AsiaLIFE Cambodia November 2013

112013 ISSUE83

Shifting Sands in

Sihanoukville

www.asialifemagazine.com

note from the editor AsiaLIFE Group

Ellie Dyer Sihanoukville is a town that ignites opinion. There are those who love its long sandy bays and there are also many that dislike its urban sprawl and persistent beach hawkers. But what is certain is that the seaside hub is here to stay, and will play a pivotal role in Cambodia’s burgeoning tourism industry.

Thailand is known for its beaches, but in my opinion the bays around Sihanoukville and the outlying Koh Rong archipelago are equally as beautiful. White sands and crystal clear waters fringe tropical islands full of lush forest, whilst the town benefits from gently curving beaches.

When I first visited in rainy season 10 years ago, it was a different picture to today’s buzzing community.

From my memory, a couple of bar-restaurants dotted the beach, with green fields a few blocks behind. Over the years it’s faced its challenges and at times a poor reputation, but after talking to the business owners of today the town seems to be heading on the right track.

In my opinion, what the coastline needs is clever development, and one that considers the environment and the impact of its architectural choices. Growth is no bad thing — it provides jobs for local communities and is a key pillar of the country’s economy — but it is best done in a sympathetic fashion and one that maximises and preserves natural resources for future generations.

I think the signs for the next decade are positive.

Conservation is on the radar at all levels, from top end resorts to the backpacking and diving communities. But what struck me most during research for this month’s cover feature — besides the staggering explosion of business on Koh Rong — was the sense of community on the coast. The businesspeople who I met clearly loved Sihanoukville, and were doing all they could to improve visitor experience. Let’s hope in another 10 years it has grown up even more.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we’re taking a cultural tone. Joanna Wolfarth has talked to three leading artists about their work for the Singapore Biennial, while I’ve been chatting to three authors about how to break into the publishing world. In travel, Joanna Mayhew has explored the deserted beaches of East Timor and I’ve recalled my typhoon experience in Taipei. As ever, we hope you find this issue an interesting read and it goes some way to highlighting the transformation that Sihanoukville and its islands are currently expriencing.

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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

Art Director Cambodia: Hilary Fastier

Editor-at-Large Cambodia: Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Photographers: Charles Fox & Conor Wall

Siem Reap: Joanna Wolfarth

Distribution: Sorn Chandara 096 9999 351

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

Printing: Sok Heng Printing House

Sales and Accounts: Seang Seiha 012 581 455 Accountant: Seang Satya

For advertising enquiries call Chantha on 012 576 878.

Special thanks to: Nataly Ly, Joanna Mayhew, Darren Gall, Gemma Mullen, Sebastian Strangio, Daniel Tranchant, Vanessa Vrdoljak, Toni Cutler, Natalie Phillips, Amanda Saxton and David Preece – for their contribution to this issue.

On the Cover Photography: Charles Fox Art Direction: Hilary Fastier AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark.

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

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

112013 ISSUE83

front

12 Picks of the Month 14 Openings

getaway

42 Timor's Trials & Treasures

food

46 Coffee Culture

44 Typhoon in Taipei

18 Dispatches 20 Phnom Penh Calendar 22 Photo Essay 26 Lord David Puttnam

on the cover

28 Shifting Sands in Sihanoukville

storyboard

36 Breaking Books 38 Mobilising Cambodia

49 Bistro Lorenzo

style & design

50 Behind the Design

back

57 Listings

6 asialife Cambodia

36

52 Miss Piggy

90 Phnom Penh Map 98 Pub Quiz

40 If The World Changed

22

48 Vego

42

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Nov 2013

Rabies Vaccinations

Stray dogs have been vaccinated against rabies as part of a new campaign to eradicate the disease in Cambodia. A study by the Institut Pasteur in Cambodia found that of the 800 people who died from rabies in 2007, more than 95 per cent contracted it from dogs. It also revealed that Cambodia has one dog per every four humans — almost four times higher than neighbouring countries.

To mark World Rabies Day, the Ministry of Health, World Health Organisation (WHO), Institut Pasteur and the National Veterinary Research Institute launched a mass dog vaccination campaign in Kampong Cham’s Preah Chhor district. Minister of Health Dr Mam Bunheng says, “This is a collaborative effort to encourage responsible dog ownership as part of a comprehensive rabies control programme that also builds awareness of the burden of rabies.” If a person is bitten or scratched by a suspected rabid

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animal, the WHO recommends immediately cleansing the wound and seeking proper medical assessment.

Hollywood Documentary Features Success Story

An internationally-acclaimed documentary is set be rescreened to highlight the importance of girls’ education.

Having proved a hit since making its Cambodian premiere on Oct. 11, International Day of the Girl Child, Hollywood’s Girl Rising will be shown again

by Platinum Cinemax this month. Filmed with UNESCO backing, the documentary tells the stories of nine girls in nine countries. One girl featured is Cambodia’s Chen Sokha. Orphaned and forced to pick through garbage to

survive, she finds her way to school. She becomes a star student and is on the brink of a promising and once unimaginable future.

The stories are narrated by famous actresses, including Cate Blanchet, Meryl Streep and Selma Hayek, and by Cambodian writer Loung Un. The documentary is directed by 2011 Academy Award nominee Richard Robbins.

Girl Rising, in English with Khmer subtitles, screens at Platinum on Nov. 5 at 6.30pm.

Models Shine In Reality Show

The first season of Cambodia’s debut modelling reality TV show has kicked off. Sapors Modeling Agency and PR Production have joined with TV3 to create the country’s first televised modelling competition, Cambodia Model Look.

The show gives women the chance to strut their stuff and compete to win a modelling contract as well as cash prizes. The

show — hosted by Sapor Rendall — aims to develop the industry in Cambodia and give finalists a platform to break into the national and international industry.

Weekly challenges, including photo shoots and runway shows, highlight their talent, beauty and drive to win. The show airs on Sundays on TV3 from 6pm to 7pm, and is repeated on Wednesdays from 2pm to 3pm.

Vegan Donations

With November marking World Vegan month, K'NYAY cuisine will donate $1 to BuckHunger for every order over $5 made at its new home at The Terrace on 95. The non-profit organisation has been offering complimentary meals since December 2011 through its sit-down restaurant and aims to help combat poverty and hunger.

Every day BuckHunger provides food to more than 200 children and elderly people. For more information, visit buckhunger.com.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra Wins Titles

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeehtra has been voted the second best hotel in Southeast Asia and the 35th best hotel in the world by Conde Nast Traveller 2013 readers’ choice.

General Manager Charles-Henri Chevet says, “This award is the result of the excellent work from the entire team.

Not only does it recognise our efforts, but it will surely encourage all to continue providing the excellent service appreciated by all our visitors, strive for more and surpass all expectations.” It is the latest in a string of awards that the hotel has received including the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Southeast Asia and the Smart Travel Asia Top 25 Conference Hotels. Do Forni restaurant has also received a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence.

Amrita Showcase

Amrita Arts is set to showcase its home-grown talents with an evening of Cambodian contemporary dance at the Department of Performing Arts in Phnom Penh on Nov. 2 at 7pm.

Choreographer Chumvan Sodhachivy is recreating Bach Cello Suites with three female dancers, while Nam Narim is reviving her work Dream. Meanwhile, dancer Chy Ratana is performing Ferocious Compassion, choreographed by Peter Chin. Tickets are $2 and available from Amrita and Java Café in advance.

F&B Success

As members of the hospitality industry pitted their skills in the Cambodia Restaurant Association competitions last month, the 2012 winners headed to Kuala Lumpur to compete in the international Culinaire Malaysia festival against participants from across Asia as well as Germany and Russia. Led by CRA president Van Porleng, food and beverage professionals competed in categories including cocktail making and barista skills. Cambodia’s entrants excelled, with K-West’s Nuon Phanet winning silver for mocktails and bronze for cocktails. In the culinary division, Cambodia’s participant from Grand Solux Angkor Palace Resort won a diploma.

Journalist Honoured

A reporter from the Cambodia Daily newspaper has been honoured with an international award. Bopha Phorn received a 2013 Courage in Journalism award last month from the Washington-based International Women’s Media Foundation, an organisation dedicated to strengthening the role of female journalists worldwide. Journalist Bopha Phorn was travelling in a car with a colleague and environmental activist Chut Wutty when he was shot and killed in Koh Kong province last April. The reporter is the first Cambodian recipient of the high-profile award. asialife Cambodia 9

Nov 2013

Artists Find New Space

Sofitel Hosts Inaugural Rice Festival

Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort organised the country’s first rice festival last month, celebrating the diversity of the staple food and its deep association with Khmer history and culture. The event included a cooking demonstration

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by celebrity chef Luu Meng, tasting sessions and an awards ceremony. Attendees included the French ambassador Serge Mostura, European Union ambassador Jean-Francois Cautain, Secretary of State for the Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak and Minister of Tourism Thong Khon.

The Centre for Khmer Studies at Wat Damnak, Siem Reap, launched an Artist in Work programme last month. The scheme allows local artists use of its conference hall as a studio and exhibition space.

CKS Director Krisna Uk says, “For local artists especially, this will be a great way for them to make their work more well known in the local community.” Svay Sareth, the programme’s inaugural artist, moved his studio to CKS for two weeks in order to put the final touches to his monumental sculpture, currently on show at the Singapore Biennale. “When you build a house you need foundations, and young artists

in Siem Reap need a place to found their future,” he says.

Michelin-Starred Chef Visits

Siem Reap welcomed Michelinstarred Parisian chef Gilles Choukroun last month, with a gala dinner hosted at the Madame Butterfly restaurant.

Choukroun was invited to explore Cambodian cuisine by the Angkor W Group of restaurants and spent time visiting local markets and experimenting with new flavours with chefs from the group. An account of Choukroun’s culinary adventures in Cambodia can be seen on his blog at http:// wildcuisineflavoursofcambodia. wordpress.com.

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picks of the month Watch: Breaking Bad

Surf: Gentlemint.com

The epic TV series Breaking Bad has reached the end of its drug-fuelled existence, with the final episode aired in September. The show follows the journey of science teacher Walter White who dabbles in making crystal meth after being diagnosed with cancer.

The undeniably dark story examines the drug trade and the ensuing effects on the families of those who enter it. There may be no better way to escape from the world than picking up the groundbreaking five-season series.

Social media is undoubtedly useful, but the myriad websites and apps that fall under this category can also be extremely annoying. For example, how many pictures of cats or girls showing off their new haircut in a mirror does Instagram really need? Gentlemint offers an escape from this, as it claims to be “a mint of manly things.” The site is similar to Pinterest, but focuses on things men would enjoy. Examples include a picture of a DeLorean converted into a monster truck, and an article explaining how to tap a beer keg with a detonator cord. You’re welcome.

Listen: International Music Festival The 20th century was a time of great optimism in the Western world, signified by rapid changes in technology, society and the arts. The 10th International Music Festival, held in Phnom Penh from Nov. 7 to 13, will celebrate the diversity of the previous century’s music over the course of five days.

Post-romanticism, modernism, impressionism and minimalism will be among the genres explored at a series of concerts held throughout town, featuring Cambodian, German and Vietnamese artists. Visit music-festival-phnom-penh.org for more details. Admission is free.

Take Part: Distant Geography Words, collages and photography by artist Chath pierSath are taking centre stage at Java Arts in Phnom Penh until Nov. 12 as part of the Distant Geography exhibition. In many of the works, pierSath talks to his family, Cambodia, warmongers and their victims alike through letters and diary entries. The thought-provoking show includes a public gallery, where visitors will be able to take part in a collaborative poem, by adding words or phrases to a wall to create a temporary collage.

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See: Phnom Penh Photo Get some photographic inspiration by making the most of the French Institute’s annual Phnom Penh Photo exhibition, set to take over the capital from Nov. 30. Work by both local photographers such as Kim Hak and Mak Remissa and international names like Vincent J Stocker will catapult the city into a photographic frenzy until Dec. 31. Shows will grace a variety of venues, from the walls of the French Embassy to Sisowath Quay. Watch out for barges displaying photos on the Tonle Sap from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

For more information, visit: institutfrancaiscambodage.com.

Backpacking Phnom Penh named best-value world backpacking destination by hotels.com.

The Sun As wet season peters out, it’s time to enjoy the (relatively) mild and sunny days of cool season.

Gold Loo Roll Flashing the cash? Splash out on the newly launched three-ply 22-carat gold toilet paper, costing over a milllion dollars a roll.

Air Passengers Brave British man with no flying experience lands a light aircraft with radio guidance after the pilot falls ill in the cockpit.

Rithy Panh Cambodian film director named Asian Filmmaker of the Year at Busan International Film Festival.

GOING UP GOING DOWN Trees A tall tree uprooted in a rainstorm crashes onto the northern gate of 12th-century Preah Khan temple in Siem Reap.

Chemical Weapons International watchdog The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

Water Festival Disappointment for boaters as the Cambodian festival is cancelled for a third straight year.

US Congress American government paralysed after Congress has differences on Obama’s health care bill.

Dip-dyed hair Two-tone hair styles go viral, with some disastrous results.

openings Heart and Soul

Da Sandro Panini Bar Chiara Lodovica De Lucia has ploughed her heart and soul into Phnom Penh’s first dedicated panini bar. Named after her late grandfather, every inch of Da Sandro, from the kitsch furniture to the whitewashed tables, has been crafted by the creative owner. The menu boasts an array of paninis, toasties and salads. Each has been named after those closest to her, such as the Raffo — a panini with spicy salami, pecorino, rocket and red bell pepper sauce ($7.50) — termed after a friend. A French baker bakes bread fresh each day and Chiara has passed on her secret ciabatta recipe. “My granddad inspired me to follow my dream and do this and I think he would be proud,” she says.

162EO Street 63, Phnom Penh. Tel: 010 644 987. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm, and from 11am to 3pm on Mondays and Sundays.

Puppy Paradise

Ebada Pet Café

Opening an original café in BKK1 is something of a feat these days.

However, Ebada definitely ticks the box with its latest venture: a dog café and shop. The dog-lovers haven comes complete with pooch pampering services and seven of owner Yong Seung Lee’s pint-sized pups. Poodles, miniature pinschers and chihuahuas bearing dyed tails and painted nails scamper around a quaint yard, waiting to be petted by customers over a selection of coffees and smoothies, which start at $4. Lee says, “The concept is popular in Korea and we wanted to bring it here. It’s something for children to do, especially those who can’t have dogs.” A grooming service is available from $15, and Ebada offers a dog hotel service (half-day $4, full-day $8).

35 Street 306, Phnom Penh. Tel: 092 315 970. Open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm.

Party Central

Supercheap If you’re planning on throwing a party then get yourself to Supercheap. The bargain booze store recently opened a second branch on Monivong Blvd.

Offering a range of wines, beers and soft drinks at slashed prices, the shop caters for all needs from — as the name suggests — super cheap wines costing $4.99 up to brands sitting around the $50 mark. Making up the majority of the stock, rows of red, white and rosé wines from across the globe including New Zealand, Australia, France and Chile line the shelves.

For those wanting to impress, a 450cl bottle of Grey Goose vodka will set you back $262.99 while an impressive-looking 300cl bottle of Cordon Bleu Martell costs $644.99. A wide range of champagnes and bottled beers are also for sale.

336A Monivong Blvd, Phnom Penh. Open daily from 9am to 10pm.

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ApÉritifs with Panache

Seibur

So, you’ve made the fatal mistake of not booking at Piccola Italia pizzeria. What to do? Fortunately, new bar Seibur has the answer — an apéritif. The tiny venue, located a few doors down from Luigi’s, offers Italian sharpeners in statement style. The beautifully constructed wooden fit-out is reminiscent of a sleek European drinking hole, and features timber stools to seat customers inside and out. Beers are priced from $3, wines and spirits from $4, and cocktails are $5. Try a refreshing Aperol spritzer — a traditional apéritif hailing from the Italian town of Padua, topped up with prosecco and soda — to start or finish the night with a bang.

34 Street 308, Phnom Penh. Tel: 092 839 440. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to 11pm.

Blind Tasting

DID The dining in the dark concept has already caught on in Europe and America. Now it seems the craze is sweeping across Asia as Phnom Penh welcomes the opening of DID — Dine in the Dark. Guests choose from a three-course Khmer, international or vegetarian meal (all $18), which is served in a dining room with no lighting. The specific dishes cooked by chef Phola Chon are a surprise, with diners invited to test their palates by guessing the ingredients with only the senses of taste and smell. The courses are revealed at the end of the meal. DID co-founder Jay Smith says the restaurant takes pride in its work to raise awareness and promote equal opportunities by employing visually-impaired students from the Krousar Thmey school for the blind and deaf as waiters.

126 Street 19, Phnom Penh. Tel: 077 589 458. Open daily from 6pm to 10pm.

Building Luxury

Camcona BMA

Luxury living is on the rise and Camcona BMS — the building supplies arm of architectural and construction company Camcona Group Co — is set to service the market. Taking an environmentally-friendly approach, the shop is the first Cambodian provider of outdoor lighting systems from LigMan Lighting, tailor-designed by architects. “In Phnom Penh, we are seeing an increase in people focusing on branded products,” says managing partner Elida Kimsrun.

“There is also more and more focus on high-end design and using high-quality products and materials in construction projects, which is what we provide.”

The shop also sells laminate flooring and outdoor furniture. All services are provided for both residential and commercial projects, with designs drawn up and presented to clients before work starts.

17 Street 306, Phnom Penh. Open Saturdays from 7.30am to 5.30pm.

Appointments can be arranged by phoning 012 222 030.

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Service With A Smile

Papa Coffee

Customer service is key to Papa Coffee’s philosophy, with smiling staff topped with enough coffee to keep the adrenaline pumping for the rest of the day. Inside, the ground-floor is spacious with ceilingheight windows that let in a lot of light. Outside lies a shaded terrace area with tables and chairs. The menu features hot and cold coffees, including green tea lattes ($2.25/ $3.25) and iced caramel macchiatos ($2.25/ $3.25). And there is a tasty selection of frappacinos. If hunger bites, pastries or more substantial meals are served, including rice with Australian steak ($3.75) and rice and lamb ($4). “People can come with their friends and sit and talk here over a coffee,” says barista Soeng Ratana.

3 Street 222, Phnom Penh. Open daily from 7am to 9pm.

beach bar reborn

Monkey Republic

Popular beach backpacker venue Monkey Republic has risen from the flames after a devastating blaze ripped through the venue earlier this year. The new incarnation includes budget accommodation, a bar and restaurant area, all housed around an impressive two-storey colonial inspired villa on Serendipity Beach Road, near Sihanoukville’s Golden Lions roundabout. The venue may be a big departure from its former beach hut feel, but the Monkey family has created a stylish venue that retains its chilled out and youthful vibe. A large pool table is housed on site and the bar feels spacious and fresh, ensuring that it will remain the go-to option for the Cambodia’s coastal backpackers.

Serendipity Beach Road, Sihanoukville. For more information, call 012 490 290 or visit the Monkey Republic Facebook site.

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DISPATCHES

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Sundown in Singapore

Singapore's fifth annual Sundown Festival unites 10 rock and pop acts from eight Asian countries including Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Each year new countries are added to the line-up, with three Southeast Asian nations — Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines — in the mix this year. Hit K-pop band AOA will also perform. The eight-hour festival takes place at the Marina Promenade, a greenbelt strip next to the Singapore Flyer. Street food and fringe performances will also be provided. Doors open at 3pm on Nov. 16. Tickets are $100 and can be booked at sundownfestival.sg.

Join the Club

The Legian Bali resort is situated along the shores of Seminyak Beach, where a beautiful stretch of golden sand lies adjacent to the island’s best shops and nightlife.

With 68 guest rooms and suites created by an Indonesian designer, the Balinese resort is currently offering 10 percent off one-bedroom deluxe suites at The Legian Bali and onebedroom villas at The Club at The Legian. Each room offers multiple balconies with sunset views. Advance purchase includes use of the health club and sauna. The offer is valid until Mar. 31, 2014. Reservations must be made a minimum of 60 days prior to arrival date. Book at ghmhotels.com/en/ the-legian-bali.

Music for the Masses

This year's Clockenflap, a three-day music and arts festival in Hong Kong, will feature 50 performances from artists such as Franz Ferdinand, Gold Panda and Two Door Cinema Club. The performers will play on seven stages, where local acts will also share the spotlight. Inspired by international festivals like England's Glastonbury and South

by Southwest in Texas, Clockenflap was founded in 2008 and is in its sixth year. Last year's festival brought 18,000 revellers, with 30,000 expected this year. A 10,000-squaremetre site will be set up as an arts village, along with a silent disco and a film tent. The festival runs from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 in Hong Kong's West Kowloon cultural district.

Buy tickets at clockenflap.com.

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Have an event coming up?

Send information and dates to maris.carruthers@gmail.com

CALENDAR PHNOM PENH NOV

The ‘First Friday’ pool party at the Eighty8 on Street 88, Phnom Penh, from 9pm.

November’s party falls just a day after Halloween — so don’t bother taking that costume off and just push on through. There are free freaky shots for those in Halloween gear. The party is free to enter and once you’re in you can avail yourself of the swimming pool and dance floor, where from 9pm DJs Bree and B Boy Peanut will be spinning.

01

NOV

The ANZ Royal Angkor 10s rugby tournament will be held over two days at the Old Stadium on Street 70, Phnom Penh.

It is an exciting and eventful tournament with more than 250 players from all over the world. The Old Boys 15s games run from 12pm to 4.30pm on Nov. 1, with the men’s senior competition taking place from 8am to 6pm on Nov. 2.

01 02

NOV

Amrita Arts presents an evening of Cambodian contemporary dance at the Department of Performing Arts at 7pm. Choreographer Chumvan Sodhachivy (Belle) is recreating Bach Cello Suites with three female dancers, Nam Narim is reviving her work Dream and dancer Chy Ratana is performing Ferocious Compassion, choreographed by Peter Chin. Tickets are $2 and available from Amrita and Java Café.

02 NOV

07

The 10th International Music Festival kicks off in Phnom Penh with a pre-concert introduction by Professor Dieter Mack and Dr Him Sopy at 6pm at the Hotel InterContinental, followed by a gala opening at 7pm that will feature a light and playful Trio Sonata by Bohuslav Martinu.

NOV

NOV

Europe on Broadway choir concert at Cambodia Japan Cooperation Centre at 7pm, as part of the International Music Festival.

Includes performances from the Bella Voce choir, conducted by Mari Jinnai.

08 NOV

Australian Rules Football comes to Phnom Penh with the Cambodian Eagles competing against Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand for the Indochina Cup. Games will be held at the Navy sports ground on Chroy Changvar peninsula (just after the Sokimex petrol station) from 10am to 5pm. Netball teams will also be playing that morning at Northbridge. Attendance is free, with family entertainment and food and drinks available.

09

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An evening with Euan Gray at Doors from 9.30pm. The musician brings his friends and jostles effortlessly with music, on guitar, saxophone and vocals to offer inspiring original songs.

08 NOV

Modernism Impressionism concert at at Meta House (limited seating) at 7pm, as part of the International Music Festival.

Works set to include music from Ravel, Debussy and Cambodia’s Bosbapanh, with Anna Steckel on violin, Carin Lavin on flute and Stephan Rahn and Etienne Chenevier on piano.

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NOV

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Grand finale of the International Music Festival at the Cambodia Japan Cooperation Centre from 7pm.

The event will feature compositions from the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk, Russia’s Sergei Rachmaninoff and Hungary’s Béla Bartók.

NOV

A night of Jazz Made in Paris at Sofitel Hotel in Phnom Penh, organised by the French Institute and Meihua consulting, at 8pm. The Martin Jacobsen Trio will present some of their favourite tunes including well-known and less well-known jazz standards, the extraordinary songs of Michel Legrand and other French composers.

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NOV

The Duck restaurant on Sothearos Boulevard will hold a degustation dinner with tickets at $49 per person. The night will include a five-course tasting menu and great wines from highly-regarded South Australian winery Maverick Wines. The vineyard’s winemaker Ronald Brown will share some insights into his masterful wine making.

For more information or reservations, email info@theduck.net or call 089 823 704.

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23 NOV

NOV

Mindfulness Meditation & Yoga retreat at the Vine Retreat in Kep. Mujin Sumin will be introducing some of the basic principles of Mindfulness Meditation practice. Yoga asana will be offered daily by Oskar. There will also be time for a trip to the local pagoda and a short trek. Beginners welcome. Package price $300 based on sharing a room. For information, visit yogaphnompenh.com.

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The 9th Angkor Photo Festival kicks off in Siem Reap and runs until Nov. 30. Exhibitions and workshops will be held in locations throughout the town, including Raffles Gardens. Visit Angkor-photo.com for more information or to see the daily schedule of events.

Start-up weekend Phnom Penh. An intense 54-hour event that focuses on building a web or mobile application that could form the basis of a credible business over the course of a weekend.

To find out more and to register for your tickets, please visit cambodia. startupweekend.org/

NOV

Wig Christmas Fair at the InterContinental Hotel from 10am to 5pm. Local vendors, raffle, clowns, games, activities and a Santa corner. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children aged 3 and over, to have unlimited access to the children’s area. All proceeds support community projects in Cambodia.

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NOV

Kletzbodians are back at Doors from 9.30pm. There is just no band like it. Yiddish melodies and Balkan excitement performed with ridiculous instrumentation giving you a sound that you wouldn’t expect from an amazing World Music Troupe.

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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 TUESDAY

Swing dancing at Doors with lindy-hop specialist Janice Wilson from 7pm. Classes are $3 or $25 for 10 lessons

EVERY WEDNESDAY

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 • Acoustic music at Kep’s Sailing Club by guitarist Mr Rya from 6pm to 9pm

EVERY THURSDAY

Open Mic at Paddy Rice Irish Sports Bar • Art House Sessions at 8.30pm at The Flicks Community Movie House. Enjoy the secret treasures of the big screen for $3.50 • Steak Night at The Empire.

Weekly special at a big discount • Women’s Night at The Riverhouse • Movie nights on the beach at Kep’s Sailing Club from 7pm

EVERY FRIDAY

Special happy hatha yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, 5.45pm discounted happy hour class • Seafood Haven at Korean Grill restaurant, NagaWorld, from 5.30pm to 10pm. $20 per person excluding beer, $30 per person including free flow draft beer. Tel: 023 22 88 22, www.nagaworld.com • Rhymn sessions at Doors from 9.30pm

EVERY SATURDAY

Cine Saturday at the Bophana Center, 64 Street 200, at 4pm • Art classes for both children and adults at Romeet Gallery on Street 178, costing $8.50 per session or $65 for 10. All material is provsided.

Register interest with Sreymao at romeetgallery@gmail.com or by calling 077 55 07 59

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

EVERY DAY

Yoga classes at Yoga Phnom Penh, close to BKK market. For information visit yogaphnompenh.com or enquire at 012 739 419 • Daily four-hour photography tours with Michael Klinkhamer. Starts at FCC, 363 Sisowath Quay, at 1.30pm. $35 per person (for groups of less than four people add $10pp). Call 060 873 847 or visit klinkphoto.com

EVERY WEEKDAY

High tea at Public House on Street 204½, 3pm to 5.30pm. Scones, finger sandwiches, sweets and tea. $9pp for high tea, $14 with a glass of sparkling wine, $30pp with a bottle, $50 with a bottle of champagne.

Book for a min. of two guests at least one day in advance 017 770 754

EVERY MONDAY TO SATURDAY

Cultural performance at the National Museum at 7pm. Adult tickets are $15, with discounts for advance puchases. For booking and information call 017 998 570 or email events@cambodianlivingarts. org

EVERY WEEKEND

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 • Weekend brunch at Public House on Street 240½, from 10.30am to 3pm. $25 per person including bellinis or bloody Marys, $15 per person if you’re on the wagon. Book in advance: 017 770 754

asialife Cambodia 21

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PHOTO ESSAY

The Road to Birdsville Toni Cutler

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For a number of Australians, attending the Birdsville Races is something that you need to do once in your lifetime. The population of the small outback town, located in the southwestern corner of Queensland, swells from 300 to nearly 15,000 for the annual two-day horseracing meet, first held in 1882. For me, it was the 5,000-kilometre-long round-trip from Melbourne to Birdsville that made it an unforgettable experience. The Australian landscape and geography can change so quickly, along with its colour. It's beautiful, arid and at times desolate, but that's what makes it so amazing. And while the outback is always breath-taking, the journey also entertains with sights and humour that capture Australia at its iconic best.

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Canola fields near Ouyen, Victoria A 'roo with attitude The Birdsville Races Little red gibber rocks in Sturt's Stony Desert A floodway

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Lake Eyre in central South Australia A Queensland-style private road Birdsville from the air An old truck on the road to Birdsville The Birdsville Hotel

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Lord David Puttnam The British prime minister’s trade envoy to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam retired from the film industry in 1998 and is best known for producing films — such as The Killing Fields and Chariots of Fire — that have garnered 10 Oscars and 25 Baftas. Interview by Lien Hoang. Photograph by Fred Wissink.

You produced The Killing Fields, based on the experience of journalists Sydney Schanberg and Dith Pran during the Khmer Rouge era. What was it like to meet the people that the film was about?

I worked with all the real people, with one exception, and I met him afterward, Al Rockoff, who was the photographer. I didn’t meet until after the movie because he and Schanberg didn’t get on and it was a bit tricky. But I’ve worked with all the real people, and one of the most moving — without any doubt — moments of my life was showing the film for the first time to the real Dith Pran and his family and Schanberg. The film finished and I was sitting behind them in this tiny cinema, and the whole family just gathered together and they cried for half an hour.

I just sat there watching.

It was quite extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary.

Haing S Ngor, the actor who played Dith Pran in the film, is one of the few people to have won an Oscar without any prior acting experience. How did that work out?

The hero, interestingly, was the other guy; Sam Waterston [who plays Sydney Schanberg].

He’s also an acting teacher; he’s always been famous, so he really coaxed. Some actors are

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very selfish, they try to win. So let’s say there’s a scene for you and I. We can either compete for who’s smarter, who’s quicker, which a lot of actors do. Or you or I can help each other. Sam absolutely coaxed and coaxed and would work at night with Haing on lines. He was great, a good man and a decent man.

Why was Chariots of Fire one of your proudest achievements?

I mean, winning the Oscar wasn’t so much a proud achievement. First of all, it was a big surprise, and secondly it made my film career much easier because I had something to refer to. But it’s not my favourite film. My favourite film is one that got really no awards, Local Hero.

Why is that your favourite?

I just think it’s a wonderful film. Why does a mother have a favourite child?

Mothers won’t admit it, though, that’s one difference.

Sometimes it’s because it’s the smallest. It’s often because there’s something special about the child. There’s something special about Local Hero.

In Chariots of Fire, I read that you had a raffle to get people to come in as extras.

I did because I couldn’t afford extras, so we raffled a car.

Would you have to come up with similar ideas at the last moment in other films?

I would. I mean you’ve never got enough money, ever, ever, ever. Or, put another way, your ambition is always more than the money you have.

Can you think of other times you've had to make do?

The evacuation sequence in The Killing Fields, when they leave down the railway line. We had to come up with all kinds of schemes, not so much to get the crowd there, but to hold the crowd all day, because it was the hottest day in Thailand for years. And to keep them all day, we had to keep coming up with raffles.

You’ve compared bad films to a bad can of Coke.

The point I was making was that films can be a product.

No one really cares what the impact or effect of that film might be. I’ve always really been concerned about what the audience took away from the films I’ve made and how it, maybe, changed their lives in some cases.

You talk about wanting to convey some values…

You’re a journalist. Do you hope that when you write something, it conveys some values? It’s exactly the same as me.

With films like The Mission and Chariots of Fire, are you interested in religion?

I’m not so much interested in religion, I’m interested in people’s motivations. I’m interested in the way people view themselves… I believe in God but I’m not interested in promoting religion.

Could you talk about your relationship with Southeast Asia?

I was asked in October of last year if I would become an envoy. And then I was asked which country or group of countries I would like to work with and I chose Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos quite deliberately. I’ve been coming to the region for well over 30 years. I spent a big chunk of time in 1983 and 1984 making The Killing Fields. And then I returned over and over again as president of Unicef where we did a lot of work in this region, particularly on landmine clearance and child trafficking.

So it’s a region I know, it’s a region I came to love and I feel very comfortable with. It’s also a region I have absolute belief in. If I look forward to 2030 and beyond, I think it’s a region that’s going to be one of the leading regions of the world. So it was both a nice decision but also quite a pragmatic decision.

I thought I was associating myself with success.

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Shifting Sands in

Sihanoukville As infrastructure improves, Cambodia’s coastal hub is growing up. Five years after AsiaLIFE first investigated Sihanoukville’s development, Ellie Dyer returns to the town and its outlying islands to meet some of the tourist industry’s key players. She discovers a multitude of changes taking place in and around the Kingdom’s most famous beach resort.

Photo by Charles Fox

“Is it true there’s a full moon party here tonight?” whispers an excited backpacker on the busy two-hour ferry ride from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong island. “It’s paradise,” declares another youth, who has spent months working on the island as a bartender in exchange for free lodging, food and drink.

Upon landing on the central jetty near Koh Touch village, a backpacker arcadia awaits.

Bronzed Europeans laze on papasan chairs, splashing in the sea and playing leisurely games of beach volleyball before retiring to one of the many foreign-owned restaurants, bars and guesthouses that have popped up beside the island’s crystal clear waters over successive seasons.

Given the beach community boasted a solitary guesthouse in 2009, and just two more the following year, the influx of party-seeking foreign youths to the small fishing village represents somewhat of a budget traveller gold rush. But it also hints at the bigger picture — that the sands of Sihanoukville’s tourist industry are shifting.

Big Hopes

From its early days as a sleepy coastal town, to its rise as a backpacker haven and today’s bustling shipping and tourist hub, Sihanoukville and its long sandy beaches

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have long been some of the greatest hopes for Cambodia’s tourist industry.

Yet its development has been far from a simple success story. The area has been dogged by bad press over the years and, at times, a seedy reputation. But spend time talking with the business owners of today and you’ll find a community united in the belief that change, for the better, is underway.

“Sihanoukville is like a teenager. It’s still very much in its formative years,” says hotelier Douglas McColl, a key member of the town’s newly formed Sihanoukville Tourism Association (STA), which represents around 40 individuals and foreign- and locally-owned businesses.

“And, okay, like any teenager it has its oops-es, but by and large it’s growing and getting stronger… Infrastructure is getting better, along with the standard of hotels,” he adds, while sitting down with AsiaLIFE in the dining area of Coolabah Hotel, near Sihanoukville’s Serendipity Beach.

In recent years, major transportation developments have had an impact on the city — most notably the long-awaited introduction of daily Cambodia Angkor Air flights from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville, linking the popular temple hub directly with the coastal town.

In turn, locals are reporting increasing numbers of families visiting the area and a rise in hotels, including mid-range accommodation. Electricity has become more dependable, according to McColl, and the key throughfare of Serendipity Beach Road has improved. The area is also noticeably cleaner, thanks in part to the developing sense of community among its businesses.

An early morning walk along Ochheuteal Beach reveals why. For the last six months, STA has been funding a beach clearing team who scour the area six days a week, collecting up to 60 bags of rubbish each time, much of which washes in from the sea. The group is now installing permanent green bins across the seafront.

“Sihanoukville’s all about the beach and without that we have nothing. I think it’s so important that there are business owners, so many places around here, that care about the community,” says Georgie Bradford, co-owner of bar and guesthouse Monkey Republic. “People are taking massive, massive steps, at personal cost to themselves and their time, just to try and improve things, thereby preserving the essence of Sihanoukville.”

But intertwined with a cosmetic facelift and infrastructural improvement lies Koh Rong island Photos by Ellie Dyer

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another major shift: the spread of the backpacker market. Budget travellers are now venturing out from the town to the outlying sands of Otres Beach and, increasingly, the islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem.

Island Boom

“During the last rainy season was when everything started changing a lot,” explains Paddy Robinson of Koh Rong bungalow resort Monkey Island, which in 2010 became one of the first hostels to open on the stretch of sand near Koh Touch village.

“It’s now got to the point I’ve lost count of how many businesses there are,” adds the British businessman, who has seen former customers and staff set out on their own in the coastal hamlet.

Today, cheap guesthouses run sideby-side with foreign-run bungalows and busy bars, which pump out dance music to cater for their fun-loving clientele, some of whom can be spotted looking decidedly worse for wear by morning.

The area may not be to every visitor’s taste, but business is undoubtedly booming. The sound of construction work rings out across the village as small food stalls conduct a roaring trade in smoothies and snacks. There’s even talk of the launch of a new catamaran running on the Sihanoukville to Koh Rong ferry route — a development that would dramatically cut travel time to the isle’s shores.

Some travellers may mourn a paradise lost — Koh Rong at one stage seemed akin to the island described in Alex Garland’s The Beach — but business owners point out that change is bringing a welcome new revenue stream to a local community that previously relied on fishing.

“At the moment everyone's bellies are full and they are enjoying it,” states Robinson, who says that the area had been overfished. “Tourism is one of Cambodia’s main businesses… it’s important that it develops in a way that protects its interests, doesn’t destroy what its got and the wealth trickles down."

And though he admits that the stretch 32 asialife Cambodia

is “still a bit rough and ready,” the impact of rapid economic growth on the island’s community and environment is being considered.

In a positive sign for the future, volunteer group The Friends of Koh Rong is maintaining upkeep of the village’s school building. The Cambodian Conservation Centre, founded in 2012 by Cambodian PADI instructor Pierre Kann, is also proposing the introduction of a wideranging marine conservation programme.

Measures including daily reef clean-ups, the construction of coral nurseries, the recruitment of marine protection rangers — initially based in Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem — to monitor protected areas and reef health, and a marine protection scholarship enabling local young adults to train as dive-masters are set to launch later this month.

A New Dawn?

Despite the dramatic changes of the last few years, Koh Rong’s backpacker boom is only half the story. On the horizon lies the potential for a bigger and more farreaching transformation.

The government has granted Cambodian conglomerate Royal Group a 99-year lease on Koh Rong, and international investors and partners are being sought to contribute to its development — with plans afoot to build high-end resorts and residences along with an international airport, golf courses and a marina.

Royal Group says initial consultations have been conducted with chiefs and village leaders, and road building to link up main villages and transit points is underway, weather permitting.

The over-arching development plan is made up of five stages, with each consisting of a five-year cycle of work, though officials warn that timeframes will be dependent on supply and demand.

“Should demand increase we will expedite the development, likewise should demand slow development will correspond,” says Royal Group spokesperson Ray Yager.

Only time will tell what such dramatic development would mean for Koh Rong’s

backpacker community, but Royal Group says it “sees an opportunity for the villagers and the guest houses to coexist” and emphasises the importance of providing the local community with “the opportunity for employment, skills training and improvement of their livelihoods.”

Luxury Escape

As Royal Group aims for a higherend market, the potential for top-end eco-conscious tourism to take off on Cambodia’s coastline is demonstrated just 30 minutes from the backpacker community of Koh Touch, at its polar opposite — the luxury Song Saa Private Island Resort.

Initially opened in late 2011 on the twin islands of Koh Ouen and Koh Bong, the resort’s stunning design and top-class facilities, including private pools in guest rooms and its own time zone set an hour forward of the mainland, are attracting well-heeled travellers to its shores.

The development has put environmental concerns to the fore. Since 2006, it has maintained a 50,000-square-metre marine protection zone closed to fishing, and created a number of artificial reefs on the north-eastern side of Koh Rong.

Bottom trawling is prevented in a larger 500,000-square-metre extended marine zone, which operates under rules of the communities fishing group of nearby Prek Svay village.

The Song Saa Foundation, a non-profit organisation established by the resort, is also engaged in two programmes centred on mangrove and tropical evergreen forest education and restoration. A youth education initiative allows local children to participate in the project as a learning exercise.

“We see the Song Saa approach, both the resort and the foundation, as offering a template that can inspire others and help to ensure a sustainable future for Cambodia's precious coasts,” says Wayne McCallum, the executive director of the foundation, which is set to co-host a symposium next September to discuss the challenges facing Cambodia's islands.

Sihanoukville Main photo by Conor Wall Inset photos by Charles Fox

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“What’s needed is a sound regulatory framework to be put in place to guide development along a positive path, ensuring long-term sustainability for business, the environment and the local communities,” adds Song Saa chairman Rory Hunter.

Work to be Done

Song Saa Private Island, photo supplied Song Saa Foundation, photo supplied Sihanoukville Airport, photo by Conor Wall

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The future of development in Sihanoukville and on its islands has yet to be realised, but all parties agree that there are still challenges to be met in the coastal region.

Real estate professional Simon Griffiths, of CBRE Cambodia, observes that land prices along the coast generally remain flat — though they are creeping upwards in Ochheuteal — and while Cambodia is “witnessing the winds of change in Sihanoukville” it is not yet a typhoon.

“The airport is of vital importance. It holds the key in some respects. However, there needs to be resorts, leisure and entertainment facilities available to tourists, otherwise flights will be empty,” he writes, highlighting the Sun and Moon Gulf resort area, about 15 minutes from the airport towards Ream, as a potential bright spot along a coastline that has “a huge amount of promise.”

Despite improvements in power supply, infrastructure concerns also remain. Prime Minister Hun Sen spoke out in April about water shortages in the city that left locals without running water for almost a week, the Cambodia Daily reported, though McColl says it has improved.

Griffiths also highlights the poor safety record of National Road 4, a major tourist artery into the town, while McColl believes that addressing petty crime is key.

Increasing development also brings new pressures on society. Non-profit organisation M’lop Tapang, which runs the training restaurant Sandan near Serendipity Beach Road and works with around 3,500 young people and their families in the area, has seen a shift.

Maggie Eno, one of its founders, says that while Sihanoukville was a destination for child sex tourism a decade ago, it is an issue of the past. The pressures of 2013 include land evictions and increasing economic migration, with poorer Cambodian families moving to the area for job opportunities. Some end up living on the streets and unable to return home.

“There’s more children coming to the streets every week… and it’s going to get worse, clearly, because we’re developing islands. Everyone goes to Sihanoukville to get to the islands,” she says, explaining that M’lop Tapang has a street-based outreach team.

The organisation also sees drug use as a rising problem in the youth community.

“There’s a lot of positives, and we’re really happy Cambodia is developing, but it is in our mandate — behind all that development — to be helping shape the services of all the fallout,” says Eno. And of course, there’s an issue that McCallum describes as “the elephant in the room,” the spectre of climate change.

“We do not know what the effects of this will be, but we know there will be change and at a scale hitherto unknown for Cambodia's coast, at least in human memory,” he says. “This means ensuring that any strategies, plans or developments help to nurture and build resilience into the economy, community and environment of the region.”

Community Spirit

Yet whatever the next decade brings, what is certain is that Cambodia is currently home to an area of great natural beauty. A boat ride around the waters of Koh Rong reveals huge areas of untouched land and forest — an increasing rarity in Southeast Asia — with mile after mile of empty sands and not a person in sight.

Meanwhile Sihanoukville has been accepted into a club that celebrates the world’s most beautiful bays. During the club's general assembly in 2011, Cambodian Tourism Minster Thong Khon reportedly stressed the country's commitment to protecting its natural resources as one of its priorities of socioeconomic, trade and tourism development.

And in the thriving island communities and towns of the south coast, the sense of expectation is great, as are the financial opportunities. But with such potential comes responsibility, and the realisation that now may be the time to work together to ensure the preservation of the coast’s environment, alongside its inevitable development.

Monkey Republic: A Phoenix From the Ashes The co-owners of Monkey Republic were on a trip to Koh Rong when they got the call. Fire had broken out at the legendary Sihanoukville backpacker venue during the height of the 2013 hot season, and was ripping through its beach bar-style complex.

The team returned to land to see flames spreading through Beach Road, reducing Monkey Republic, a business established in 2005, to ash. “It was razed to the ground,” recalls co-owner Georgie Bradford. “It was such a big, emotional thing for something you’re so connected with, to have it all gone. There was a lot of heartache and a lot of tears.”

But although down, the Monkey team were not defeated.

Just six months later, a yellow two-storey colonial-style building has risen from the ashes, with budget backpacker accommodation built behind. Opened at the end of October, the venue is set to raise the bar for the town’s budget traveller scene, thanks to its stylish and modern interior.

“We are all very proud,” says Bradford. “It’s a part of all of us who were involved. Everything we’ve got is going into this place, and hopefully it will be even better than before.”

Calling the venue “different and exciting”, the re-launched Monkey aims to create the same fun and relaxed atmosphere of yesteryear, but with facilities that match the expectations of modern tourists.

“The way Cambodia is, it’s always going to be appealing to backpackers, and there will always be a market for them here,” she says. “Yes they are on a budget, but that doesn’t mean they can’t drink and eat in a super, awesome cool place, and have a fun time.”

For more information, visit the Monkey Republic Sihanoukville Facebook page. asialife Cambodia 35

Breaking Books

Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying goes.

But of the many manuscripts written every year, only a lucky few will garner that allimportant publishing deal and reach the shelves of the world’s bookstores and libraries.

“I have been pretty inspired by writers in Cambodia, who just keep on writing no matter what,” says Laura Jean McKay, the Australian author of Holiday in Cambodia — a newly released collection of short stories based around the interaction between expatriates and locals in the Kingdom.

“But I did get some great 36 asialife Cambodia

advice a few years ago: that the first ten years of your writing life is your apprenticeship,” adds the 35 year old.

“Regardless of whether you publish books in that time, you are just starting out. Only after that you really know your stuff.

I tend to agree.”

Penning a novel can undoubtedly be a long hard slog. Writing and editing takes time and, without a pre-arranged book deal, many have to consider how to make a living whilst inking their work. If that isn’t hard enough, there’s the challenge of finding an agent and getting the work

produced in physical format.

The advent of the Internet has enabled writers to self-publish more easily — 50 Shades of Grey started life as an e-book — but many would-be authors still tell nightmarish tales of endless rejections.

Thankfully, they are in good company. A young Stephen King famously placed his rejection letters on a nail on his wall, before the weight became too much. He went on to replace the nail with a spike and continued writing, eventually becoming one of the world’s most recognisable horror writers. Even boy

magician Harry Potter had set-backs reaching the page.

J K Rowling was reportedly rejected by 12 publishing houses before the manuscript was accepted by Bloomsbury.

“The overwhelming majority of people will meet rejection many times before finding success,” says Lucy Cruickshanks, 29, whose first novel The Trader of Saigon was released earlier this year and shortlisted for The Guardian newspaper’s Not the Booker Prize literary competition.

It took four years from setting pen to paper for the Englishwoman to see her

I can pretty much guarantee that your enthusiasm will flag at some point, and for those moments it helps to have some uplifting quotes from other writers pinned near your desk.

I have this from the late Ray Bradbury: “Action is hope.

At the end of each day, when you’ve done your work, you lie there and think: Well, I’ll be damned, I did this today. It doesn’t matter how good it is, or how bad — you did it. At the end of the week you’ll have a certain amount of accumulation.

At the end of a year, you look

back and say, I’ll be damned, it’s been a good year.”

What also works? Keeping home and work separate. I go to my office every workday and write from 8.30am until 6pm. I found staying offline was useful, as was limiting my social life. Obsession helps, so make sure you’re in love with the story you want to write.

Have a daily target — say 1,000 words — and keep in mind Bradbury’s maxim.

Work out your structure beforehand. The current layout of Leaving is its fifth and,

believe me, reworking what I had into a new structure every few months wasn’t fun. I swear by the low-tech method of index cards, one for each scene in each chapter, stuck to a window in my office.

Last tip: once you’ve completed each chapter to a reasonable degree, put it to one side and don’t go back to it until you’ve finished the book.

Otherwise you risk ending up with two or three perfect chapters, and that’s probably not what you had in mind when you started.

fascinating fictional tale — exploring the line between matchmaking and trafficking in 1980s Vietnam through the experiences of US army deserter Alexander — in published form.

So, what’s the key to success?

According to McKay, who travelled Cambodia to conduct interviews as research for her stories that tackle issues from mine clearing to the sex trade and aid work, sticking to your guns is important.

Ignore fashion and write in the style that suits your story best — be that poetry, essay writing or prose,

she says. The author also recommends reading the Nou Hach Literary Journal, which is produced once a year in Khmer, English and French, to discover great writers working in Cambodia such as Chakriya Phou, Sok Chanphal — who won a prestigious SEA Write Award last month — and Tararith Kho. For Cruickshanks, who recommends the “magnificent” The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh to readers, it’s simple: be confident in your work and write a good book. Having thick skin to face the inevitable challenges and reader reaction

won’t go amiss, but ultimately talent will show.

“If you write a gripping, emotional story full of exciting and relatable characters, people will want to read it,” says the author, whose second novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Burmese ruby trade is due for release next year.

“Just write the best book that you possibly can and have the confidence in it to persevere if you get knocked back. In the end, cream rises.”

The Trader of Saigon (Heron Books) and Holiday in Cambodia (Black Inc) are available to buy at Monument Books. asialife Cambodia 37

Mobilising

Cambodia A growing number of physiotherapists and chiropractors are raising awareness of their craft. Amanda Saxton meets the professionals who are keeping Cambodia on the move. Photograph by Conor Wall.

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Cambodia’s national football league has embraced the services of 23-year-old Dutch physiotherapist Lidwina Niewold, who advises and massages felled players in humid heat and pouring rain alike. That the skilled sportsmen are willing to dart to the sidelines in order to seek her ministrations shows a growing acceptance of her role in a country where the concept of manual therapy is, for many, relatively new.

Manual therapy is an umbrella term for practices such as chiropractics and physiotherapy, which seek the root of musculoskeletal pain. Chiropractors emphasise the correction of the spinal column, while physiotherapists are more interested in muscles, but both use techniques that can alleviate joint pain or general aches, aid mobility and promote rehabilitation after an injury or surgery.

“If your spine is misaligned, it can create an interference in the nervous system, which leads to a symptom — pain,” says Dr Christophe Savouré, of the International Chiropractic Clinic in Phnom Penh.

“Pain is demobilising.

My goal is to remove all interference to allow the body to work better,” adds the French chiropractor, who once stopped a man’s feet from stinking after manipulating his back, demonstrating the relationship between spine and nervous system.

While in many countries a trip to the physiotherapist or chiropractor is often a go-to solution for a strained muscle or an out-of-whack back, professionals say that both fields remain relatively unknown in Cambodia.

At Physiotherapy Phnom Penh practice, patients include stroke victims and those suffering from sporting

injuries, though “participation in Phnom Penh’s traffic” still brings in the most clients, according to physiotherapist Dick van der Poel.

Cambodian patients make up just 20 percent of clientele, adds his Physiotherapy Phnom Penh colleague Niewold, with most stopping by out of curiosity or being drawn in by word of mouth.

Kanha Neth, a 25-year-old Cambodian physiotherapist who has previously worked at Rose Cambodia Rehab Centre at Chey Chumneas Referral Hospital, explains that pills remain the primary means of pain relief in Cambodia.

With potent painkillers readily available over the counter, experts say that such drugs may mask muscular or skeletal pain, rather than fixing the base cause. “Pain tells you something is wrong with your body. Shooting the messenger solves nothing,” says Dr Savouré.

Traditional massage is another popular way to relieve muscle and joint problems, says Neth. While it can ease tension, Niewold stresses that a lack of communication or medical training makes most masseuses unsuitable for uncovering the cause of pain or mobilising joints.

“Physiotherapists try more to focus on why the muscle is tensed up. Is it because of bad posture behind the computer?” she adds. “If you’re not going to do anything about the actual reason, it will come back.”

Experts agree that in some cases surgery can be avoided, and in others physiotherapy can at least enhance postsurgery rehabilitation. “You can wake up after a moto crash with five screws in your back,” adds Van der Poel.

“The surgeon may have done a perfect job, but if you get an

infection afterwards or don’t exercise to regain movement, you’re stuck.”

And while a physiotherapy diploma is available for Cambodians at the Technical School for Medical Care, Neth — who won a scholarship for her training — explains that finding a relevant job can be tough. The approximate 30 graduates per year are not always prioritised in hospitals and often work as pharmacists or in other understaffed areas, she says.

Many professionals in the field would also welcome more referrals. “We’d love to see more patients. Especially patients from within the hospital,” says Erin Hooper, an Australian volunteer at the Rose Cambodia Rehab Centre.

Progress is being made, as clinics such as Rose Cambodia, Physiotherapy Phnom Penh and the International Chiropractic Centre increase understanding of manual therapy in medical fields. Some invite local doctors to their premises to explain the role their practice can play in rehabilitation, with others conducting seminars in hospitals, more of which are planned.

“If doctors don’t know what we can do for patients, they can’t help their patients,” says Niewold, whose work with the national football league is also raising the profile of her profession, while opening eyes to both treatment and career opportunities.

Thanks to photographs of her work being posted on Facebook, a girl who wants to follow in her footsteps contacted her online. “That she wants to do what I do is not a compliment for me, but a compliment for the fact I am there on the field, in public,” says Neiwold. “It’s a compliment for the physio profession.”

Tips for Keeping Mobile • Exercise. Remember to stretch, set goals and build yourself up slowly.

• Hydrate yourself. Up the water intake and make the most of Phnom Penh’s plentiful, and hydrating, coconuts.

• Be conscious of good posture. If you’re most comfortable when twisted into a ball, your spine may be misaligned and your body arranging itself to compensate.

• Invest in ergonomic furniture. Chairs and desks in Cambodian offices can be rather small for Westerners, hindering posture and misaligning the spine.

• Invest in a good quality mattress. We spend a third of our lives asleep, and Dr Savouré says that buying a decent mattress is one of the best investments you can make.

• Get pain checked out sooner rather than later.

The longer you wait, the more entrenched the problem becomes and the harder it is to treat.

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If the

World Changed As Singapore’s premier contemporary art exhibition opens its doors for a four-month celebration of Southeast Asian art, Joanna Wolfarth profiles three Cambodian artists who are making their mark on the international stage.

Khvay Samnang, Untitled, 2011, 2013, 5-channel video, sound, artist collection. Images courtesy of the artist.

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Showcasing the work of 82 artists from Southeast Asia and beyond, the Singapore Biennale gives international exposure to regional artists and allows opportunities for cultural dialogue and exchange.

With this year’s show titled If the World Changed, organisers asked participants to think about their engagement with the worlds in which they live. Each of the three artists representing Cambodia at the show responded in very different ways:

Khvay Samnang

The controversial development of Phnom Penh’s Boeung Kak lake has been a source of inspiration for 2006 Royal University of Fine Arts graduate Khvay Samnang — whose body of work includes

photography, sculpture, installation and performance.

The artist began working on Untitled (2011-2013) by researching issues at the city’s former lake and interviewing local residents as it was filled in with sand as part of a major development project.

“When the sand is poured on the house, the family needs to move away, because if they don’t it is as if they will die,” says the artist, who responded to the experience by wading through lake water and pouring sand over his own head in a performance work documented in still and film photography. The five-channel video installation of this performance is being exhibited in Singapore.

“When I work, I don’t think about being famous. I’m interested in why? What is

happening?” explains Khvay, who was both surprised and proud to be selected for the biennale. “And I need to answer these questions in my work. For me, everything I do is so I can share what is happening in my country around the world.”

For the artist, international exposure can bring benefits to the artistic community in Cambodia. Khvay uses connections with foreign artists to arrange residencies in Phnom Penh. “We can learn about art from different cultures, and artists can come and study Cambodian art and culture,” he says.

As well as inviting artists to the Kingdom, Khvay — a founding member of the Sa Sa Arts Project, whose artistic director Erin Gleeson is a curator of the Biennale — has undertaken two residencies in Japan and one in New York, which changed the way he thought about his own practices.

“Before I went to Japan, art for me was working in a studio, but in Tokyo I found you can work outside, research outside and share experiences,” he says.

Svay Sareth

For two weeks the sound of an electric drill pierced the normally tranquil grounds of the Center for Khmer Studies in Siem Reap as Svay Sareth and his team assembled his monumental sculpture, Toy, ahead of the Biennale.

Amid stuffed camouflage legs and grotesquely comical heads, the artist explained that Toy is based on the Churning of the Sea of Milk bas-relief at Angkor Wat. But the epic battle for the elixir of life is relevant for our own times. “This culture has continued: people fight for power, economy and honour,” he says.

Born in 1972 to a military family in Battambang, much of Svay’s recent sculptural and performance work deals with both his own history and

Cambodia’s recent past.

“What is the result of war?

When you look at the basreliefs you see they killed the fish and the crocodiles under the water, these are the real victims. The war is a game, but still real. This is why I made a toy,” the artist says.

After studying art with Véronique Decrop at the Site 2 border camp, Svay went on to co-found Phare Ponleu Selpak, Battambang’s renowned multiarts school, in the early 1990s.

Now based in Siem Reap, he says the town has lacked a dedicated exhibition and studio space. “Artists need a place to organise, to hold events and to express themselves. They need studio space so the artists can learn from each other.”

But Svay has temporarily moved his studio to the Center for Khmer Studies as part of its new Artists at Work programme, and is excited by the possibilities of the new initiative that allows local artists use of its conference hall as a studio and exhibition space.

“Artists can do research here and talk about culture,” he says.

“They can have conversations and learn from each other.”

Albert Samreth

Born in Long Beach, California, in 1987 to Cambodian parents, Albert Samreth grew up on the Pacific coast and graduated from CalArts in 2012. Having lived in Los Angeles, Berlin and most recently Phnom Penh, Samreth says that he doesn’t “believe in countries making individuals, as much as I believe in cities making individuals.”

For his Biennale piece, Samreth asked one of the most listened-to voices in the world — Carolyn Hopkins — to narrate poems that he composed in Berlin last summer.

“Carolyn Hopkins is interesting because she is the voice of the entire New York City MTA [mass transit authority], most English-

speaking airports, and a ton of other information communications systems,” he says. “She embodies the state in many ways. But she is this very sweet, nice lady who lives in bucolic Vermont.”

The resulting work, The Voice, loops the recording and plays it across five separate channels in the atrium of Singapore’s Art Museum.

When asked about contemporary art in Cambodia, Samreth says that “the cultural policies of the Khmer Rouge were quite effective. But I think there are some amazing things going on in Cambodia now.”

The artist believes change will come via the expanding middle classes, as they become interested in both buying and making contemporary art. “There needs to be a middle class of bored teenagers who have time on their hands and enough money to mess around, to make a loud noise in their garages,” he explains.

The Biennale features shows at museums throughout Singapore. For more information or to visit the show, visit: singaporebiennale.com. asialife Cambodia 41

Timor’s

Trials & Treasures

Despite East Timor being one of the world’s poorest countries, its rich offerings will satisfy even the most intrepid of adventurers. Joanna Mayhew visits a land of stunning islands, pristine beaches and a just-healthy-enough dose of danger.

Saltwater crocodiles, sharks, broken roads, turbulent seas, stone-throwing youths and countless tetchy roosters are just some of the factors to consider when visiting East Timor. Yet the country’s untouched natural beauty rivals anywhere in the region, and its isolation and serenity are well worth braving the elements for.

Having achieving independence in 2002, Asia’s youngest country is making gradual development gains after a tumultuous history marked by Portuguese colonisation from the 1500s until 1975, followed by decades of oppressive Indonesian occupation, during which violence, famine and disease are estimated to have resulted in at least 100,000 Timorese deaths.

The scars of its brutal past are still highly visible in the country’s burnt-out buildings, countless memorial sites and cemeteries crowded with pastelcoloured graves. Each Timorese traveller I encountered offered his or her own stories of recent and raw loss.

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A newly established democracy and security has brought renewed efforts in reconstruction and diversification of the oildependent economy through agriculture and tourism.

Though travel-related costs remain high, Timor is attracting increasingly more plucky tourists by the year — and for good reason.

Dili

A trip to Timor will inevitably start in its capital, Dili. Situated on the northern coast, the city stretches between a 27-metre-high statue of Jesus and a six-metre effigy of Pope John Paul II. Painfully slow traffic snakes past an impressive waterfront lined with bright colonialera government buildings, towering churches and plentiful restaurants offering ocean views and fresh seafood.

The sprawling, dusty city also houses a well-designed Resistance Museum that provides a comprehensive outline of the country’s history.

With admission at $1, it will certainly be the cheapest outing you’ll have in Timor. A good place to decompress afterwards is the nearby Hotel Timor, where you can taste famous Portuguese-style custard tarts and sip the local premium coffee.

With 200,000 inhabitants, the city’s population is relatively small, and its cockerel populace seems in danger of taking over.

Cockfighting is a popular sport for men, whose roosters garner bets of up to $1,000. The highly prized possessions are seen everywhere being cuddled by adoring owners.

The Tetum-speaking locals are mostly friendly and interested in visitors, and — as with most countries — grow increasingly so the further you escape the capital. But rockthrowing incidents have been a part of the city’s violent past, and remnants of this expression of discontent still exist. My hosts in the city fall asleep daily to the pinging of stones on their roof due to a neighbour’s on-going dispute with their landlord, while friends training

for the annual Tour de Timor bike race have had these pesky objects tossed in their direction by idle youth.

Coastal Route

The ultimate highlight of visiting Timor is uninhabited Jaco Island, located off the easternmost point of the country. The Timorese consider the island sacred and are forbidden from entering it. This means that the white beaches, dazzling turquoise waters and untouched coral are deserted.

But the blissful tranquillity of Jaco is all the more rewarding for having survived the arduous trip to get there.

The distance between Dili and Jaco is only 200 kilometres, but travel is best spread over two days thanks to the disrepair of roads. The trip — only manageable in a four-wheel drive — takes you through winding roads and up steep hills that follow the spectacular jagged coastline.

Crumbling forts and stylish pousadas from the Portuguese era dot the countryside.

Vendors offering traditional one-handled bote baskets, fish-on-a-stick, woven mats and sarong-style tais are spread out on the desolate road just sporadically enough to keep you interested.

En route is Baucau, a small but bustling hub perched 360 metres above the sea.

Winding your way down to the coast from the famous pink-coloured Pousada de Baucau hotel, you find empty beaches in tucked-away coves.

But the town’s highlight is the freshwater spring-fed piscina, a Portuguese relic that looks exactly as it must have in the 1950s. The pool evokes images of years long gone when the town used to be a top honeymoon destination.

Further along, the small port town of Com offers a variety of family-run guesthouses.

Despite being coined as the closest thing to a backpacker beach spot by the country’s first Lonely Planet guide, the deserted town seems to spring desperately to life at the sight of visitors. Teenagers toting

But beware encouragement by local hotel owners to take advantage of the coastal swimming at your doorstep: I spotted a crocodile swimming close to shore, eager for fishermen’s daily scraps.

decorative shells and turtle shell jewellery trail visitors down the town’s lone main road hoping for a sale.

But beware encouragement by local hotel owners to take advantage of the coastal swimming at your doorstep: I spotted a crocodile swimming close to shore, eager for fishermen’s daily scraps.

Timorese have strong cultural ties to these reptiles, so efforts to manage the growing population in the crocodile-shaped country remain controversial.

The Final Stretch

The final two-hour stretch to Jaco provides the best peek into daily Timorese life. Despite the strong Catholic influence, shelladorned animistic spirit houses line manicured green lawns.

Houses teeter on the edges of craggy hills and goats and pigs crisscross potholed paths. The pinnacle, however, is the final eight-kilometre descent to the easternmost shore. The short distance takes an hour over rocky, slippery slopes replete with mud traps. The faint of

heart can make the trek on foot.

I found myself considering turning back to Dili, but all thoughts of sudden death-by-rolling vanished upon arrival at the sea.

Local residents cart tourists by boat the final five minutes to the immaculate island, where the journey thankfully ends. The rewards include unparalleled snorkelling in crystal clear waters and fresh fish caught upon request from local fishermen. The paradise of Jaco is certainly worth every one of the bumps along the road. That is, as long as you can ignore the sharks being fished out of the water.

Notwithstanding the potential predatory swimming companions and daily rooster wake-up calls, ten days in Timor only left me wanting more. With tourism at its infancy, you should make the trip now. Pack for adventure, allow time for the unexpected, and head to experience the rare treasures of Timor. After all, the crowds of Bali — less than two hours away by plane — won’t be far behind. asialife Cambodia 43

The best trick is to — much like the hardy citizens of Taipei — keep calm and carry on.

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Typhoon Ellie Dyer flies from Phnom Penh to Taipei, and straight into the eye of a storm.

The building let out a low groan as strong winds screamed across the rooftops, shaking windows and rattling doors. Outside the apartment window, trees were bent at a 45-degree angle as waves of rain lashed through the streets.

Watching all this, I couldn’t help but think that visiting Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, during typhoon season wasn’t such a good idea after all.

The monster storm screeching over the city was Soulik — a powerful typhoon that barrelled over northern Taiwan and China earlier this year, leaving at least two dead and tens of thousands of people evacuated. I had flown into Taipei a couple of days before it hit and as weather reports began to dominate local news and sand bags appeared in the sweltering days that marked the calm before the storm, I became increasingly anxious about what the elements would bring.

I soon discovered that, quite possibly, I was the only one reduced to a nervous wreck.

It takes more than a whirling mass of pressure with wind gusts of 140 miles-per-hour to scare Taipei. The city's 2.6 million people had obviously seen it before, countless times, and were going about their daily routine as normal — taking a few minutes out to buy water, food and duct tape from the local supermarket.

On the night of the typhoon itself, sushi restaurants were still pumping with customers at 10pm. The only noticeable

difference was the amount of rain gear being worn, and the person I’d spotted earlier that day wearing a crash helmet to protect himself from flying debris. The next morning, as I hopped over felled trees and skirted past huge swathes of ivy torn from walls overnight, it was business as usual — emphasising the resilience of an isle regularly rocked by powerful earthquakes and extreme weather.

Taiwan is, if anything, an island of contrasts. The weather may be violent and its coastline full of raw beauty but, in comparison to much of Asia, modern Taipei is a highly organised and relatively calm metropolis. The subway system — the MRT — is affordable and pristine, green areas are common, crime is low and people are unfailingly polite. Even consumption of the island’s many renowned culinary delicacies is conducted in an orderly fashion.

At the fascinating openair Raohe Night Market in Songshan district, for instance, large crowds circle stalls full of sizzling dishes and steaming pots in a strict anti-clockwise direction. Neat queues stretch out in front of more popular treats, including a legendary stand offering succulent pepper buns, where spiced meat is stuffed into round dough balls and baked inside huge, steaming pots in front of diners.

Nearby, groups of friends tuck into an infamous national obsession, the fermented and highly pungent dish known

as "stinky tofu", while fresh dumplings and wasabi-covered mushrooms are washed down by a glass of passion fruitflavoured drink containing "exploding eggs" of natural jelly that burst on the tongue.

Spend a few days in the city, and you’re bound to spot some quirky scenes in a society that embraces the concept of cute.

National air carrier EVA Air owns Hello Kitty aeroplanes, complete with a bubble pink check-in area at its major airport, while Barbie-themed restaurants dot Taipei along with stalls dedicated to novelty dog clothes. On one memorable occasion I spotted several generations of the same family wearing matching outfits at the city’s major night market, Shinlin. The labyrinthine shopping paradise contains an excellent food hall and a maze of frenetic stalls offering everything from baby clothes to neon accessories, laptop bags and lashings of bubble tea.

Taipei is perhaps also the only place where a loo-themed restaurant would be successful.

For the adventurous, a branch of The Modern Toilet is set in it the youthful shopping hub of Ximending, where diners sit on toilet-shaped seats and are served food in bathroominspired ceramics. The achingly cool area, which has been compared to Tokyo’s Harajuku, is also home to the distinctive octagonal 1908 cultural centre, The Red House, as well as being a hub for cutting-edge fashion-focused teens.

And with Taipei set in a

natural basin surrounded by tall, green mountains, nature is never far away. Walk along the banks of gently curving Keelung River at dusk and you’ll stumble upon friends playing basketball and family groups enjoying a bike ride beneath the shadow of colourfully illuminated bridges. Hiking trails and hot springs are easy to reach, as are the Oolong tea plantations of Maokong. Head to the city’s excellent zoo on the MRT before hopping in a glass-bottomed gondola that takes you to the hillside houses where traditional tea ceremonies are held.

You can also appreciate Taiwan’s natural world within the confines of the city. Take a lift to the top of the famous Taipei 101 skyscraper to see a panoramic view of the city’s mountains stretching out before you, or head to the elegant Sunny Hills pineapple cake shop in Songshan. Here, visitors will be treated to a cup of tea and a free sample of the tangy brick-shaped treat, made out of indigenous fruit surrounded by a crumbly pastry casing.

Taipei is a fascinating, quirky and addictive place, but travelling there is not without its challenges. English isn’t widely spoken, the food can be unfamiliar and you may be stuck inside for a few days during a typhoon. But as I quickly realised, the best trick is to — much like the hardy citizens of Taipei — keep calm and carry on. asialife Cambodia 45

Like a good cup of joe, Phnom Penh’s coffee scene is flavourful and deliciously complex.

Natalie Phillips braves a caffeine high to seek out the baristas who are raising the bar.

Photographed by Conor Wall.

46 asialife Cambodia

Home Roasted

The coffee bean is a classic example of transformation.

To evolve from the withered green seed of the coffee plant to the shiny dark coffee “bean” coveted across the world, the seed must undergo trial by fire: the roast.

New Zealander Marc Adamson and Puerto Rican José A Rivera are the enthusiastic owners and roasting professionals of Feel Good Café and Coffee Roasters — an airy café off the riverfront serving tart ristrettos and rich long blacks — where a gleaming 10-kilo roaster imported from Turkey takes centre-stage.

When it comes to roasting in-house Adamson says that, for him, there are “two huge benefits: one I roast coffee that I like, and two, freshness. You wouldn’t vacuum pack a croissant!”

Adamson roasts “as needed” every few days to maintain fresh stock and though roasting at its core can be as simple as green beans in “a pot on top of a stove” according to Rivera, getting a uniform roast is considerably more challenging.

“I roast within 16 to 18 minutes to get the profile I want,” Adamson says. “You waste quite a bit of coffee just getting used to the temperature control, and it’s got to be cooled very quickly.

If it’s darker roasted, it’s less caffeine. So lighter roasts — higher caffeine.”

Arabica beans make up 75 to 80 percent of the worldwide coffee market and are generally considered more flavourful, while Robusta beans – the variety produced in Cambodia — account for the remaining 20 to 25 percent and contain more caffeine.

“Mostly I’ve never roasted Robusta before,” Adamson

says, describing the beans as volatile. “This has been a huge challenge for me, even after 22 years of roasting. But I’m roasting Robusta because I want to use the local product.“ Feel Good uses a blend of beans sourced from social enterprises such as the Rainforest Foundation in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Saffron Coffee in Laos, as well as from Cambodia’s Mondulkiri province.

“This is business with a conscience,” Rivera says. “We want to invest in the young Cambodian people.”

Adamson beams when he describes the progress of his staff. “We’ve got one young guy who we’ve sort of pushed into specialising in roasting,” he says. “He’s shown a natural passion for it. He just did his first solid roast yesterday… it’s really cool.”

Feel Good Café, 79 Street 136, Phnom Penh. Tel: 017 497 583.

Best Iced Coffee

The joys of Best Iced Coffee are threefold. There’s the satisfaction of finally finding the stall buried deep in the heart of the Russian Market.

There’s the coffee itself: thick, strong and not too sweet, served with an extra shot right as the ice starts to overtake the coffee.

And then there’s the owner: Ai Bounnareth, a charismatic Cambodian who has been serving his signature coffee at the Russian Market for 33 years. His smiling face is easy to spot, though it’s often obscured by the trinkets and warm notes from travellers that hang from the ceiling.

“I had no choice but to leave my family and serve coffee, for 33 years now,” says the former government worker, who struggled to support his

mother and siblings on his meager government wages — equivalent to about $15 a month by today’s standards. “I’m like the geezer in this place.”

“The market has changed so much. Before there was no roof, just the sky,” he says. Tapping the wall behind him, he adds that “this wood is the only thing left from that era.”

The entrepreneur strongly supports homegrown products, referring to himself as a devoted patriot. “If I am going to serve coffee in Cambodia, it should be Cambodian coffee beans, roasted here,” he says.

“I believe that if you grow something in a certain place, it has its own identity.”

Bounnareth believes that his iced coffee’s popularity lies not only in its taste, but also because he is true to himself, and he is striving to pass his knowledge down to a younger generation.

“Now I’m in the process of teaching my niece how to recognise the coffee bean — is it a good one, is it roasted right or is it too raw?” he says.

“When the young are ready they can open their own place and spread the information and the knowledge.”

Best Iced Coffee, Shop 547, Russian Market, Phnom Penh.

Coffee Art

Latte art is credited to the Italians, though it was American David Schomer of Seattle, Washington, who inspired a resurgence of interest in the craft in the 1980s and 1990s. The skill has migrated to Cambodia and is commonplace at popular coffee chain Brown.

Brown’s barista training leader, Sambath Bunsea, says that staff must master making coffee before they move onto art. He estimates that it takes about six months before staff

start learning latte art, and a year before they have a good handle on it.

“Basically, you add the espresso shot and the steaming foam, then you pour the milk into the cup and use the stick to draw,” he says. Baristas also draw without a stick by flicking their wrists rapidly as they pour the milk, a technique often used to create the classic latte fern leaf.

“They might draw a dog, an elephant, a dragon…

“If I am going to serve coffee in Cambodia, it should be Cambodian coffee beans, roasted here...

I believe that if you grow something in a certain place, it has its own identity.”

customers are very surprised… especially when they get a heart.”

Even though I know it’s coming, I am delighted when my latte arrives with a cheerful bear face in it. Watching the art morph as you drink is part of the appeal.

“When the customer gets it and he feels happy, I feel happy too,” adds Roem Sophary, the store manager of Brown Riverside, who was trained by Bunsea.

Brown, multiple locations throughout Phnom Penh, Browncoffee.com.kh asialife Cambodia 47

Vego Making salad seem sexy is a feat in itself, but it’s one that Vego has been perfecting since opening its doors four years ago. The co-owners’ initial aim was simple: to promote healthy, organic eating. And it quickly caught on following the launch of its first venture on Street 51, which started life serving up freshly-baked bagels and a selection of salads.

Since then, the concept has mushroomed, with a more spacious Vego opening on Street 294 about nine months ago. It has branched out by offering a series of hot dishes, including Bangkok pad thai ($3.50) and Naples-style pasta ($5.75).

“When we first started Vego there weren’t really many good salad bars about so we wanted to fill that gap,” says co-owner Rattana Gordon.

“What we really wanted to do was to promote healthy eating and chemical-free food, and educate people about the 48 asialife Cambodia

Marissa Carruthers and photographer Charles Fox go fresh and healthy at Phnom Penh’s stalwart salad option, Vego. benefits of eating a healthy diet in a fun way.”

Putting the fun into salad is something Vego does well.

Rattana and her husband Brad, together with married business partners Sophea and Phloeun Brim, have created eateries that get hunger pangs started.

From their indulgent blueberry bagel ($1) and naughty brownie ($1.75) to succulent salads and a range of power drinks (starting from $2.75), dishes are packed full of flavour and contain no meat, with seafood the only sign of flesh.

Creating individual salads for each customer was another key element to Vego’s concept, achieved by allowing diners to tailor-make their meal. For $3.95, visitors can choose from a selection of leaves, four addons — including mango, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes — plus one condiment from a range that includes walnuts, raisins or croutons.

“It’s also great to see children coming in here and enjoying eating salad because traditionally it’s not something they like to eat."

The set menu has been crafted so that each salad or wrap is named after the country its ingredients are inspired by. The Venice ($4.75) contains parmesan cheese and the Phnom Penh ($4) crispy noodles. The sandwiches, served on bagels but also focaccia and pitas, follow the same pattern and include the Mexico with prawn and

avocado ($5) and the Canada with smoked salmon and capers ($5.50).

Mirroring the emphasis on fresh, clean and healthy is Vego’s décor. Kitted out in white with splashes of bright green, the design is all about smooth surfaces, symmetrical lines and order. “We really wanted to create somewhere that people would enjoy eating so put a lot of effort into the design,” Gordon adds.

As well as opening another restaurant and plans for more in the pipeline, Gordon believes her greatest success has been to see more local customers choosing to dine at Vego. “It’s also great to see children coming in here and enjoying eating salad because traditionally it’s not something they like to eat,” she says.

Vego 1, 3EO Street 51, Phnom Penh; Vego 2, 21B Street 294, Phnom Penh. Tel: 011 984 596 or 012 984 596.

Bistro Lorenzo Christmas has already arrived inside Filipino restaurant Bistro Lorenzo. Reflecting the predominantly Christian population of the Philippines, which boasts the longest festive season in the world, the restaurant was replete with pine tinsel, wreaths, shiny ornaments and a fully adorned tree in early October.

The atmosphere was festive — managing to be at once random and charming.

Exposed brick wall, dark wood floors and high ceilings saved the space from feeling cluttered. Fake tulips rested on smartly set wooden tables, old Filipino tourism and film posters filled the walls, bright scarves decorated high-backed chairs, and unexplained miscellaneous trophies were subtly displayed in a corner.

The hodgepodge of decorations is fitting given the diversity of Filipino cuisine, which has over the years been

influenced by Spanish, Chinese, Malay and American cultures.

With an extensive menu ranging from salads and pastas to seafood platters and curries, Bistro Lorenzo has offered a taste of this distinctive food since 2006. Given the limited establishments offering Filipino dishes in Phnom Penh, we opted for the restaurant’s specialities.

We started with the dynamite chillies ($3.85) — red chillies stuffed with cheese and then deep-fried that recalled Mexico’s chile rellenos. Five large chillies were served with sweet chilli sauce, exemplifying the collision of Asian and Latino flavours. Though lacking in crispiness, the appetizers gave a spicy kickstart to the meal.

The standout dish, in terms of both colour and flavour, was beef calderata ($7.15). Tender pieces of beef were combined in a slightly spicy tomato-based sauce with thickly cut red

Writer Joanna Mayhew and photographer Conor Wall discover some early seasonal cheer at Bistro Lorenzo.

But the crème de la crème of our experience was the leche flan...

It was so good, in fact, that I ordered two." chillies, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, onions and olives.

Topped with melted cheese, it made for a hearty and rich dish, reminiscent of a soothing wintertime beef stew. The presentation was simple and not overly ornate — fitting for the home-style cooking.

Chicken and pork adobo ($4.40) came a close second.

The traditional dish consisted of braised meats in garlic, vinegar, black pepper and soy sauce with an additional splash of pineapple juice. Served in its own gravy and falling off the bone, the chicken made for

another warming comfort dish.

The only thing that seemed to be missing was snow outside.

The pork binagoongan ($4.40) harked back to the Chinese side of Filipino food.

Pork belly was cooked with bean and shrimp paste, along with eggplant, onion and tofu. Despite the dish being listed under the “vegetarian” menu, the pork was the most prominent feature of the dish and a welcome relief from overly soft and fishy tofu.

The dessert offerings include traditional specialties such as halayang ube (purple yam) and halo-halo. But the crème de la crème of our experience was the leche flan ($1.75).

The caramel custard was refreshingly cool, and denser and richer than its crème caramel cousin. It was so good, in fact, that I ordered two. After all, it felt like Christmas.

12 Street 306, Phnom Penh. Tel: 092 867 901. asialife Cambodia 49

50 asialife Cambodia

BEHIND the

DESIGN TRUNKH

Transforming discarded junk into a quirky collection of household goods is all in a day’s work at Trunkh. “We like to recycle,” says Doug Gordon, one half of the team behind the enterprise, throwing a glance around the store.

A quick browse through the Aladdin’s cave of lovingly-created furniture, art, jewellery, knick-knacks and clothes that he and business partner Marianne Waller have spent the last year handcrafting proves this is an understatement.

Both harbour an artistic eye, a love of collecting and the ability to spot potential in the unlikely. They have taken the concept of recycling to a whole new level, scouring the countryside on regular

jaunts to find old goods to transform into jewels with modern flair.

Inside the store, which sits on the corner of Street 294 and Sothearos Blvd, is an eclectic mix of Cambodianinspired items, including quirky mirrors and tables made from steel gates, painted animal ornaments sculpted from mud, art recreated from old handpainted Khmer signs and screen-printed tea towels.

“We both have the same eye, which helps,” says Australian expat Waller, who has a background in creative marketing and advertising.

“And we both share the same love of Cambodia, hoarding and all things old.”

“Look how unique Cambodia is,” adds Gordon,

an American graphic designer by trade, recalling the meeting of minds between himself and Waller that sparked the Trunkh concept. “There’s such a rich mix of cultures here and I think that’s what inspired us.

We wanted to bring old and new Cambodia together to create something special.”

The creative concept of the store also means its décor is transient, as stock is sold and new innovative items introduced. “There are always going to be things we fall in love with and when they’re sold it can be hard,” Waller adds. “But we appreciate that each item is in a way a part of Cambodia and we are just helping to preserve it.”

Words by Marissa Carruthers, photographs by Charles Fox . asialife Cambodia 51

Dress: Ambre Jewellery: Paperdolls Previous page: Dress: Ambre Earrings: Paperdolls

Dress: Eric Raisina Jewellery: Paperdolls

asialife Cambodia 55

Top: Model's own Jewellery: Paperdolls Stylist & Creative Director: Nataly Lee Photographer: David Collins Hair: Ryan Taylor Model & Makeup: Anna Mischke Assistant Stylist: Lynna Kong

56 asialife Cambodia

Listings

hotel & travel Airlines & Agencies

Air Asia Domestic Terminal Arrival Office NºA17, Phnom Penh International Airport Tel: 023 890 035 Asiana Airlines Room A16 at Phnom Penh International Airport.

Tel: 023 890 441 Bangkok Airways #61A, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 722 545 Cambodia Angkor Air Branch Office in Phnom Penh #206A Preah Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 6666 788 Cebu Pacific Air No. 333B, Preah Monivong Blvd, Sangkat Orussey 4, Khan 7 Makara, 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 161 China Airlines #32, Preah Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 056 China Eastern No. 68, st. 606, Sangkat Beung Kak 2, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh Tel: 016 985 668 #304, Steung Thmey Village, Siem Reap Tel: 063 965 229

Jet Star Asia #333B, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 220 909 Korean Air #254, R03, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 2240 47-49 Lao Airlines #58B, Preah Sihanouk Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 956 Malaysia Airlines #35-37, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 218 923-924 Myanmar Airways International No. 90-94Eo, Charles de Gaulle (St. 217), 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 866 404 Qatar Airways Ground floor, Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh. www.qatarairways.com Skywing Asia Airlines IOC buld, Monivong Blvd, Beoung Riang, Doun Penh Tel: 023 217130 Silk Air Regency Complex C, Suite 2-4 Samdach, Monireth Blvd, S.k.

Tomnoubteouk, Khan Chamkarmorn Tel: 023 988 629 Thai Airways #294, Mao Tse Toung Blvd., Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 214 359

Battambang

La Villa 185 Pom Romchek 5 Tel: 017 411 880 / 053 730 151, lavilla.battambang@gmail.com, www.lavilla-battambang.com Beautifully restored 1930s colonial house with six rooms is the premium hotel in the country’s second city and with an excellent kitchen and bar.

Riverside Balcony Bar & Restaurant West bank of river. Tel: 012 437 421 Traditional wooden house with great views of the river and good food, ideal for a sunset cocktail lounging over the river. Open Tues – Sun, 4pm - 11pm.

Kampot

Blissful Guest House Tel: 012 848 390 www.blissfulguesthouse.com Small guest house, with 18 rooms, set in guest house street with downstairs garden bar and restaurant and bar, Sunday roast, home-baked bread.

Bokor Mountain Lodge Riverfront Tel: 033 932 314 / 017 712 062 www.bokorlodge.com Beautiful French colonial building situated on riverfront with well-fitted air-conditioned rooms. Has a good restaurant and bar.

DragonAir #168, Monireth Boulevard, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 424 300

Tiger Airways No. 296, Mao Tse Toung (St. 245), Intercontinental Hotel, Suit 16B, 12306 Phnom Penh.

Tel: 023 5515 888

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.

Eva Air Suite 11-14B, Street 205, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 911

Vietnam Airlines #41, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 215 998

Les Manguiers 2km north of Kampot Tel: 092 330 050

China Southern Room F-G-H-I,Ground floor Nº53, Phnom Penh Hotel, Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 588

Small resort with bungalows and rooms set in beautiful gardens overlooking the river with a restaurant which has daily changing, freshly prepared food.

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.

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Kep

Breezes Route 33. Tel: 097 675 9072 Situated on the main coast road about halfway between Kep Beach and the ferry to Rabbit Island, this stylish restaurant and lounge is located right by the sea in a green, wooded area.

The food is a fusion of Asian and western with a focus on small dishes with plenty of seafood. Free pick-up and return to Kep hotels.

Kep Lodge Tel: 092 435 330. www.keplodge.com Nestled just below the calm Kep National Park, this boutique resort offers only 10 standard and luxury bungalows, all with private balcony, hot water and sea view. The comfortable restaurant pampers you with local and Swiss specialties and the lively bar.

The beautiful infinity salt water pool has one of the best views in Kep and is the perfect place for a sunset.

Knai Bang Chatt Resort Tel: 078 888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal service and modernist style. Lush and private grounds house a collection of remodelled 1960’s style colonial villas.

With 18 unique rooms the resort includes an infinity pool, full spa, and media centre. All rooms refurbished to international standards. Choice of two dining options – upscale The Strand or the adjoining Sailing Club.

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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.

The Vine Retreat Tel: 036 633 3383 / 097 461 0711 www.thevineretreat.com Eco guesthouse and organic food.

Get away from the chaos of the city to peaceful, homely comfort surrounded by nature.

Your holiday home in Kep! Elegant and spacious villa for rent in Kep during holidays and weekends. Located around 2 km from the crab market, with spacious rooms, fully equipped kitchen, swimming pool, large terrace, garden and household staff. Maximum capacity of 12 guests.

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

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.

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.

Villa S’aat Tel 017 38 31 85 www.villa-kep.com

Bellevue Serviced Apartments 68 Tonle Sap Street.

Tel: 023 432 999

www.bellevueservicedapartments.com www.facebook.com/ bellevueservicedapartments Located in a deluxe hotel complex on the riverbank of the Tonle Sap, Bellevue offers spacious, contemporary accommodation 10 minutes away from the city. Facilities include infinity swimming pool, tennis court, gym and children’s playhouse, 24 hour security, housekeeping, internet and complimentary shuttle to the city.

Studio to 3 bedroom units available.

Cambodiana 313 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 426 288 www.hotelcambodiana.com Great riverside location with spectacular sweeping views of the confluence of three rivers. Large rooms with air-con, in-room safes and good bathrooms. Live band plays nightly (except Mondays) from 8.15pm until late.

The Governor’s House 3 Mao Tse Tung Blvd. nr cnr Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 025 www.governorshouse.net Welcome to The Governor’s House Colonial Boutique Hotel in Phnom Penh. The Governor’s house offers an exclusive 10 rooms 5-star boutique hotel embodied in an original colonial-style mansion in the heart of BKK I, surrounded by the top residential area in downtown Phnom Penh city, Kingdom of Wonder.

Himawari 313 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 214 555 www.himawarihotel.com The 115 beautifully-designed suites have air-con, cable TV, IDD, Internet, inroom safes and large bathrooms. Nice swimming pool and good gym facilities as well as two good tennis courts.

Imperial Garden Hotel 315 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 219 991 Large hotel and villa complex next to the Cambodiana. Has a swimming pool, gym and tennis court.

InterContinental 296 Mao Tse Tung.

Tel: 023 424 888 www.ihg.com One of Phnom Penh’s most luxurious 5-star hotels, the 346 air-con rooms have all the expected facilities including in-room safes and king size beds. Also has a large swimming pool, a fitness centre and a spa.

Patio Hotel & Urban Resort 134z Street 51. www.patio-hotel.com Close to Independence Monument, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum and the river front, Patio has 45 luxurious rooms.

Modern amenities include a rooftop swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar on the 7th floor. Restaurant open daily from 6am – 11pm.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 www.phnompenh.raffles.com Emanates the same class as its more famous namesake in Singapore.

The Elephant Bar is a popular expat haunt during the 4pm to 8pm happy hour. Beautiful gardens with a separate swimming pool for kids plus reasonably priced apartments for long stays. The rooms at the front are particularly special.

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

Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Set riverside amongst landscaped gardens this 12-storey colonial style hotel is close to key attractions, embassies and the central business district. Along with 201 luxurious rooms and suites with Mekong or Bassac river views, are chic restaurants and bars, an upscale spa, two swimming pools, a sports club and the finest conferencing facilities in Cambodia.

Phnom Penh – Mid

Almond Hotel 128F Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 822 www.almondhotel.com.kh 56-room hotel located close to the Royal Palace and the riverfront with spacious rooms with WiFi. Downstairs restaurant serves dim sum and Cantonese food.

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.

Homefeel CS Hotel #23AB, Street 278. Tel: 023 214 571 www.homefeelcs-hotel.com Located in the heart of the tourist area in the center of Phnom Penh, Homefeel CS Hotel welcomes you warmly and guarantees you will get this feeling.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

Villa Borann 235A Street 19. Tel 023 211 518 www.villa-borann-boutique-hotel.com Business boutique hotel in the historical centre of Phnom Penh with 14 rooms, swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

Nicely furnished rooms. Colonial style.

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

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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.

Villa Samnang Street 302, BKK1. Tel : 023 221 644 www.villa-samnang.com Boutique hotel with 14 rooms, swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

Villa Srey 16 Street 306. Tel: 023 213 219 www.villasrey.com Charming hotel, six rooms with terrace and swimming pool. Very quiet in the heart of Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh - Budget

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.

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, air-con, security box and great beds. Also has two apartments, an Asian restaurant and a Café Sentiment coffee house.

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.

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.

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.

Sihanoukville

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

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.

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.

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.

Laundry Bar Old Market Extremely chilled music bar just off 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

Nest Sivutha Blvd. Tel: 063 966 381 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

Golden Banana Boutique Resort Phum Wat Damnak, Kum Sala Komreuk, Krom 10, Siem Reap Tel: 012 654 638 / 063 766 655 goldenbanana2@gmail.com, www. goldenbanana.info

Deluxe suites & villas in modern Asian style build around a salt-water pool.

Private balcony or terrace with outdoor bathtub/splash shower. Gay-friendly.

3mn walk to Old Market.

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.

Siem Reap - Leisure

Angkor Silk Farm Puok District (20min from Siem Reap downtown) Open daily from 8am to 5pm Tel: 063 5555 768 www.artisansdangkor.com Learn about the meticulous process of silk-making and 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.

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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.

Phare, The Cambodian Circus Behind Angkor National Museum on Komay Road. Tel: 015 499 480. www.facebook.com/PhareCambodianCircus A unique professional Cambodian theatrical circus show mixing traditional and modern artistic skills. Emotion guaranteed every night for only $15.

7.30pm daily.

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.

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.

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

Chanrey Tree Pokombo Ave. Tel: (855) 63 76 79 97 www.chanreytree.com Traditional Khmer food in a beautiful contemporary setting. Alongside the river, 50m brfore Preah Phrum Rath Pagoda. Open daily. Lunch 11am2.30pm, dinner 6pm-10.30pm.

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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.

siem reap

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.

Open Mon-Sat 11am-10pm.

Siem Reap - Shops

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.

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.

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’.

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.

Open daily 11am - 10pm.

Angkor Imagery Joanna Wolfarth The 9th Angkor Photo Festival runs from Nov. 23 to 30 at venues across Siem Reap. It is the longest running photo festival in Southeast Asia and is showcasing the work of more than 130 photographers from around the world, over half of whom are from the region.

Work will be on display at a number of Siem Reap venues including Hotel 1961, the McDermott Gallery, Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor and Shinta Mani.

There will also be free digital slideshows projected every evening at FCC. The guest curators of the festival are Shahidul Alam, the director of Chobi Mela photo festival in Bangladesh, and JeanFrançois Leroy, the director of the Visa pour l’Image festival in France.

Jessica Lim, the Asia coordinator for the Siem Reap event, is excited by the range of work and highlights Brian Sokol’s exhibition, to be held in the Raffles Gardens. “It’s called The Most Important Thing and he has gone to different refugee camps over the last few months and photographed refugees holding up the one belonging that they brought with them when they fled their homes. It’s incredible,” she says.

The photo festival is also running workshops that offer high-quality

Montana Rakz

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.

professional training to young photographers from Asia. This year they will work with 30 young people from 11 Asian countries. Their work will be on show on the closing night of the festival (Nov. 30) in the Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor Gardens.

On top of this, 50 children from Anjali House in Siem Reap will take part in a 10-day workshop.

By encouraging creative expression, the workshops boost self-confidence, social interaction and educational development. The results will be on show at the Children’s Day showcase at Shinta Mani hotel on Nov. 28.

“This year it will be easier for the public to join us. We are also staging a retrospective of all the work from the Children’s Workshops from the last eight years and the slideshow that night will be selected with children in mind, with photographs which they can enjoy,” says Lim. A festival and workshop centre will be located at The Loft near Old Market, where free portfolio review sessions, artists’ talks and seminars will be hosted. The sessions are free of charge, open to all and run each afternoon for the duration of the festival. A catalogue will also be on sale for the first time this year.

For more details, visit: http://angkor-photo.com

Listings

food & drink Arabic

Petra 8 Street 288 (between St 51 & St 57) Tel: 023 666 3222 / 089 990 150 Authentic Arabic cuisine, ambiance and chef with rooftop shisha lounge.

Located in the heart of BKK1.

Special dining experiences with great costumes.

Open daily from 10am – 11pm.

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 The Terrace on 95, 43 Street 95 (corner of Street 348) Tel: 093 665 225. www.knyay.com Modern Khmer restaurant tucked away off Monivong 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 12-9pm (Tue to Fri), 7am-9pm (Sat & Sun), closed Monday.

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

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.

Tel: 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.

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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.

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.

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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 home-cooked 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.

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.

Indian Delight 115Eo Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 724 885 / 098 776 543 Delicious North Indian tastes served at a modest yet clean and bright on riverside. Opposite Titanic restaurant.

Open everyday 11am – 1pm.

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

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.

CABARET 159 Street 154, near Central Market Tel: 092 650 980 info@cabaret-restaurant.com Restaurant and lounge bar with live music.

Enjoy trendy food, tapas, cocktails and wine in a modern setting encompassing two elegant areas, bar and patio. Fine and casual dining available. Live music four to five times a week, sumptuous variety of wine and cigars.

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.

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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, splitlevel 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 Corner St 51 and St 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.

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FOX Wine Bistro 104 Sothearos Blvd & St. 266.

Tel.: 098 78 99 61 Casual wine-dining. For passionate food and wine lovers who want an unforgettable dining experience or even just a place to hang-out that’s unlike elsewhere in Phnom Penh. Serving simple yet thoughtful dishes and drinks in a comfortable, hip and trendy atmosphere.

Friends 215 Street 13.

Tel: 012 802 072 Non-profit training restaurant where all the proceeds go to the neighbouring street-kid school. Food is a reliable mix of Mediterranean and Asian with tapas thrown in if you are not feeling too hungry. Great juices. Another one of Phnom Penh’s places designed to take it easy, but this time with a clear conscience.

Open 11am - 9pm.

Gasolina 56/58 Street 57. Tel: 012 373 009 The largest garden bar in town has an extensive menu. Crèche facilities make this a popular choice with families at weekends. Has regular events with live music and DJs, even fashion shows.

Open from 8am - 12am.

Gastrobar Botanico 9b Street 29.

Tel: 017 873 101 info@gastrobarbotanico.com Located in its own habitat with over 2,000 plants. Open-air.

Offers tapas, salads, sandwich, and straightforward food, yet with character, in lush garden setting.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. Espresso bar. Cocktails, wines, fruit shakes.

Open daily 8am - 9:30pm.

Irina Russian Restaurant 22 Street 29 Tel: 012 833 524/ 092 833 524 www.irinacambodia.com Russian restaurant of iconic Phnom Penh status. If you can walk out of the restaurant after hitting the vodkas then you are doing well. Open daily from 11am until the vodka runs out.

Java Cafe & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 420 www.javaarts.org Great coffees, salads, mix-and-match sandwiches and juices served in an

elegant setting. The upstairs terrace, overlooking the Independence Monument, is a good place to watch the chaos below, while the downstairs space is a great place for coffee and catching up on your emails. Has exhibitions both upstairs and down.

Open 7am - 10pm.

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 Recreates to perfection the best known and most delicious Spanish tapas, making of seafood Paella its signature dish. Tapas are the result of hundreds of years of Spanish culinary history and evolution.

Simple, tasty and healthy dishes have become a standard to be enjoyed with friends while drinking large amounts of sangría.

Open 11am - 2pm,5pm - 10pm. All day on the weekend.

LA ROSE Restaurant 164b Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Revive your strength and restore your health with La Rose Restaurant’s healthy option menu.

Cozy ground floor restaurant with experienced chefs serving both Asian and Western cuisine.

Latin Quarter Cnr Street 178 and Street 19 Tel: 093 319 081.

Latin restaurant and bar that serves excellent tapas and mains with extra salsa. Beautiful courtyard often hosts live music and salsa dancing while the air-con restaurant is available for private hire. Open from breakfast until the music stops.

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 10.30am-10.30pm.

Lime Restaurant + Bar 79F Street 128 Tel: 023 998 608/ 610 info@lebizhotel.com, www.lebizhotel.com

Located in Lebiz Hotel Lime serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering a stylish mix of Asian and western favourites with a focus on fresh, healthy and local ingredients, with regular changes to the menu.

Lotus Blanc 152 Street 51 Tel: 017 602 251 Run by local NGO Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, this centrally located training restaurant has a monthly changing lunch menu as well as a la carte Khmer dishes. Serves both Asian and continental breakfast.

Open Monday – Saturday, 7am - 10 pm.

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

Open daily 9:30am - 1am.

Mike’s Burger House 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. Mr Grill Restaurant & Bar 23 Street 288.

Tel: 023 997 255 Japanese run restaurant in BKK1 where comfort meets a good atmosphere. Guests can enjoy dishes including appetizers, salads, grill, side menus and drinks.

Open daily 11am-midnight.

New York Steakhouse 264 Street 63 cnr Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 500, www.steakhouse.com.kh Indulge in a seductive dining experience in the famed Phnom Penh Steak restaurant. The innovative menu features New-York Steakhouse signature prime cuts of beef charred to perfection accompanied by decadent sides and desserts.

Open Daily from 11am-2pm and 13pm-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)

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Regency Cafe InterContinental Phnom Penh 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888 ext. 3603 Regency Cafe features sumptuous international and Asian buffets as well as a la carte dining for the most discerning palates. Open daily 6am-10.30pm 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.

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.

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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.

The Quay 277 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 224 894 Rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to enjoy a drink during half price 4pm-8pm happy hour. Food is a mix of tapas and more substantial offerings, including an excellent duck confit.

Open daily 7am – 11pm.

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.

The Village Restaurant, Bar & Live Music 1 Street 360.

Tel: 012810731 Stylish purpose built music venue serving a sumptuous array of international dishes. Superb stage and acoustics plays host to a variety of international and local bands.

Open from 9am - midnight Closed Sundays

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.

Terrazza 1c Street 282.

Tel: 023 214 660 www.terrazza.asia Experience Italy in Phnom Penh. Fine Italinan restaurant and Deli shop. Open daily 12pm-10pm, Deli shop: 9am-9pm

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.

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.

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.

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, 6pm- 10:30pm Luna d’Autumno 6C Street 29. Tel: 023 220 895 Beautiful courtyard or stylish interior aircon restaurant, whichever you choose, Luna has more classical pizzas, both red and white, to choose from than most restaurants. Also serves excellent pasta and other up-market Italian food. Good wine cellar on view in the restaurant. Open 11am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 10.30pm.

Pasta & Vino 45 Street 288. Tel: 086 314 400 Cosy Italian spaghetteria that specialises in well-priced authentic Italian pasta and wines in a smokeless air-con environment.

Open daily 12pm - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm.

Pop Café da Giorgio 371 Sisowath Quay. Tel: 012 562 892 Sophisticated, small Italian restaurant located next to the FCC that serves light, contemporary Italian cuisine including fresh pasta and pizzas. Delivery service now available at yourphnompenh.com last orders at 9pm. Open daily 11.30am 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm.

Japanese & Korean

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.

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.

Ninja Dining & Bar 14B Street 278. Tel: 088 861 623 Traditional Japanese cuisine including sushi, ramen, BentoBox. Japanese chefs prepare authentic dishes amid a great atmosphere.

Open daily 11:30am-2:00pm, 5pm12am.

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 Green Bowl 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 11am-2.30pm and 5.30pm-9pm.

Closed every 2nd Wednesday.

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imbibe

Let’s Get Physical Darren Gall Cambodia has its own Muscle Wine, resplendent in packaging that incorporates a ripped, semi-naked male flexing his bits on the label. It’s not actually wine though, it’s something closer to lychee brandy made with secret herbs and spices including ginseng and deer antler.

I will leave the tasting notes to its producer Lao Hang Heng, who says it is “made from ingredients that are all sources of energy, promote better health, alleviate rheumatism and fatigue, facilitate blood circulation and strengthen the kidneys. The taste is delicious and excellent while consumed in large quantities does not cause hangover. It helps increase good appetite and sound sleep that consumers look fresh, healthier and younger.”

Tempting indeed, but the skeptic in me suggests: proceed with caution.

When it comes to wine made from actual wine grapes, muscle is not a term generally associated with it. However we do talk about a wine’s strength, in reference to its alcoholic strength or the percentage of alcohol per volume. What we more commonly refer to is the somewhat ambiguous classification of the body or weight of a wine. A new and growing trend in wine lists is to group the wine by such terms, instead of the more common practice of by variety or region.

That is to say, once a wine has been categorized by style (sparkling, white, rose, red,

etc.) then it is classified as either light-bodied, light-tomedium bodied, mediumbodied or full-bodied, or along these lines. But what do these terms actually mean?

When describing a wine’s weight or body we are describing the heaviness or gravity of the wine in the mouth, along with its density.

Think of the lightness of, say, a glass of water compared to the more dense ‘weighty’ sensation of a chocolate milkshake in your mouth. The water feels light and has virtually no flavour intensity, whilst the chocolate milkshake feels heavier and fuller and has much more intensity of flavour.

Most light-bodied white wines are fresh and crisp on the palate — think Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc for example.

Fuller-bodied white wines are often rich and creamy in texture and have more perceptible presence in the mouth, like most Chardonnays. However, these are only generalities and there are no set rules.

Listing a wine by variety and region alone may not inform you accurately as to its weight or body, hence the appeal of this new type of wine list design for restaurants. It helps the customer select a wine that matches the weight of their dish — a key element in food and wine pairing, for example lighter-bodied wines with salads and seafood, fuller-bodied wines with beef and lamb.

Here’s to your good health.

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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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.

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.

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.

La Citá 13 Street 282.

Tel: 092 388 123 Riverside, between St 108 & 110.

Tel: 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) 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.

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.

Cafés

Art Café 37 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 012 834 517 Elegant bistro in the style of a European coffee house is now transposed to the Meta House with regular classical music performances.

Blue Pumpkin 245 Sisowath Quay and at Monument Books on Norodom Blvd Tel: 023 998 153 Siem Reap’s favourite café also offers multiple locations in Phnom Penh, serving breakfast sets, Asian and Western entrées and an array of ice cream flavours in air-conditioned comfort. Open daily from 6am - 11pm.

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 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

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www.daughtersofcambodia.org The cafe, called Sugar ‘n Spice, serves light lunches, a few main courses, home baked goods, desserts, coffee and some original smoothies. The cafe is a place for vocational training, where trainees will train and then have the opportunity to graduate into working in top end restaurants and hotels. Value for money. Free Wifi. There’s also a shop selling clothing, accessories and jewellery made on site. Or relax in the spa which offers head, shoulder, face and foot treatments.

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 serving hot and cold drinks and snacks.

Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 987 420 (see restaurants, international) Kiriya Café No.174, St.51 Cnr St.370 Tel: 016 363 730.

This Japanese café chain offers good locally sourced coffee, delicious desserts and a relaxing atmosphere.

Open daily 6am - 2am.

Morning Café 32C Street 592. Tel: 023 982 109 Cosy air-conditioned coffee house with relaxed atmosphere, located in Toul Kork district serves Khmer, Thai and European cuisine. Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6am to 9pm.

Renature Aquarium café 35AE Street 288 near corner Street 83 Tel: 088 333 5338/017 827 766 Enjoy your coffee surrounded by the gentle glow of beautiful aquaria and relaxing fish. Open from 9am – 10pm.

The Shop 39 Street 240, Tel: 092 955 963 / 023 986 964 Stylish café, with a wide range of fresh bread, tempting patisseries and juices, excellent salads and sandwiches.

Crowded at lunchtime, but the small, cool courtyard at the back creates a perfect haven from the sun. Has a Chocolate Shop three doors along, and a second outlet in Tuol Kork. Open 7am to 7pm (Mon. to Sat, 7am to 3pm Sun.)

Bars

Aristocrat Cigar Bar NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 Club aimed at attracting wealthy expats and Khmers who like a good cigar and glass of wine. Not as stuffy as you might imagine with cigars from $10. Open daily from noon to midnight.

AQVARIVM Bar 23 Street 55 Corner Street 254, Tel: 077 536 342 Drop by for Happy Hour drinks and nibbles from 5:00-9:00 PM. Available for special occasion and group discounts. AQVARIVM: Drink like a fish!

Backstage 377 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 097 958 7338 Cocktail bar, located near the Royal Palace, is a trendy, intimate yet dazzling place committed to serving some of the best cocktails in town.

Open: Mon-Thu 5.30pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-3am, closed on Sunday.

Cadillac Bar and Grill 219 E0 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 011 713 567 Riverfront air-con bar and restaurant.

Has good American cuisine as well as ariverfront vantage to watch the world go by.

California II 79 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 077 503 144 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 222 502 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Chow 277 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 224 894 Contemporary and sophisticated riverfront restaurant that serves Southeast Asian cuisine, a wide range of cocktails, juices and Illy coffee. The rooftop deck with spectacular views of the river is a great place to have a drink during its half-price 4pm to 8pm happy hour.

Open daily from 7am to 11pm.

Do It All Pub & Bistro 61 Street 174.

Tel: 023 220 904 Dishes out African, Asian and Western cuisine, with hip hop and reggae played into the early hours of the morning. Open daily 9am to 4am.

Elephant Bar Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 Flamboyant carpet, comfortable wicker chairs and hotel pianist provide a sense of a time gone by, you can imagine Jackie Kennedy drinking here. Its many signature cocktails, including the femme fatale make this a popular place with expats especially during the two-for-one happy hours (4pm to 8pm).

Open 2pm to midnight from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to midnight.

Equinox 3A Street 278, Tel: 012 586 139 / 092 791 958 (see Restaurants, International) FCC 363 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 724 014 (see Restaurants, International) Freebird 69 Street 240. Tel: 023 224 712 (see Mexican & Tex-Mex restaurants) Howie’s Bar 32 Street 51 Air-conditioned and open until very very late, this is the Heart’s unofficial chill-out bar although the sound system could give its neighbour a run for its money. Tends to be a popular late night hang-out, especially around the ‘mini’ pool table. Open 7pm to 6am.

K West 1 Street 154 (Cnr. Sisowath Quay), Tel: 023 214 747 (see Restaurants, French) Le Bar Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 A modern colonial style lobby bar with a fine selection of comfort food, tapas, champagnes, wines, premium spirits and large selection of coffees and teas.

Le Moon Cnr of Sisowath Quay and Street 154 Tel: 023 214 747 Rooftop terrace bar at Amanjaya Hotel has arguably the view of the river of any of the city’s rooftop bars. Full bar and small food menu, while the service is slow enough to afford you sufficient time to soak up the view.

Liquid 3B Street 278.

Tel: 023 720 157 Welcoming open air bar on golden street run by the same owner as Flavours. Has one of the best pool tables in town with happy hour from 5pm to 8pm.

Lobby Lounge 296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd (InterContinental Hotel) Tel: 023 424 888 An elegant lounge situated in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel. Reasonable prices and excellent service. Open daily from 10am – 11:30pm.

Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd, opposite Phnom Penh Centre Tel: 012 607 465 / 067 867 305 www.meta-house.com Multi-media arts centre established by German film-maker Nico Mesterham has a very cool bar. Open from 2pm till midnight. Closed Mondays.

Metro Café Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 (see Restaurants International) One More Pub 16E Street 294.

Tel: 017 327 378 English-style bar with comfortable wooden bar stools. No hip hop or techno, only great classic 60s & 70s music. Has terracotta-tiled terrace and 3 guest rooms upstairs.

Open from 5pm to late, happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, closed Sundays.

Paddy Rice 213-217 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023990321 www.paddyrice.net Irish sports bar on riverside with big screen live sports, serves home cooked western and Asian favourites alongside a fully stocked bar including Guinness and a fine selection Irish whiskeys with daily happy hour from 4pm to 8pm. Often has live music events and a weekly pub quiz.

Open 7.30am to late.

Rising Sun 20 Street 178.

Tel: 012 970 718 English-style pub with reliable breakfast, meat pies and hamburgers.

Has a regular following around the bar at night especially on Fridays.

Great posters of British films and TV classics adorn the walls. Ideal for that touch of nostalgia and good fish and chips – though not wrapped in a newspaper.

Open daily from 7am till late.

Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148, Tel: 012 277 882 / 023 213 898 (see Restaurants International) Sharky Bar 126 Street 130.

Tel: 012 228 045 , www.sharkybar.blogspot.com Countless pool tables and a large balcony to look out over the street.

Guaranteed to be lively – a place where anything can happen, especially if you get a bit too close to the local clientele. Serves good Mexican food, and has frequent live music.

Open 4pm to 2am, take away 5pm til late.

The Bungalows Mekong River.

Tel: 077 555 447 Stylish simplicity located within a quick cruise from Sisowath Quay port. The floating bar serves basic drinks and nibbles.

Open Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm to 8pm, available for private events if booked at least two days in advance.

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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.

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

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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.

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. Semiprivate 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.

Nova 19 St 214. Tel: 097 716 5000 Trendy night club with VIP section and dress code (no flup flops, tank tops or shorts!).

Open 9pm-4am.

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: 012 960 076 Capoeira lessons are held every Tuesday & Thursday 6.30-8pm. All levels catered for. Classes are free of charge. For more information visit Facebook page “Capoeira Kampuchea”.

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 Studio 52 Street 302.

Tel: 012 250 817/ 090 311 341. www.yogacambodia.com Wide variety of daily drop-in yoga classes in many styles, in a peaceful studio setting. Your yoga class contributes to our NGO yoga programs for local kids. Stretch your body while feeling great about reaching out to Cambodian youth. 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.

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sos

Unwanted Bedfellows Dr Daniel Tranchant Bed bugs are small insects that feed on humans, mostly at night. Although they are a significant nuisance, they are not known to spread any diseases. Infestations occur throughout the world and are increasing. The rising number is in part attributable to travellers carrying bugs from one location to another, though the bugs are also becoming more resistant to pesticides.

Bed bug eggs are tiny, white and elongated — like a grain of rice but much smaller. They are usually seen in clusters. Young bugs are light yellowy-brown, while adults are rust-coloured.

The bugs can infest any home or business, no matter how clean or high quality it is. They are often found in mattresses, luggage, clothing and cracks in furniture, walls and floors.

They are easily transferred from one place to another in luggage and clothing. They cannot fly but move quickly and can squeeze into small areas. Travellers should take precautions against being bitten, as well as measures to avoid carrying the bugs from one place to another.

Bed bugs bites are itchy and irritating. Bites can occur anywhere on the body, but are most common on exposed skin and may remain unseen or cause an obvious rash.

If left alone, bites usually heal within a few days with no treatment necessary. If someone scratches bites and breaks the skin, the wound can become infected, and skin infections sometimes require antibiotic treatment.

Bed Bug Prevention for Travellers: • Bring sealable plastic bags with you, or know where to purchase some at your destination.

• Inspect your hotel room for bed bugs. Examine the furniture, head board, bed sheets and seams on the mattress and box spring.

Look for bed bugs, their eggs, dark spots from their faeces and small bloodstains from crushed bugs.

• If you detect bed bugs, notify the hotel management.

Request a different room that is not adjacent to the infested room.

• Only unpack after ensuring the room is free of bed bugs. Avoid putting your luggage on the bed or floor and use luggage racks instead. Consider encasing your luggage in a large clear plastic bag.

• If you suspect bugs have got into your clothing or other items, place them in a sealed plastic bag until you can wash them in hot water or dry clean.

Dr Daniel Tranchant is the chief medical officer at International SOS. If you have any enquiries regarding this or any other medical matter, please contact info.cambodia@ internationalsos.com.

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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 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.

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 Siem Reap: 545 National Road N6, Banteay Chas, Stor Kram.

Tel: 063 767 618 www.imiclinic.com 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.

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-of-the-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. Tokyo Barbershop 22A St 278.

Tel: 012 590 655 / 087 667 778 tokyo_barbershop@yahoo.com Man centric barbershop conveniently located behind Lucky supermarket.

Provides hair-cuts, shampoos, colours, manicures, pedicures, facial massage, oil body massages, back waxing.

Open daily 8am - 7:00pm.

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 Day spa providing a wide selection of facials, body massages and treatments, arranged in a four-storey modern facility at riverfront. Open 11am-11pm.

Aziadee Spa 16 a/b Street 282. Tel: 023 996 921 aziadee1@yahoo.fr French-run spa offering a good choice of treatments, a range of massages, scrubs, facials, floral baths, manicures, pedicures and waxing in relaxing and tranquil surroundings. Open 9am-9pm.

Bi Nail Salon 213a E0 Stret 310 Tel: 023 6324 524 / 097 798 1122 Bi NAiL is a full service nail salon, for both women and men. Our Japanesetrained nail artists have years of experience. We provide expert personal care in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

Full Set Care (Manicure and Pedicure) More than 250 Nail Lacquers and More than 350 Nail Design Simples. Acrylic and Gel Nail (Gel Colors) are available.

Open daily 8am – 7pm.

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Bliss 29 Street 240. Tel: 023 215 754 Health spa at back and upstairs in this beautiful French colonial building.

Open 9am - 9pm, closed Monday.

Bodia Spa 26-28 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 226 199 www.bodia-spa.com Using natural, own-brand products Bodia spa offers body wraps, floral baths, scrubs, facials, aromatherapy, massages and mani-pedies, alongdside Jacuzzi and steam. The peaceful atmosphere is enhanced by scented oils and soft music.

Open daily 9am – 9pm.

Derma-Care Skin Clinic 161B Norodom Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Two qualified dermatologists, this professional skin clinic offers a range of beauty treatments using American Derma-Rx products, minor dermatologic surgery, antioxidant boosters, chemical peeling, and lipolysis.

Open 9am - 9pm.

Derma-MK Skin Center 183 Street 63.

Tel: 023 452 5626 Focused on Dermalogica products, this care facility offers facial treatments, including anti-aging and brightening, as well as body treatments such as body scrubs and massage.

Dermal Spa 4C Street 57 Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Spa offering beauty salon, foot massage and body massage servies, specializes in Dermalogica skin and beauty products.

Open daily 9am – 9pm.

EL Skin and Wellness Centre 115E0 Street 101.

Tel: 012 681 948 Using Dermalogica, L’Oréal, Jane Iredale and OPI products for a variety of face and body treatments, spa provides a professional, relaxed ambience for customers to sample products before purchase.

Open 9am - 7pm.

TROPICAL & TRAVELLERS MEDICAL CLINIC

Tel: 012 898981 No.88 St.108 Phnom Penh www.travellersmedicalclinic.com

Aircon Restaurant Art Exhibitions Dance Theatre German Classes Film School Musical Events

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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.

Passion Spa & Salon 29 Street 302 Tel: 081 998 227 / 089 998 227 Dedicated to helping you celebrate a happier, healthier lifestyle. Your Day in a healthy, beautiful way.

Open daily 9am – 10pm.

Raffles Amrita Spa Tel: 023 981 888 Raffles Amrita Spa offers relaxation and rejuvenation through a wide selection of services and facilities including treatment rooms, outdoor lap and fun pool, Jacuzzi, fitness centre, sauna and steam room.

Open daily 6am - 10pm.

The Spa at NagaWorld Hun Sen Park. Tel: 023 228 822 This luxurious spa promises to bring the ancient Cambodian spa therapy to the world, and claims to be the only all-suite unisex spa in Cambodia.

Therapy rooms with sauna, steam and flower bath are inviting, and the spa uses Tomichik flowers as part of its treatment. Open 10am-3am.

Dr.Scott BSc.MBChB. DRCOG.DipVen. (U.K.) -20 years of medical experience in Cambodia

Fixed +855 (0)23 224 140 Mobile +855 (0)10 312 333 Homepage: www.meta-house.com Email: mesterharm@gmx.net

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.

Workshop Space Open-Air-Cinema

So SPA with L’Occitane Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Tel: 063 964 600 Offers rejuvenating world traditions combined with French cosmetology in the privacy of an intimate setting.

Treatments are provided with international and local high-end products. Open daily: 10am – 10pm Villa Spa 456 Monivong Blvd., (cnr. Street 466) Tel: 023 721 765 / 012 357 561 www.asiagarden.com.kh Aromatherapy massage in private boutique VIP rooms (villa and bungalow style) from professional Chinese and Khmer therapists from Master Kang; women customers only.

Sports General

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.

Grand Phnom Penh Golf Street 598, Phum Khmuonh, Sk: Khmuonh, Kh: Sen Sok, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 997 889.

Email: info@grandphnompenh.com Luxury living redefined. Phnom Penh’s finest urban township.

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 British International School 85 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 222 416 www.ican.edu.kh iCAN offers affordable, high quality education, using the IPC, IMYC and English National curriculum. Learners are encouraged to be thoughtful, creative, think critically, collaborate and achieve their best. iCAN is the learning environment of choice for parents who value the development of their children emotionally and socially, as well as academically.

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 Overeating Gemma Mullen

Dipping into a delicious dinner is, of course, one of life’s great pleasures, and one that shouldn’t be denied to our little ones either, but what to do if your child has started polishing off more than his fair share? It’s time to shed some light on the munchkins who always get caught with their fingers in the cookie jar.

Although it is easier to give your child a biscuit as a snack, rather than chopping and deseeding fruit, we all know which is the better option. More and more children are eating convenience foods instead of grains, fruits and vegetables due to our busy lives. To prevent your child being an overeater, it sounds obvious but you need to start good, healthy eating habits early.

It’s your responsibility to put these good habits in place and it is often easier than you may think. You need to set a good example for your children, so be sure to set rules at meal times and stick to them. It’s important for your child has a routine and this is especially true for meal times.

Children will be less likely to overeat if they have a steady timetable for their meals and snacks, which should always come at about the same time every day.

Of course, snack time can be a difficult one to police if your child is in daycare, as

some schools provide biscuits for snacks. A quick word with your childcare provider – who should be happy to work with you on this – ought to be enough to limit the sugary snacks for your little one.

One big mistake I see time and again is parents using food as a reward or punishment for children. Many parents give their children sweets if they have been good but this is obviously not a good idea.

Use stickers or other non-food rewards or, even better, a bit of good, old-fashioned praise.

Also, getting your rascals in the kitchen helping you is a great idea. As an added bonus, children love cooking so this is a great way to spend time together and discuss good eating habits. Furthermore, be sure to monitor portion sizes.

Slowly increasing their meal sizes as they get older is a given, so there is no need to start them off with a greedydad-sized plateful.

Always praise children when they make healthy food choices or for trying new foods but do not commend them for finishing everything on their plate. I know it sounds bizarre and probably goes against everything your mum and dad used to do with you, but giving them too much attention for cleaning their plate may make them feel like they have to eat a lot to gain your approval.

Gemma Mullen has been working in child care for more than 10 years. She holds an NNEB diploma in nursery nursing and is currently a creative writing teacher at Zaman International School in Phnom Penh.

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services

money matters

business & services

The Last Taboo Vanessa Vrdoljak Over the last 50 years, the subjects that pass as acceptable dinner party conversation have changed immeasurably. Once upon a time subjects such as sex and divorce were simply unmentionable. These days, a glance at the magazine rack in any news stand will show just how much attitudes have changed.

However, one big taboo subject remains and that is money. It’s something of a paradox in our increasingly materialistic society. We dedicate large parts of our life to earning money, to managing money and to spending money, so it is bizarre that talking about our finances remains such a difficult and avoided subject.

Why this should be is the subject of huge debate, but what is clear is that our inability to talk frankly and openly about money can cause huge problems.

Money is an extremely emotive subject for many couples, and for this reason the subject is often avoided.

I know married couples in which one partner has no idea how much money comes in and out of the household in any given month. Sadly, however, death and divorce are facts of life and can mean that the ignorant member of the pair may find themselves alone with zero knowledge of their financial affairs. This is folly.

I know other couples whose differing attitudes to money have been the cause of huge resentment and arguments, even leading to that dreaded

‘D’ word. If you are a spendthrift but your partner cannot cope with being a cent overdrawn, it is inevitable that problems are going to arise.

The only way to avoid this is by having a frank discussion about your attitudes to money and how you are going to reconcile differences and manage joint finances.

In addition, the taboo surrounding money means that many of us are simply embarrassed to ask questions when arranging our financial affairs. Many people take out mortgages or personal loans without clarifying the finer points of a contract simply because they fear they will look stupid by asking what they perceive to be obvious questions. Yet the answers to these questions maybe of the utmost importance for financial planning and have a huge impact on their future.

Our inability to tackle the subject of finances with our children means that we are passing our bad habits on to a new generation. Given that money management is such a key life skill, whatever your financial circumstances, it has always struck me as bizarre that children are not taught the basics at school. As parents, we should sit down and discuss with our children the subjects of debt, saving and living within a budget in order to equip them with the knowledge to tread a wise financial path.

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we could just break down the taboo surrounding money and give this subject the attention it merits?

Vanessa Vrdoljak is a senior financial consultant at Infinity Financial Solutions. This company provides impartial, tailor-made, personal financial advice to clients in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Should you wish to contact Paul, please send an email to info@infinitysolutions.com or visit infinitysolutions.com.

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Listings

Architecture, Interior Design & Construction

Beyond Interiors 14e Street 306 Tel: 023 987 840 / 012 930 332 ww.beyondinteriors.biz Managed by Australian designer Bronwyn Blue, this interior design showroom can provide the ultimate design solution to your interior dilemma.

All products from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia have been treated to withstand any climate.

Open 9am - 7pm Bill Grant Landscape Design Tel: 012 932 225 / 012 738 134 The city’s most talented landscape designer.

Green Goal Ltd 10 Street 296. Tel: 023 223 861 Consultancy offers sustainable and creative architectural and construction services to clients taking into account environmental considerations.

Hemisphere Design & Interiors Tel: 012 602 955 william@norbert-munns.com Western managed renovation company specialising in swimming pools and Jacuzzi construction in fibreglass and concrete.

I Ching Decor 85 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 873 / 012 558 000 / 092 660 746, Boutique interior design shop offering advice on architectural work and interior design, as well as providing custommade furniture, home accessories, kitchenware, lighting and bedroom suites. Open 9am - 6pm, closed Sun. The Room Design Studio 9AB Street 288. Tel: 023 992 620 Interior design and architectural company that has 12 years’ experience of designing flats, villas, offices, shops, homes and offices in Asia.

Bikes & Mechanics

Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136. Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment.

Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting.

The Bike Shop 31 Street 302. Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as renting them out in the first place. Also provides dirt bike tours.

Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills. Motto is “We don’t know all, we find out all, then we fix.”

Business Groups

Australian Business Association of Cambodia (ABAC) 20 Street 114 (cnr. Street 67) For information, contact Derek Mayes.

Tel:012 385 157 abacambodia@gmail.com British Business Association of Cambodia (BBAC) 35 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 012 803 891 Contact enquiries@bbacambodia.com Chambre de Commerce FrancoCambodgienne Office 2nd floor, 33 Street 178 Tel: 023 221 453. www.ccfcambodge.org Canadian Cooperation Office Cambodia Commissioner Service 50 Street 334. Tel: 023 215 496 www.cco-cambodia.org Malaysian Business Council of Cambodia Unit G21, Ground Floor, Parkway Square 113, Mao Tse Tung Blvd. mbcc.secretariat@gmail.com

Car Rental

ACC Car Rental Services 43 Street 160z Toul Kork Tel. 012 456 003 / 015 456 003.

Professional, prompt and organised rental service that provides vehicles for rent with or without a driver. ACC also rents a range of buses that seat from 12 to 45 people. All vehicles can be delivered to your door.

Asia Vehicle Rental 27 Street 134. Tel: 078 666 557 www.avrcambodia.com With the motto “leave your driving to us”, the rental service offers sedans, pick-ups, SUVs and minibuses in 2WD or 4WD for self-drive or with driver.

Insurance offered.

Larryta Trading & Travel Co. Ltd. 9 Street 310. Tel: 023 994 748 www.larrytacarrental.com.kh Vehicle rental for all types of cars, vans and mini-buses with flexible go-anywhere packages to all areas of Cambodia and neighbouring countries by the day, week or month.

Royal Limousine Services Attwood Business Center, Russian Confederation Blvd. Tel : 023 218 808 www.royallimousine.com.kh Fleet of late model Mercedes that provides transport for hotels, embassies and luxury tour operators as well as foreign delegates.

Commercial Banks

Acleda Bank 61 Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 998 777 www.acledabank.com.kh Specialises in micro, small and medium loans to people throughout the country.

ANZ Royal Bank Main Branch, 20 Street 114 www.anzroyal.com Cambodia’s major commercial bank has brought international standards of banking to Cambodia, with a large number of ATM machines around Phnom Penh. Can arrange money transfers.

CIMB Bank PLC 20AB Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 988 388 www.cimbbank.com.kh Full range of commercial and consumer banking products and services for both Cambodian and foreign businesses and individuals.

The first Japanese bank in Cambodia.

Maruhan Japan Bank 83 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 010 First Japanese bank in Phnom Penh.

Dara Motorbike 43 Street 136, Tel: 012 335 499 Off-road specialist offers repairs, parts and accessories. Tours can be arranged by appointment.

Tel: 023 211 700 / 010 624 001 www.ocean-tech.biz Technology company that offers GPS navigation systems, an online map directory and vehicle tracking system.

Internet Provider

Emerald Garage 11 Street 456 Mechanics specialising in maintenance and repair of vehicles, including oil changing and body painting.

EMAXX 99 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 818 EMAXX offers fast internet access via WiMAX, Optical Fiber and Satellite.

The Bike Shop 31 Street 302. Tel: 012 851 776 Repairs trusty steeds as well as renting them out in the first place.

Also provides dirt bike tours.

AG Cambodia Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sovanna Sisowath Quay Tel: 017 360 333. nfo@agcambodia.com Professional insurance agent offering health, home, car, factory, employee and hotel insurance packages.

Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.wmg-cambodia.com admin@wmg-cambodia.com A garage with Western and Khmer staff that emphasises communication and trained, attentive skills.

IT & Software

Cresittel Co., Ltd. Office 705, KT Tower, 23 Street 112. Tel 098 518 888 Company that provides software solutions and systems, point of sales systems for bars and restaurants, website designing and telecoms consulting. Has showroom at 385 Street 215.

Netpro Cambodia 11 Street 422. Tel: 023 215 141 www.netpro-cambodia.com, IT supports company that delivers high quality and reliable services to home and small to medium size organisations in Cambodia.

Ocean Technology T-20 St Topaz, Sovanna Shopping Centre

services

Bikes & Mechanics

Insurance

Infinity Insurance 126 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 888 Prfessional insurance company offers motor, property, home, marine cargo, personal accident, healthcare, construction and engineering insurance.

Group policies can be customized.

Legal

BNG Legal 64 Street 111. www.bnglegal.com Tel: 023 212 671 / 023 212 740 BNG Legal is a leading Cambodian law firm providing comprehensive legal services to foreign and local clients.

We differentiate ourselves by coupling a deep understanding of the local business environment with international professionalism and integrity.

DFDL Legal and Tax Advisors 33 Street 294. Tel: 023 210 400 www.dfdlmekong.com Law firm providing international standard legal and tax solutions with local and cross-border experience with offices in neighbouring countries.

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services

Gordon and Associates Asia (Cambodia) 21 Street 214. Tel: 023 218 257 US lawyer works with local Cambodian lawyers to provide international quality advice. Specialises in foreign investment, joint ventures and advising entrepreneurs with an in depth knowledge of the telecoms, agriculture, banking and hospitality sectors.

Sciaroni & Associates 24 Street 462. Tel: 023 210 225 Law firm with a good reputation. Just the ticket if you get into a spot of bother.

Media & Design

Anon Creative Energy Tel: 089 812 123 anoncambodia@gmail.com Internationally trained advertising talent at your service. Strong, strategic ideas.

Available for freelance art and copy writing projects.

Asia Media Lab Tel: 012 818 917. www.asiamedialab.com Full service video production company specialises in the creation of dynamic visual content to help bring NGO stories to life for fundraising and advocacy.

Miscellaneous

Sunbird Angkor Co. Ltd. 78 Monireth Blvd.

Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdangkor@yahoo.co.kr Worldwide Hotel Reservation, Car Rental Service, Worldwide Medical Service, Convention, Marketing.

Open Mon~Fri 8am ~5:30pm & Sat 8am~1pm Sunbird Global Co., Ltd. 78 St. Monireth Blvd.

Tel: 023 98 3333 / 023 99 1010 sunbirdglobal@yahoo.co.kr Insurance Service, Air Cargo, Worldwide Express, Trading.

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

Post Office

Main Post Office Cnr. Streets 102 & 13 The place to go if you want to send something overseas or get a PO Box. Open 6.30am -9pm.

Photography

AsiaMotion Tel: 092 806 117. www.asiamotion.net Photographic agency established in November 2008 as a cooperation between local and international photographers.

Nathan Horton Photography Tel: 092 526 706 www.nathanhortonphotography.com Full service professional photographer.

Hotels, bars, restaurants, spas and location work. Call for Travel Photography workshops and tours.

Printing

Sok Heng Printing House 1297B Street Luo 5, Stoeung Mean Chey Tel: 011 939 255 / 012 939 255 Modern print house providing a full range of printing services. Graphic design available.

Real Estate and Property Services

240Condo 50B Street 240. Tel: 012 271 636 www.240phnompenh.com 240 is the home of 42 luxury serviced apartments set in the most stylish area of the city with spectacular river and city views. The condominium was designed by leading international architects gfab and represents the most contemporary luxury apartment development currently available in Cambodia.

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CB Richard Ellis (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. 9th Floor, Hyundai Phnom Penh Tower 445 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 964 099 www.cbre.com.kh The world’s largest commercial real estate services company offering premier quality real estate, valutions, consultancy, investment and property services.

Property Care Services (PCS) 2A Road 7. Tel: 017 555 203 Solution for property support services, including waste management, security, pest control and cleaning. Only company to clean high-rise windows with abseilers.

Relocation, Shipping

Crown 115-116 Street 335.

Tel: 023 881 004 www.crownrelo.com Global transportation and relocation company with over 150 offices in 50 countries, specialising in expat support and household shipment.

Open 8:30am - 5:30pm Mon - Fri, 8:30am - 12pm, Sat. Home Connect Cambodia 86 Street 160. Tel: 023 88 56 85 www.homeconnect.asia Home search company, dedicated to making the home search process easy and specializing in finding rental homes for the expatriate community. Best of all for our clients, our services are FREE.

Taxi Services

Choice Taxi Tel: 023 888 023 / 090 882 882 Metered taxi service with rates from US$1 for first 2km.

Giant Ibis Transport Phnom Penh Phnom Penh: 3 Street 106, next to Night Market.

Tel: 023 999 333 www.giantibis.com Siem Reap: 64 Street Sivatha, Mondol 1, Svay Dankum.

Travel in “Affordable Luxury” to Siem Reap and other destinations in brand new 2012 buses with comforablt reclining seats, spacious leg room, A/C, Wi-fi, complementary snacks and pick-up service.

Global Meter Taxi Tel: 011 311 888 092 889 962 016 680 118 Modern metered taxi fleet with rates from less than US$1 for first two km.

Telecoms

Ezecom 7D Russian Blvd.

Tel: 023 888 181 www.ezecom.com.kh Internet service provider that promises boundless internet packages suited to everyone’s needs. Good packages for those looking for unlimited downloads.

Mobitel 33 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 012 801 801 Largest ISP in the country. Major mobile phone company which issues the 012 SIM card.

Smart Mobile 464A Preah Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 010 201 000 www.smart.com.kh facebook.com/SmartMobileKH One of the most dynamic and fastest growing mobile telecom service providers in the country. Issues the 010, 069, 070, 086, 093 and 098 prefixes.

Listings

shopping Art

Hanuman Fine Arts 13B Street 334, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 211 916 tradition@hanumanfinearts.com High quality, beautiful antiques and objets d’art from all over the Kingdom.

Furniture, ornaments, silverware, jewellery and more are well displayed in a treasure trove of a store. Very helpful and friendly staff.

Open 8am - 5pm.

Happy Painting Gallery 363 Sisowath Quay (nr. FCC) Tel : 023 221 732 www.happypainting.net Established in 1995 this art gallery is dedicated to Stef, a local icon artist with a very personal and positive insight into everyday life in Cambodia.

Open 8am - 10pm

Beauty Products

Angkor Soap 16C Street 374 Tel: 023 223 720 / 015 935 789. www.angkorsoaps.com Specialising in handmade soaps and natural spa products.

Open daily 8am - 5pm Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnompenh spa. phnompenh@raffles.com Distinctive collection of Raffles Amrita spa private label and international spa products are available for purchase.

Open 6am - 10pm.

Books & CDS

Carnets d’Asie French Cultural Centre 218 Street 184. Tel: 012 799 959 French-language bookshop has sections on Cambodia and Asia as well as general fiction, with a good range of French magazines and newspapers.

Open 8am - 8pm

D’s Books 79 Street 240 & 12E Street 178 Tel: 012 726 355 www.facebook.com/ ds.books.shops New and used bookshops with over 20,000 original books and some copies, with a great range of best sellers.

Coffee, smoothies and more available all day at Street 240. Open 9am to 9pm.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

PhalyCraft 37 Street 113. Tel: 016 485 857 www.phalycraft.com Located near Tuol Sleng Museum, PhalyCraft makes scarves, bags, gifts and accessories. Custom orders available.

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).

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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.

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.

Dara Shoes 10 Street 166, near corner Street 107.

Tel: 012 855 173 / 097 8097 143 Good quality shoes, boots, bags, belts and leather products made to order since 1993.

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

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Vibrant vintage shop offering a selection of interesting, handpicked secondhand 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 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.

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.

Food & Wine

Supercheap Cambodia 87 Street 360. Tel: 023 631 3668 336A Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 977 779 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.

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.

The Deli

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Mekong Quilts 49 Street 240 Tel: 023 219 607 www.mekong-quilts.org Outlet for NGO Mekong Plus, stocks a large range of hand-crafted bed covers, home accessories, gifts and decorations.

Benefits Mekong Plus, which promotes health initiatives in Svay Rieng Province.

Open 9am - 7pm.

Sentosa Silk 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 023 222 974 www.sentosasilk.com Using a colourful range of Asian silks, Sentosa creates men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and soft furnishings. Sentosa employs disadvantaged people.

Open daily 8am - 7pm.

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asialife Cambodia 91

.2

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AWC Plate for a Cause @ Sofitel

David Holiday Montage exhibition @ Plantation

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Photography by Conor Wall, Amanda Saxton & Charles Fox

92 asialife Cambodia

The Amazing Silly Race @ Gasolina

Opening @ Seibur

asialife Cambodia 93

soundfix album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Deltron 3030

HAIM

Event II

Days Are Gone

Omar Souleyman

Kelela Cut 4 Me

Wenu Wenu The year is now 3040. Society has eroded, the banks are collapsing and anarchy is on the rise. But, as actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt announces in a dramatic introductory narration, here come Deltron 3030 “back from the great beyond.” It’s been 13 years since the hip-hop group’s selftitled debut, a concept album focused on an intergalactic battle set in the year of 3030.

The futuristic theme continues on the long-awaited sequel Event II, complete with outer space references and robotic voices. Deltron 3030 — made up of alt-rapper Del the Funky Homosapien, turn-tablist Kid Koala and producer Dan the Automator — isn’t as sharp today as on the cult-classic first album. Time has caught up with Deltron 3030. That doesn’t mean this isn’t an enjoyable album, with great flow, relevant social critique, cheeky humour and a standout cameo by Damon Albarn (who’s worked with each of Deltron’s members on his project, Gorillaz). Event II offers enough to appreciate, no matter where you are on the time continuum.

94 asialife Cambodia

HAIM are best known for their breakout single ‘The Wire’ but the band’s other main claim to fame is a cover of Miley Cyrus’ ‘Wrecking Ball’ for BBC Radio 1. It’s a testament to the folk-rock trio’s ability to create music that feels both natural and enthralling. They don’t need theatrics to sell their music, although being a group of hip, long-haired sisters from Los Angeles certainly has an allure. HAIM’s debut album Days Are Gone starts off with a hat-trick of sure-fire hits in ‘Falling’, ‘Forever’ and the memorable ‘The Wire’.

Comparisons to Fleetwood Mac are inevitable, given a similar start-and-stop tempo and how much lead singer Danielle Haim’s unfeminine voice recalls Stevie Nicks.

But the band is quick to point out their less-obvious R&B inspiration. Music runs in the Haim family’s veins — they used to perform all together, parents included — and there’s something to be said for familiarity to explain how the sisters’ respective musicality merges into a seamless whole.

Syria may be earning more attention for its ongoing turmoil than its cultural forms, but here is one exception. Once a farmer, Omar Souleyman started his musical career as a part-time wedding singer, garnered success in his native Syria and now draws an international following. Last year, Björk collaborated with him on a remix of one of her songs. He sings in Arabic, Kurdish and Turkish, revitalising Syrian folk music known as dabke with an electronic treatment courtesy of partner Rizan Sa’id.

Souleyman’s first studio album, Wenu Wenu, features production by dance music luminary Four Tet. The result is a frenzy of emotion, rhythm and originality.

‘Ya Yumma’ starts out with Souleyman’s murmured yalla, a common Arabic expression that means “let’s go.” And go it does, breaking midway into a transcendent keyboard solo.

Although Souleyman is nearing 50 years of age, his energy feels boundless.

Whether you prefer it shaken or stirred, contemporary music is very much about a good mix.

Take Kelela Mizanekristos, who’s fusing the influences of R&B, drum & bass, jazz and dubstep to create a distinctive sound. Her debut mixtape includes a number of producers and collaborators, showcasing her ethereal yet rich vocals over inspired soundscapes. It’s refreshing music that’s “not quite this, not quite that.” Baltimore suburbs-born and Los Angelesbased, Kelela gives a nod to the sensual sounds of the 90s, notably Aaliyah, Brandy and TLC, but taken to a much darker level. Beats-per-minute are kept within the slow jam range for the most part. ‘Enemy’ is the closest thing to a club banger, with rat-a-tat synths that will stick in your head. Solange Knowles, Beyonce’s younger, cooler sister, has already recognised Kelela’s talents, including one of her tracks on her new label’s forthcoming compilation.

topten

endorsed

Official 97.5 Love FM Phnom Penh Top Ten 1. Everything Has Changed 2. Roar 3. Best Song Ever 4. La La La 5. Made In The U.S.A. 6. We Can’t Stop 7. Slow Down 8. Applause 9. Rock N Roll 10. Wrecking Ball

Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran Katy Perry One Direction Naughty Boy Demi Lovato Miley Cyrus Selena Gomez Lady Gaga Avril Lavigne Miley Cyrus

UK Top Ten 1. Wrecking Ball 2. Berzerk 3. Counting Stars 4. R U Crazy 5. Disco Love 6. Bonfire Heat 7. Roar 8. Talk Dirty 9. Cheating 10. Can We Dance

Miley Cyrus Eminem One Republic Conor Maynard The Saturdays James Blunt Katy Perry Jason Derulo John Newman Vamps

US Top Ten 1. Royals 2. Roar 3. Wrecking Ball 4. Wake Me Up! 5. Hold On, We’re Going Home 6. The Fox 7. Holy Grail 8. Blurred Lines 9. Applause 10. Summertime Sadness

Lourde Katy Perry Miley Cryrus Avicii Drake Ylvis Jay Z Robin Thicke Lady Gaga Lana Del Ray

Malala Yousafzai Chris Mueller If you haven’t heard of Malala Yousafzai yet, you probably need to read more news. She is the 16-year-old Pakistani girl who, at the age of 15, was shot in the head by the Taliban for speaking out in support of educating young girls in Pakistan. She survived the attack and has since become a global phenomenon.

Yousafzai began her campaign for education at age 11, when she started writing a blog for BBC Urdu about her life in the Swat Valley under the Taliban.

She went on to speak out freely against the Taliban’s oppression, despite threats and intimidation.

Then, on one early October afternoon in 2012, a bearded Taliban militant boarded a school bus full of young girls and asked: “Which one of you is Malala? Speak up, otherwise I will shoot you all,” according to a Christian Science Monitor article.

The gunman recognised Yousafzai and shot her point-blank in the head.

She survived and now the whole world knows who Malala is. Her new autobiography, I Am Malala, co-authored with British journalist Christina Lamb, has been met with critical acclaim. Last month alone Yousafzai met with world leaders, appeared on a number of western television shows,

released her book, won the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and was passed over for a Nobel Peace Prize.

As someone so young, outspoken and now popular, it comes as no surprise that she has garnered her fair share of critics — and further death threats — especially back home in the Swat Valley. “I am against Malala,” a 22-year-old trader in Swat was quoted as saying in an Oct. 11 New York Times article. “The media has projected Malala as a heroine of the west. But what has she done for Swat?”

Others quoted in the article had similar things to say, with some even accusing her of being a western puppet or CIA agent. Admittedly at this point it’s difficult to differentiate between what ideas Yousafzai has conjured up herself and what her crack PR team from Edelman — the largest PR firm in the world — has said, but she still deserves the attention.

There is also no denying that countless, unknown young girls are still in areas like Swat Valley standing up for what Yousafzai is campaigning for, while she enjoys the money from her multi-milliondollar book deal. But how could anything that brings attention to this issue be a bad thing?

asialife Cambodia 95

bookshelf The Luminaries

Eleanor Catton Little, Brown & Company The winner of this year’s Man Booker Prize, The Luminaries is an account of love, greed and murder set in 1860s New Zealand. The novel takes place in Hokitika, a small town caught up in the throes of a gold rush. Walter Moody, a fortune-seeking recent arrival from Scotland, finds himself amongst a group of 12 strangers discussing unsolved crimes.

Modelled on Victorian fiction, the story spans numerous characters and intertwined plot lines over more than 800 pages. A triumph from author Eleanor Catton, who at 28 years of age is the youngest Man Booker recipient in history.

Ninety Percent of Everything: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry That Puts Clothes on Your Back, Gas in Your Car, and Food on Your Plate Rose George Metropolitan Books How often do you think about shipping? Although resources and products from around the world are part of our daily consumption — with oil from the Middle East and clothing from China as just two examples — we seldom ponder how these things reach us. Employing vigorous research and her experience of living on a Maersk container ship for five weeks, Rose George draws attention to the vast transport of goods across the seas. She covers fuel consumption and environmental damage, but her most compelling writing is about the people who staff the ships, facing weather threats, pirate hijackings and challenging work conditions.

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The Circle Dave Eggers Knopf Situated sometime in the near future, The Circle draws on present-day anxiety about the repercussions of technology.

Desperate to start a career and pay off student loans, Mae Holland is thrilled to be offered a job at the Circle, an Internet company that has amassed the powers of Google, Facebook and Amazon. The deeper Mae gets into her work, the more that notions of privacy, identity and tyranny come into question. Allusions to George Orwell’s 1984 are hard to ignore in this cautionary tale from Dave Eggers, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and What is the What.

The Goldfinch Donna Tartt Little, Brown & Company Author of bestselling novels The Secret History and The Little Friend, Donna Tartt breaks an 11-year publishing hiatus with a powerful third novel. The Goldfinch is named after a work by 17th century Dutch painter Carel Fabritius.

Thirteen-year-old Theo Decker is viewing the painting at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art when a bomb detonates, killing his mother and changing his life forever. In the ensuing chaos, Theo meets an injured old man who convinces him to save “The Goldfinch”.

Narrating the following decade of Theo’s life, Tartt delivers a Bildungsroman that’s well worth the lengthy wait.

boxoffice

Ender’s Game

Last Vegas

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Thor: The Dark World

The fate of the human race lies in the hands of one young boy.

Ender Wiggin is the last hope of the International Fleet, charged with protecting humanity from an alien invasion. In the wake of an unsuccessful alien attack 70 years prior, a battle school was established to identify talent that could best protect Earth in the future. Despite his youth, gifted student Ender is chosen to head a defensive force and ensure Earth’s survival. An adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s popular novel, the film comes after a 20-year battle over film rights.

Here’s yet another bachelor party scenario set in Las Vegas. But this comedy is not quite in the debauched vein of, say, The Hangover. Instead, the film features a group of 60-something buddies, played by acting greats Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline. Best friends since childhood, the foursome have a bond that’s endured for more than 50 years. To celebrate Billy’s impending nuptials, Paddy, Archie and Sam take him to Las Vegas and find the city has changed since the Rat Pack days. Will Sin City get the better of these retirees?

Katniss Everdeen thought her ordeal ended when she won the 74th Annual Hunger Games. But the Capitol cannot forgive her for forcing them to accept two victors, an act of defiance that sparked unrest in certain districts. As revenge, the Capitol calls for an all-star Hunger Games with contestants reaped from the existing pool of victors.

Katniss and Peeta are sent back into the arena to represent District 12, pitted against experienced killers dead set on winning. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth reprise their roles, joining a strong ensemble of new and returning actors.

Every 5,000 years, the worlds align and evil has the opportunity to rise. When an ancient enemy emerges with powers beyond those of Norse god Odin, it’s up to his son Thor to be the hero. Thor teams up with treacherous god Loki and Jane Foster, a human astrophysicist, to fight for Earth and all the Nine Realms.

The Dark World is a followup to 2011’s Thor, featuring Marvel Comics characters from The Avengers series. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston star as Thor, Jane Foster and Loki.

Coming Soon november Movie Releases Platinum Cineplex, Sorya See platinumcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule.

Wrath of Vajra (3D) Nov. 7 Last Vegas Nov. 7 Tom Yum Goong 2 (Thai) Nov. 11 Thor: The Dark World (3D) Nov. 14 Sadako 2 (3D) Nov. 14 Make Me Shudder (3D, Thai) Nov. 16 Ender’s Game Nov. 21 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Nov. 28

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

Wrath of Vajra (3D, Khmer Dub) Nov. 7 Tom Yum Goong 2 (3D, Khmer Dub) Nov. 11 Thor: The Dark World (3D) Nov. 14 Make Me Shudder (3D, Khmer Dub) Nov. 16 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Nov. 28

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pub quiz Tom 1. Michael Crawford played the title role in which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical?

2. Which American anti-slavery novel was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852?

3. What is also known as a love apple?

4. On what river does Washington DC stand?

5. What name is given to the scientific study of insects?

Dic 6. Which parliament is known in English as the Althing?

7. Who created the characters Abel Magwitch, Daniel Quilp, Wackford Squeers and Uriah Heep?

8. What does a lexicographer write or make?

9. Elizabeth Darcy (née Bennet) is the protagonist of which novel?

10. What name is given to the most used table of the elements?

spotted of Roy Neary, an everyday blue collar worker in Indiana, played by Richard Dreyfus?

22. In British soap operas, in which city is Brookside Close?

23. Which prison closed on Mar. 21, 1963?

24. Who played the film character Alex Forrest?

25. Which novel opens and closes with the letters of Robert Walton?

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21. Which film tells the story 98 asialife Cambodia

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Open 16. Which was Andy Murray’s first tennis Grand Slam victory?

17. Which British sitcom starred Ronnie Barker as David Jason’s uncle?

18. Which Scandinavian capital city has the smallest population?

19. Who officially opened the 1936 Olympiad?

20. What traditionally opens on Aug. 12, the Glorious Twelfth?

4

3

1. Phantom of the Opera 2. Uncle Tom’s Cabin 3. Tomato 4. Potomac River 5. Entomology 6. Icelandic 7. Dickens 8. Dictionaries 9. Pride and Prejudice 10. Periodic table 11. Yuri Gagarin 12. Hungarian 13. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 14. In Paris and London 15. Barings 16. US Open 17. Open All Hours 18. Copenhagen 19. Adolf Hitler 20. The grouse shooting season 21. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 22. Liverpool 23. Alcatraz 24. Glenn Close 25. Frankenstein 26. Angelina Jolie 27. Orlando Bloom 28. Liv Tyler 29. Jude Law 30. Penelope Cruz

11. Who was the first man in outer space?

12. The FIFA Puskás Award is an award for the “most beautiful” goal of the year. What nationality was Puskás, the man it is named after?

13. The popularity of which poem gave the English language the phrase “albatross around one’s neck”?

14. Where, according to his book, was George Orwell Down and Out? 15. The imprisonment of Nick Leeson followed the collapse of which bank?