cambodia’s Fisheries Administration.

“This is a treasure trove of biodiversity and natural resources for Cambodia.”

Coffee chain Gloria Jean’s is meeting its competition in the thriving café sector head on, after launching an ambitious new food menu at its Phnom Penh outlets. French chef Stephane Poulet worked with the Cambodian franchise for six weeks to create a range of dishes that offer a journey around the world.

Along with sandwiches and salads, including North African

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Adam Oswell

Gloria Jean’s Expands Menu

Cider Season

Cider drinkers have a new opportunity to enjoy their tipple of choice following the launch of Bruntys premium cider in Phnom Penh.

British-owned group Asia Pacific Cider Company has set up Southeast Asia’s only traditional cider brewery in the Cambodian capital. “I realised Asia was missing something — cider on demand at a reasonable price,” said Peter Gilks, managing director of Asia Pacific Cider Company.

The brand has launched three flavours — apple, pear and strawberry. The drinks are set to be widely available at restaurants, bars and grocery stores in June.

Dennis Drenner

New Roof Bears Fruit

The open-air Cambodian Living Arts’ performances at the National Museum gardens have become year-round, after a $9,000 roof was built at the site to provide shelter during rainy season.

The shows, grouped under the name ‘Plae Pakaa’ or 'fruitful', offer visitors the opportunity to see a range of art forms, while creating long-

term employment for 120 emerging and established arts professionals. A new season began on May 10, with dance and theatre pieces shown at the venue every Friday and Saturday at 7pm. From October, when rainy season is on the wane, performances will be staged six nights a week. For more information, visit cambodianlivingarts.org.

PPAWS Pet of the Month

Frida is a tortoiseshell kitten who is aged about three months. Like all three colour cats, she is female. Frida is very loving and enjoys snuggling up with you on the sofa. She has a very loud purr and lets you know that she likes being stroked. Frida has had her first vaccination and is due two more in the coming weeks. Call Nicky on 017293654 or email nicola.scales@gmail.com if you are interested in adopting Frida or any of the other kittens at the rescue centre. asialife Cambodia 9

Cambodian-American rock band Dengue Fever have confirmed tours of Southeast Asia and Europe this summer.

The band that combines an exotic blend of Cambodian rock, Afro grooves, surf and garage psych will play the FCC in Siem Reap on Jun. 1 before returning to the capital to perform at the Memory International Film Heritage Festival on Jun. 5, after which they will attend the Bophana Centre for a screening of their documentary Sleepwalking

Through The Mekong on Jun. 6. The band’s only gig in Vietnam will be at the Cargo Bar at Q4, Ho Chi Minh City, on Jun. 7. Since their inception in 2002, Dengue Fever’s unique take on 60s Cambodian pop and American surf rock has garnered praise and attention from fans and critics alike. The TV show True Blood named an entire episode after one of their songs and featured the band’s music throughout the show.

For more information, visit www.denguefevermusic.com.

York Tillyer

Dengue Fever Tour Cambodia

York Tillyer

June 2013

picks of the month Attend: A Thing of Smoke

Listen: Dub Addiction

Running until Jun. 30, Romeet Gallery on Street 178 is hosting an exhibition of never before published visual creations by renowned Cambodian artist Sera. The show, called A Thing of Smoke, will coincide with the launch of a limited edition 68-page book that unites Sera’s works with poems by Julianne Sibiski — lauréate of the Bare Hands International Poetry Prize 2012 — and a preface by art critic Daniel Dobbels.

Dub Addiction’s first album received rapturous applause from party-goers last month, as crowds flocked to The Village for its Phnom Penh launch. Dub Addiction Meets Kampuchea Rockers Uptown offers up 13 tracks that represent the popular band’s dub, electro and reggae flavours. Download the record from either Amazon or iTunes to hear the legendary funksters in action.

Download: Skyscanner Finding the cheapest flight online can be a thankless task that takes time, perseverance and high levels of patience. However there is an easier way than trawling through airline websites. Comparison website Skyscanner now offers a free iOS app for mobile phones. The easyto-navigate tool allows users to quickly select travel dates and preferred routes. It also offers a chart option that allows users to scan prices over the course of the year, enabling them to select the cheapest flights on airlines.

Use: Google Translate It’s been a long time coming, but Google has added Khmer script to its 66 translatable languages. Though it’s still early days, with initial users reporting mixed results, the online tool is good enough to give non-Khmer readers the gist of what’s going on in local news, opinion or announcements, or vice versa. Google called Khmer “a tricky language for translations systems,” as its structure and lack of regular spacing meant that the company had to teach the system how to separate out words.

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Read: A Song of Ice and Fire An epic television series brought the fictional world of Westeros to the masses, but the smash-hit fantasy show Game of Thrones began life in literature. Created by author George R R Martin, the first in the A Song of Ice and Fire book series was published way back in 1996. Centred around a violent medieval land, where murder and deceit are the name of the game, the novels feature warring dynastic families, such as the scheming Lannisters — including fan favourite Tyrion, an intelligent, sarcastic dwarf — and the dragon rearing Targaryens. If you can’t wait for the next HBO series to hit the small screen, then pick up one of series’ five published novels to become immersed in Martin’s rich imagination.

Helen Mirren British actress reigns on a parade after storming out of a London theatre dressed as Queen Elizabeth II in order to tell off street drummers for disturbing the audience.

Election Fever Preparations are well under way for next month’s national elections, with Prime Minister Hun Sen and the CPP aiming for victory.

Glamazon Fashionistas turn up in force for Glamazon as The Dollhouse salon uses its creative zeal to introduce avant-garde to Phnom Penh.

The Met Celebration as the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art decides to return two 10th century statues, believed to have been looted in the 1970s, to Cambodia.

Virgin Galactic Sir Richard Branson’s commercial spacecraft breaks the speed of sound on its debut trip. It aims to take its first passengers in 2014.

GOING UP GOING DOWN Anti-Blasphemy At least 15 people killed in clashes between police and Islamic hardliners in Bangladesh over demands that the country bring in an anti-blasphemy law.

Pianos Mayhem at Justin Bieber’s Dubai concert when an overenthusiastic fan tackles the mega star, managing to knock over a grand piano on the way.

Literary Agents Aged author Harper Lee sues her literary agency for allegedly tricking the 87-year-old into signing over copyright for her classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird.

Hippos Fascinating account of tour guide’s brush with death after being swallowed by a hippopotamus in Africa is made public, highlighting the danger of the river pachyderms.

Reese Witherspoon Embarrassment for squeaky clean actress after the Legally Blonde star is arrested for disorderly conduct.

openings Wines of the World

Zino Wine Bar With light surrounds and a prime location on rapidly-expanding Street 294, Zino is bringing new life to the capital’s wine scene.

The wine list offers a broad range of vintages and labels that span the world, with prices ranging from $4 a glass to upwards of $100 a bottle. Drinks can be enjoyed at the inviting rectangular bar downstairs or the more intimate upstairs area. To line your stomach, a range of top-end food is offered. Starters include asparagus spears with duck egg and hollandaise at $6.50, with a main of beef fillet at $25 and sirloin at $16.50. Desserts and a selection of cheeses — a good match for any wine — are also available.

12 Street 294, Phnom Penh. Open daily from 12pm to 12am, with Sunday brunch from 10.30am. Tel: 023 998 519.

Succulent Sandwiches

Buffalo Sister

Meat lovers will appreciate the slow-cooked and roasted beef, pork and chicken fillings on offer at new sandwich shop Buffalo Sister on busy Street 19. Buffalo Sister has a set menu of 13 sandwiches at $4.25 each and the option to create your own from a smorgasbord of meats, vegetables and dressings. For vegetarians, there are falafel and roast vegetable sandwiches, along with homemade carrot cake, muffins and bread and butter pudding. The eatery can deliver and plans to offer catering services. Be sure to check out the Facebook page for exclusive daily specials.

128 Street 19, Phnom Penh. Open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7.30pm. Tel: 017 879 403, buffalosisterphnompenh@gmail.com, facebook.com/Buffalo-Sister-Phnom-Penh.

Fishy Friends

Aquarium Café Renature For city dwellers too busy to travel to Kep or Sihanoukville, Aquarium Café has brought the ocean to Phnom Penh. Café owner and aquarium designer Akihiro Onishi, a native of Japan, said he wanted to bring his appreciation for nature to the venue, which is illuminated by the glow of aquariums filled with bright, tiny fish. He told AsiaLIFE that children from local schools had already come to view the underwater creations. The small café sells drinks and simple dishes, including sandwiches, pastas and burgers, most of which are priced under $5. In addition to running the café, Onishi designs, sells and rents out aquariums.

35AE Street 288, Phnom Penh. Open daily from 10am to 10pm. Tel: 017 827 766.

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Coffee Takeover

Brown 5

The newest Brown Coffee bubbles with students hunched over laptops, clutching copies of The Hunger Games, and slurping on the café’s tried and tested selection of coffees, shakes and frappés.

The strategically located café, opposite the Institute of Foreign Languages on Russian Boulevard, has a more rustic design than its forebears, with exposed brick walls, worn timber floors and ceilings, and shelves filled with indoor plants, old clocks, coffee cups and grinders. With a fifth store now under its belt, Brown shows no signs of slowing down and could be coming soon to a street near you — if it hasn’t already.

114 Russian Blvd, corner Street 259, Phnom Penh. Open daily from 6.30am to 9pm. Tel: 098 555 221, browncoffee.com.kh.

Sleek and Simple

Public House In a city of busy boulevards, the stillness of Street 240½ is a breath of fresh air. Public House peers into the tiny street through a large window, inviting patrons into an intimate dining room and bar. The owners say that in opening the venue they wanted to create more of an atmosphere in the laneway. Inside, besuited staff tend a sleek wooden bar spanning the length of the room, while a modern kitchen offers fresh, tasty food for lunch and dinner. Dishes include fish and chips with tartar sauce and shepherd's pie, with weekend brunch available from mid to late June. Those wanting another drink or three after dinner can step over to neighbouring Bar.Sito for a nightcap.

Street 240½, Phnom Penh. Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5.30pm to 10.30pm, or to 9.30pm on Sundays. Lunch from 11.30am to 3pm starting on Jun. 4. Tel: 017 770 754.

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High-end Dining

The Duck With its chic interior, The Duck stands out on a stretch of Sothearos Boulevard in the booming area around Phsar Kabko. Owner Dah Lee, who has 30 years experience in the food and beverage industry in Australia and New Zealand, explains that the contemporary restaurant serves classic dishes using the best cuts and ingredients, with simple plate presentation. EntrĂŠes start from $6, mains from $9 and desserts are $4 to $5 each. The Duck has a plentiful wine selection to complement its menu, featuring varieties from France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. It is also open for breakfast and lunch.

49 Sothearos Blvd, Phnom Penh. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7am until late, open Mondays from 6pm only. Tel: 089 823 704, www.the-duck.net, info@the-duck.net.

Leafy Poolside The owners of popular gay-friendly Siem Reap establishment Golden Banana have finally ventured to the capital to open Rambutan Hotel — a stylish boutique resort nestled in BKK1. Guests can relax with a massage or lounge by the leafy poolside at the hotel, which has four different room types starting from $55 per night. Most rooms have a small garden and outside bath, while a penthouse apartment offers views of the surrounding city. Rambutan has 24-hour reception, free WiFi for guests and a menu featuring Khmer and international food.

The hotel is offering a 25 percent discount on all rooms until the end of October.

29 Street 71, Phnom Penh. Tel: 012 929 328 or 017 992 240. www.rambutanresort.com. bookings@rambutanresort.com.

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Rambutan Resort

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DISPATCHES

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Island Bliss

The Le Meridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa has made a splash since opening last year and was named ‘Asia’s Leading New Resort 2012’ at the World Travel Awards. Located right on the sparkling Gulf of Thailand, Le Meridien is home to a selection of luxurious suites and villas with easy access to the infinity pool or the ocean. The resort offers a wide range of activities, from kayaking and snorkelling, to Thai language lessons. Until Jun. 30 the resort is offering a 50 percent discount for stays booked before Dec. 24. Each room includes daily breakfast at Latest Recipe and free WiFi throughout the resort.

Lemeridienkohsamui.com.

Fortress Opulence

Due to open in winter 2013, the Alila Fort Bishangarh is set to become one of Asia’s most unique resorts. Located inside a heritage fortress on the outskirts of Jaipur, India, visitors will be treated to a mix of history and modern luxury. The allsuite resort features 59 rooms, each created to capture the stunning views from the fortress. Suites include large bay windows, expansive bathrooms and luxury bedding that can accommodate a family of four. The grounds feature a pool, fitness centre and two themed restaurants, among other amenities. The hotel is easily accessible from both New Delhi and Jaipur. Alilahotels.com/fortbishangarh.

Sky High Luxury

Set between floors 74 and 98 of the Guangzhou IFC tower, the Four Seasons Guangzhou is one of the world’s highest hotels. The 302 guest rooms and 42 suites all offer unparalleled views of the Pearl River and Guangzhou, one of China’s most important economic cities. The wellappointed rooms include custom designed beds, marble bathrooms and high-end entertainment technology.

Guest amenities include 24-hour business services, four restaurants and two lounges, an indoor pool and a spa with private treatment rooms. Four Seasons is now running a promotion in which customers receive a complimentary fourth night with every three consecutive paid nights.

Fourseasons.com/Guangzhou.

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Have an event coming up?

Send information and dates to k8bluesky@gmail.com

CALENDAR PHNOM PENH JUN

The British Business Association of Cambodia is holding a traditional garden party in the grounds of the Himawari Hotel from 3pm to 8pm.

Celebrate all things British with a fancy dress contest, live bands, bouncy castles, fun competitions, typical summer fête games and traditional British grub.

Tickets: $10 for adults, $25 for a family. www. bbacambodia.com.

Memory!, the International Film Heritage Festival, launches in Phnom Penh today and runs until Jun. 9. Film screenings are open to all and are free of charge. Screenings of classic movies are at Chaktomuk Theatre, while documentaries are being screened at the Bophana Centre. Following similar film festivals in the West, this will be the first of its kind in Asia.

Bophana Centre, 64 Street 200. www.memoryfilmfestival.org.

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Eat.Drink.Phnom.Penh is holding a specialty beer tasting at the Himawari Microbrewery, from 7pm to 9pm. A range of beers is available for sampling, including a robust stout and an American style IPA, accompanied by a sumptuous Singaporean-style buffet. Neo Say Wee, brewmaster at Himawari and Brewwokz microbreweries, will be on hand to share his knowledge and experience of the industry.

Advance tickets cost $20 and are available from Himawari reception or email cambodia@ hungrygowhere.com (for more than two tickets).

The price is $23 on the door.

Lola © Cinetamaris, Agnes Varda

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Simphony music school’s annual concert and art exhibition are being held at the InterContinental Hotel. The exhbition runs from 3pm to 6pm, with a concert from 3.30pm to 6pm. Call 023 727 345 or 016 705 830 to reserve seats.

JUN

Head to The Exchange restaurant for a charity auction in support of Happy Football Cambodia Australia, which hopes to take a local team to the Homeless World Cup in Poland this year. The action kicks off at 7.30pm, with prizes donated by a wealth of local businesses.

JUN

The Cambodian Federation of Rugby (The CFR) hosts its annual Gala Dinner, promoting the CFR Grassroots Rugby Programme, which provides social development through sport for junior players. Raffles Hotel Le Royal is hosting the event and speakers include legendary player Gavin Hastings. Tickets are $50 or $450 for a table of ten and include buffet dinner, free-flow beer and wine, and a celebrity auction. Tickets are available by emailing events@cambodiarugby.net.

04 08

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JUN

A Father’s Day brunch will be held at the InterContinental hotel’s Regency Café. Spoil your Dad with dining delights such as beef Wellington, roast duck, fresh seafood, European cheeses, a complimentary glass of Father’s Secret and much more. Tickets are $36 plus taxes. Under-12s dine free when accompanying parents.

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For one evening only, Sofitel’s grand lobby will be transformed into Bohemian Cacophony of musicians, artists, costumes, burlesque beauties, fortune-tellers and stalls from 6pm to 11pm.

It is set to be a FrenchCambodian extravaganza in a Notre Dame-esque setting.

Set menus are $29 in Haichi, Do Forni and FuLuZu, excluding taxes.

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A perennial favourite, Wine and Cheese Night at Lobby Lounge and Bar in the Hotel InterContinental, will be held from 6.30pm to 9pm.

Tickets are $35 per person.

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

Ever Faithful

Cambodia's holy places are commonly associated with saffron-cloaked monks and ancient carvings. A less noticeable, but no less faithful, army of elders, nuns and lay people devote their time to tending countless wats and shrines. They are often elderly men and women who prepare offerings for deities and food for monks, light sacred flames, arrange shrines for festivals, and carry out a myriad of tasks to keep temples functioning. Although in the background, they are part of the vibrant fabric of Cambodia's Buddhist culture. Matthew Duckworth looks at their world.

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Erika Piñeros Photographer Erika Piñeros discusses her inspiration, her Colombian roots and the value of humility and respect. Portrait by Charles Fox.

How did you become involved in photography?

I don’t really have one of those great stories most photographers have. I didn’t get my first camera from my grandfather, or always just knew this was what I wanted to do. I found photography quite late, and as much as I regret this, I also appreciate that fact. It has given me the chance to take my time, and to understand and assimilate what it means to be able to tell other people’s stories.

From the beginning, I followed human rights topics.

You grew up in Colombia. Has this affected your work?

I suppose it gave me a pretty 26 asialife Cambodia

good grip on reality. Colombia, like Cambodia, is a place of huge contrasts, which is what I love about it. It isn’t a secret to anyone that Colombia has gone through many hardships. What seems to be a secret, however, is that it is a country that has far more to offer than what is usually shown and reported in the ‘West’.

I have been on the receiving end of pity and judgement because of my country’s situation, and that has taught me to approach my topics and subjects with dignity, with the understanding that we are all the same, giving them the chance to show the other side of their stories.

Your latest exhibition, Blood & Sand, explores bullfighting. Why were you drawn to this subject?

I had grown tired of seeing people take such a definite stand on this ‘animal cruelty’ issue, and I realised I actually knew very little about it. I wanted to learn more. I wanted to see who the ‘perpetrators’ behind this practice were. I wanted to talk to them, and see with my own eyes how they treated the animals they would later face in the ring. This story is a reminder to me that we often fear what we don’t know or understand.

This project is very close to my heart because of my background.

I grew up on a cattle farm. This

has given me a different point of view on bullfighting and the issues surrounding it, which doesn’t necessarily mean I support it. From the costumes to the bull, the blood and the sand, bullfighting is an extremely colourful spectacle, so much that it can be visually overwhelming at times. This is why I chose to show the story in black and white — I wanted to draw attention to the moments and characters involved, bull and matadores alike.

What led you to Cambodia?

I wouldn’t be the first one to say that “I came to Cambodia, and fell in love with the country and its people,” but

I do think part of it was that I found a lot of similarities with Colombia. Despite being half a world apart, both countries have faced extreme situations at different times in their histories. I guess in a way, by learning from Cambodia, I was hoping to understand Colombia more. I still don’t.

You documented the crowds following the death of King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

What was that like?

This was an interesting moment to photograph from a professional and personal point of view. I chose to focus on what I couldn’t understand, so I looked at the Cambodian

people and their intense emotions. Monarchy and inherited authority are concepts that are very foreign to me, and I question a lot. Initially, I couldn’t understand how millions of people could be so intensely affected by the death of someone they had never met, or from whom they had never received a direct benefit.

It was overwhelming to see this collective expression of devotion and grief.

Photographing it made me see an angle I hadn’t seen before.

It was the uncertainty that moment brought to Cambodia, the closure of a chapter of its modern history, and the hope and unity that King Sihanouk

— as a figure — brought to millions across the country despite their social background.

That hope, after all, was not such a foreign concept to me.

You often cover protests and human rights issues like evictions. Why? Photography has given me the opportunity to support causes I believe in without being too directly involved. As an outsider, I struggle with the idea of having a huge input on issues I don’t fully understand, and to have the arrogance to pretend I do. As much as I empathise with these causes, I understand it is not my place to instigate change or take part in

these events, but to document them. I don’t see this as a lack of commitment to a cause, but an opportunity to tap into different topics and a chance to showcase them objectively to a wider public. I strongly believe, out of respect for the subjects, that these are battles they have to fight themselves.

Do you have any advice for budding photographers?

The same thing I keep reminding myself: keep it humble. It's about the stories, not us.

Blood & Sand is on at Tepui at Chinese House, Sisowath Quay, until Jun. 30. For more, visit erikapineros.com. asialife Cambodia 27

Hidden

Treasures Faine Greenwood, Ellie Dyer and Mark Bibby Jackson get off the beaten track and find adventures worth their weight in gold.

Illustrated by Kate Burbidge.

Brush with A Dragons If you've heard of Flores before, it's likely due to the 2003 discovery of the remains of homo floresiensis.

The tiny humans, whimsically dubbed ‘hobbits’, are now thought by some scientists to belong to a separate species of man that may have existed as recently as 12,000 years ago.

Add to that a remnant population of Komodo dragons, well-preserved forests lush with tree ferns, tribal settlements and rainbow-coloured crater lakes, and you've got a vacation destination that brings the theme from Jurassic Park to mind.

My first stop in Flores was Labuan Bajo, the most popular tourist town on this 5,228-squaremile island. That's not to say it's crowded. In April, the main street and a smattering of surprisingly good restaurants and dive shops were almost deserted, although I was still able to pick up a carving of a Komodo dragon.

The souvenir was appropriate as I was off to Rinca Island, part of the Komodo National Park, renowned as one of the finest diving spots on the planet and the home of the infamous monitor lizards. I booked myself on a boat, and off we went.

After a morning snorkel, we stopped at the rather Jurassic Park-esque gate to the island, where we hired a guide to take us on an hour-long jaunt. We saw dragons almost

immediately, sleeping in a deceptively peaceful fashion underneath the park headquarters, where attacks happen on a disarmingly regular basis.

Our guide, armed with only a forked stick, soon led us past the HQ and into the forest, where we spotted birds building mounds and, all of a sudden, a Komodo — emerging from the bushes onto the trail, and then coming towards us. The prehistoriclooking, carnivorous reptiles can reach three metres in length and weigh as much as 300 pounds. Although attacks on tourists are rare, bites do happen.

"Back up, back up!" the guide said, sounding worried. We did, and the beast evaporated back into the bushes. Want a bit of primordial terror on your vacation?

You've got it.

From Labuan Bajo, I moved into the lush and mountainous centre of Flores, where I planned to visit Wae Rebo village.

The Manggarai tribe traditionally built conical grass and bamboo houses, which are labour-intensive but well suited for their damp and high-up home.

Almost all the Manggarai have given up such mbaru niang, or drum houses, but Wae Rebo residents have held on and recently renovated four homes with the assistance of the Indonesian government and architects.

Kongsak Sumano

Writer Faine Greenwood heads to the island of Flores, Indonesia, to explore a land of volcanic lakes, cloud forests, ancient ‘hobbits’ and even the odd dragon.

The trek to Wae Rebo — beginning at Denge, a seven-hour drive from Labuan Bajo — is an uphill six kilometres, and should take about three to three and a half hours, depending on your level of fitness. I budgeted in plenty of stops to take pictures of cloud forest views, check out extravagant butterflies, and look for the occasional monkey.

Once I arrived at the village, my guide and I were escorted to the drum house built for visitors, and treated to a simple lunch and strong coffee. I spent the afternoon wandering the complex. Locals invited me into their houses, showing off the bizarre but practical architecture.

In the evening, some women and children came to sit with us and chat. We fell asleep together asialife Cambodia 29

on woven grass mats and under a fluffy blanket, and I woke up refreshed. On the walk back, we stopped at a cliffside resting point and watched the morning mist break over the ocean and the perfectly triangular Mount Inerie, a volcano that rises 2,245 metres above the sea.

Perhaps the most famous attractions on Flores are the Kelimutu crater lakes — three indentations in the earth created by volcanic activity. They regularly change colour, as dictated by their mineral make-up.

Most travellers stay in the small community of Moni, about 15 kilometres from the lakes. I decided to opt for the nearby port city of Ende and took a day trip, renting a car for

30 asialife Cambodia

$60. It’s about a two-hour ride and incredibly scenic, passing by tumbling waterfalls, manicured rice paddies and white-water rapids, all looked over by enormous, ancient Banyan trees.

At Kelimutu, I made the 10-minute walk from the empty parking lot to a point overlooking the crater lakes.

Though most trips to Kelimutu leave in the very early morning, ensuring that travellers will get a chance to watch the sun rise over the mountains, I got to the lakes at around 9am.

I was rewarded with clear weather and bright sun, just avoiding an oncoming cloud bank. The island’s Sikka people say that the turquoise lake is home to the souls of people who died when they were young, while the brown lake houses those of the old and experienced. The black lake

is for the souls of evil people.

Inviting as these waters may appear, there's no good way to get down to the lakes. You're not advised to make the attempt as hikers have perished in the process in recent years. An occasional whiff of acidic sulphur proves a solid reminder that these lakes were wrought by volcanic activity — one of the few constants in diverse Indonesia.

Labuan Bajo can be reached by plane from Denpasar, Bali. A day trip on a boat taking in Rinca Island will cost around $7.

Ende can be reached by flights departing from Denpasar and Labuan Bajo, and also via shuttle bus from major cities.

Myanmar’s

Wild Beaches

Ellie Dyer ventures to southern Myanmar to discover a beach paradise for local holidaymakers and a coastline almost untouched by development.

As dusk falls over the Bay of Bengal, Chaung Tha comes alive. Thousands of local tourists splash in the shallows, taking time out to loll in rubber rings, ride tandem bicycles or hop on a beachside pony. If they are lucky, they’ll ride one painted like a zebra. This is a beach holiday — Myanmar style.

With democratisation well under way, floods of foreign holidaymakers are entering the previously isolated country.

Many fly north to the historic temples of Bagan or experience the serenity of Lake Inle. Yet six hours from Yangon lies another, lesser known, attraction — the pristine sands of the south coast.

Though instability has wracked neighbouring Rakhine state, the Ayeyarwaddy delta still thrives as a draw for well-heeled Yangonites craving a break from the city. From the metropolis, buses journey through rice paddies and head into jungle-clad hills, where vegetation is being razed to plant rubber plantations, before descending onto the main drag of Chaung Tha. The ochre beach stretches along a curving bay dotted with hotels, restaurants and glinting golden temples balanced on imposing crags of black rock. Families crowd the shoreline under swaying palms, sipping on coconuts and devouring the fresh seafood that the area is known for, before venturing into the sea fully-clothed.

Entertainment is the name of the game at this Myanmar holiday paradise, and a

cornucopia of activities — from kite flying to horse rides and banana boating — is on offer. With westerners in short supply and modest clothing de rigueur, bikini-clad visitors may even become part of the show. Gangs of grinning teenagers top off their day by asking for a photograph with foreign tourists, while hawkers pace the beach selling everything from framed lobsters to sea urchins.

During Thingyan, Myanmar’s water festival held in April, Chaung Tha is frenetic. At the height of the Buddhist celebration, vacationers splash each other with ice cold buckets of water while downing beers. Fireworks let off by laughing youths light up the sky and Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ echoes through the streets, where children set up large stages along the roadside in order to hose down passing traffic.

Despite its frantic pace and Butlins-esque atmosphere, serenity is never far away on this relatively undeveloped coastline. Even at the height of holiday season, a short walk can provide muchneeded privacy.

A 15-minute stroll away from Chaung Tha’s main hub lies a wild beach where

asialife Cambodia 31

visitors can find themselves alone, except for the odd horse galloping through gentle waves. A small number of guest houses — including the well priced Hill Garden Hotel (around $35 a night) — populate this quiet area, which recalls the idylls of Thailand before its development boom.

An exhilarating motorbike ride along the coastal track to neighbouring beach Ngwe Saung further emphasises the delta’s pure beauty, which is yet to be overrun by modernity.

Small wooden houses cluster in woodlands next to shimmering beaches, deserted save for a single line of fishermen pulling in their nets at low tide and a motorbike speeding down the shore.

Wrinkled ferrymen wait beside the large estuaries that punctuate the coast, preparing to punt passengers across the waters for a small fee. Boats are heavily laden with motorbikes and longyi-clad villagers, many wearing swirls of beige thanaka paste on their faces to protect and cool their skin. The drivers expertly navigate the shallows, dodging 32 asialife Cambodia

trees and sand banks that rise from the crystal clear waters.

A bumpy hour and a half later — through three rivers and past a shrimp farm, a dusty track and a small hill top temple — lies Chaung Tha’s up-market sister, Ngwe Saung, where coconut palm parasols dot a 15-kilometre-long white sand beach.

Along with pricey hotels and high-class resorts, its sheer length and breadth ensures that crowds remain thin beside the clear, turquoise waters that echo those of Myanmar’s other famous beachside location, Ngapali, in troubled Rakhine state.

Day trips can be taken to nearby Lover’s Island and while the beach may lack the exuberant nightlife of its neighbour, it’s a good destination to get away from it all, particularly from October to April. In the rainy season, the south coast is battered by storms and business slows down.

Echoing the wild weather, Myanmar’s coast in its current form beautiful. But development is on the way, as shown by the growing number of plantations in the delta. Thanks to ongoing religious and political instability, no one can predict Myanmar’s future, but with beaches to rival those of Thailand and Bali, its solitude can’t last long.

Less isMore

Apart from the backpacker nirvana of the 4,000 islands, most bypass southern Laos. They may be missing out on the beauty of less. Words and photos by Mark Bibby Jackson.

The more I travel, the more I come to appreciate the beauty of 'less'. It is many years now since the Lonely Planet books helped to achieve precisely the opposite, with majestic temples becoming virtual no go zones as tour groups drown out the silence that used to deafen visitors and previously deserted beaches are overrun with tourists seeking a solitude that has long since elapsed. This is why we should value the tranquility we do encounter all the more.

A boat trip along the Mekong river in southern Laos is one such experience.

Nothing much has changed here for centuries and it’s unlikely to do so in the near future. Lie on a deck lounger, pick up a paperback and watch the banks drift past, interrupted by occasional settlements and water buffaloes dousing themselves to escape the midday heat.

Our trip started with a two-hour drive from Pakse through some pretty uninspiring countryside. Farmers grow only one rice crop a year and by the end of dry season, everything is scorched. That is not a word to apply to our first port of call.

The Pha Pheng waterfalls are the biggest in Southeast Asia. A kilometre wide in the wet season and 15 metres high, they have been dubbed the ‘Niagara of the East’ in travel literature. Even at the tail-end of the dry season they make an impressive sight.

From here it is a short boat ride to the 4,000 or so islands that nestle in the Mekong’s waters, just north of the Cambodian border.

In colonial times, boats would dock at the small island of Don Det and transfer their loads to the railway that linked it with the main island of Don Khone. Abandoned once the French left the country, the only sign of the line is a locomotive left stranded on the island and now enshrined as one of the archipelago’s main tourist attractions.

It takes some two and a half hours to motor up-river to the Vat Phou Cruises boat that will be our home for the next two nights. Once on board, we slowly chug our way against the current and have ample time to take in the small villages spilling down into waters, groups of buffaloes crowded around sandbanks, and children swimming in the river. It also

allows us to settle into the timeless pace of life on the river.

Visiting the village of Deua Tia, we enter a time warp where a primary school, occasional vegetable patches and a solitary pig vie for our attention.

Back on the boat, we pull into harbour at the village of Tomo — home of the ancient ruins of Oum Moung that date back to the 9th century.

Those familiar with Hindu sites from India to Vietnam will recognise the hallmarks: piles of laverite that used to be a temple, ornate carvings of divinities etched in sandstone and occasional linga. Wandering back through the protected forests that surround the ruins, you realise that not much, if anything, has changed in the 1,000 or so years since people started to worship gods here. As the sun sets we don our bathers and join the local villagers taking a swim in the Mekong’s cooling waters — the perfect end to a day of doing nothing.

A few kilometres upstream from Oum Moung lies Vat Phou. The historic site dates back to the 5th century, although the structures now standing belong to the Angkor era of the 11th to 13th centuries.

It is our final destination and the highlight of the trip.

Passing between the complex’s two reservoirs, or baray, it is easy to see why Vat Phou literally means 'mountain temple'. The 77 steps up to the main sanctuary prove quite a hike. Like at Angkor, restoration work is being carried out to preserve the temples. Blocks of stone are numbered and reinstated in their former positions. Carvings of Shiva, Vishnu and Apsara dancers abound, but in nothing like the detail or scale of its more famous Khmer cousin.

What Vat Phou does have, and most likely the reason why a sanctuary to Shiva was founded here in the first place, is an eternal spring. Even in this barren terrain, water trickles down from the mountain into a waiting trough for modern day pilgrims to purify themselves.

Human sacrifices are said — though not proven — to have been carried out on a rock shaped like an inverted crocodile.

Far above disputed legend, Vat Phou’s main draw is the magnificent view from the temple's top, something that makes the ascent worthwhile.

Back on the river, we decamp to a smaller boat that is waiting to take us back along the shallow waters to the town of Pakse. We play tag with the next group of travellers who have already climbed aboard. Nothing happens on our final voyage, but that after all is the beauty of southern Laos.

For more information about Vat Phou Cruises, visit www.vatphou.com. asialife Cambodia 33

A Touch of Class AsiaLIFE rounds up some of the finest hotels in Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, including some old masters and a couple of modern classics. Words by Mark Bibby Jackson.

As Time Goes By Though engulfed by the 393-room hotel that succeeded it, touches of Bangkok’s original 137-year-old Mandarin Oriental remain, thanks to its wonderful conservatory — ideal for afternoon tea — and four very exclusive suites. You can imagine Joseph Conrad crafting Heart of Darkness in the suite that now bears his name, before popping down to the reading room. The seafood restaurant in the main building also has a Conradian reference, and is called Lord Jim, although I doubt the character would approve of the Japanese slant to the menu. In keeping with the nostalgia oozing through every pore of this Thai classic, each room has its own butler. For those wishing for more modern luxury, a short boat hop across the Chao Phraya river is the spa and leisure annex, which includes a running track and squash court.

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok Tel: +66 (0) 2659 900 mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/

Burmese Nostalgia Early 20th century travellers described the 1901-built Strand Yangon as “the finest hostelry East of Suez”. Graced by the likes of Somerset Maugham, George Orwell, Sir Noel Coward and Rudyard Kipling, the hotel still has a sense of the Raj, despite the state of disrepair it fell into before being rescued by hotelier Adrian Zecha. From the colonnaded exterior, the white-washed façade and teak-framed windows, to the four poster beds, The Strand exudes a timeless elegance that has somehow survived the economic embargo of the country. The lobby, with its cane furniture, soaring ceilings and jasmine scented air, transports guests to a bygone era. Like the country itself, The Strand sits somewhat uneasily in the 21st century but is head and shoulders above the other hotels in the former Burmese capital.

The Strand, Yangon Tel: +95 (0) 1 243 377 hotelthestrand.com/

Where Eagles Dare It speaks volumes for the commercialisation of Koh Samui that the Conrad Koh Samui was built at all. Reminiscent of the Italian coastline around Sorrento, the resort’s 80 villas cling to the cliffs as if they were creatures trying to escape the sea’s emerald waters. Denied the beauty of beaches further north — guests need to take a shuttle boat to a deserted beach on a nearby islet — the Conrad has gone overboard in the quality of its accommodation. Each villa has its own 10-metre-long infinity pool where guests can gaze across the bay to the mainland.

Inside, original works of art rest beside modern amenities, such as an espresso machine and Apple TV. The bathrooms, with their large stoneware oval tubs, are work of arts in their own right.

Conrad Koh Samui Tel: +66 (0) 77 915 888 conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/thailand/conradkoh-samui-USMKSCI/ 34 asialife Cambodia

Locked Up in Laos If all prisons in Laos were like the Hotel de la Paix Luang Prabang, there would be a massive increase in the crime rate. It’s hard to imagine as you enter the perfectly manicured gardens that the property was a jail before being converted into a luxury resort some four years ago. Don’t worry, there is no chance of bunking down with a serial offender here. Even the smallest suite is 52 square metres with a private garden at the rear. The rooms are arranged around the gardens and communal swimming pool in a manner more resembling a Spanish compound than a northern Laos jail. The hotel retains a tranquility that is fast evaporating downtown, where hordes of backpackers tread the once peaceful streets of the Mekong’s most beautiful city.

Hotel de la Paix Luang Prabang Tel: +85 6 71 260 777 www.hoteldelapaixlp.com

Changing the Landscape Spread over 16 acres, the Hyatt Regency is set in landscaped gardens replete with exotic plants. Apparently, 99 trees were preserved during the construction period, many of which are labelled more like a botanical garden than the grounds of a hotel. Away from the gardens, McFarland House is a two-storey beachfront Thai pavilion built in the 19th century. It is the original vacation house for George Bradley McFarland, a doctor who was given the land by Rama VI for his contribution to Thai medicine. The building has been restored and transformed into an airy beachfront bar and casual dining area. The Hyatt Regency also has the ultimate offering. The Barai Residential Spa is a self-contained spa resort, and walking along the narrow corridor leading to its 18 treatment rooms is like travelling to Marrakesh.

Hyatt Regency Hua Hin Tel: +66 3 252 1234 www.huahin.regency.hyatt.com / www.thebarai.com

Contemporary Thai Icon The Hotel de la Paix Cha Am is like a futuristic film set. Spartan, brutal and austere, Thai architect and designer Duangrit Bunnag has produced “a contemporary Thai icon for the ages.” The hotel’s design consists of a series of straight lines that invite you step-by-step towards its secluded beach and the horizon beyond. The foyer leads on to a pond, which then yields to the Clouds Loft bar where customers wait patiently for the sun to set, seemingly oblivious to the easterly-facing direction of the hotel. The hard marble floors and lava rock walls confined behind steel meshing create natural barriers that provide the privacy that guests crave. Beneath the minimalist façade are a series of secluded spaces, such as the aquamarine pool and adjoining chic Red Bar and Spa Indochine, ensuring that visitors can find their own karma.

Hotel de la Paix Cha Am Beach Tel: +66 (0) 32 709 555 hoteldelapaixhh.com

asialife Cambodia 35

! p u l l o R

! p u l l o R

36 asialife Cambodia

Mind bending tricks and intriguing illusions have been entertaining audiences for centuries, and Cambodia is no exception. Marissa Carruthers and photographer Charles Fox take a closer look at Siem Reap’s new circus.

There’s a gasp from the audience as a woman in a white leotard gracefully glides through the air on a trapeze, before twisting into a position that looks far from natural.

Minutes later, the audience is treated to a flash of colour, then another and another, as kamikaze performers cartwheel and flip across the stage.

Welcome to the world of the circus in Siem Reap, where a troupe of dedicated performers who have spent more than a decade in training entertain audiences with a combination of acrobatic feats, juggling and passionately told stories.

Hundreds of Cambodians are devoting much of their lives to the art form thanks to a circus school run by Battambangbased organisation Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS). The multiarts centre for disadvantaged children was launched in 1994 by eight Cambodian artists returning from refugee camps in Thailand. They were inspired to nurture and rekindle culture following the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime after learning about the use of art as a way of dealing with trauma.

Each of the performers in the organisation’s latest venture, Phare, the Cambodian Circus — launched in Siem Reap earlier this year — carries the physical and mental determination to push boundaries. Khuonthan Cham Yoeun is one of them.

Now a juggler and acrobatic specialist, he stumbled across the circus in Battambang after moving to northwestern Cambodia with his family at the age of five. “Life was hard for us. It was the UN election period and in Battambang there was still bombing,” says the 30-year-old performer.

Unable to go to school because he had to help his family sell bread and

vegetables, eight-year-old Khuonthan was intrigued when PPS set up camp in town. After being invited inside, he became hooked and made it his life mission to enrol.

“I wasn’t able to go often because I didn’t have the time and needed to help my family.

They came to ask my parents if I could join full-time, but they said no, because I was the one who could help them make money,” he says.

Determined to make his dream come true, the performer defied his parents and sneaked into the school when he could, learning juggling, tight-rope walking, aerial acrobatics and other skills. He went on to become a star pupil and was invited to join the troupe on a Cambodian tour that put on entertaining educational shows, tackling issues such as HIV and malaria.

“They said we’d get to travel in a car and I’d never been in a car before so I was determined to go,” he recalls.

“I lied to my parents and said I was going to Poipet to try and find some money, but instead joined the troupe. My parents were very upset and angry when I came back and told them where I’d been.”

As punishment, he was forced to carry 100 buckets of water a day to feed the family’s vegetables for a month. But in a spare hour of each day he would go to the circus school — a move that very quickly paid off.

“The teachers all loved me for my hard working attitude and circus skills, and they sent me to France for training,” he says.

“When my parents heard about that they were very happy but they didn’t believe me.”

Despite worring about leaving his family alone, Khuonthan spent a year at the Parisian circus school

Aroni Sauboir in 2000, and went on to star in numerous productions across Europe.

Since returning to Cambodia, he is sharing skills as a teacher at PPS. “Acrobatics is very difficult and every day we have to practise from 8am to noon and 2pm to 5pm, with some training at night too... it’s worth it, especially when you see the performances,” he says.

The expert’s latest career move has seen him step into the shoes of stage director. He has co-directed the Siem Reap circus’ first show, Tchamlaek, which he also features in.

Meaning 'weird' in Khmer, it

"They said we’d get to travel in a car and I’d never been in a car before so I was determined to go." follows the strange adventures of a family as they call on the help of a medium to cure their father who is traumatised after the war.

The satisfaction of performing is clear among the whole troupe. Aerial acrobatics specialist Kem Tina, who joined when he was 14 after a course was offered at a centre for vulnerable children, says that he "can't imagine doing anything else now. “ “For me, every time I go to the circus I feel very happy,” adds Khuonthan. “When I get that body pain after training, I know it’s doing me good.

I’m so addicted to it and feel healthy and don’t think I should ever stop.”

Phare, the Cambodian Circus will be housed under a 400-seat big top in Siem Reap from midJune. For more information, visit siemreapevents.wix.com/phare asialife Cambodia 37

35mm

memories

Vintage cinema is set to be screened throughout Phnom Penh this month as part of Memory!, an international film heritage festival. Ellie Dyer reports.

After the fall of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia’s rich cinematic history lay in tatters. Of an estimated 350 films made during the 1960s and 1970s golden era of film — when King Father Norodom Sihanouk was among those producing big-screen extravaganzas — only around 10 percent are thought to have been saved.

Yet storytelling is resilient.

Despite years of incredible hardship, many Cambodians were still drawn to the tales told on the silver screen. In the wake of the regime, people read photoroman — books containing film stills or drawings portraying the storylines of popular productions, accompanied by text.

In the modern day, the movie business is still very much alive, with a new generation of filmmakers winning critical acclaim on the international scene. Cambodian documentary A River Changes Course recently won the World Cinema Grand Jury prize at the 2013 Sundance film festival.

Though it is clear cinema has a rich future, many believe that preserving the past is equally important for society.

This concept led to the creation of Memory!, an international heritage film festival being held in Phnom Penh from Jun. 1 to 9.

“Films are in danger everywhere in the world if they are not well preserved — notably with humidity and heat control — and not only for political reasons. Over 90 percent of films made before 1929 are lost forever and half of all American films made before 1950,” says Séverine Wemaere, managing director of French group Technicolor Foundation for Cinema Heritage.

The non-profit organisation is helping to arrange Memory!

— co-organised by Phnom Penh’s Bophana Centre with support from the Cambodia Film Commission — after it approached filmmaker Rithy Panh, creator of S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine, with the concept.

“All films should be looked after, no matter minor or major works, fiction or documentaries, newsreels or rushes. This memory is our heritage and future generations should be able to access this memory,” says Wemaere.

The festival will run free screenings of more than 30 vintage productions, themed around the concept of dance and sourced from archives worldwide, at Chaktomuk Theatre and the Bophana Centre.

Titles include Norodom Sihanouk classics Apsara and Crepuscule and Davy Chou’s

exploration of Cambodia’s cinematic heritage in Golden Slumbers. Legendary films including Singing in the Rain, West Side Story, Walt Disney’s Fantasia and George Méliès seminal 1902 work, A Trip to the Moon, will also be shown.

Many productions are being presented in their original 35mm format, with specialist apparatus flown in from France to accommodate the big reels. A window had to be removed from the projection box at the riverside theatre in order to fit the equipment, which will remain in Cambodia after the festival.

“It was made for this format, so visually speaking it should be really enjoyable,” says Bophana’s cultural events assistant, MarieJosée Blanchard.

An exhibition called Shadows to Silver Screen: A History of Cinema in Cambodia hosted by the Bophana Centre is set to explore the Kingdom’s film past — from shadow puppetry, to the golden age of cinema, propaganda under the Khmer Rouge and the photoroman strips. Colourful reproductions of old film posters will also be displayed at the Chaktomuk Theatre.

Organisers hope that a younger generation will be inspired by the festival, with

youngsters invited to join the screenings, and the band Dengue Fever set to rock the capital at Koh Pich on Jun. 5.

“We are putting a special focus on the younger generations,” says Blanchard.

“We want them to appreciate and enjoy heritage films as much as they would for contemporary blockbusters, for them to see all the richness of these classics and to learn from them.”

Free forums on restoration are also set to spur knowledge of the techniques involved in preserving movies — a complicated process that can take more than a year, depending on the situation and the damage.

“It consists of bringing back to life a well-known or forgotten work without betraying the author’s wishes.

It is a difficult yet fascinating exercise, but most of all, a lesson in humility,” explains Wemaere. “There is no such film as an old film.”

For more information, visit: memoryfilmfestival.org.

Pictured on left, from top: "Singing in the Rain © Hollywood Classics; "The Gold Rush", "West Side Story" © Park Circus, "Kalpana", "The Band Wagon" © Holywood Classics. asialife Cambodia 39

Bowled Over

Since cricket was introduced to Cambodia, children have been intrigued by the historic sport. Marissa Carruthers takes a trip to see Phnom Penh Cricket Club’s junior team practise their ever-strengthening skills. Photography by Charles Fox.

Excitement brims in the eyes of the young batsman as he sends the ball spinning into the air.

Completing a run, he secures the match for his team and screams of joy echo across the pitch as enthusiastic youngsters dive on top of him to celebrate their triumphant win.

They may only be aged eight to 16, but Phnom Penh Cricket Club’s junior team harbour a passion for the sport to rival any adult’s. When coach Manish Sharma asks the eager crowd who wants to come back the following week, he is showered with screams of “me.”

Keen to bring the sport to a country where cricket was pretty much unheard of, Sharma — who is based in Hong Kong but spends 20 days a month in the Kingdom — set up Phnom Penh Cricket Club in April 2012, and played an instrumental role in the launch of the Cricket Association of Cambodia in 2011.

“In Hong Kong, I started working with some kids to promote cricket and thought this really needs to go somewhere where no cricket exists. I spoke to a few people in Cambodia and started taking it into some schools,” the Indian cricket fan explains.

“Before this, no one really knew about cricket in Cambodia, and that’s a shame because it’s a great sport. “ Cricket’s roots stretch back into the 16th century, with 40 asialife Cambodia

international matches played since 1844. It is believed the game was devised during Saxon or Norman times by youngsters living in woodlands in the English counties of Kent and Sussex.

Records suggest it was played predominantly by children before being taken up by adults at the beginning of the 17th century. The game has since developed into one of the most popular sports in the western world.

“I have always loved cricket,” Sharma says. “It’s very big in my home country and when I was at school and college I played it.

From when I was eight, I’ve been crazy about the sport and I wanted to share that in a country where it’s not traditionally popular.”

Much like in the sport’s early years, Cambodian youth are taking up the bat.

Under the Rudrapriya Sports School Cricket Development Programme, Sharma visited 11 schools last year, taking over physical education classes to introduce the game to more than 500 children.

Kimsan Thanakon, aged 11, who joined the club two months ago and plays on grounds near the Australian Embassy, is already hooked.

“I really enjoy it,” she says.

“I like it when I hit the ball.”

“This is the first sport I’ve ever played and I really like it.

I like playing as part of a team.

It’s exciting and I definitely want to carry on,” adds 11year-old teammate Tan Motika.

Along with Phnom Penh’s junior squad, which has 99 percent local members, the capital’s cricket club has an over-16 team. It has proved popular for those wanting to find out more about the game.

Sharma’s passion and drive is already paying off, with a string of club firsts in the planning stages. They intend to become the first Cambodian cricket team to travel to Thailand to play in Chiang Mai, while the junior team is set to travel to Singapore.

“We are currently in the planning stages of arranging for the juniors to travel to take part in tournaments abroad, which would be amazing and very exciting for them,” Sharma

When coach Manish Sharma asks the eager crowd who wants to come back the following week, he is showered with screams of “me.” says. “In the last year, we have seen amazing developments in cricket in Cambodia. So many Cambodian players joining us shows that they like the sport, and in the future I hope it will be even bigger.”

Phnom Penh Cricket Club juniors train every Saturday morning. Seniors train every Sunday. To find out more about the club and how to join, find the PPCC page on Facebook.

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The Measure of Success Cambodia’s fashion industry continues to gain pace. With Phnom Penh Designers Week set to be held this month, Jemma Galvin looks at how the industry is moving forward.

Photography by Dylan Maddux.

In March, a stream of slashed fabric and leather sashayed down the minimalist runway at De Gran salon for fashion label [cgbcn]’s Punk Couture show. Days later, Anne Noelle launched its romantic yet wearable eveningwear collection at the whimsical Deco restaurant.

The month of May then made a stylish splash with the second installment of the extravagant Glamazon show. It saw KeoK’jay launch a menswear line, designer Juli Handayani debut her Private Collection, and an avant-garde collection created

by The Dollhouse’s Ryan Drewe Taylor and Brandon Lee that had the audience transfixed.

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There is no doubt that Cambodia’s fashion industry is expanding and diversifying at a rapid pace, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. The first Phnom Penh Designers Week (PPDW) will descend on the luscious grounds of The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa from Jun. 13 to Jun. 15.

“It’s a celebration of fashion,” says designer Don Protasio with an excited smile, a pair of thick-framed glasses perched on his nose.

Organised by F magazine, where he serves as creative director, the week is a platform for the city’s fashion designers to showcase their wares in a market that Protasio says is

becoming more attractive to international “mega brands.”

“It’s difficult for designers here to organise events that showcase their work, so soon these designers and their labels could be forgotten. It’s such a shame as there are a lot of talented people here in Phnom Penh, and a lot of Khmer designers who all offer different styles,” he adds.

In response to this challenge, the three-day PPDW event will include shows by nine designers, including Protasio himself. Undoubtedly the clothing will be inspired, and the original idea behind the event was too.

For the past four years, F

magazine has held anniversary parties that saw a handful of designers present three or four looks during the event. However, it was never a scheduled, promoted or especially “fashion” spectacle.

F editor Soapea Ke says this year he and Protasio have built upon that initial idea and turned it into something “bigger and better.”

Part of the inspiration came from the Philippines, where Protasio was part of the Iloilo Designers Week, showcasing a selection of his intriguing designs. The event brought together designers, models, hair and make-up artists and other creatives, all of whom

were local to Iloilo. “I thought, well if they can do it, we can also do it in a small city — definitely in Phnom Penh.

Start small and organise an event that celebrates fashion,” Protasio says.

Ke agrees, saying: “The name Phnom Penh Designers Week wasn’t just something that came out of the air. Don participated in Manila’s Iloilo Designers Week and that’s where we took inspiration from… the idea was to create something new.”

Not only will the established brands like Don Protasio, Waterlily and KeoK'jay and emerging labels like A.N.D, SCT and [cgbcn]

enjoy exposure, but the event signals a continuance in the nurturing of Cambodia-based fashion initiatives.

The Samaki Sewing Network, a socially responsible garment manufacturing business based in Phnom Penh, is one example.

It recently formed through a merger of the Anne Noelle Fashion workroom and the KeoK’jay design workshop.

“Our guarantee is to be upfront with our customers about all processes in our workshop business, in an industry that is increasingly not so transparent,” says KeoK’jay owner Rachel Faller.

With both labels showing new collections during PPDW,

and KeoK’jay’s autumn/ winter 2013 line drawing inspiration from traditional stories and mythological beings, Samaki will have the opportunity to impress even more clients than those already on its environmentally friendly books. It’s this collective collaboration between fashion professionals across the spectrum that seems to be driving the industry in the Kingdom onward and upward.

“I think that there are definitely increasing numbers of young Cambodians who are interested in international fashion and that is really exciting,” adds Faller. “In

the next year, Cambodia will graduate its first crop of fashion designers from two universities [Raffles International College and Limkokwing University] with the first fashion programmes here, and I think that will definitely give the fashion scene here a big push.”

For now, the push towards a new, fashion-forward Cambodia is PPDW. Although the event is invite-only, keep an eye on its website and Facebook page as we hear readers may be given the chance to win tickets to attend.

For more information, log on to www.facebook.com/ phnompenhdesignersweek and www.ppdesignersweek.com. asialife Cambodia 43

44 asialife Cambodia

Barrels AND

Vines

On a recent trip to the capital, legendary fourth-generation Australian winemaker Chester Osborn sat down with Ellie Dyer to talk about the vines and wines of the McLaren Vale.

Father and son team Chester and d'Arry

In a break between lunch courses at Zino Wine Bar, winemaker Chester Osborn digs inside a battered black suitcase and produces a multicoloured conical hat and rosetinted shades. Unperturbed by the puzzled looks of his fellow Phnom Penh diners, he rustles through the bag again before slapping a disembodied plastic hand and a scruffy stuffed fox onto the table.

The props, which have travelled from Australia to Cambodia with the fourthgeneration vineyard cultivator, each signify a label produced at his famous 101-yearold McLaren Vale winery, d'Arenberg. From Pinot Noirs called ‘Stephanie the Gnome with Rose Tinted Glasses’ and ‘The Feral Fox’ to a Shiraz labelled ‘The Dead Arm’, thinking outside the box is nothing new to this eccentric former Winemaker of the Year.

“I have this philosophy that I’m deadly serious about winemaking, up until when the wine ends up in the bottle, and from then it all should be fun,” says Osborn, whose mass of blond curls is set off by a psychedelic pink paisley shirt.

“Once the cork’s in there you can’t change the wine.

Everyone’s going to drink it and have fun, and I want to have fun too. That’s why I have the quirky label names,” he adds during his whistle-stop tour of Cambodia.

You could say that Osborn was destined to enter the wine business. In 1912, his great-

grandfather Joseph Osborn — a director of Thomas Hardy and Sons — purchased 25 acres of vineyards in hills near the Australian city of Adelaide, now known as the worldfamous McLaren Vale.

The vineyard later passed on to his son, Frank Osborn, who left medical school to tend to the grapes and expanded the winery’s size to 78 hectares. In 1957, his son, Francis d’Arenberg Osborn, known as d’Arry, assumed full management of the crop and launched the d'Arenberg label, which went on to win numerous awards.

The wine bug finally reached his son — Chester — who knew his destiny from a young age, thanks to an encounter with famous 1950s wine writer Len Evans.

“I sat on his knee when I was seven years old. He asked me what kind of wine I was going to make. I said ‘a yummy one’,” says Chester, who took over the reins as chief winemaker in 1984. “I answered him to not let him down, and all I can remember from then on is that I wanted to be a winemaker.”

Producing award-winning reds and whites is a labour of love that needs artistry, scientific understanding and geological know-how. All of Osborn’s wines are produced using traditional methods such as basket presses, and without the use of fertiliser, besides a scattering of small sheep that wander the vineyards.

In the right season, Osborn can taste grapes for up to five hours a day, sending his sugar levels rocketing and leaving him with headaches. At other production phases, he samples wine after wine daily, looking for perfection. He uses a breathalyzer to check his body’s alcohol levels along the way.

An exquisite palate is essential for the winemaker and budding sci-fi author, who has penned a novel in which dogs take over the world and force humans to cultivate wine.

After years of practise, he can measure a grape’s sugar levels and consider the geography it was grown in by taste alone.

But even the best taste buds can be felled by unexpected events. A meal of Chinese pine nuts once rendered his powerful palate useless when he temporarily contracted pine mouth — a nasty condition that leaves food and drink tasting bitter and metallic.

Despite such hazards, a new generation of the family is interested in taking up the vines. The father of three says his youngest daughter is keen on carrying on the trade.

Indeed, she is already signing her homework as a winemaker.

For Osborn, the delight in his work will never cease. “I’ve never worked a day in my life.

I’m still making mud pies, it’s just that the ingredients have changed and people pay for them,” he says. d’Arenberg wines are available from Celliers d'Asie and Red Apron. asialife Cambodia 45

Piccola Italia Luigi Savarino believes in bringing lesser known Italian dishes to the pizza lovers of Phnom Penh. In fact, his latest venture — Piccola Italia — was born out of a 2012 trip where he spent months travelling around Italy with his wife, sampling regional dishes along the way.

Returning to Cambodia full of ideas and inspiration, he found the perfect spot to recreate Italian eateries, “where the people live on the street, where everybody passes by and looks in.”

The result is a restaurant very much like the traditional trattorias that define eating out in his beloved home region, Sicily. They are intimate, family-run places that people come back to.

Savarino’s basic premise is simple: “Do what you know, do it well, listen to your customers.”

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The main attraction is the pizza. They come in one size and with a thin crust, but don’t expect to find any pineapple.

As a result, the restaurant offers three things: Sicilian antipasti, pizza and tiramisu.

The delicatessen counter is a showcase for antipasti. All are homemade or imported from Italy, with quality and freshness paramount to each.

Just gazing into the cooler cabinet is enough to set the mouth watering.

Offerings include eggplant salad, mixed seafood and stuffed risotto balls. There are salamis from Calabria and Milan, and Provolone cheese. Homemade items

Luigi Savarino has only one problem at his immensely popular pizzeria: where to fit everyone.

Kate Burbidge and photographer Charles Fox search out the secrets of his success. include bread, spicy Salciccia sausage, mascarpone and pesto alla Siciliano containing almonds rather than pine nuts, and “much more cheese than the Genovese.”

The main attraction is the pizza (from $4.50 to $9). They come in one size and with a thin crust, but don’t expect to find any pineapple. The toppings aren’t likely to be found anywhere else in the city, as they were born from Savarino’s Italian tour.

The Montanara — influenced by a traditional dish from the mountains on the Franco-Italian border — puts finely diced potato alongside white mozzarella and pancetta.

Pizza al Pesche is based on a fish speciality from Messina, while the Fuocco Del’Etna evokes Southern heat and colour with peperoni and red

pepper. There is no wood-fired oven due to space limitations, so Savarino has adjusted the consistency of the dough accordingly. The result is crisp perfection — and arguably the best pizzas in Phnom Penh.

Initially Savarino didn’t intend to offer dessert but, bowing to customer demand, one has been introduced.

It is a light, fresh tiramisu ($4), made with homemade mascarpone, coffee liqueur and imported biscotti.

If things continue to go well, Savarino plans to open one or two more outlets around town based on the same model. It seems that Piccola Italia won’t stay small for very long.

M36 Street 308. Tel: 017 323 273 or 068 478 512. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11.30am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 10pm.

Tea Club Floating in a pool of bright red soup, the Angry Birds glared up at me — furious that they were about to be devoured as lunch. Not content with covering T-shirts, bags, shoes and even a Cambodian language school, the cartoon poultry have taken over the dinner table.

The dish in question — Angry Bird curry laksa ($3.85) — is a special at Tea Club, an unassuming restaurant on Street 63. In its low-lit surrounds, bedecked with Chinese lanterns and oriental shades of black and red, the ubiquitous birds are served up in a fiery Malaysian and Singaporean classic.

Handfuls of yellow noodles, long beans, boiled eggs and tofu are doused in a generous portion of chilliladen sauce, and topped with

They’re red, they’re furious, and now they’re dinner. Ellie Dyer and photographer Charles Fox try Angry Bird soup at Phnom Penh’s Tea Club Restaurant. fish balls shaped like the iconic red and yellow birds.

The curry is rich but spicy, even described as “volcanic” by one diner. If you can handle the heat, the coconutbased soup is a filling and delicious meal, with or without the furious fowl.

Less should be said about the ‘pièce de résistance’ — the Angry Birds. Fishy and rubbery, one can’t help but wonder if they are irritated about their change in species.

Yet, if only for comedy value, they are a quirky edition to what is already a solid dish.

The Tea Club’s other offerings are of good quality for their price point. BBQ pork wonton soup ($3.80 a bowl) housed a mix of pork slices, crunchy greens, thin yellow noodles and mince.

Though let down by the

Not content with covering T-shirts, bags, shoes and even a Cambodian language school, the cartoon poultry have taken over the dinner table.

flavour of the clear broth, which had a slight charcoal tang, the wontons were silky smooth, and the ingredients provided a good textural mix for a simple lunch.

Harbouring a satisfying grease factor, six deep fried chicken thighs ($2.85) had a crisp shell and a surprisingly tender interior. Chinese vegetables and mushrooms

($3.50 for a large plate) came doused in a salty sauce. Fresh and watery, their crunch contrasted well with less health conscious options.

The best was, however, saved for last. Tea Club’s egg tarts ($0.60 each) were a crumbly delight. Delicate, slightly sugary pastry housed a generous proportion of creamy filling. Retaining a pleasing wobble, the eggy concoction was light yet more-ish. Combined with Tea Club’s attentive service and the restaurant’s complimentary cups of Chinese tea, they’re a perfect afternoon snack.

199 Street 306, corner of Street 63. Tel: 012 599 446 or 016 810 228. Open from 7.30am to 3pm on Mondays, and from 7.30am to 6pm between Tuesday and Sunday. asialife Cambodia 47

48 asialife Cambodia

BEHIND the

DESIGN

ART WOOD Inspired by natural substances, clean lines and sleek simplicity, furniture designer Yin Daravy has carved out a niche in the capital. First opened in 2010, her interiors shop Art Wood has catapulted itself to the forefront of modern Cambodian design.

“I wanted it simple — with squares and rectangles — and I wanted to test whether the market was ready or not,” says the 33-year-old. Originally from Kampong Cham province, she moved to Phnom Penh aged 15 for work, before going on to study interior design at Limkokwing University later in life and setting up her store.

Using local products — sourced from licensed businesses in the capital to avoid illegally logged timber — Ravy’s designs highlight the natural properties of wood

such as its scent, with fragrant varieties sometimes used in bedroom furniture, or its grains and swirls. A low table is formed from interlocking tree roots, carefully fitted together like a giant jigsaw puzzle and topped with glass. Polished rosewood is used to great effect in sleek sideboards that emphasise its shading.

Art Wood’s furniture is produced in a workshop in Kandal province's Kien Svay district, and Ravy is thankful for the staff and craftsmen who help bring her ideas to life. “I’m trying to make something unique for the wood,” she says, emphasising her ethos that interiors should be connected with nature.

Art Wood, 16 Street 302, Phnom Penh. For more information, visit artwood. asia. Words by Ellie Dyer, photography by Charles Fox.

asialife Cambodia 49

Rayof

Light

Dress: Eric Raisina Necklace: Water Lily Right bracelet: Paperdolls Left bracelet: Stylists own

Top: Eric Raisina Necklace: Water Lily Bag: Models own

Top: First Floor Skirt: Eric Raisina Top necklace: Stylists own Bottom necklace: Paperdolls Bracelet: Paperdolls

asialife Cambodia 53

Jacket: Eric Raisina Top: KeoK’jay Necklace: Stylists own Styling and Creative Direction: Nataly Lee Photography: Dylan Maddux Hair: Ryan Drewe Taylor Makeup: Leang Syna Model: Jessica Rendall

54 asialife Cambodia

Listings

hotel & travel Airlines & Agencies Air Asia 66 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 356 011.

Air France Phnom Penh Tower, 11th Floor 445, Monivong Blvd, cnr of St. 232 Tel: 023 965 500 Angkor Airways 32 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 222 056 Asiana Airlines A-16 Domestic Arrival Terminal Phnom Penh International Airport Tel: 023 890 440-2 Bangkok Airways 61A Street 214 Tel: 023 722 545 China Airlines 32 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 222 393 Dragon Air 168 Monireth Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 300 www.dragonair.com/kh, pnh.res@dragonair.com Eva Air 298 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 219 911 Jet Star Asia 333B Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 909 Korean Air F3-R03, 254 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 224 047/8 Lao Airlines 58C Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 216 563 Malaysia Airlines 172 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 218 923 Silk Air 313 Sisowath Quay (Himawari Hotel) Tel: 023 426 808 Sunbird International Cambodia Ltd. PGCT Center 2F, St. 274 Tel: 023 99 1010/ 023 98 3333 sunbirdintl@yahoo.co.kr

PSA of Korean Air, PSA of Asiana Airlines, Worldwide Air ticket, Visa, License.Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm Thai Airways 294 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 214 359 Vietnam Airlines 41 Street 214 Tel: 023 363 396.

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 11 rooms, set in a quiet part of town with downstairs restaurant and bar, and communal TV room upstairs.

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.

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Pub 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

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

siem reap

Dengue Fever is sweeping through Siem Reap on Jun. 1. Thankfully I’m not talking about the affliction, but the band. Formed in 2001 by Ethan Holtzman after he was inspired by a trip to Cambodia, the band combines retro Khmer 1960’s music and psychedelic rock. They are fronted by Chhom Nimol, who moved to the United States in 2000 aged 21.

Popular in America and Cambodia, the band’s reach also extends to audiences in Europe, Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico and New Zealand, where they have toured.

They have currently released four albums, the most recent being Cannibal Courtship.

Their 2005 album was titled Escape from Dragon House due to Chhom spending 22 days in confinement after having problems with a lapsed green card upon entering the US. Once released, she spent long nights singing at a dance club named the Dragon House to pay off her hefty legal debts.

A track from the album entitled ‘A Thousand Tears Of A Tarantula’ pays homage to Ros Sereysothea, a Khmer singer who was killed during the Khmer Rouge regime.

A lyric from the song “my mother held me as I cried and chased the demons away” is particularly poignant.

Dengue Fever has joined

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York Tillyer

Fever Epidemic Rhi Quinn

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.

forces with numerous charitable organisations to help support Cambodian causes including conservation group Wildlife Alliance. They also compiled a collection of classic Khmer rock in 2010. It is entitled Electric Cambodia and all proceeds were dedicated to the organisation Cambodian Living Arts.

Though five of the six members are from Los Angeles, the band is honouring the lost Cambodian musical legends who perished under the Khmer Rouge. By giving a new twist to the old generation’s songs — from Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea — they are offering more than catchy music, they offer a reminder of sounds that were almost lost.

This band is important because the lyrics have true depth, and many reside in a dark place that many never knew existed. By bringing that to the forefront globally, they are helping people all over the world see Cambodia’s torrid past, and the resourceful determination to create a future.

Dengue Fever will be playing at the FCC Angkor Siem Reap on Jun. 1 and will go on to play in Phnom Penh.

Tickets are $12 and include a free Angkor Draft. For more information, visit www. denguefevermusic.com.

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.

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.

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.

Mumtaz 162 Street 63. Tel: 023 726 761 Popular Vietnamese chain of Indian restaurants comes to Phnom Penh.

Excellent tandoori and southern Indian delicacies including dosa with chefs from both north and south.

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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 2 Street 278. Tel: 012414596 Reservations: info@aqua-pp.com Asian influenced wine bar with sophisticated tapas & mezze dishes to indulge in at the bar, by the pool or in the Imperial Chinese Bed. A modern veranda restaurant featuring avant-garde globally-inspired fusion dishes with a French focus.

Open 11:30am – 2:30pm and 6pm -10:30pm. Closed on Monday nights.

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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 Cnrs. Street 51 & 282 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.

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.

Garden Centre Café 60-61 Street 108 Tel: 023 997 850 / 092 429 968. www.gardencentercafe.com Popular expat restaurant with fresh ingredients and lots of healthy options. Another location is at 4B Street 57.

Open from 7am - 10pm (closed Mondays).

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 15 Street 352 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.

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.

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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.

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.

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

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 Russian Blvd, inside Sokimex 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. New York Steakhouse 264 Street 63 cnr Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 500, www.steakhouse.com.kh Indulge in a seductive dining

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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.

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.

dining

n sushi

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

TEL 023 21 51 79 The Quay

eryday

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.

book.com/RahuMetro

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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

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.

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.

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.

Lunch: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm Dinner: 6 pm – 10 pm

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.

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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.

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. Opening Nov 1.

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: 095 930 313/017 827 766 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.

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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.

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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)

imbibe

Magnificent Moscato Darren Gall Light, playful and tingly on the tongue, moscato wine is like a refreshing spa for your palate and a sure way to inject in fun.

The Piedmonte area in Northeastern Italy produces some of the world’s most highly regarded and long-lived red wines, with its Barolo and Barbaresco renowned for their inky depths and brooding complexity. However, Italians are nothing if not contradictions and Piedmonte’s most famous white is the frivolous Moscato d’Asti — a wine for all occasions that lightens the mood at any time of day.

Moscato d’Asti is made in a slightly sparkling style known in Italy as ‘frizzante’. This spritz, along with the wine’s vibrant acidity, act as a perfect counterpoint to the slightly sweet nature of the style.

Medium sweet or ‘off-dry’ moscato can be served wickedly cold, as either an aperitif or along with a dessert, as long as it’s not overly sweet. It’s also just the wine to swill one’s way through a hot afternoon or a steamy evening party.

All sherbets and lychee with a twist of lemon on the palate, the slight sparkles keep it refreshing and never too sugary or cloying. Being less than dry, the wine is also very popular with new wine drinkers. Perhaps best of all, moscato is relatively low in alcohol — ranging from between five to eight percent by volume. It neither wipes you out, nor leaves you with a massive hangover.

Piedmonte makes the authentic and very best moscato but there is now a flood of new world producers getting in on the act. In their local markets, moscato has become one of the most fashionable accessories on the social circuit.

There is also a pink version of moscato — known in Piedmonte as zibbibo — and a slightly sparkling, semisweet red wine known as Brachetto dAcqui, both of which are worth sampling.

Five things to try with moscato: A cheese and fruit plate, a pool party, a picnic, a long lunch with the girls, and a dance in a club.

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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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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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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Listings

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 Cambodia. The faculty is composed

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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.

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.

Beware the Bites Dr Daniel Tranchant Rabies is a fatal viral disease.

People can get it when they are bitten or scratched by an infected, or ‘rabid’, animal — most frequently a dog. Symptoms take a highly variable time to develop, usually between one to three months.

As the virus travels along the nerves, it causes neurologic symptoms such as paralysis and characteristic hydrophobia. People with hydrophobia experience spasms in the muscles used for swallowing when they see, hear or think about water.

Eventually, rabies causes convulsions, coma and death.

There is no specific cure and only a few people have ever survived it.

In countries with rabies, all animal bites and scratches must be treated seriously.

Even a lick to broken skin should be evaluated.

Vaccination is very effective in preventing rabies, even after the person has interacted with a rabid animal. But timing is important and immediate action is required.

Most cases of human rabies occur in Asia, Africa and Latin America, in places

that have large numbers of stray dogs. Cats, monkeys and foxes are also sources of infection. In many countries, bats carry rabies or a similar virus. Certain activities, such as cycling and running, can raise your risk of being chased and bitten by a dog.

Don’t handle any domestic animal unless you are certain it does not have rabies. Never handle wild animals, and keep your distance from them. In rabies-affected countries, pre-exposure vaccination is often recommended for expatriates and long-term visitors — especially if they will not be able to get quality medical care after being bitten or scratched by an animal.

It is especially important for children, since they may not tell their parents that they have been bitten or scratched.

Following a bite or scratch, or a lick on broken skin from an animal that might be rabid, post-exposure vaccination and sometimes an additional immunoglobulin injection are used. It must be given soon after the bite or scratch and will be life saving.

Dr Daniel Tranchant works at the 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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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

TROPICAL & TRAVELLERS MEDICAL CLINIC 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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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

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.

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

Bedwetting Gemma Jones Of all the issues faced by parents, one that I find causes more distress than most is bedwetting.

The medical name for the phenomenon is nocturnal enuresis and it can happen occasionally, or every night of the week.

It is most common in children aged under five, although it can continue up until the age of eight. Most children will stop wetting the bed eventually, so try not to panic and bear in mind that a large percentage of children under three will struggle to stay dry. Bladder control is a difficult skill to master and this process will not happen overnight.

Wetting the bed usually occurs because a child’s bladder is unable to hold the amount of urine that they produce. A delay in the development of ability to control the aforementioned bladder means that they will rarely wake up when urinating.

Another key factor is genetics. The UK’s National Health Service states that it affects 15 percent of all children, 45 percent of children with one parent who has had the condition, and 75 percent of children with two parents who have had the condition.

The most important piece of advice I can give is that under no circumstances should you punish a child

for bedwetting. If you do blame the child, you will not only make the condition worse, you could also have a negative effect on their self-esteem.

Similarly, don’t gloss over the issue of bedwetting in front of your child. A far more positive step is to reassure your little one, explain to them that it is not their fault, and that many other children do it too.

Useful aids that can help deal with bedwetting include a perennial favourite, the plastic sheet. But far more 21st century is an enuresis alarm, which senses the first traces of a child’s urine and alerts them to it. This will help condition your child’s brain into registering the bladder’s need to go to the toilet. Of course, there is also the most obvious tip ever given, but it is also one that many parents fail to grasp: do not give your child too much water before bedtime.

Bedwetting can be stressful for everyone, and it is unfortunate that there is not more that parents or carers can do to help solve the problem or speed up its resolution. Just bear in mind that all children will stop wetting the bed in time and usually without treatment.

That knowledge alone should help get you through these rough waters.

Gemma Jones 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

Penury In Retirement Is No Fun Judy Blair Do you want the good news, or the bad news? The bad news is you are likely to spend a significant proportion of your retirement without enough money to live on.

The good news is that you probably still have time to do something about it, if you act now. Research from banking giant HSBC has found that on average we spend as much as 12 years of our retirement without a penny to live on because our retirement funds will expire before we do.

Britons are the worst at preparing for retirement, apparently, with two thirds failing to put away enough to pay for their golden years, compared with 56 percent of the working population globally. Worldwide, one in five people are not preparing for their retirement at all — that is a very scary figure.

The amount of time you will spend in retirement is growing thanks to advances in medical science and an improvement in longevity, and while delaying death is a good thing, it comes at a financial cost. On average, Britons can expect to spend 19 years retired, according to the survey, but their money will tend to run out after seven years. That leaves a full 12 years where you will not be able to do the things you thought you could in retirement, such as travel, improve your home or learn a new hobby.

You may think that this

does not affect you, but it does. The figures also show that in China, you can expect 10 years of unfunded retirement, nine in Taiwan, eight in Singapore, six in Hong Kong and five in Malaysia – that is a long time to be without any money to live on.

Given the choice, the majority of people in the Far East would save for retirement ahead of saving for a holiday, and faced with a financial crisis at home most would use other savings and investments ahead of retirement savings to sort it out. Both results are encouraging.

But statistics on a grand scale are one thing, what you are doing to help your own retirement savings day-to-day is another. You need to take control of your future sooner rather than later, and the earlier you start the cheaper it is to save for retirement.

Delaying your retirement savings by just five years from 20 to 25 can cost you more than $103,000 in the value of your fund if you put away $1,200 a year and it grew at 7 percent a year until 65, according to the Bloomberg retirement calculator. Do you really want to lose that much?

Taking professional advice can help you get the retirement you want, but you need to be committed to saving for your future.

Believe me, it will be worth it in the end.

Judy Blair is a director and financial consultant at Infinity Financial Solutions.

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 84 asialife Cambodia

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.

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.

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.

Worldwide Express, Trading.

Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm

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.

Photography

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,

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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.

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.

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 12E Street 178 & 79 Street 240 Tel: 092 675 629 Second-hand book shop with over 20,000 copies and some originals, with a heavy emphasis on best sellers and travel books. Open 9am - 9pm.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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

88 asialife Cambodia

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.

asialife Cambodia 89

Himawari Hotel Cambodiana French Element Naga World Hotel & MW Medical Darlin Darlin AG Service Dance World Cambodia

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84

St.

Royal Palace

56

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Meta House The Duck

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asialife Cambodia 91

07 St

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09

Glamazon @ Naga World

Opening Party @ Public House

Photography by Dylan Maddux & Charles Fox

92 asialife Cambodia

Voice Spider Eating Fundraiser @ Lazy Gecko

Anida Yoeu Ali Artist Reception @ Intercontinental Hotel

asialife Cambodia 93

soundfix album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Mikal Cronin

Various Artists

Charli XCX

Snoop Lion

MCII

The Great Gatsby

True Romance

ReincarnatED

Who says rock has to be all angst and rebellion? Since the 1980s and 1990s, rock has been co-opted by the dark side, becoming increasingly identified with sex, drugs and general hotel-room trashing behaviour. But what about some of that old time rock ‘n’ roll, “the kind of music that soothes your soul?” Enter the garage rock revival, which harks back to rock of a more uplifting, Beach Boys variety. Mikal Cronin is one of those guys letting the sunshine into the recording studio. An occasional collaborator of Ty Segall, and sometime bass guitarist in his band, Cronin has also released two solo albums. MCII is his sophomore release, weaving together guitar pop, psychedelia and honky-tonk piano for a version of rock that is just plain fun. Cronin still maintains a sense of recklessness in his music, with the occasional crash of guitar and screeched vocals, but reins it in with polished pop sensibilities. Think a little bit Weezer, a little bit Elliot Smith, but minus the gloom and doom.

Director Baz Luhrmann loves being a bit cheeky. For his reworking of 1920s classic The Great Gatsby, no one would have expected a tired soundtrack of Charleston numbers. But were we imagining a collection of some of the biggest names in mainstream music today? It’s Jay-Z does Jay Gatsby, with the rapper taking the helm as the soundtrack’s executive producer. Very 2013-sounding party tracks are given jazzy rhythms to fit in with the theme, whereas some songs directly reference the novel. It all makes for a rather obvious attempt at translating the decadence of the jazz age into the modern age.

But in the end, Luhrmann’s films are about capturing the “feel” of the storyline, remixing it into something contemporary.

Perhaps will.i.am, Beyonce and Lana Del Rey are what it takes for the bright young things of today to understand 1920s frivolity. But the album lacks the comparative subtlety of Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet soundtrack, which captured the elation and tragedy of the starcrossed lovers while holding its own as a compilation of music worth hearing.

“Don’t go to sleep, don’t go to sleep / Let’s go out” goes the refrain on Charli XCX’s ‘Take My Hand’. It’s hard to resist her call. Born Charlotte Aitchison, the 20-year-old Brit captures the essence of being young, insouciant and cool. She makes the type of electronic pop played in gritty East London bars and spotlighted on Skins episodes. It’d be easy to dismiss her as a hipster cliché, but she’s actually good at what she does — blending 1980s and 1990s nostalgia with catchy beats — for songs that stick in your head and make you feel a bit sassy.

Last year, her collaboration with Icona Pop, ‘I Love It’, was a breakout party anthem. That song isn’t featured on her first album release, but there are several others worth posting on tumblr. The sultry ‘Stay Away’ and ‘Nuclear Seasons’ are two of her older singles, but remain standouts, as does a remix of ‘You’re the One’ by Odd Future’s The Internet, featuring rapper Mike G.

Snoop Dogg used to rap about ‘Gin & Juice’. Now in his new persona — a Rastafarian rechristened Snoop Lion — he sings about ‘Fruit Juice’. “Cantaloupe, soursop, pineapple, mango, my tastebuds tango,” croons the man formerly known as Dogg.

After a visit to Jamaica in 2012, Snoop committed himself to the Rastafari Movement and switched his musical style to reggae, referring to himself as a reincarnation of Bob Marley.

Despite that presumptuous claim, Snoop Lion’s debut album can’t hold a candle to Bob’s greatness. But don’t dismiss it all as an aging rapper’s midlife crisis. The rap game might still be what Snoop does best, but his 12th studio album isn’t all tripe — largely thanks to a little help from his friends.

Reincarnated features a mix of artists with better reggae/ dancehall credibility and pop stars — from Mavado to Major Lazer to Miley Cyrus — who enliven the Lion’s soporific purr. At least, let’s applaud his public metamorphosis. Take ‘No Guns Allowed’, which features vocals from his daughter Cori B and Drake, condemning the gangsta lifestyle Snoop once represented. One love.

94 asialife Cambodia

topten

endorsed

1. Just give Me A Reason 2. 22 3. When I Was Your Man 4. One Way Or Another 5. Suit & Tie 6. Tonight I’m Getting Over You 7. Don’t Run Away 8. Heart Attack 9. Feel This Moment 10. Stay

P!nk Taylor Swift Bruno Mars One Direction Justin Timberlake Carly Rae Jepson David Archuleta Demi Lovato Pitbull feat Christina Aguilera Rihanna

UK Top Ten 1. Get Lucky 2. So Good To Me 3. Let Her Go 4. Waiting All Night 5. Can’t Hold Us 6. This Is What It Feels Like 7. Play Hard 8. I Need Your Love 9. #thatPower 10. Just Give Me A Reason

Daft Punk Chris Malinchak Passenger Rudimental Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Armin van Buuren David Guetta Calvin Harris feat Ellie Goulding Will.i.am feat Justin Bieber P!nk

US Top Ten 1. Can’t Hold Us 2. Just Give Me A Reason 3. Mirrors 4. Stay 5. When I Was Your Man 6. Thrift Shop 7. I Love It 8. Radioactive 9. Cruise 10. Feel This Moment

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis P!nk Justin Timberlake Rihanna Bruno Mars Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Icona Pop Imagine Dragons Florida Georgia Line Pitbull feat Christina Aguilera

Yike Opera Ellie Dyer The passion in the eyes of elderly husband Mak Therng (played by Theng Kimsor) and his young, beautiful wife Pangkiya (Hom Sreymi) is clear as they are wrenched apart in an early scene in the Cambodian Living Arts opera, now on show at the capital’s National Museum.

The enchanting performance uses song and music to tell the story of the couple, as their commitment is tested when a power-wielding prince comes into their lives.

Full of mythical portent, traditional music and beautiful costumes — including two memorable dancers dressed as elaborate peacocks, whose performance beautifully echoes the storyline — the show is an evocative portrayal of an ancient art form. Theories abound as to how ‘yike’ opera was introduced into Cambodia, but one legend has it that the Cham ethnic group performed it while preparing for battle.

The show now capturing the attention of Phnom Penh audiences, called Mak Therng after its main character, has been passed on for generations, and is believed to originate from ethnic groups rather than Khmer traditional culture.

Adapted for theatre in the 1970s, knowledge of the story survived the cultural

Dennis Drenner

Official 97.5 Love FM Phnom Penh Top Ten

nihilism of the Khmer Rouge, allowing it to be staged today under the tutelage of Uy Ladavan, who started learning the art form in 1972.

The result is captivating.

Inside a new amphitheatre built to shelter the CLA performances in rainy season, the sounds of drums fill the air, marking the start of the opera. Costumed dancers take to the stage before the protagonists are introduced.

From the beginning, a sense of tension pervades, as nightmares and dragons plague the happy couple, providing symbols of what is to come.

Though I won’t give away the ending, it’s safe to say that the story is compelling, with subtitles provided in English enabling international audiences to follow the lyrics. The actors, and in particular the very talented Theng Kimsor, work together to produce a heartwrenching performance that is full of emotion, drama and the odd laugh.

Most of all, it is much more than a show for foreign visitors. The themes of the storyline — justice, fate and love — are ones that resonate with modern day audiences, whether they be Cambodian, expat or tourist. Catch a performance to see another side of the Kingdom’s rich cultural spectrum.

asialife Cambodia 95

bookshelf We Need New Names NoViolet Bulawayo Little, Brown & Company

The Paradise that 10-year-old Darling lives in is no idyll.

It’s a shantytown and part of a Zimbabwe that is going downhill. Through her child’s eyes, Darling experiences a country rife with high unemployment, inflation, AIDs and violent political oppression. She doesn’t understand why things are the way they are, why her playmate Chipo has a baby inside her and why her father went to work in South Africa and never came back. When Darling gets older, she escapes the instability of Zimbabwe to go and live with her aunt in Detroit, Michigan. But life in the new land isn’t quite the vision she imagined. NoViolet Bulawayo’s debut novel is a powerful reflection on her beautiful yet troubled country and the costs of leaving it behind.

To Save Everything, Click Here Evgeny Morozov PublicAffairs In To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism, Evgeny Morozov critiques the “Internetcentrism” that has elevated the network from a tool created by imperfect humans to deity status. Not only is technology heralded as the source of all solutions, but Morozov argues that Internet values of openness, efficiency and sociability are being transposed onto our society, culture and politics.

These may sound like desirable qualities — and technoutopians would certainly argue so — but real life is not as clear-cut as a software programme. Morozov warns of a tyranny of technology, with the problem of equating knowledge with data cited as one example. He doesn’t call for discarding the Internet, but points out that sometimes it’s a good idea to think outside the computer box.

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Harvard Square André Aciman W. W. Norton & Company Set in the summer of 1977, Harvard Square takes place in the deserted wasteland of Harvard University when most students have gone home. The nameless narrator is a foreign student, who has travelled from Alexandria, Egypt, to join the celebrated halls of learning. Scrambling to finish his PhD in literature, he remains in Cambridge for the summer and works part-time in a Harvard library.

At his favourite haunt, Café Algiers, he meets Kalaj, an outspoken Tunisian cabdriver who denounces the extremes of American commercialism. The two expatriates spend the summer philosophising, chasing women, driving the streets of Boston and swimming nude in Walden Pond.

Through Kalaj, the narrator finds himself caught between his old world upbringing and the American dream.

Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls David Sedaris Little, Brown & Company To appreciate David Sedaris, you must hear his voice.

As a writer, the American essayist is a gifted storyteller, but the hilarity of his stories is amplified when he tells them himself. Sedaris frequently reads on the radio and onstage, sounding dry, ironic and slightly squeaky — perfect for the self-deprecating tones he writes in. Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls is his latest collection of non-fiction and fiction, combining pieces previously published in the New Yorker with new material.

As always, Sedaris finds the humourous aspects of experiences as diverse as colonoscopy, dental care in France and taxidermy. Read the publication for some good laughs or, even better, listen to the audio book.

boxoffice

World War Z

Man of Steel

Monsters University

Now You See Me

A zombie invasion threatens the world in this apocalyptic thriller. The only hope for salvation is Brad Pitt, who plays United Nations worker Gerry Lane. As humans are being turned into violent zombies all around the globe, Lane leaves his wife and two daughters to track down the cause of the outbreak. From the United States to Israel to Russia, Lane puts his own life at risk to save humanity. Based on the 2006 Max Brooks’ novel of the same name, World War Z is Pitt’s biggest blockbuster as both actor and producer.

Man of Steel offers yet another retelling of the iconic Superman story. Following the success of recent Batman and Spiderman franchises, the time is ripe for a modernised take on Clark Kent.

Superman returns with the red cape, the incredible strength and the ability to fly, but also a greater sense of pathos.

Superhero films today make the protagonists sympathetic — showing that being extraordinary comes at the cost of not being ordinary — and Man of Steel falls in line with this trend. Growing up feeling like a perpetual outsider, Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) sets out to discover who he really is.

If you’re two-headed, furry or one-eyed, there is a place for you. Monsters University, which offers courses such as Scaring 101, can help you become the best monster you can be. A 3D animated film from Pixar and Disney, this prequel to 2001’s Monsters, Inc. tells the story of how Mike and Sully became best friends.

Meeting as college roommates, the two young monsters can’t stand each other at first sight.

But as the two enter the Scare Games, a cutthroat university competition, they form a lifelong bond. Billy Crystal and John Goodman return to voice the two lovable monsters.

Like modern day Robin Hoods, The Four Horsemen steal from the rich and re-distribute the loot. But rather than using straightforward hold-ups, the thieves pull off their crimes with smoke and mirrors. They are the world’s greatest illusionists, who perform dazzling feats of magic onstage while raiding corrupt business leaders’ funds and showering their audiences with the profits. Their heists draw the attention of law enforcement officials, who struggle to find proof to pin the culprits. Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson and Isla Fischer star as the thieves, with Morgan Freeman as an FBI agent on their trail.

Coming Soon JUNE Movie Releases Platinum Cineplex See platinumcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule.

Now You See Me Jun. 6 Broken City Jun. 6 Rapturepalooza Jun. 13 After Earth Jun. 13 Man of Steel (3D) Jun. 20 Monsters University (3D) Jun. 27 Street Dance All Stars Jun. 27 World War Z Jun. 27

Legend Cinema See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule.

Now You See Me Jun. 6 Wedding Special (Korean) Jun. 13 Rapturepalooza Jun. 13 After Earth Jun. 13 Man of Steel (3D) Jun. 20 World War Z (3D) Jun. 27 Monsters University (3D) Jun. 27

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pub quiz 1. Which Irish playwright wrote Juno and the Paycock?

2. What nationality is Ellen Page, star of the Academy Award winning film Juno?

3. Juno was the code name for one of five beaches, name three of the others.

4. The spacecraft Juno was launched in 2011 and will reach its destination in 2016.

What is its destination?

5. Who was the Greek equivalent of the Roman goddess Juno?

Summer 6. Who composed the aria ‘Summertime’ that featured in the opera Porgy and Bess?

7. This year’s summer solstice falls on what date in the northern hemisphere?

8. What year did Mexico City host the Summer Olympics?

9. Which Australian soap is set in Summer Bay? 10. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, who is the Queen of the fairies?

22. Who was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues?

23. Which chain of hotels was bought by Bass brewery in 1988?

24. What sort of a holiday is it if you do the same thing as in your job?

25. Doc Holliday is remembered as a gunslinger and gambler but what was his profession?

Celebrity Stunts!

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Africa 11. Until 2011, Sudan was the largest country in Africa. What is it now?

12. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa. What is its capital city?

13. Name either of the two countries in Africa that border only one other country.

14. Which city is the largest metropolitan area in Africa?

15. The town of Timbuktu is in which African nation?

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21. Who, in 1983, released the hit single ‘Holiday’?

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1. Sean O’Casey 2. Canadian 3. Utah, Omaha, Gold, and Sword 4. Jupiter 5. Hera 6. George Gershwin 7. June 21 8. 1968 9. Home and Away 10. Titania 11. Algeria 12. Kinshasa 13. Lesotho or The Gambia 14. Cairo 15. Mali 16. Michael Clarke 17. Western Australia 18. Victoria 19. Governor-General 20. Queensland and New South Wales 21. Madonna 22. Diana Ross 23. Holiday Inns 24. Busman’s holiday 25. Dentist 26. Owen Wilson 27. Mitt Romney 28. Clint Eastwood 29. Chuck Norris 30. Ethan Hawke

Holidays

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Australia 16. Who is the current captain of the Australian test cricket team?

17. In terms of area, what is the largest state in Australia?

18. New South Wales is the most populous state. What is second?

19. What position is currently held

by Quentin Bryce?

20. The Rugby League State of Origin begins this month between which two states?

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pub quiz answers

Juno

no holds barred