AsiaLIFE Cambodia September 2014

092014 ISSUE93

www.asialifemagazine.com

note from the editor AsiaLIFE Group

Ellie Dyer After three years at the helm of AsiaLIFE Cambodia, it’s time for me to move on. From the next edition onwards, my colleague Marissa Carruthers will be stepping into my shoes as managing editor of the magazine.

As it’s my last edition in charge (though I will be contributing articles in the future) I’d like to take the opportunity to thank both my colleagues and everyone over the years who has supported or contributed to the publication. It’s been a pleasure to work at a magazine that celebrates the positive aspects of life in the Kingdom, especially the youth and vibrancy of modernday Cambodia.

The country is changing at break-neck pace and, with the economy going strong, is set to do so for some time to come. I hope that, over the last few years, we’ve given our audience a sense of these exciting times and an insight into the multitude of entrepreneurs, creatives, NGOs, politicians and businesspeople helping to shape Cambodia’s future.

The September cover feature also marks a major development for the Kingdom, this time within the sphere of martial arts. ONE FC, Asia’s biggest mixed martial arts organisation, is set to launch in Phnom Penh this month with a much-anticipated event on Diamond Island.

As well as being a scintillating sport to watch, I think the arrival of ONE FC can only bode well, raising the profile of both Kun Khmer kickboxing and also the wages of some of Cambodia’s most talented fighters.

Away from the ring, we’ve taken a look at mechanisms for parental support in the capital, especially for expat mums and dads living far away from family networks, and gone behind the scenes with rescued wildlife at Phnom Tamao zoo, including Chhouk the elephant, who lost a leg in the forests of Mondulkiri province.

Keep an eye out for the travel features too. Our writers have gone surfing in the Philippines and spoken to experts from Myanmar’s travel industry about how to go off-the-beaten track in a country that is opening up to tourists at a rapid rate.

So, again, thank you readers for all your support and I hope you’ll continue to enjoy AsiaLIFE in the years to come.

www.asialifemagazine.com

6 asialife Cambodia

For sales enquiries: Chantha Sorn Tel: 012 576 878 chantha@asialife.asia

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: Joe Slater

Editorial Assistant: Joanna Mayhew

Photographers: Charles Fox & Rudi Towiro

Siem Reap: Caroline Major

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

Distribution: Sorn Chandara 096 9999 351 Printing: Sok Heng Printing House

Sales Officer: Ven Kakada 087 622 269 Accountant: Seang Seiha 012 887 118

For advertising enquiries call Chantha on 012 576 878 (English/Khmer) or Kakada on 087 622 269 (Khmer).

Special thanks to: Darren Gall, Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen, Paul Dodd, Gemma Mullen, SOS International, Rebecca LuriaPhillips, David Preece, Ryan Drewe Taylor and Cambodian Living Arts – for their contribution to this issue.

On the Cover Art Direction: Joe Slater Photography: Charles Fox 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

092014 ISSUE93

front

14 Picks of the Month 16 Openings

getaway

24 Phnom Penh Calendar 26 Photo Essay

food

30 Q&A: Loralie Young

32 Fight Night

storyboard

38 Parental Support 40 Into the Wild

8 asialife Cambodia

48 Tea Time 50 Miam Miam 51 Irrawaddi

style & design

52 Behind the Design

back

58 Listings

42 Cinematic Dreams

26

46 Myanmar: Away from the Crowds

20 Street Smart

on the cover

44 Now Ready for Boarding

32 40

54 Accessorise

90 Phnom Penh Map 98 Pub Quiz

42

July 2014

News & Events New Dimensions

A new 4D cinema is taking film experiences in Phnom Penh to a new level. Major Cineplex has opened its doors in Aeon Mall, bringing with it a seven-screen luxury cinema boasting 1,500 seats and a 13-lane bowling alley.

As well as the usual 2D and 3D offerings, the cinema presents a new generation of viewing with Cambodia’s first 4DX theatre ($10 to $12 per person). Seats move along with the film and a series of special effects also come into play, such as wind, water, fog, smells and leg ticklers. Vicha Poolvara, chairman of Major Group which runs the operation,

10 asialife Cambodia

says, “Cambodians have had limited entertainment options for such a growing country with a young, fun-seeking population and we believe they will embrace what we have brought.”

Water Festival To Return

After a four-year hiatus, the Water Festival is returning to the capital to mark the end of the rainy season and the changing flow of the Tonle Sap in early November, according to local media reports.

The last festival was held in 2010 when a bridge stampede left more than 350 people dead. However, the traditional event will be back this year on Nov. 5, 6 and 7 when

colourful longboat races, parades and other events are expected to attract more than one million people from across the country to the capital once again.

Play Time

The Phnom Penh Players are returning to the stage with Mixed Troubles, a comedy about gin, politics, and love – but not necessarily in that order.

Written by Zac Kendall and directed by Joe Conway, the play tells the story of Fischer, a washed-up professional tennis player, and high school stand-out, Mimi. The couple find themselves representing America at a charitable doubles tournament in Cambodia. Their shaky partnership is put under even more pressure when an incident puts the tournament on the international stage. The show takes place on Sep. 5 at 7.30pm and Sep. 6 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm at Himawari hotel

tennis court. Tickets are $10 from The Willow Boutique Hotel, Divine Pizza and Ribs, and The Flicks 1.

Bollywood in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh was awash with all things Indian when it hosted its debut Indian Film Festival. The event, which was hailed a hit by organisers, saw 11 Indian films screened at Chaktomuk Theatre. Dinesh Pantnaik, ambassador of the Republic of India to the Kingdom of Cambodia, says: “Indian cinema is turning a century [old] this year, it is a good occasion to celebrate in Phnom Penh.”

On the back of the success, it is now hoped the event will become annual, strengthening the strong cinematic bonds between India and Cambodia, which were encouraged by late King Norodom Sihanouk in the 1960s.

Mooncakes Mark Festival

The capital will be awash will treats to welcome the Moon Festival on Sep. 8. Mooncakes form part of a Chinese tradition to mark the night when the moon is at its brightest, roundest and fullest. NagaWorld hotel has created an special collection of mini mooncakes for diners to enjoy. Each is filled with a range of modern flavours, such as tiramisu, chocolate and strawberry, along with traditional white lotus, black sesame, pandan and durian golden-baked mooncakes. The cakes are available until Sep. 8. asialife Cambodia 11

August 2014

SR News & Events Golden Banana Rebrands After eight years, the Golden Banana Boutique Hotel & Resort is rebranding. The well-known hotel will now be known as Rambutan Hotel & Resort - Siem Reap, in line with its popular sister branch in Phnom Penh.

“We felt it natural to join the club up here in Siem Reap and become one big happy family,” the management stated in a press release.

The hotel will have the same team, management and owner, and nothing will change other than the logo and name. For more information, visit www. rambutans.info.

12 asialife Cambodia

Bugs Café Opens

For those yet to try all of Cambodia’s edible delicacies, new Asian fusion restaurant Bugs Café is serving up scorpions,

spiders, silkworms and more. With a menu of insect tapas, the crunch of a cricket can be enjoyed with a cocktail in hand.

Creative Westerninfluenced dishes and seasonings – think feta and tarantula samosas — make it all a little less daunting as you delve into the culinary unknown in the relaxed restaurant setting. Creepy crawly-free food is also available for the less adventurous. The eatery can be found on Angkor Night Market Street.

New Titanic Nightclub

The grand opening of the Royal Titanic Nightclub, located at Sokha Hotel in Siem Reap, was held on Aug. 29. Open from 6pm until late, the venue promises a live Filipino band to rock the night away, as well as international DJs, spinning mostly English tunes, and music to party to. The nightclub also serves Western and Asian food, champagne, cocktails, wines and spirits. With fun flashing lights and comfortable seating, hopefully a night out here will end on a more positive note than the eponymous vessel’s transatlantic crossing.

picks of the month Try: Phnom Penh Community College Learning a new skill is a rewarding experience, and Phnom there’s no end Penh Community of options in College Cambodia. If you’re seeking learning to broaden your Where and horizons, try Phnom passions Penh Community College, which has recently moved to a fresh and airy new location on Street 115. The centre offers a range of excellent courses, from Khmer language lessons to art classes, photography sessions and sewing workshops. To keep up to date, visit the college’s Facebook page or check out phnompenhcommunitycollege.com.

meet

Watch: True Detective Oscar-winner Mathew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star in this eerie detective series.

Set in the gloomy marshlands of the US state of Louisiana, two cops stumble upon a grisly murder with occult connotations. The series skips between the present day and the 1990s, when the killing took place, both exploring the hunt for the woman’s killer and its aftermath and the rocky relationship between the nihilistic Rust (McConaughey) and pragmatic father-of-two Martin (Harrelson). A well-acted drama with philosophical undertones, this drama proves that television has become a medium of choice for even the biggest Hollywood stars.

Read: A Short Ride in the Jungle In 2013, British adventurer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent spent two months riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail on an aged, pink Honda Club motorbike. Traversing 2,000 miles through Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, she battled breakdowns and inhospitable terrain – including the wilds of Ratanakkiri province and the hills of Sen Monorom in Mondulkiri. Inquisitive and observant, Bolingbroke-Kent is a keen observer of day-to-day life, and her account of the trip provides a touching insight into the remnants of the infamous and heavily bombed route. Her book, A Short Ride in the Jungle: The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle, is now available at Monument books in Phnom Penh, and as an e-book via Amazon.com.

App: Coffitivity If you like working in cafés but can’t afford nursing endless lattés in order to utilise the free WiFi, Coffitivity is the app for you. The programme recreates the sound of a busy coffee shop, from the gentle murmur of breakfast-time to the hubbub of a lunchtime rush and the scholarly chat of university campus café, on your computer.

Developers hope that having “enough sound to work” will help boost creativity and the background noise can prove strangely lulling.

The only thing missing is the coffee.

See: Lacquerware Exhibition An exhibition entitled Master Lacquer and Textures Craft runs at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra this month. The show displays the work of Siem Reap-based brothers Eric and Thierry Stocker, who hail from France and have been trained by masters in lacquer and gilding. More than 40 unique pieces including canvasses, statues, decorative items and furniture are on show, using layering techniques from gold leaf to straw marquetry. The Siem Reap exhibition also showcases the tradition of Cambodian vegetal lacquer. The Stockers hope to preserve and revive this disappearing art form with their own workshop and by training artisan apprentices. The show runs until Nov. 15.

14 asialife Cambodia

Ringtones Russian fisherman saved after his ringtone – Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ – scares away bear during attack.

Tech-Savvy Kids British study finds that children aged six have a better understanding of technology than 45 year olds.

Holes Three huge holes appear in Northern Siberia, sparking a multitude of theories to explain them.

Buses Cambodia’s bus system gets another boost with two new lines set to grace the capital’s roads.

Work Books Crackdown on regulations for expat workers in Cambodia revealed in press reports.

GOING UP GOING DOWN Swimming Slovenian national charged after allegedly bypassing border controls to swim from Thailand to Cambodia, say reports.

The Khmer Rouge Two elderly Khmer Rouge senior leaders, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, receive life sentences for crimes against humanity.

Cheating Crackdown on cheating and bribery at Cambodia’s annual grade 12 national exams.

Surrogacy Australian couple accused of abandoning baby son with Down’s, born of a surrogate mother in Thailand, while keeping his sister.

Squirrels Heartless man kicks squirrel off the Grand Canyon, prompting PETA to issue a reward for information leading to his arrest.

asialife Cambodia 15

openings Cambodian Menswear

Kool as U

Cambodian designer Ou Kosal has opened his debut store to showcase the unique clothing and accessories that he produces for men. Focusing on creating stylish clothes that can be worn for work or leisure, Kool as U’s collection spans shirts, patterned T-shirts, trousers, shorts, suits, belts and bags at affordable prices. “I want the world to see that Cambodia can produce high quality clothes and accessories and compete internationally,” he says. With a workshop based at the Street 19 store, Ou also tailor makes garments and hopes to collaborate with other local designers to help push forward the burgeoning fashion industry.

141 Street 19, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 220 930.

Open daily from 9am to 9pm.

The High Life

De Castle Royal A new type of luxury living can be enjoyed in the capital after the De Castle Royal condominium complex opened its doors. The 33-floor deluxe development has set the benchmark for living standards in Phnom Penh. Offering five-star living, the tower features a mix of 414 one to three-bedroom apartments, as well as penthouse suite options.

It boasts a swimming pool and gym, kitted out and managed by The Place, a library, restaurant, café and secure underground parking. The rooftop terrace includes seating areas, tropical gardens and stunning 360-degree views of the capital.

34 to 36 Street 288, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 222 214, www.decastle.net

Diamond Dining With development on Diamond Island picking up pace, more venues are deciding to set up shop on Koh Pich. One of the latest eateries is Japanese restaurant, Jingu. Overlooking the river, the lofty diner is a slick affair with black leather seats and white walls. The menu serves a healthy selection of treats at reasonable prices, including curry rice ($3), sushi salmon ($2) and tofu salad ($4). Throughout September, diners can also feast on as many oysters and soft drinks as they like for $2.90.

Area manager Kazuya Hashimoto says, “More and more people come to Diamond Island to relax and have fun so it seemed good to set up here.”

H13-15 Diamond Island, Phnom Penh. Tel: 092 518 400.

Open daily from 11am to 2.30pm and 5pm to 11pm.

16 asialife Cambodia

Jingu

double the fun

Duplex

Vegetarians, food lovers and those wanting to party into the early hours are in for a treat. Offering the best of both worlds, new venue Duplex is spread across two floors. The ground level is an open-plan café while upstairs serves as a club hosting city DJs. The venue also prides itself on fresh and healthy food, focusing mainly on creative vegetarian and fish dishes, such as coconut marinated tofu satay ($6.50). There are options for meat-lovers including a pork chop served with homemade apple and cinnamon compote and potato-pumpkin croquettes ($12). Selim Sinai Latrous, an advisor for Duplex, says, “This is a relaxed environment where people can eat, drink or dance.”

3 Street 278, Phnom Penh. Tel: 098 317 150.

Open daily from 11am to 2.30am.

A Page-Turner

The Library Books are stacked high upon the wooden shelves at The Library microbar. Thankfully, unlike the stuffy aisles of a real library, customer noise is welcomed at the venue and readers can sip on lime, pineapple and watermelon rum daiquiris ($5 a glass/$13 for a jug) while perusing the tomes. Cooking books, classic Dickens and murder mystery novels all decorate the venue, which also features huge shuttered windows that open up onto Bassac Lane and its sister venue Meat & Drink. With a 5pm to 7pm happy hour with a three-for-two offer on cocktails and beer, bookworms have never had it so good.

Bassac Lane, off Street 308, Phnom Penh. Tel: 095 366 243.

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to 11pm.

Classic USA

Lone Pine Cafe

It’s a well-known scene from the movies. A young couple cruising through the desert pull into a typical roadside diner “somewhere on a lost highway” to grab a bite to eat. This, and the fact that the Lone Pine area in California is one of co-owner William Brown’s favourite spots, is the inspiration for his latest venture, Lone Pine Cafe, which serves up American comfort food in its finest form. Try the Memphis hunk ribs ($8.50) and the burgers, which come in more than 25 flavours including People’s Choice ($7.50) with Swiss cheese, onions and mushrooms.

Brown, who also owns Mexican eatery Taqueria Corona, says the restaurant offers “all the fundamental American dishes.”

14 Street 282, Phnom Penh. Tel: 095 949 398.

Open from 6pm to 10pm daily and Monday to Saturday from 11.30am to 2pm.

asialife Cambodia 17

Taste of Germany

Ludwik’s German Restaurant For a refreshing taste of the finest German beers in the heart of Phnom Penh, head to Ludwik’s German Restaurant and authentic beer garden.

It serves up German cuisine, with delicacies such as sauerkraut and schnitzel sausages (dishes range from $2.50 to $8), and all meats are sourced from a German butcher. Ludwik’s offerings also take in a range of beers, including Paulaner ($3) from Munich. The spacious beer garden, smattered with tropical flora, offers shade from the sun. With Ludwik’s aiming to provide the perfect place to host a party, the garden is also ideal for celebrations and events for up to 200 people, with a management team on hand to cater for all needs.

28 Street 350, Phnom Penh. Tel: 084 444 888.

Open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Caring Cuts If your hair needs rescuing from the frazzling heat, then high-end salon with a heart, Kate Korpi Salon, is offering a helping hand. Based on the sixth floor of the SunCity tower block in BKK1, the salon serves customers four days a week and trains Cambodian students from under-privileged backgrounds in how to become high-end stylists and colour specialists.

Owner Matthew Fairfax says, “We want to offer our customers the service, quality and cleanliness they would find in a five-star Western salon. We also want to show talented Cambodians what it is like to work in such a salon.” With four students and three Western stylists, cuts cost $32 and $38, a full head of colour costs $70 and foils between $68 and $125. Skin treatments and waxing are also available.

255 Street 51, Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 988 166.

Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, from 10am to 6pm.

18 asialife Cambodia

Kate Korpi Salon

street smart Street 155

The roads around the capital’s Tuol Tom Pong market are usually a hive of activity, with shoppers, tourists and stallholders alike convening on the popular covered venue to buy, sell and eat.

Writer Monyneath Reth and photographer Charles Fox pick out some of best spots set around the neighbourhood’s main thoroughfare, Street 155, which runs from Mao Tse Tung Boulevard and along the eastern edge of Russian Market.

20 asialife Cambodia

P MRD Store 784, Russian Market

“Keep Calm and Wear Krama” is one of the most popular mottos for T-shirts designed by Keo Morodok. Since 2012, the 19-year-old has put her own designs and artwork on clothes and accessories under the brand MRD. The products, including clothes, dresses, bags and shoes, are all handmade. What makes this store special is the fact that it was the first to offer DIY and customised T-shirts in Russian market at very reasonable prices (from $4 to $10). Open from 8am to 5pm.

oodle Soup P N Stall 670, Block 3, Russian Market

Noodle seller Aunty Vanny decided to buck the trend of serving up noodles in the morning by offering steaming bowls from 12pm until 5pm daily. Located in the food section of Russian Market, the stall’s seats are usually packed with customers, who point to order toppings for their soup. Diners can have all kinds of noodles – mixed with caramelised pork, steamed chicken and meatballs – for only 6,000 Riel a bowl.

Add lime, pepper and sugar to the soup to make it even more sumptuous.

eace Handicrafts PP Between Street 454 and 456

Owner Yek Hong Tang designs all the fascinating products at Peace Handicrafts. Using four raw materials – recycled cement or rice bags, net, paper and silk – disabled artisans then produce the high-quality accessories, bags, scarves and hand-woven silks that bedeck the store. The cement bag passport holder ($9) is must-have item and a convenient way to keep a pen, passport and cash safe during a trip. Peace Handicrafts opens daily from 7.30am to 11.30am and from 1pm to 5pm.

asialife Cambodia 21

P Vintage Posters Stall 696, Russian Market

To bring an interior space into the 1960s rock ‘n’ roll era, go vintage at the poster shops near the food section of Psar Tuol Tom Pong.

From elaborate movie adverts, to reproduction Cambodian shop signs and retro-inspired band artwork, the bright and colorful posters can bring a pop of old school glamour to any home or business. The artworks can be purchased both framed and unframed and offer an insight into a golden era of the Kingdom’s past.

P De Loops Between Street 450 and 454

For shoppers who fancy a dose of retail therapy without the somewhat stifling atmosphere of Russian Market, De Loops is located just 50 metres away from the bustling hub. Factory outlet goods can be found here at reasonable prices, ranging from just $3 to $40. The shirts, shorts, jeans, sportswear, dresses, bags, caps and especially men’s suits and boots are all Cambodian made. De Loops opens daily from 8am to 8pm.

FACT ABOUT...

Despite being called Psar Tuol Tom Poung, the bustling market is better known among foreigners as the Russian Market because in the 1980s, most of the Western expats were Russian and regularly frequented the place.

22 asialife Cambodia

P Kimcy’s Jewellery Stall 291, Russian Market

Kimcy’s store attracts both local and international customers due to its lady-like design and wall-to-wall jewellery. Upon parting clusters of beads and stepping into the colourful store, shoppers can find all kinds of items made from silver, pearls, stones and wood. The eclectic designs include some vintage pieces and range from $0.50 to $55 each, with 20 percent of designs based on Cambodian styles and the rest imported from Thailand, Myanmar and China. Open from 8am to 5pm.

P Lola’s Intimates Corner Street 460

This is another shop stacked with Cambodian products, but this time it’s all things underwear.

The intimate items are produced in a factory in Sihanoukville.

Shoppers can find all kinds of stylish underwear and night dresses with beautiful patterns in the store, which is decorated in a yellow and black theme. Aureole, Women’s Secret, Influx and Naf Naf are the best-selling brands, and prices range from $1 to $12 per item. Lola’s opens daily from 9am to 6.30pm.

Have an event coming up?

Send information and dates to ellie@asialife.asia

CALENDAR ALL month

sept

04

sept

0506

sept

06

An exhibition of vegetal lacquer work

by Eric and Thierry Stocker runs at the lobby at Sofitel Angkor, Siem Reap, runs all month.

Medusa ladies night at CodeRED nightclub, near Koh Pich Bridge, Phnom Penh. Hosted by Gold Bell with a 50 percent discount on cocktails for girls all night. Every group of five girls receives one bottle of vodka or whiskey free.

The Phnom Penh Players present Mixed Troubles (a comedy about gin, politics, and love, but not in that order) at 7.30pm on Sep. 5, and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Sep. 6. The performances will be on the tennis court at the Himawari hotel.

Tickets are $10 and available at The Willow Boutique Hotel, Divine Pizza and Ribs, and The Flicks 1.

Thai cooking class with Chef Phonphod Chantriam at Do Forni, Sofitel Phnom Penh, from 10am to 12pm for $30 per person (exclusive of taxes). Learn authentic ways to prepare Thai culinary delicacies.

Documentary photography workshop at Phnom Penh Community College with Bernardo Salce and Lucus Veuve (two half-day workshops, from 8.30am to 12pm and from 1.30pm until 5pm).

sept

10

Inverted Sewer, with new works by Meas Sokhorn, opens at Java café on Sihanouk Boulevard from 6.30pm and runs until Nov. 16.

Although the literal representation is largely traffic and alcohol, themes of class conflict and exploitation of power pervades the body of work.

24 asialife Cambodia

sept

11

Wine tasting at Le Bar at Sofitel Phnom Penh from 6pm to 8pm, $25 per person inclusive of the chef’s canapés (exclusive of taxes). The theme of the month is ‘Cellar it or Drink it?’ A sommelier will help you to identify the wines and show you how to enjoy them.

Thai artist Padungphon Rincom’s latest exhibition, Age, explores the passage of time and family through a series of vibrant, modern paintings. It opens at Samai Distillery on Sothearos Boulevard, near Street 830, at 6.30pm.

sept

12

Thai artist Aranya Khunchawattichai showcases her work exploring themes of childhood at an exhibition at Tepui at Chinese House on Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh. An opening evening starts at 6.30pm.

One FC: Rise of the Kingdom makes its muchanticipated mixed martial arts debut in Cambodia.

Held at 7pm at Koh Pich Arena, the fight will be screened live on Star Sports and online at www. onefc.livesport.tv. Tickets cost $20, $50 or start at $80 for red carpet and cage-side experience. They can be bought from event sponsors NagaWorld and My TV on National Highway 5.

sept

Tiger Explore at the Riverhouse Lounge on Sisowath Quay from 8pm until late. The night features international and local acts, including DJ Lefty and DJ Maily. Get ready to dance like you’ve never danced before.

sept

To mark Pchum Benh holidays, La Brioche at Cambodiana Hotel is offering 20 percent on all bakery items.

sept

The grand finale to Phnom Penh’s Designers Week, with an after-party hosted by CodeRED's Vision House masters. The night will be an “audio-visual immersion experience” with house music all night long.

19

2224 27

Fantasy night at Riverhouse Lounge on Sisowath Quay from 9pm until late. Enter into the glamorous world of fantasy with vampires and werewolves.

sept

30

A pop music quiz night will be held at Equinox on Street 278, Phnom Penh, at 8pm.

EVERY MONDAY

Mad Monday at The Empire, 6pm • Yoga at Yoga Phnom Penh.

Classes at 6am, 8am, 12.15pm, 5.45pm and 6.30pm. See yogaphnompenh.com • Beginners level 2 salsa class ($8 dropin) at The Groove with a party from 9pm • Margarita Mondays at Riverhouse Lounge from 7pm until late • Thai chef takes over La Coupole at Sofitel Phnom Penh from 6pm ($30 per adult)

EVERY TUESDAY

Swing dancing at Doors with lindy-hop specialist Janice Wilson from 7pm. Classes are $3 or $25 for 10 lessons • Latino Time at Cabaret on Street 154 at 6.30pm • Two for 2-sday at Riverhouse.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

SIN at CodeRED hosted by Kanha Paula & Angie • Trivia in the garden at The Willow, $2 entry and 7.30pm start • Acoustic music at Kep’s Sailing Club from 6pm to 9pm

EVERY THURSDAY

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 • Movie nights on the beach at Kep’s Sailing Club from 7pm • All About Jazz at Cabaret from 7pm, wine and beer happy hour from 5.30pm to 7.30pm • Ladies night at CodeRED (group of 5 ladies recieve one free bottle of Stoli vodka) • High Heels party at Riverhouse with DJ Tam and male models • Yoga Phnom Penh: classes include 8am ashtanga, 12.15pm slow flo and 6.30pm fly fit yoga • Italian night at the Willow Boutique Hotel from 6pm. A choice of veggie or meat-based pastas, pizza breads and desserts and a carafe of wine. All $3.50.

EVERY FRIDAY

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 • Rhythm sessions at Doors from 9.30pm • Meditation techniques and postures at Yoga Phnom Penh at 5.45pm.

EVERY SATURDAY

Cine Saturday at the Bophana Center, 64 Street 200, at 4pm • Art classes for children and adults at Romeet Gallery on Street 178, costing $8.50 per session or $65 for 10. Register interest with Sreymao at romeetgallery@gmail.com or by calling 077 55 07 59 • Mysore Ashtanga at 7am, Vinyasa Flow at 10am at Yoga Phnom Penh.

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, all religions welcome. yogaphnompenh.com • Phnom Penh Hash House Harriers’ run. Meet at 2.15pm at the railway station • Sunday night chapel at CodeRED with cabaret dancers, shows, DJs and more.

EVERY DAY

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 MONDAY TO SATURDAY

Market fresh dinner buffet at NagaWorld from 5.30pm to 9.30pm, adults $28 or $38 with free flow beers, house wines and juices.

EVERY WEEKEND

Fishing trips on the Tonle Sap river from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, 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 2pm. $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 25

26 26 asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia

photo essay ARACHNOLICIOUS Photos: Vinh Dao More of Vinh's photographs can be found at blind-eye-productions.com Visitors to the Kingdom of Wonder will find themselves faced with a snack of the eight-legged variety. Just 55 kilometres northwest of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, Skuon is traditionally known as the best place for succulent a-ping.

asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia 27 27

photo essay ARACHNOLICIOUS

Left: The spider hunter will use two sticks to simulate prey caught in the web. Below: A stick is used to push the spider out of its hole.

28 asialife Cambodia

Top: The spider is defanged by hand. When asked if she had ever been bitten, she laughed and said lots of times. She just gets dizzy for a bit and moves on Below: Fried spiders for sale in Phnom Penh.

asialife Cambodia 29

Loralie Young What are the origins of swing dancing?

Swing dancing is a social dance that was born out of dancehalls of the [US] east coast in the 1920s. Many styles and forms of the dance have emerged since, but the most popular today is the Lindy Hop, which originated from the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. The dance began to fade away after World War II, as different styles of music and dance became popular. [Then it] experienced a revival that lasted from 1997 into the early 2000s.

Swing is still alive and well in the world, and a community of swing dancers can be found in almost every major city in the world, even the Penh.

What made you decide to start Swing Penh?

Robyn Zellar founded Phnom Penh Pswings in 2009 and taught swing dance classes until she left in 2013. After she left, the lack of swing in the Penh was just heartbreaking. There was a group of us that wanted to see swing continue on, and Swing Penh was born.

Is it difficult to learn?

Swing is easy, and swing is hard. Learning the basic steps is easy. Once you get past the basic steps, and those turns and passes just aren’t enough – and

30 asialife Cambodia

they won’t be – it can definitely be hard. The original Lindy Hoppers, like Frankie Manning and Dean Collins, definitely set the bar high. There is a lot of room for personal creativity and style. Anything goes on the dance floor. But proper hydration is definitely necessary – it’s a full-body workout.

What role does the music play?

The awesome thing about swing music is that it can be slow, it can be fast, it can suck you in and make you want to cry, and it can get you fired up and want to own that dance floor. There’s a lot of different styles of swing, and a lot of music that can be danced to that isn’t technically swing.

But there are just those particular songs that when you hear them, you just have to dance.

Is dress a big part?

There’s not any specific dress that you “must” wear for swing.

Vintage is always fun, and it’s a great opportunity to show off some style, but it really is up to personal choice. As long as you can move in it comfortably — preferably without flashing anyone — it works. Same goes for shoes. You can buy really expensive dance shoes if that’s your thing, or just come in flats or kicks. I find it hard to dance in flip flops as they tend to fly

Mother-of-four Loralie Young swing dances her way through life. Writer Joanna Mayhew talks with the 27-year-old founding member of Swing Penh about the distinctive retro dance style.

Photography by Charles Fox. off mid swing-out — one of the essential moves in Lindy Hop — but I’ve seen it done successfully.

What drew you to swing dancing?

I had my first swing dance lesson in high school. I went to a local dance school that offered an introductory course to different ballroom dances. But I didn’t actually get swing fever until I had my second “first” lesson, taught by the founder of Phnom Penh Pswings, during a dance party in 2009. It was fantastic.

I remember being completely envious of the more experienced dancers. After having a few lessons, I was hooked.

I am a mother to four kids, so that takes up the majority of my time. [But] my husband, Luke, is very supportive, and helps to watch our kids every week so that I can get my swing fix.

I’ve always loved music, and have been musical since I was little. Swing was a great way to express the music through motion. There’s nothing better than dancing to a song with a great beat and losing yourself.

I always feel like I am on top of the world, invincible and look awesome, even if I don’t.

What’s kept you in Cambodia?

I grew up here. My parents are still here, as are my parents-

in-law, so family is the biggest reason. I’m originally from the US, but I’ve been here since 1992. Although I’ve been back to the States on several occasions, I would definitely consider Cambodia my home.

What more can we expect from Swing Penh?

Swing is growing more and more popular with the expat community. Oddly enough, Phnom Penh is one of the few places in the world where swing has only caught on in the expat community, and not the local.

We are definitely hoping to grow the scene in that way. We have a wide range of people from all over the world and from many different backgrounds. We are a fabulous mish-mash of people looking to have a great time.

Swing dancing is by nature very open to new people. Since Phnom Penh is such a transient city, we have a lot of new people, and we say a lot of goodbyes. But there is always a core group that keeps swing alive and kicking.

The Swing Hard, Speak Easy night is held every Thursday night at CodeRED. Swing Penh offers both drop-in beginners classes and intermediate classes for more experienced dancers. Prices vary.

For more information, visit www. swingpenh.com.

asialife Cambodia 31

32 asialife Cambodia

Martial arts have formed part of Cambodian culture since Angkorian times, but now a new form of fighting – mixed martial arts or MMA – looks set to have the country gripped. As the world-famous ONE FC competition makes its debut in the Kingdom this month, Marissa Carruthers steps into the cage. Photography by Charles Fox. A lean teenager throws a blow at a black punching bag hanging from a makeshift tin roof. Next to him, two younger fighters, gleaming with sweat in the oppressive heat, grapple on worn mats at the modest gym near Russian Market in Phnom Penh.

As the training ground for a team of Cambodian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, the one-room A Fighter Gym is a far cry from the elite complexes where opponents in Singapore, Malaysia and the United States spar day and night. Yet the simple surroundings have proved vital in spawning the MMA movement, which has been sweeping the country since former MMA star and coach Chan Reach moved to the Kingdom in late 2012.

“I came to Cambodia because I wanted to introduce MMA fighting here,” says the American-born Cambodian.

“They love fighting here so it made sense to try and introduce something new.”

The sports’ popularity has since exploded, with a string of fighters switching from the traditional Cambodian kickboxing discipline of Kun Khmer to the more diverse techniques involved in MMA. The trend looks set to flourish further with Asia’s biggest MMA organisation, ONE FC, set to fly a string of champions – along with its professional cage, staging, lighting and camera crews – to the Kingdom for an international spectacular on Sep. 12.

“This is really putting the

spotlight on not only the talent here in Cambodia, but the country itself,” Reach says, with a proud smile. Together with two fighters at the gym – female competitor Tharoth Sam and featherweight Prak Chansin – he will be among the seven Cambodians taking to the cage for the show, which will be screened in more than 70 countries.

Traditional Fighting

MMA may be the latest form of fighting to come to Cambodia, but the roots of the country’s inherent love of martial arts are steeped deep in history.

Fighting arts were used as a type of weaponry as long ago as the Angkorian period, with Yuthakun Khom thought to asialife Cambodia 33

Female Fighters

Baggy boxing shorts and a sports T-shirt are the only giveaway that Tharoth Sam is seasoned in MMA. The petite 23-year-old’s sweet smile and warm eyes are a world away from the grizzled stereotype of a female fighter.

As feisty outside the cage as in, Tharoth went against her parents’ wishes to pursue a career in martial arts, after falling in love with Khmer boxing while watching a friend fight.

In 2007, she began training under the supervision of grandmaster San Kim Sean and went on to become one of the country’s top female kick boxers, travelling across the globe to showcase the sport through choreographed performances in Vietnam, Japan and South Korea.

Despite being given the chance to travel the world, Tharoth‘s dream was to swap the stage for the ring and start fighting. Six months ago, she took up MMA and has proved to pack a punch in the cage to date.

“My parents don’t like me being an MMA fighter,” she says. “They worry it will ruin my face.”

Now she has made it her mission to let the world know about Kun Khmer. “I want to represent Kun Khmer and Cambodian martial arts to the whole world,” says Tharoth, who was born on the ThaiCambodian border before moving to the capital aged three. “Everyone seems to know about Thai boxing but not ours. I want this to change.”

She is encouraging more women to take up fighting, with only a few currently attending MMA training sessions at Phnom Penh’s A Fighters Gym, and hopes her debut international cage battle with ONE FC will help push her message.

“This is an opportunity I have always dreamed of. To be able to show my culture and my passion to so many people and show that as a Cambodian woman I can do this is amazing,” she says.

34 asialife Cambodia

be the original form of Khmer combat. Dating back to the late 12th century, during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, Yuthakun Khom – meaning martial art of the moon – was developed as a form of close-contact fighting.

The aim was to fight to kill, with keeping the enemy at bay imperative in the era.

Yuthakun Khom is made up of thousands of moves that cover four disciplines: kicking, punching, wrestling and weaponry. Each of the moves is said to mirror an animal’s hunting stance, with fighters choosing a beast – such as a lion, tiger or eagle – to represent in the ring.

“During Angkor, it was all close-contact fighting. This meant the martial art had to be effective and efficient in keeping the enemy away,” explains Chan Rathana, who has devoted the last decade to learning the ancient art, picking up more than 500 of the 9,958 moves.

Following in the footsteps of generations of his forefathers, the fighter, who will be taking part in the ONE FC event, learnt the art from his dad, Lok Kru Chan Bunthoeun, who was one of just two grand masters who survived the Khmer Rouge regime. In 2013, the 29-yearold co-founded Selapak Living Arts School, which puts on performances and classes. “For me, it is important that we keep this part of my country’s culture alive,” he says.

Kun Khmer, or Pradel Serey, is a modern-day derivative of the traditional form of Yuthakun Khom.

As an unarmed form of kickboxing, it is considered Cambodia’s national sport. As well as kicks, the sport involves punches, and elbow and knee strikes.

“Kun Khmer runs in the blood of Cambodians,” explains Reach, who began his martial arts career in the sport after being inspired by the skills of his father and uncle,

who were also trained fighters.

The 26-year-old went on to compete in Kun Khmer in America, winning 136 out of 137 fights, before switching his skills to MMA in 2001. With 13 professional MMA wins under his belt, four years ago he retired and moved to Phnom Penh.

“I know the passion they have for fighting in Cambodia,” Reach says. “There was no MMA here and it seemed like a natural progression, so I came to Cambodia with the sole purpose of introducing it.”

MMA Movement

In 1993, television critic Howard Rosenberg made history when he described the debut battle of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as “mixed martial arts”. Little did he know that what he coined as MMA would become one of the world’s fastest growing sports and, more than 20 years later, fighters from the Cambodian countryside would be devoting their lives to gruelling training.

“Combat sports have always had a strong following in Cambodia due to the popularity of Khmer Boxing,” explains Victor Cui, chief executive officer of ONE FC. “We love Cambodia’s passion for combat sports and, with the growth of MMA, it’s apt to bring Asia’s largest MMA event to a country rich with a combat sport culture.”

The CEO believes that the upcoming event, which will see flyweight Geje Eustaquio of the Philippines take on Brazilian Adriano Moraes and Singaporean star Radeem Rahman fight Taiwanese MMA pioneer Sung Ming Yen, will throw the spotlight on both Kun Khmer and Cambodian culture.

And behind the shuttered doors of A Fighter Gym in Phnom Penh, sportsmen and women are practising the

A History of MMA

MMA has become a global phenomenon since launching about two decades ago. As a full-contact combat sport, fighters use both striking and grappling techniques in a mix of arts including kickboxing, wrestling and jujitsu. Opponents take to the ring, or “cage”, to fight a series of five-minute rounds. In its early days, it was commonly known as cage fighting and was seen as a brutal and bloody sport.

Since then, the rules have been tightened up, banning moves such as eye gouging and head stomps to a grounded opponent, and the discipline has won fans worldwide. In July 2011, ONE FC launched and went on to become Asia’s largest MMA organisation.

It has seen top fighters, including Muay Thai champions and judo black belts, recruited into its ranks. A recent coup saw it sign former Olympic US wrestler, Ben Askren, who is regarded as one of the top five welterweights in the world.

diverse range of fighting forms – including boxing, Muay Thai and wrestling – that make-up MMA in preparation for the muchanticipated ONE FC bouts. The air is heavy with humidity as Cambodians as young as eight spar next to a line of shirtless men, who thrust their feet above their heads in unison before launching a flurry of sharp jabs.

For the determined fighters, the event not only offers an international platform to showcase their skills on home turf but also the chance to secure life-changing sums of money. “Being given the opportunity to fight for ONE FC is a really big thing,” Reach explains. “For local fighters it really can be life-changing financially.” asialife asialife Cambodia Cambodia 35 35

With local matches offering as little as $25 and up to $200 for a win, the popularity of international MMA fights brings with it the big bucks. ONE FC offers an attractive package to those it recruits to its ranks, negotiating high-paying contracts.

“These are usually in the multi-figure deals, with the top end being six digits, plus sponsorships and endorsements on top,” says Loren Mack, head of media at ONE FC. “This isn’t small money, certainly not when you compare it to the average earnings of fights in Cambodia.”

Fighting Champs

This month’s ONE FC extravaganza isn’t the first time Cambodian fighters have taken to the international stage. Bursting with pride, Long Sophy recalls his stomach churning with excitement and nerves when he made his debut with the organisation.

A year ago, the 23-year-old stepped into “the cage” with renowned Indonesian fighter Max Metino in a bout in Jakarta – making Long, who made the transition from Kun Khmer, Cambodia’s first professional MMA fighter.

“I was very happy,” he says, remembering being blown away by the enormity of the event, which attracted a crowd of around 15,000. “I’d never fought at anything like it before. I was also very proud because I was the first one to stand on the international stage and represent Cambodia.”

With his toned, willowy physique and passion for the sport, he was destined to be a fighter. It was as a 13-year-old living in Battambang province when his career began. “All my family are fighters so it was natural I would be too. I loved the rush you get when you step into the ring, the atmosphere, the training,” he says.

It was those elements amplified that made him decide to switch to MMA. “I wanted to learn more martial arts, push myself more,” the featherweight, who was defeated in his MMA debut, says. “MMA seemed to be the perfect way to do that.”

Long has been helping to spur on fellow hopefuls who have been recruited to the ONE FC ranks.

The Sep. 12 event will see Reach 36 asialife Cambodia

take on Chin Heng, while Sam Chansin will fight Chan Rothana.

Tharoth Sam will face fellow female Cambodian fighter Bun Srey Moa. “I’m really excited because I came to this country with the aim of introducing and developing MMA and now I’m here making history,” says Reach. “This is the first time a major event has come here and to be part of it along with those I train is incredible.”

Future of Fighting

With MMA’s popularity likely to soar, the future looks bright for the country’s fighters. With their natural strengths in striking and stand-up fighting, MMA coach Barry Guerin believes that with more training, funding and awareness, Cambodia could well create waves on the international platform.

“Here, people start kickboxing at a young age and develop a body that can take the grind and punishment of an MMA fight,” Guerin, who moved to the Kingdom last year to train local fighters after spending eight years in Japan, says.

But more focus on grappling skills and combining different fighting styles are essential components in equipping local fighters with the skills needed to survive on the international stage.

“Fighters here need to take more of a Bruce Lee, Jeet Kune Do [a martial art created by Lee] approach, and simply take the best of judo, jiu-jitsu, wresting, boxing, karate, all styles,” Guerin adds. “They need to take what works for them and implement those techniques to fit their physique.”

More funding and sponsorship deals are also essential to improve training facilities, and ultimately the quality of local fighters. This would bring the sport up to an international level and enable the country to tap into the multi-million dollar global MMA market.

“Here, we don’t have the luxury of being able to train for MMA every day,” Reach explains.

“The fighters here have to fight in order to feed their families, even if that means taking part in a $25 boxing match.” But hopes are high that the international spotlight that ONE FC brings

will propel the sport into the mainstream, bringing with it a new chapter in the country’s long history of martial arts.

ONE FC: Rise of the Kingdom will bring the battle for the flyweight world championship to Phnom Penh on Sep. 12 at 7pm at Koh Pich Arena. The fight will be screened live on STAR Sports and at onefc.livesport.tv. Tickets cost $20, $50 and start at $80 for cage-side experience. They can be bought from sponsors NagaWorld and My TV on National Highway 5.

get involved

Trying out martial arts is easy, with the capital full of classes exploring different techniques and styles.

Selapak Living Arts The centre holds adult group sessions in Yuthakun Khom daily from 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. Children’s group sessions take place at 4pm every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Private classes and demonstrations can be made by reservation. To find out more, visit the studio at 117 Street 110, Phnom Penh. Tel: 089 793 239 or email info@selapak-cambodia.com.

Aikido The Japanese martial art of Aikido is taught by expert Lance Jackson every Wednesday from 4.30pm to 7pm at the Royal University of Law and Economics, Monivong Boulevard, and at the Olympic Stadium, Monday to Friday from 5.45pm to 7pm and from 8am to 10am on weekends.

Krav Maga Classes in Krav Maga, the form of fighting developed for and used by the Israeli military, take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 4.45pm to 6.45pm at K-1 Fitness Factory, 131 Street 199, Phnom Penh.

Live Kickboxing Kun Khmer fights take place at numerous TV stations. Check listings for confirmation. TV5 usually hosts boxing on Fridays and Saturdays, with Bayon and CTN screening matches on Saturdays and Sundays. The CTN Arena, north of the Japanese Friendship Bridge, is packed out for Sunday afternoon fights from 2pm.

asialife Cambodia 37

Parental Support

Newborn babies need love and support, but sometimes parents might want a helping hand too. Ellie Dyer looks at mechanisms of parental support in the capital, with photography by Rudi Towiro.

Becoming a parent is a momentous milestone in anyone’s life. But for expats, who often live far away from family networks and old friends, both pregnancy and parenthood can bring their own unique set of challenges.

“When they are here, they are often with no family,” says Australian breastfeeding counsellor Bindi Borg, who runs a fortnightly breastfeeding and parental support group at Sambo’s Tots in Phnom Penh. “Depending on their age or the group that they are in, maybe none of their friends have children at all.”

38 asialife Cambodia

The group acts as a valuable forum for parents, especially for those residing far away from home.

Alongside providing advice and information on breastfeeding, new or expectant mothers and fathers can meet those at a similar stage of life, or those with older children, to talk over the experiences, questions and decisions that parenthood can bring.

“I was getting sympathetic advice from women who understood my situation and shared some of my parenting philosophies,” explains Heather Korm, who is

mum to two-year-old Nathaniel.

“I was able to ask questions that I would, in the UK, have asked a health visitor, and get advice about everything from breastfeeding to sleeping patterns, to teething, to introducing solids,” she adds.

But the long-running network is not alone in providing support to new parents living in Cambodia, who might be grappling with considerations of where to give birth and how to deal with cross-cultural challenges, alongside the learning process that comes with raising a child.

Breastfeeding and Parental Support Group

Meeting every second Saturday at Sambo’s Tots on Street 398 from 10am to 11.30am, the breastfeeding group (pictured left) is a free forum in which to share experiences in a social fashion. Sessions sometimes start off with a question, which is then talked through.

Counsellor Bindi Borg, who has been trained by the Australian Breastfeeding Association, and co-facilitator Abigail Beeson are on hand to promote and give breastfeeding support, including explaining the physical process of lactation. Both mums and dads are welcome to attend and it is also a good place to meet others with young children. “It brings the community closer, especially since we are all so far away from our own families,” says mum Marisa Tan.

Phnom Penh Mamas

This locally-run closed Facebook Group is primarily aimed at first-time mums and mothers with very young babies. “I get the impression once babies are older, in kindies or schools, there is more support for mums there, so this is really for newbies,” says Clare Tan. The group also aims to “initiate get-togethers and really help each other in real life.”

Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond

Certified midwife and Kundalini yoga teacher Krist’l D’haene offers a range of services for parents and parents-to-be in Cambodia, from conception counselling to prenatal and postnatal assistance, including running sessions on childbirth for partners and acting as a doula at births. D’haene, who has been working in the region since 1996, takes a holistic approach – considering the mind, body and spirit – in her classes. Other options include pregnancy massage, baby swimming, yoga for babies and expectant mums, prenatal counselling, postnatal home support and even a children’s gardening class for four to six-year-olds. For more information, visit the Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond Facebook page.

The Mummy and Daddy Club Cambodia In the last few years, online forums aimed at mums and dads have sprung up alongside more established resources, like the Cambodia Parent Network (CPN).

“We are just mums supporting each other,” says new mother Clare Tan, who helps run the Phnom Penh Mamas Facebook group alongside organising a playgroup.

“I reach out to as many mums as I can that I hear of and invite them personally to join, because I know first hand it is not easy and it is easy to feel you are the only

one going through it,” adds the Brit, who gave birth to her son, Diego, in Phnom Penh last May. So, whatever your ethos and experience might be, parents can be assured that, even without having family members close by, there are support mechanisms available to help. “It’s an emotional time and there are very strong ties that can be built,” adds Borg. “And even if they aren’t friends for life, it’s support. It’s someone else telling you: ‘Don’t worry, it happened to me too – that’s normal, it’s okay’.”

This public Facebook group, created by Krist’l D’haene, aims to be a support group for future parents and those with young kids. It is regularly updated with information about classes and facilities for children. The page also acts as a forum for buying and selling goods.

Cambodia Parent Network

CPN is a Yahoo group founded in 2006 and boasting more than 4,500 members. There is also a separate CPN Facebook forum, billed as a place to “share information relating to parenting, schooling, child health and nutrition, as well as other issues faced by parents living in Cambodia.” The page is also often used as a discussion board. Second-hand goods, such as car seats, strollers and baby clothes, are often up for sale.

asialife Cambodia 39

Into The Wild

Wildlife Alliance is giving a day at the zoo a whole new meaning. Marissa Carruthers and Charles Fox go behind the scenes at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre with the conservation NGO. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was a scene from the film Alien.

After all, I’m a human locked in a spacious cage, surrounded by a carpet of slimy eyeballs, with something strange writhing around in my stomach.

Look a little closer and you’ll spot that the eyeballs are in fact half-eaten longans.

The spindly tail occasionally poking out of my T-shirt is followed by a scrunched-up face – a giveaway that a tiny macaque monkey, whose home I’ve invaded, is playing hide and seek in my clothing.

“Charlie loves hiding in people’s tops,” Nicole Leroux, our Wildlife Alliance guide at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre calls out, as he races out of my clothing, swinging from a hanging rope before 40 asialife Cambodia

landing on an unsuspecting person stood to the other side of the spacious enclosure.

It’s 2pm and we’re half way through the afternoon session of a special tour headed

by Wildlife Alliance, which helps to run the Phnom Tamao facility in Takeo province along with the Cambodian Forestry Administration.

The centre is home to more than 1,200 animals rescued from the clutches of poachers, lives of abuse or belonging to species affected by hunting or habitat loss, along with black market demand for medicine, food and pets.

Five hours earlier and I had clamboured, bleary eyed, into a minivan in Phnom Penh with eight others. An hour later I woke up with a jolt as we pulled to a bumpy halt in the

middle of a patch of grassland.

It wasn’t long before a few of my sharper-eyed companions let out gasps of excitement and pointed to the outskirts of the forest that surrounded us.

A few squints later and I saw a mass of grey lumbering slowly out of the trees in the distance.

With its long trunk swinging slowly from side to side, the beast ambled in our direction, a keeper walking in her shadow.

Having been handed a bunch of bananas ahead of the elephant’s arrival, we were given an introduction to the day ahead – a behind-thescenes tour of the rescue centre – as the female, called Lucky, gobbled fruit from our hands.

With more pachyderms on the agenda, we left Lucky to finish her 20-minute morning

walk and headed to the facility’s dedicated elephant enclosure.

It sits next to the Wildlife Alliance’s latest project, the Asian Elephant Conservation Centre – made possible thanks to hefty donations raised at last year’s Glamazon fashion spectacular. It aims to provide environmental education on the country’s dwindling elephant population, ongoing conservation efforts and outreach work.

At the enclosure, we found Chhouk, who, like all of the animals we were to meet during the day, had a tragic backstory. In 2007, the then twoyear-old elephant was found in Mondulkiri province with a badly injured leg. It is thought he had caught it in a poacher’s snare and tore part of it off.

The limb was infected and Chhouk was near death when he was transported to Phnom Tamao. Since then, he has been nursed back to health and became the youngest elephant in the world to have a prosthetic leg.

However, the harrowing experience left him wary, and we stayed back as the keepers used gentle techniques to coerce him into raising his leg so that his fake foot could be changed, a procedure that takes place twice a day. As one keeper made a clicking sound and the other tapped his leg, he lazily raised it into the air, giving them enough time to unstrap the hefty fake foot and replace it with another, while Chhouk munched on the reward of turnips.

With many working elephants across the country being trained through violence, Wildlife Alliance aims to show that positive re-enforcement is a much better method. The proof is in the pudding, with Lucky returning from her stroll around the expansive reserve in order to paint our T-shirts. It took five months of training for her to pick up a paintbrush with her trunk and swipe brushstrokes onto those standing in front of her.

“With many working elephants across the country being trained through violence, Wildlife Alliance aims to show that positive re-enforcement is a much better method. ”

Each time she successfully swipes a splash of colour, she is handed an edible treat.

“The tours have immensely helped to drive forward new initiatives to improve the animals’ care, and raise awareness and public perception of Phnom Tamao,” says Nick Marx, Wildlife Alliance’s Director of the Care for Rescued Wildlife Programs, explaining that the tours launched last year in response to the organisation “struggling to make ends meet.”

With the first 90 minutes of the day already full of surreal experiences, the rest of the tour was spent meeting other members of the rescue centre family.

Stepping into a tigers’ lair was an adrenaline rush. We were allowed a sneak peek into the keepers’ section, an area not usually open to the public.

A row of large cages house tigers at night, and we found a female cat snoozing safely behind bars, just whiskers away from where we stood.

The tiger’s mother had been rescued from being shipped to China, where she was destined to be used in traditional medicine. A muscular tiger, according to Wildlife Alliance, is worth $100,000 on the black market, with the going rate for a sole whisker standing at $10.

Later on, we were introduced to a string of creatures, including clouded leopards, cat leopards (named because they are similar in size to a domestic cat), small-clawed otters, moon and sun bears, pythons, and given the chance to feed the baby macaques. As we wearily climbed back on the minivan after accompanying Lucky on her afternoon walk, I decided this was, without a doubt, an experience worth trading my weekend lie in for.

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre runs day-long behind the scenes' tours for $150 from Monday to Saturday. For more information, visit phnomtamaotours.com. asialife Cambodia 41

Cinematic Dreams

The 1960s were a golden age for Cambodian cinema, but the thriving industry was almost wiped out by the rise of Khmer Rouge. More than 30 years on from the fall of the brutal regime, writer Dara Saoyuthnea meets some up and coming talents who are reinvigorating the big screen.

Earlier this year, a nation held its breath as Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh represented the Kingdom at the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles.

Though The Missing Picture, his examination of life under the Khmer Rouge regime told through archival footage and clay figurines, narrowly missed out on the title of best foreign film, the fact he was there at all represented the growth of an industry that was almost wiped out three decades prior.

“Before the Khmer Rouge there were a lot of filmmakers. The Khmer Rouge destroyed everything,” says Cheap Sovichea, director of industry body the Cambodia Film Commission, which aims to both build human resources and attract foreign filmmakers to the Kingdom.

In the wake of the genocidal regime, which saw those in the movie industry perish alongside an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians, entertainment became a low priority. Yet over the years, as the Kingdom recovered, local filmmakers and directors have re-emerged, with

42 asialife Cambodia

key figures such as Rithy Panh, Chhay Bora and Davy Chou making waves internationally whilst examining the country’s past.

“Film is important in society in educating people on morality, ethics, culture and so on and so forth,” says Chhay Bora, whose acclaimed movie Lost Loves tells the history of the Khmer Rouge through one mother’s experience, as “children today might not know the exact tragedy at that time.”

As Cambodian cinema garners international attention, many are considering its future and how to better foster the next generation of Cambodian talent. More and more film-related events – including the annual FilmCamp, a session that attracts both experienced and young filmmakers – are pushing cinematic passion in the country.

Chhay Bora, who sees film as a tool that allows him to tell previously untold stories, lectures students on directing at the Department of Media and Communication (DMC) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. But

he acknowledges that his contribution at DMC, where he teaches 27 students, and further informal advice provided to other youngsters cannot fulfill the larger need of those who want to study filmmaking countrywide.

“Some young people call me to meet and consult with me about a script or something related to film.

Some discuss with me on Facebook. When I have new lessons, I can share with them. That’s all I can do,” he says, explaining that the country still has a low number of local filmmakers.

Inspiring young people are, however, still making an impact despite the current lack of a dedicated film school or a university providing a major in filmmaking in Cambodia – a development that many professionals say they would support.

“I see that some Cambodian youths now are trying to produce their short films, though they spend their own money and resources to do it. I really admire them,” says Sovichea, who believes that the film industry will

develop further alongside political stability, a good standard of living and education.

Earlier this year, Rice, a seven-minute short produced by 25-year-old Sothea Ines, won first place award at Tropfest South East Asia – the world’s largest short film festival. As the short’s writer, director and producer, the graduate has learnt that filmmaking is a tough job that requires both passion and creativity. She now plans to use her winnings to set up a film fund for Cambodians.

“I think this will encourage young filmmakers to tell stories they want to express,” she says.

Another youth garnering popular appeal is Ouch Makara, whose short Senior Love tells the story of a quirky romance. The 24-year-old, who has worked in film since 2006, hopes to step up to feature films later in his career. “You cannot do it alone, but you need a team of people who have the same vision as you,” he says.

The CFC is also providing support to those hoping to enter the film industry. Alongside providing professional training, it can provide editing space and camera and recording devices. But challenges still remain. Sovichea suggests that local television stations could promote local films, while Chhay Bora would like to see more investment in the local projects – a move that could give more opportunities to young creatives.

“Without investors, we need to wait until foreign film projects come and then [the foreign filmmakers] will bring their producer and director, and they hire our Cambodian to control lights or equipment,” he explains.

The professional also encourages Cambodian youth to seek opportunities to make films by themselves, so that one day the local film industry will be able to compete with neighboring countries. “We cannot wait for opportunity, but we have to seek opportunity,” he adds.

Ones to Watch Lost Loves Directed by Chhay Bora, Lost Loves tells the story of mother Leav Sila during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Staring Kauv Sotheary, Chhay Bora’s wife and one of Leav Sila’s two surviving children, it gives a brutal yet captivating insight into Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge.

Rice This award-winning short film explores a day in a children’s camp in a rural area during the Khmer Rouge regime. Five young boys decide to have a “party” with rice from the camp store, but the group is spotted by a regime cadet. The camp commander sends them to be “re-educated” as an example to the rest of the boys.

Senior Love The short Cambodian film tells the confusing love story between a young woman and an older man. One day, the girl picks up a book and finds a picture of a handsome man, her senior, inside.

A day later, she finds a letter on a tree asking if somebody picked up the book. They both start a conversation by sticking letter on trees, but all is not as it seems.

Golden Slumbers Filmmaker Davy Chou examines the history of Cambodia’s golden age of cinema in this fascinating documentary, with interviews with veteran figures from the industry’s past.

asialife Cambodia 43

now ready for boarding

As long as there is light, two things are constant on the Philippine island of Baler: scenery and surfing. Story and photos by Esther de la Cruz.

Every year, with the arrival of the Amihan tradewinds, experienced wave riders descend on Sabang Beach, on the island of Baler in the Philippines. On good days, native bancas ferry surfers to catch nine-foot swells off Cemento Reef, Dicalasarin Point and Dalugan Bay. During the monsoon season, smaller waves breaking on the sandy cushion of Sabang Beach allow beginners a shot at the fun.

Local surfing coaches, all deep tans and toned torsos, urge newcomers on with shouts of, "Up! Up! Up!" at crucial moments.

It's hardly the idyllic beach scene the Philippines is known for, yet give it time, and Baler's 44 asialife Cambodia

mystical beauty rarely fails to leave an impression.

The story goes that the film crew of Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now left behind boards used in the movie's helicopter attack scene, filmed in Baler Bay. Curious locals observed the actors' techniques and, in the late 1970s, a handful of teenage boys became the first Filipinos to ride the country's waves. With time, rumours of Baler rippled through surfing circles and foreigners began showing up at what became known as 'Charlie's Point'. But Baler was in no rush to share its secrets.

Only within the past two years, following the re-paving of

a mountain road and the debut of a comfortable six-hour bus service from Manila, has Baler emerged as a destination for adventure and culture seekers. Weekend holidaymakers from the capital are giving Baler's tourism a boost. This month the first commercial flights will touch down from Manila at the airport in San Luis, a 30-minute drive away.

And while many come for the waves, Baler has much to offer leisure travellers. In 2013, the 76-room Costa Pacifica Resort debuted as Baler's first upscale accommodation. Staffed by a team of friendly, efficient Baler residents, with a beachfront

What awaits in the cove is a traveller's dream: sheer rocks guarding a small, empty beach, cool water beckoning with the gentlest of currents, and above it all, a white lighthouse leaning out over the blue of the Pacific. location, international restaurant, two swimming pools, an excellent on-site surf school named 'Charlie Does', and partnerships with the area's top tour operators, Costa Pacifica showcases the best of Baler under one well-designed roof.

The resort's spacious rooms and plush beds are a joy to return to after a tiring surf session. Organic touches such as locally woven saboten are artfully featured throughout, adding a welcome sense of place. A palette of marine hues, beachy blues and bright white lifts the mood in the open-air Beach House restaurant, where woodfired pizzas and fresh fish tacos

are served alongside Filipino specialities. Suman – Baler's favourite sweet treat of sticky rice steamed in palm leaves – is offered at the Beach House; as is pako, a tender fern enjoyed in salads or steamed in coconut milk.

Despite its newfound popularity, Baler is wonderfully provincial in its charms. In the tidy town centre, Spain's signature is evident in the arrangement of a small-scale church, plaza and public market. A museum tells stories of Baler under colonial rule, Baler under water in a 1735 flood, Baler under siege

by Chinese pirates and Baler as the last Spanish stronghold in the archipelago. Two-lane

streets and bridges lead to nipa huts perched on rocks over the surf, canals lined with colourful bancas, and quiet beaches where pukot, a traditional method of fishing, is still seen.

Yet the idyllic scenes unfolding around Baler and the island swagger on display at Sabang Beach are minor players to the real star of the show, which is Aurora province itself. Some of Luzon's most rewarding treks wind through the lush, forested peaks of the Sierra Madre, where caves are still being discovered. Nature lovers can dip their toes in the impressive Dimatubo Falls or climb the 600-year-old balete tree just

outside the town. It would take 60 tree-huggers to embrace this specimen, thought to be the oldest of its kind in Asia.

It's safe to say no attraction exemplifies the hidden treasures of Aurora as well as Dicalasarin Cove. Accessed via boat or cliff-hugging drive, the entry passes to Dicalasarin are handed out exclusively by the front desk of Costa Pacifica.

What awaits in the cove is a traveller's dream: sheer rocks guarding a small, empty beach, cool water beckoning with the gentlest of currents, and above it all, a white lighthouse leaning out over the blue of the Pacific. asialife Cambodia 45

Myanmar: Away from the Crowds Once forbidden to the West, Myanmar has seen a dramatic recent rise in tourism that threatens its intrinsic charm. Mark Bibby Jackson examines the booming sector and discovers some places to visit before it’s too late. Photographs by Nathan Horton.

After so many years of boycotts and sanctions, Myanmar has seen an unprecedented explosion in tourism. In 2012, the country broke the one million visitors barrier. This year it will be three million and by 2015 numbers are expected to rise to five million. That’s a long haul from the 762,547 people who ventured to the country in 2009.

It’s easy to see why they are coming. “There is still a real sense of a unique Asia character not overrun by the ravishes of chain stores and international corporations,” says Phnom Penh-based photographer Nathan Horton, who has run tours to Myanmar since April 2012.

“It has many attractive sites, mainly in terms of religious 46 asialife Cambodia

monuments, in nearly every city, but also has a lot of diversity from ancient ruins: colonial buildings, attractive countryside, great trekking potential with open and friendly ethnic minorities and of course the unique nature of Inle Lake – both pretty and interesting culturally,” he says.

With tourist numbers only likely to increase, there is a danger that Myanmar may be losing the charm that makes it so attractive to tourists, both mass and independent travellers alike. This is certainly the case as regards the quality and price of hotel accommodation.

“Demand often overruns supply of decent hotels, so the good ones can cost a lot

and your second choices can be fairly lousy,” says Horton. “Standards are getting better, but price does not appear to be coming down.”

Anne Cruikshanks, country manager for cycling tour company Grasshopper Adventures, agrees. “We found that in 2012 and 2013 the complaints about hotels increased dramatically,” she says.

It is not just accommodation that people are complaining about. Many have raised concerns about the environmental impact of tourism on architectural heritage in major cities such as Yangon and Mandalay.

Marcus Allender, managing director and founder of travel website Go-Myanmar. com, talks of construction sites popping up all over Yangon and in major tourist sites such as the temple hub of Bagan and Lake Inle.

The mad rush to fill hotel demand could potentially

cause long-term damage. “With land grabs and the bulldozing of sensitive environments – whether urban or rural – being issues for concern, some might argue they are building too fast,” says Allender.

The country’s sudden ‘in’ status also threatens it attracting naive tourists. “Sadly, I think we are getting many tourists coming to Myanmar because they have seen it in magazines as a ‘must see’,” Cruikshanks says. “Often these travellers do not do their research in advance and are being culturally insensitive or rude to the local people and complain endlessly about the Internet, phone connections etc.”

Cruikshanks is just one tour operator in the country trying to lure unsuspecting independent travellers away from the well-worn Yangon – Bagan – Lake Inle – Mandalay route. “The northern Shan State (Kyauk Me, Hsipaw

“There is still a real sense of a unique Asia character not overrun by the ravishes of chain stores and international corporations”

area) offers great trekking opportunities; the Mon and Kayin states are also fabulous outdoor destinations,” she says.

Another tour operator, who preferred to remain anonymous – such is the reticence to appear in print in the country – highlights the precariously perched Kyaiktiyo Pagoda or Golden Rock in Mon state, Mount Victoria or Natmataung, the highest point in westerly Chin state, and the southern Mergui Archipelago with over 800 islands as alternate sites.

However, she reserved special praise for Hpa-an in Kayin State, which borders Thailand.

“Many more visitors will love the mountainous scenery in and around Hpa-an and the cultural, historical heritage in those areas,” she says.

Mon and Kayin states are definitely areas to keep an eye on, according to Cruikshanks.

“They have spectacular scenery – ideal for biking, kayaking and trekking – and the hotels are of a decent standard.”

But she leaves me with a major caveat that I hear repeated time again. “Once the road condition improves further, it will be an easy extension from Yangon (at present it’s around five to seven hour-drive).”

The northern Chin State and Sagaing division are “also stunning but the condition of roads and lack of accommodation options mean that it needs several more years to develop.”

Both Horton and Allender say that the quality of roads is gradually being improved, but the nationwide network

will take a long time to fix.

Premium long-distance buses between major destinations are comfortable, Allender claims, but “places more off the beaten track require determination to get to”.

Similarly “taking the train can be a fun way to travel, but the railways are in a shocking state and journey times are long,” he says. As for planes?

“A lack of real competition means that prices are higher than they should be and services are unreliable”.

Security also can be a major issue for more intrepid travellers. “The northern parts in Kachin states will surely be very exciting for the visitors, but the unstable situation between ethnic groups is still hindering the development of the place,” says the anonymous tour operator.

Difficult to get to and expensive, with bad accommodation and security

concerns, sometimes it seems hard to explain why people love Myanmar so much.

“For me, the most interesting and exciting thing about Myanmar as a tourist destination is that it offers such huge variety in terms of culture and scenery – and that so much of it is still to be discovered,” explains Allender. “I spent Christmas motor-biking around northern Chin State, which is a beautiful and mountainous region in the west of the country. I saw three other foreigners in ten days.”

In today’s travel-crazy world there are few places where you truly can get away from it all, regardless of what travel brochures and magazines may claim.

Myanmar is one such place.

So long as you avoid the main tourists sites and are prepared to rough it a bit, the opportunities are limitless. Get there while you can, it won’t be the same in ten years’ time. asialife Cambodia 47

teatime

What could be a better treat than lashings of tea and cake? AsiaLIFE gets a taste of the high life while investigating the best afternoon teas in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Photography by Rudi Towiro.

48 asialife Cambodia

Legend has it that a British aristocrat invented the tradition of afternoon tea in 1841 when Anna Maria, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, came up with the idea in order to fill her hunger pangs between lunch and supper.

According to a social history of tea published by the UK’s Tea and Infusion Association, the Duchess began inviting friends to join her for the 5pm ceremony. By the 1860s, the fashion had caught on with afternoon tea – accompanied by small plates of bread and butter, England’s famous scones and crust-less sandwiches – taken by high society.

Centuries later and the genteel tradition is still in full swing. From The Palm Court at London’s Ritz hotel to the legendary Raffles in Singapore, diners can gather in opulent surrounds to sip on rare brews while devouring tiers of sweet and savoury treats.

With its rich colonial past, Cambodia is no exception. Luxury hotels and restaurants alike are serving up scones and petit fours by the bucket load. This month, AsiaLIFE looks at the best afternoon teas on offer: The Highest Tea in Town: Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra Glinting rooftops and golden spires stretch out beneath Sofitel’s Club Millésime, a chic lounge perched on the 12th floor of the grand hotel on Sothearos Boulevard. From 3pm to 5pm daily, guests – who cannot help but feel special in the exclusive room, reachable only with an access card available from reception – can enjoy stunning views along with a scrumptious afternoon tea that nods to le goûter, the French equivalent of children’s snack time. Along with crust-less smoked salmon sandwiches and traditional raisin scones, sweet treats embody the brand’s French influence with mini éclairs, a layered opera cake and macaroons piled high. With a chocolate shop also on site, a variety of delicious hand-rolled truffles are included. Sofitel boasts an excellent selection of teas, which are available for purchase in stylish

caddies. Try the Abricot Toscane, a refreshing blend of China and Ceylon mixed with apricots, or celebrate in style with an afternoon of free-flow sparkling wine.

Try at Sofitel, Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh, from 3pm to 5pm daily. $15++ per person or $25++ including free flow sparkling wine. Booking in advance is recommended. Tel: 023 999 200.

Traditional Glamour: Raffles Hotel Le Royal Just outside the entrance to Hotel Le Royal’s Elephant Bar lies a cocktail glass said to bear the lipstick print of Jacqueline Kennedy, the American First Lady who sipped Femme Fatale champagne cocktails on a trip to Cambodia in 1967. Charlie Chaplin was also a guest of the hotel in 1963.

With credentials like that, plus the fact afternoon tea was first served in the hotel in 1929, Le Royal is the perfect spot to transport you back in time. Choose from a traditional Western tea, including smoked salmon and roast beef sandwiches, or the Asian inspired “Angkor” high tea, a decadent chocolate-themed tea or a sweet and savoury macaroon version.

All afternoon teas are classically presented on silver stands and accompanied by a choice of loose-leaf brews, while the spectacular surrounds are reminiscent of the atmospheric heyday of Cambodia’s golden era.

Try at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh. Teas, served in the Elephant Bar, the conservatory or by the pool, cost from $14.50 upwards per stand, plus service charge. A glass of G H Mumm Brut champagne can be included for an extra $12.

per person, including a pot of tea and a selection of “naughty treats”. The tea blends are all made by respected US company Harny & Son’s, and include classics like Darjeeling and Ceylon along with fragrant Camomile and Mint Verbena. Prices vary upwards according to alcohol consumption. If you’re splashing out, have a boozy tea complete with a bottle of luxury Pol Roger Champagne for $50 per head.

Try at Public House, Street 240½, Phnom Penh. $9 per person and up.

Available from 3pm to 5.30pm daily with a two-person minimum. Teas need to be booked one day in advance by calling 017 770 754.

Asian Fusion: Park Hyatt The comfy velveteen seats of the Park Hyatt’s Living Room, a space created by famed designer Bill Bensley, are indicative of the luxurious environment in which this elegant Siem Reap tea can be enjoyed. Blending Asian and Western culinary influences, diners can enjoy three tiers of delights, including a crème brûlée infused with aromatic pandan leaf, chocolate brownies and a succulent banana cake. Savoury offerings also contain a touch of Asia, with rice paper rolls and peanut sauce nestled among more traditional egg salad rolls, smoked salmon tartar finger sandwiches and a basket of scones.

A selection of warm treats in also included – all going perfectly with a pot of Oolong or Earl Grey tea.

Try at Park Hyatt, Sivutha Boulevard, Siem Reap. $25++ per person or $31++ with a glass of champagne at the Living Room, or the hotel’s outdoor courtyard.

Served all day.

Intimate Dining: Public House Quintessentially English cucumber sandwiches grace the stylish tea stands at Public House restaurant, alongside buttery scones with jam and whipped cream, indulgent chocolate éclairs and zingy lemon tarts. The dining room’s slick surrounds – think sleek lines and exposed wood – is a great option for an intimate tête-àtête, with tea sets starting at just $9 asialife Cambodia 49

Miam Miam Aeon Mall, Phnom Penh // Open: 10am to 9pm Tel: 093 302 222

Marissa Carruthers and Rudi Towiro discover a fusion of Japanese and French cuisines at Aeon Mall.

Combining the fresh flavours of Japan with French artisanal cooking techniques, Miam Miam presents a mouthwatering medley of tastes in an environment inspired by the kissatens, or teahouses, that first opened on the cherry blossomlined streets of Tokyo in 1888.

The Aeon Mall eatery has retained all of their old-school charm and elegance, while injecting a dose of the modern world through its contemporary décor. Sticking to kissaten tradition, the restaurant serves up delicate hand-made desserts, fragrant teas and strong dark coffees. Heartier dishes also follow in the footsteps of the traditional teahouses, which evolved into offering main courses such 50 asialife Cambodia

as Japanese-style pastas and kare raisu (Japanese curry and rice).

Paying tribute to the introduction of French flavours to Japan, Miam Miam serves up delicacies such as fluffy soufflés, chocolate fondants, creamy fondants and crusty French bread.

“We are a French café with a Japanese twist and bring to diners the best of both cuisines.

Our chefs also bring their own unique flavour to the recipes,” says Denise Lum, operations manager.

Take the gooey riz noir ($11.50), or black rice. The grains are mixed with squid ink and served in a pot with small cuts of squid and shrimp, topped with a fried egg. The smoothness of the egg, mixed with

the sourness of the rice and accompanying seafood make it a perfect fusion of flavour and texture. Then there’s the signature Miam Miam spaghetti ($8.90) – a healthy portion of pasta served with chunky slices of Frankfurter sausage, tomatoes and bacon. Tossing the strands with French butter, shoyu (a type of soy sauce) and a “secret” broth give a subtle kick to the dish.

The lobster bisque pasta ($13) consists of spaghetti doused in a rich soup that has been slow-cooked to infuse fragrant flavours. Juicy chunks of lobster and prawns sit on top, with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over.

But it’s the soufflé pancakes that prove how the two cuisines

can fuse. Each sees a thick, fluffy pancake doused with topping.

Despite their size, the pancakes are light and steer away from being on the too sweet side by the choice of flavours – original ($2.90), cream cheese ($3.90) and matcha ($4.90), made with Japanese green tea.

It’s well worth the 20-minute wait for the dish, as each is made from scratch and proves the perfect way to sneak in a bit of final indulgence at the end of a meal. “Our pride comes from the ingredients we source, which are always fresh and of high quality, and that’s why people keep coming back,” Lun says. And with the restaurant teeming, it seems they’ve found a recipe for success.

Irrawaddi 24 Street 334, Phnom Penh // Open: 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm Tuesday to Friday, and from 10am to 10pm on weekends Tel: 012 979 510

Ellie Dyer and Charles Fox test out Myanmar's cuisine while surrounded by a gallery of art in Phnom Penh.

The mighty Irrawaddi River cuts through the vast expanses of modern-day Myanmar. Flowing south from the high peaks of the north, it divides the country in two before meeting the sea at the Bay of Bengal.

As a life-blood for many, it’s only fitting that the best known restaurant to serve Myanmar's cuisine in Phnom Penh is named after this vast waterway, with a page of the eatery’s menu packed with fascinating details of its 1,350-mile-long flow.

Paintings in the modest, high-ceilinged restaurant gave a further insight into life in the country formerly known as Burma. Colourful landscapes and striking portraits – including an image of 69-year-old democracy

icon Aung San Suu Kyi – hung on the walls, while a friendly waitress had cooling swirls of thanaka paste, a traditional cosmetic made from ground bark, decorating her cheeks.

Myanmar’s cuisine reflects its myriad of cultural influences (the country boasts more than 135 different ethnic groups), with Indian-influenced rotis and curries eaten alongside traditional salads, including a national favourite called laphet thoke, made with fermented tea leaves.

Irrawaddi’s version ($2) is served in a pretty red and black dish, with crunchy peanuts and fresh tomatoes acting as an excellent contrast to the distinctive sour green leaves. Decorated with bright chillis, the tangy

dish kicked off our lunchtime feast in style.

With Irrawaddi also known around town for its value for money, we plumped for the chicken biriyani set ($4). A lidded pot containing a generous portion of rice, topped with chunks of chicken breast in a dense curry sauce, soon came forth. The grains were moist and succulent, and went well with the set’s side dish of a simple, clear vegetable soup.

Knowing the country’s penchant for rich, oil-laden curries, we also opted for the mutton and potato version ($4). The serving, though a tad on the small side, was delicious. Slow-cooked chunks of meat melted in the mouth, while the gentle spicing

created an indulgent, warming dish that would be perfect for a cold night in Myanmar’s hills.

A rounded roti flatbread ($1) proved an excellent medium to soak up the sauce. Separate dishes of crunchy vegetables, a salty cabbage and cucumber salad and a complementary portion of pineapple were there to freshen the palate.

For a sweet touch, I sipped on a cup of spiced milk tea ($1) while contemplating Irrawaddi’s themed decorations, which also included a selection of embellished silk parasols. With the impressive depth of flavour of its dishes, I couldn’t help but think that this hole-in-the-wall eatery is doing a fascinating culture proud. asialife Cambodia 51

BehindtheDesign 52 asialife Cambodia

Navutu Dreams

Moving to Cambodia may have been part of their plan to escape island life, but Italian trio Manfredi de Lucia, Maddalena Morandi and Giovanna Morandi have retained the relaxed feel of Fiji at the tropical-inspired Navutu Dreams resort in Siem Reap.

The owners of Navutu Stars Fiji Hotel & Resort, set on the Pacific island group’s Yasawa archipelago, moved to Siem Reap in 2010 after partners Manfredi and Maddalena saw the town’s potential on a threeday visit to Cambodia, when they felt an “instant attraction” to the location.

Placed in a semi-rural setting on the outskirts of Siem Reap, the resort began on a single plot of land, which soon spiralled into four, with rooms added organically.

“The design progressed as we were building,” explains Giovanna, who is Maddalena’s sister.

Working without an architect, Maddalena kept a cuttings folder of designs that she liked, while Giovanna produced drawings for their builder and engineer.

The result is a fresh, contemporary property where the whitewashed walls of single level villas nod firmly to the Mediterranean. Decorative design touches gain inspiration from closer to home, with wooden art from Ratanakiri and Laotian tribes adorning interior walls, while imposing carved statues guard the gardens around the health resort’s 28 rooms.

A dominant feature of the hotel’s design is the striking restaurant, which features open sides and a traditional Cambodian thatched roof. Though the materials used to create it may be local, the circular shape is very much of Fijian origin – a prime example of the hotel’s seamless blend of cultures and styles.

Navutu’s three swimming pools are notable for their flowing, curvilinear forms. “The engineer copied the design but didn’t respect the exact curves,” Giovanna comments. This enabled their vision to work in practice, not just on paper.

Bathrooms feature stone floors inflected with pebbles, while stripy deckchairs on villa verandas reflect further beach influences. Rooms feel spacious and light, with blue plaster used as opposed to paint – something they couldn’t achieve in Fiji due to the lack of skilled craftsmen. Touches of yellow fabric add to the summery vibe. “We wanted to have a fresh feeling – Cambodia’s a warm country,” Giovanna notes, stressing their priority in avoiding anything oppressive.

With a large yoga room, where two classes are held each day, and a resident acupuncturist, Navutu Dreams bills itself as the only health resort in Cambodia. The leafy gardens and alluring pools of its design create a true resort feeling – an environment in which to simply kick back and relax.

Words by Caroline Major, photographs supplied. asialife Cambodia 53

Mary Sara ring, cuff and necklace with pendant Model: Bethany Adjekota

accessories

54 asialife Cambodia

Photography and art direction: Jeremie Montessuis for Film Noir Studio Hair: The Dollhouse Make-up: Brooke Scobie Models: Santana Sato, Charlotte Dekarczyk, Vannary Bou and Bethany Adjekota Jewellery: Waterlily, D.Design,A.N.D and Mary Sara

asialife Cambodia 55

Waterlily necklace and earrings Model: Vannary Bou

A.N.D bracelet and necklace Model: Santana Sato

D.Design necklace and earrings Model: Charlotte Dekarczyk

Listings

hotel & travel Airlines & Agencies

Silk Air Regency Complex C, Suite 2-4 Samdach, Monireth Blvd, S.k.

Tomnoubteouk, Khan Chamkarmorn Tel: 023 988 629

Asiana Airlines Room A16 at Phnom Penh International Airport.

Tel: 023 890 441

Thai Airways 294 Mao Tse Toung Blvd., Phnom Penh. Tel: 023 214 359

Air Asia Domestic Terminal Arrival Office NºA17, Phnom Penh International Airport Tel: 023 890 035

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

Tel: 023 6666 788 Cebu Pacific Air No. 333B, Preah Monivong Blvd, Sangkat Orussey 4, Khan 7 Makara, 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 161 China Airlines 32, Preah Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 056 China Eastern No. 68, st. 606, Sangkat Beung Kak 2, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh Tel: 016 985 668 304, Steung Thmey Village, Siem Reap. Tel: 063 965 229 China Southern Room F-G-H-I,Ground floor Nº53, Phnom Penh Hotel, Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 588 DragonAir 168 Monireth Boulevard, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 424 300 Eva Air Suite 11-14B, Street 205, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 219 911 Jet Star Asia #333B, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh Tel: 023 220 909 Korean Air #254, R03, Monivong Blvd., Phnom Penh.

Tel: 023 2240 47-49 Lao Airlines 58B, Preah Sihanouk Blvd.

Phnom Penh Tel: 023 222 956 Malaysia Airlines #35-37, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 218 923-924 Myanmar Airways International No. 90-94Eo, Charles de Gaulle (St. 217), 12257 Phnom Penh Tel: 023 866 404 Qatar Airways Ground floor, Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh. www.qatarairways.com Skywing Asia Airlines IOC buld, Monivong Blvd, Beoung Riang, Doun Penh.

Tel: 023 217130

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

Tel: 023 5515 888 Vietnam Airlines #41, Street 214, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 215 998

Battambang

Cafe Eden Located along the River Tel: 053 731 525www. cafeedencambodia.com Eclectic cafe with incredible food that overlooks the river. EspressoWifi- A.C.-Local Art. Non-Profit that focuses on training Cambodian People. Boutique with handmade local crafts. Happy hour 3pm-7pm. Open Wednesday - Monday 7:30am-9pm Bambu Hotel Phum Romchek 5 Tel: 053 953900 / 053 953 905 bookings@bambuhotel.com www.bambuhotel.com 16 rooms arranged in four traditionally inspired buildings with swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

Battambang Resort Wat Ko Village, Battambang Tel: 012 510 100/053 666 7001 info@battambangresort.com www.battambangresort.com Jaan Bai restaurant Road 2 near Psar Nat Market Tel: 097 398 7815 Jaan Bai is a home for folks who share a love of gatherings around the table, a passion for food and an interest in supporting Cambodian youth. Using seasonal organic produce sourced from own kitchen garden, local farmers and neighboring markets. Open Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 9pm.

Kinyei cafe Street 1 and 1/2, Phum 20 Osaphea Tel: 017 292 119, www.kinyei.org Social enterprise, best coffee in town, serving snacks, lunch, breakfast and other drinks, friendly staff, free space for small open workshop. Won the National Barista Championship two years in a row 2012 and 2013. Open 7am-7pm, 7 days.

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.

asialife Cambodia 59

Sangker Villa Hotel Pool Restaurant 200 Street, Romchek4 Village, Ratanak Commune Tel: 097 764 0017 www.sangkervilla.com Sangker Villa has 7 rooms and 1 Balcony Suite. It is located 10 minutes walk from the city center. The hotel combines the charm of the countryside with the advantages of the city. Swiss management, speaking English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Kampot

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

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

Epic Arts Café Old Market Street Employing deaf staff, this café next to the old market has a good range of bagels, shakes, brownies and coffee.

Is also the centre for the community arts programme.

Open from 7am - 6pm.

Les Manguiers 2km north of Kampot.

Tel: 092 330 050 Small resort with bungalows and rooms set in beautiful gardens overlooking the river with a restaurant which has daily changing, freshly prepared food.

60 asialife Cambodia

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.

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 This British pub is the place for expats to chew the fat over a pint. Friendly British owner has recreated the atmosphere of a rural pub in outer Kampot, or at least as close as it gets.

The ribs remain as good as ever.

Open 8.30am until midnight.

Kep

Breezes Route 33. Tel: 097 675 9072 Situated on the main coast road about halfway between Kep Beach and the ferry to Rabbit Island, this stylish restaurant and lounge is located right by the sea in a green, wooded area. The food is a fusion of Asian and western with a focus on small dishes with plenty of seafood. Free pick-up and return to Kep hotels.

Kep Lodge Tel: 092 435 330. www.keplodge.com Nestled just below the calm Kep National Park, this boutique resort

offers only 10 standard and luxury bungalows, all with private balcony, hot water and sea view. The comfortable restaurant pampers you with local and Swiss specialties and the lively bar.

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

Knai Bang Chatt Resort Tel: 078888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal service in private grounds housing a collection of remodelled 1960’s style colonial villas. Offering 18 rooms, infinity pool, spa and media centre.

All rooms refurbished to international standards. Choice of two dining options – upscale The Strand or the adjoining Sailing Club.

Le Bout du Monde Tel: 011 964 181 www.leboutdumondekep.com Individual and separate bungalows in traditional Khmer architecture located on a hill-top with good views and nice gardens. Serves French and Khmer cuisine. Rooms have hot water, minibar, fan and safe.

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. Please note that the Vine Retreat now accepts Visa. The nearest ATM is 35 km distant.

Spring Valley Resort/Mr. Mab Kep City, Cambodia, Tel: 036 666 6673 www.mr.mab.com, www.springvalley-resort.com

Spring Valley Resort, at the base of Kep National Park, is just a short walk to the beach. The rooms are scattered throughout vibrant green gardens, connected by walkways that wind through vines, trees and flowering plants. Their new restaurant, Mr. Mab... very delicious, takes a fresh look at traditional Khmer street food.

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

Arthur & Paul Mâles SpaBoutique-Hotel 27 Street 71, BKK1 Tel. 023 212 814 or 077 892 256 www.arthurandpaul.com The first gay (100% men-only) SpaBoutique-Hotel-Restaurant-Bar in Phnom Penh. 10 rooms.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Season Residence Apartments 109-133, Street 144 Tel: 023 990 628 / 012 457 408 www.seasonresidence.com Season Residence is self-catered accommodation located only 9 km from the airport. Featuring spacious apartments with free Wi-Fi access.

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.

Phnom Penh – Mid

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.

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.

attractive Cambodian furniture and gorgeous colonial tiles.

Pandan Boutique Hotel 15A Street 282. Tel: 012 373 78 www.pandanboutiquehotel.com Ideally located in the heart of Phnom Penh, at walking distance from the shopping and business district, 5mn walk from Independence Monumnent. 26 rooms with unqiue and classy design.

The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa 28 Street 184. Tel: 023 215 151 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.

Rambutan Resort 29 Street 71, BKK1. Tel: 017 99 22 40 www.rambutanresort.com Urban modern oasis located in a quiet residential area only 5 minutes from all major sights in Phnom Penh. Deluxe pool view and garden rooms with outdoor bathtubs. Salt water pool and private spa room for some unwinding treatments.

The 252 Boutique Hotel 19 Street 252, Tel: 023 998 252 www.the-252.com Conveniently located close to major attractions, the small boutique hotel offers a quiet and peaceful retreat from the bustling city. Spacious and stylishly decorated rooms with all amenities, swimming pool surrounded by a leafy tropical garden, outdoor restaurant and bar.

The Artist Guesthouse (Mid-Range) 69 street 178, Tel: 023 213 930 www.the-artist-guesthouse.com Located across from the National Museum, The Artist is your place.

The 11-bedroom guesthouse has a modern feel.

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

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.

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

asialife Cambodia 61

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 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.Downstairs bar has great Tex-Mex food and pool table.

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.

Sihanoukville

Independence Hotel, Resort & Spa Tel: 034 934 300, Fax: 034 933 660 www.independencehotel.net Independence Hotel, Resort & Spa is an oasis of calm and luxury in Sihanoukville. The full delights of the resort, spa and private beach are ready for you to enjoy. Three fully equipped meeting and conference rooms are also available.

Mick & Craig’s Restaurant Serendipity Beach, Sihanoukville Tel: 034 934 845 www.mickandcraigs.com A small friendly restaurant serving comfort food from around the world since 1997. Open daily from 7am-11pm.

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.

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.

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 Spanishborn 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 Frenchowned 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.

Listings

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 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.

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.

Mezze 13a (1st floor) Street 11 Tel: 097 7667343 mezze.siemreap@gmail.com www.mezzesiemreap.com Escape the heat and dust to be warmly welcomed by attentive staff at one of Siem Reap’s unique venues. Enjoy signature cocktails, original cuban cigars, fine champagnes, luxury shisha and fusion tapas. Open every day from 6pm-1am.

Travel Indochina 43-44EO Street 108. Tel: 023 991 978 www.travelindochina.com.au Australian-owned travel company specialising in small group journeys around Asia that can tailor trips for individuals.

Miss Wong Lane off Pub Street. Tel: 092 428 332 Imagine yourself in China at the turn of the last century and you won’t go much wrong in Miss Wong with excellent and original cocktails and dim sum. Open late.

Nest Sivutha Blvd. Tel: 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 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 - 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

Rambutan Hotels & Resorts Phum Wat Damnak, Kum Sala Komreuk, Krom 10, Siem Reap Tel: 012 654 638 / 063 766 655 bookings@rambutansr.com, www.rambutans.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.

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 10am - 10.30pm.

Helicopters Cambodia 658 Hup Quan Street. Tel: 063 963 316 Professionally run company that has flights over the temples and beyond in modern, safe helicopters.

siem reap

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.

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.

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.

Marum 8A-B Phum Slokram, Siem Reap (Between Wat Polanka & Catholic Church).

Tel: 017 363 284 Featuring a winning mix of creative local cuisine, Marum customers will enjoy a fantastic dining experience that helps build a new life for the students in training there.

Open daily from 11am -10.30pm (Kitchen closes at 9.30pm).

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

Baby Milk Scam Caroline Major A tug on your shirt and the yearning eyes of a bedraggled, destitute mother and infant asking not for money but ‘’milk for baby” is likely to also tug on your heartstrings.

Whilst many of us are aware of the reasons not to give handouts to beggars, plenty of holidaymakers in Siem Reap come with good intentions. When approached by a young mother shaking an empty milk bottle in seeming desperation, they may have the impression that giving food and sustenance is an excellent and harmless alternative.

Yet, as James Sutherland of Cambodia-based child protection charity Friends International explains, this is simply a “slightly more sophisticated form of begging.”

Instead of pleading for hard cash, the mother and child ask an unwitting passerby, typically on Sivatha Boulevard at the end of Pub Street, to purchase powdered milk for them. “The tourist thinks they’ve done some positive good,” Sutherland comments.

The reality is quite the opposite. Sutherland explains that after the tourist donates milk, the beggars “take it back to the shop and get the money back.” With powdered milk being sold at inflated prices – a large tin can go for $30, double the real price – the

64 asialife Cambodia

profit is split. Those involved are after cash, not milk.

“It plays on various things, including emotions,” Sutherland notes. “It also plays on the sense of ‘better [that] I’m buying food’.”

A tourist may otherwise donate a dollar or two to a street beggar, but with this scam earnings are increased substantially.

“It’s bad for the tourist – they’re being duped. It’s bad for the woman and child – that’s what they’re doing, day in, day out,” Sutherland adds.

Only the store actually benefits, not whom the tourist is seeking to help.

By donating milk powder Sutherland says tourists are “unwittingly keeping them in that situation.” There is no incentive for the young women to seek alternative employment, while children and infants are working at night on the streets.

Local expats have been particularly vociferous in highlighting this scam in Siem Reap, and Friends International strongly urges tourists to “just say no” with poster campaigns focusing on changing the behaviour of visitors. They are the ones who can help the problem lessen or even disappear.

“As long as tourists keep falling for it, it’s going to go on,” says Sutherland.

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 - Pharmacies

U-Care Pharmacies Old market in front of Pub Street. Tel: 063 965 396; Inside Lucky Mall. Tel: 063 966 68; Siem Reap Airport. Tel: 063 766049; Sivatha Street. Tel: 063 763 399 www.ucarepharma.com Provide international cosmetic brands, leading imported health & beauty products, only certified medication. Professional advice and convenient and strategic location.

Open daily from 8am to 10pm.

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.

FCC Angkor FCC Complex, Pokambor Avenue Tel: 063 760 280 Elegant bar and restaurant serves a mix of Asian and international cuisine. The complex includes shops, the McDermott Gallery, Visaya Spa and boutique hotel.

Hard Rock Café 7 Makara, Achar Sva Street, Watbo Village. Tel: 093 565 655, info@ hrcangkor.com Situated in a colonial-style building, Hard Rock Cafe Angkor fits perfectly with the surrounding businesses and buildings in the historic city centre. With 160 seats across two floors, and an additional 80 seats on the riverside terrace, the cafe is a great place to grab a bite. Open daily from 11am to late night.

King’s Road Angkor 7 Makara Road, Achar Sva Street (opposite Old Market bridge along the river) Siem Reap. Tel: 093 811 800, kingsroadangkor.com A unique dining and shopping village in Siem Reap, comprising of 15 restaurants and cafes and a dozen boutiques. it provides entertainment in elegant surroundings and is an ideal location to unwind from visiting the temples.

Palate Angkor Acha Sva Road, Wat Bo Village www.palateangkor.com Tel: 063 965 252 Palate Angkor Restaurant & Bar, the newest addition to the Siem Reap culinary scene. Serving delectable Pan Asian cuisine, Palate Angkor is centrally located in the leafy French Quarter between The Royal Gardens and the Riverside. Open daily from 11.30am-11pm.

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. Also offers free guided tours of the handicraft workshops to see some of the secrets of traditional Khmer craftsmanship.

Eric Raisina 75-81 (Level 4), Charles de Gaulle Avenue, Borei Prem Prey Tel: 063 963 207, ericraisina.com Open daily from 9am to 7pm Accessories, decor, textiles and clothing created by Madagascan-born and French-trained designer. Phone in advance for an appointment.

Hard Rock Shop 7 Makara, Achar Sva Street, Watbo Village.

Tel: 093 565 655, info@hrcangkor.com The unique rock shop of Cambodia has some exceptional collectibles, fashion and music related merchandise. Open daily from 9.30am to midnight.

Jasmine Boutique FCC Angkor, Pokambor Avenue Tel: 063 760 610 Same sophisticated, stylish boutique as on Street 240 in Phnom Penh.

Smateria The Alley West Tel: 063 964 343 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.

Siem Reap - Spas

Sokkhak Spa Sok San Street, next to Haven Restaurant, Old Market Area Tel: +63 763 797, www.sokkhakspa.com In Khmer, Sokkhak means ‘tranquility’.

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.

Listings

food & drink Arabic

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.

Harem 157 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 015 868 104 Let us transport you to a world of opulence that inspires relaxation in the authentic and lavish setting of our Shisha lounge. Harem is the perfect place to find yourself again.

Operation from 2pm to 3am.

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.

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, Phnom Penh Tel: 092 219 565 Romdeng serves Cambodian food that ranges from almost forgotten recipes from the provinces to contemporary creative Cambodian cuisine. It is set in a beautiful colonial building featuring wooden carvings, tables, chairs and unique lights all hand-made in Cambodia.

All of this plus a pool, free WIFI, a family area and a gift shop means a visit is a must. Open daily from 11am-10:30pm (kitchen closes at 9.30pm).

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.

La Table Khmère 11E Street 278.

Tel: 012 238 068 Taste the flavour of traditional Khmer specialities and fusion cuisine in a stylish ambience and atmosphere on Street 278. Also serving Western dishes. Open daily 11am to 11pm. www.la-table-khmere.com

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.

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

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.

asialife Cambodia 65

Xiang Palace InterContinental Phnom Penh 2/F, 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888 x 3562 Xiang Palace is locally acclaimed for its authentic Cantonese cuisine and delicious dim sum, all prepared with the finest ingredients.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Yi Sang Chinese Restaurant 128F Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 922 www.almondhotel.com.kh Set on the ground floor of the Almond Hotel, this stylish restaurant specialises in Cantonese food and dim sum that fuses the traditional with the contemporary, including excellent dim sum.

Open from 6.30am - 10am, 11.30am - 2pm and 5.30pm - 10pm – Dim Sum not served in the evening.

French

Armand’s 33 Street 108. Tel: 015 548 966 A true bistro experience in a cosy wood-panelled space, despite the informal and relaxed ambience it has the menu to even satisfy high-rollers.

Open 5pm until late. Closed Mondays.

Brasserie du Port 49E Sisowath Quay, cnr Street 84 Tel: 066 821 224 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 breeze and the restaurant’s comprehensive wine list.

Open daily, 8am – 10pm.

Comme à la Maison 13 Street 57. Tel: 012 951 869 www.commealamaisondelicatessen.com Sophisticated French restaurant with a beautiful outdoor terrace area at the front, yet secluded from the street. One of the best French kitchens in town. Small delicatessen at the back of the restaurant.

Open daily from 6am - 10.30pm.

K West 1 Street 154, cnr. Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 214 747 Stylish aircon bar and restaurant below the Amanjaya with an excelllent steak menu and good value happy hour from 6pm to 8pm Fridays. Now has a brasserie menu with daily specials. Also has free WiFi. Open 6.30am until midnight.

La Creperie 12C Street 308. Tel: 023 640 7600 www.lacreperie.com.cn Serving Brittany-style crepes since 2007.

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 Bistrot 218, Street 184. Tel: 012 495 841, email information@institutfrançais-cambodge. com.Nestled inside the entirely renovated

66 asialife Cambodia

spaces of the Institut français, Le Bistrot will now be open for who wants to enjoy a coffee break or a convivial lunch and dinner. Le Bistrot is between the media library, cinema, exhibition gallery and garden of the Institut français. Open from Monday to Saturday from 8am-10pm.

Le Gourmet NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park.

Tel: 023 228 822.

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).

Le Vôtre caterer 9A, Street 178.

Tel: 092 638 683/092 24 88 16 levotrecambodia@gmail.com Caterer specialising in fine French cuisine preparing both fresh and frozen meals for wholesale, private events and walk-in customers.

Products include foie gras, terrines, salmon gravlax, French cheeses and deli goods. Open daily 7am - 7pm.

Sunday 7am - 12pm.

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.

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: 023 222 705 A boutique Asian-themed restaurant with an intimate, casual ambiance featuring classical Thai and Khmer cuisine with affordable price. Known for authentic flavours and attractive presentation, only the best local produce and choice seafood and meats are prepared fresh daily. Open daily 10am - 10pm.

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, 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.

Botanico Gastro Bar 9B Street 29, Tel: 017 862 992 Botanico is located in its own habitat surrounded by over 2,000 plants and offers a provocative menu of tapas, salads, burgers & sandwich, and straightforward food.

Open on Tue – Sun all day menu from 10.30am-8.30pm Brooklyn Pizza + Bistro 20 Street 123. Tel: 089 925 926 A slice of Brooklyn right here in Phnom Penh. In addition to authentic pizza, Brooklyn serves pastas, burgers, ribs, chicken wings and more.

Byrd Cafe & Restaurant 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.

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.

Doors Restaurant 18, Street 47 & 84.

Tel : 023 998 114 www.doorspp.com New tapas restaurant, with live music. Open 11am until late Duplex 3 Street 278, www.duplex.com.kh A trendy spot for expats and tourists to hang-out. It has a cafe, a restaurant, a bar and a club. All this is under one roof in the heart of the city (Wat Langka).

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 .

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 the Restaurant 215 Street 13, Phnom Penh Tel: 012 802 072 Friends the Restaurant is a training restaurant run by Mith Samlanh, which has worked to build the futures of former street children and marginalised young people in Phnom Penh since 1994. Located near the National Museum, it is famous for its legendary frozen shakes and daiquiris and its delicious blend of Asian and Westernstyle tapas. Free WiFi available and a dog-friendly restaurant. Open daily from 11am – 10.30pm (kitchen closes at 9.30pm).

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.

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.

Jay’s Diner 69 Street 178, Tel: 023 213 930 www.the-artist-guesthouse.com Jay’s diner is offering some of New York’s best food. The decor is a twist of a classic American diner and a bistro.

Monday to Saturday 7 am - 10pm.

Sunday 7am - 4pm. Closed Sunday evening.

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

68 asialife Cambodia

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.

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.

Lone Pine Cafe 14 Street 282 (Free delivery) Tel: 078 949 398/095 949 398 Colossal burgers, Memphis hunk ribs, Cajun gumbo, spicy chili, root beer barbecue pulled pork, po boys, wings, big salads, best beer list, great bourbons and fantastic margaritas. Open daily from 11.30am – 2pm, 6pm-10pm (evenings only on Sunday).

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.

Ludwik German Restaurant 28 Street 350 (near Toul Sleng Museum) Tel: 084 444 888 Ludwik is a German restaurant and authentic beer garden where you can hold major events, celebrate with friends or simply relax and enjoy an ice-cold beer under the shade of the trees. We serves Paulaner (Munich) and Cambodian beers, alongside a range of German and regional cuisine. Open daily from 11am until 10 pm.

Meat & Drink Street 308 alleyway.

Bar and grill. A casual setting for drinks and a bite to eat. No reservations. Open Tuesday Sunday, 5pm - 11pm.

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

Open daily 9:30am - 1am.

Mike’s Burger House Russian Blvd, inside Sokimex Petrol Station. Tel: 012 633 971 Hugely popular burger bar that serves food with plastic knives and forks and equally plastic French fries with cheese sauce. Ideal for those who believe that American culture starts with a Mc. New York Steakhouse 264 Street 63 cnr Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 500, www.steakhouse.com.kh Indulge in a seductive dining 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) Public House Street 2401/2.

Tel: 017 770 754 Offering fresh, simple and delicious cuisine set in a modern take on a pub. Open seven days, 11.30am until late (open from 10.30am for Sat and Sun brunch).

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.

Riverhouse Asian Bistro 157 Sisowath Quay, Tel: 023 212 302 www.riverhousecambodia.com

Well known as one of the oldest French colonial buildings on the riverfront with breezy views along the Tonle Sap & Mekong River. The elegant restaurant and bar offers a special beverage menu, featuring delectable cocktails, quality wines, single malts and freshly squeezed juices. Open daily from 10am - 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 10am to 10pm Tepui Restaurant Lounge Chinese House, 45 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 991 514/092 553 300 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 Mon to Sat, from 5pm until late.

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.

asialife Cambodia 69

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 Shop 102 1B Street 102 (Inside Central Mansion) Tel.: 077 666 115 The Shop restaurant proposes a large range of fresh bread, pastries, chocolates, Western and Asian food. At night time, the atmosphere becomes cozier and offers a selection of fines wines and cocktails to accompany the dinner menu.

Customers have access to the nearby swimming pool, making it the perfect place for families.

The Taste Khmer Dessert & Café The Taste Khmer Desert & Café collection which appeals to your eyes and mouth you will be charmed by lovely Khmer Dessert. 9 Street 310, Phnom Penh, Tel: 023219498 / 012476012, axchoeun@yahoo.com Open daily from 7am – 9:30pm. vKirirom Pine View Kitchen Tel: 078 777 284, www.vkirirom.com The restaurant is surrounded by pine trees, located in Kirirom National Park.

Our chef’s will serve you special Khmer and western dishes, overlooking this beautiful nature. Open daily from 7am to 10pm.

Zino Wine Bar and Restaurant 12 Street 294. Tel: 023998 519 FB: www.facebook.com/zinowinebar Zino offers a comprehensive wine list by the glass and bottle, professionally made cocktails and a constantly evolving Mediterranean and Asian menu. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Kitchen closes at 11pm.

Italian

APERITIVO Sothearos Boulevard, opposite Wat Botum (used to be Dolce Vita) Giampaolo Chiarion gchiarion@gmail.com, aperitivo.italin1@gmail.com

70 asialife Cambodia

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.

Caravan Restaurant and Fine Dining 68 Sihanouk Blvd., Tel: 023 966 600 Indulge in fine dining and fresh Italian food, from home-made pasta and tiramasu to American-imported lobster and prime kobe steak. A range of wines, whiskeys and cigars are also on offer.

Open daily, from 10am to 11pm.

Da Sandro 162 Street 63, near Sihanouk Blvd Tel: 010644987. www.sandropanini.com contacts@sandropanini.com Daily homemade authentic Italian sandwiches in the heart of Phnom Penh. Delicious cold cuts and cheeses directly imported from Italy and fresh baked bread. Open 7 days, 11am - 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.

Genova Italian Restaurant 20 Street 118.

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 6C Street 29. Tel 023 220 895 Stunning garden courtyard with day beds and couches as well as outdoor tables and chairs or air-conditioned interior. Excellent homemade pasta, woodfired pizza and contemporary Italian cuisine. Great selection of wine from climate controlled cellar. Now also offering brunch on weekends.

Open 11am-11pm Mon-Fri and 9am–11pm Sat & Sun. 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 9.30pm. Open daily 11.30am - 2.30pm, 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

Japanese & Korean

Fusion Sushi Cnr. Streets 47 & 84 Tel: 023 986 114 Located inside Cara Hotel this beautifully decorated restaurant dishes up excellent Japanese and Korean food.

Hachi Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, 26 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 999 200 ext.: 6612 A taste of Japan in a Zen atmosphere with tatami rooms and sushi bar. Open daily, 11.30am 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm.

Kan Ji Japanese Restaurant 128f Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 016 318 383 / 016 312 828.

Kan Ji is three floors of Japanese culinary delight in a bright and modern setting. Open for lunch and dinner, it features a stylish mix of ancient and modern creative cuisine. Open daily, 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm.

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.

Mr. Lee Garden Restaurant 44 Street 172, opposite Pontoon Club.

Tel: 017 384 772/010 254 162 Email: 1559835@naver.com Set around bustling street 172, Mr. Lee Garden restaurant serves international cuisine, especially Korean food, cooked

by Chef Mr. Lee. You can find various foods with affordable prices before or after the dance floor. Open daily from 7am – 11pm.

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 - 2pm, 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.

Shangri-La 477 Sisowath Quay opposite Cambodiana Hotel Tel: 077 773 022, www.facebook. com/ramen.shangrila Japanese noodle bar serves the best Ramen from Hokkaido, Japan.

You can taste Japanese special soup and noodle collaboration like eating in Japan with affordable price. Open daily from 11am - 3pm.

Shiro-Fukurou 37 Street 310, Tel: 077 773 022 www.facebook.com/shirofukurou Shiro-Fukurou is the special Japanese soup restaurant!

The soup made by Japanese chef, cannot be tasted in any other restaurant.

Open daily from 11:00am-11:00pm.

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.

Yuzu 1 Street 360. Tel: 095 600 400.

Open daily from 11am to 10pm Specialising in ramen, tempura and makisushi in chic surroundings.

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.

asialife Cambodia 71

imbibe

Swollen River Darren Gall The Mekong has swollen like a fat rolling python, writhing angrily in its muddy channel and creating the glistening illusion that it is about to burst its banks and seethe through the city streets.

It is hot and it is wet, with steam for air. Without warning winds scatter through the streets, lightning begins fizzing across the sky, thunder rolls with claps and booms shaking the very atmosphere. Then, after an eerie pause, all hell breaks loose.

Rain is a gentle word for poets and farmers. It doesn’t rain in Phnom Penh: a bloated, distressed and distended sky just ups and empties itself on a city. Drains, streets and whole urban villages flood in an instant. Traffic stalls to a halt and the city collectively gasps for air in the deluge. Welcome to the rainy season, Phnom Penh style.

Phnom Penh appears to have four seasons as best I can tell: hot and dry, hot and windy, hot and humid and hot and rainy. Being a seasonal (and seasoned) drinker, my thoughts turn to what wines and wine styles I may adopt at this time of year to see me through yet another monsoonal myopia of rising damp, perpetually wet washing, traffic jams and the unique blend of dirty water and steamy sweat.

This year, I have found myself pining for wines as fresh as an

alpine spring morning and as crisp as a well-starched shirt. I am therefore seriously getting into Vermentino. Originally from Sardinia and produced in Italy in Liguria and Piedmont, it is also prominent in Corsica and is now enjoying popularity in southern France and a number of new world countries such as Australia and the USA. Australia’s oldest familyowned winery, Yalumba, have recently released a very accessible and enjoyable Vermentino under their ‘Y’ series label. Sardinian Vermentino can be hard to find, but it is well worth seeking out.

They are best consumed as young wines whilst they still retain vibrancy and freshness.

At its fragrant best, this dry white wine has an aromatic perfume of fresh jasmine and nectarines with a hint of sandalwood and an undertone of fresh herbs. The palate shows intense, fruity flavours of cumquats and lemon drops with pink grapefruit notes, a bracing minerality and acidity on the finish. Served well chilled, this is the perfect wine for a bit of clarity during the dengue haze of rainy season in the city.

Vermentino works well with fish and white meat but really shines with vegan and vegetarian cuisine. It can also handle a little bit of spice, but it works best with the clean flavours of salads and antipasti.

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

72 asialife Cambodia

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.

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.

Taqueria Corona 14E Street 51 (btwn Sihanouk Blvd and Street 242) Tel: 089 281 626 / 012 629 986 Enjoy our mexican specialties, barbacoa, al pastor, texas chile, carnitas, pollo and carne asoda in our festive dining room. Open daily from11.30am - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm (Sunday evenings only).

Vegetarian

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 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

AlexCAFE 37 Street 123 corner Street 460 Tel: 012 343 994/070 344 353 AlexCAFE provides green environment for guests to sip Cambodian coffee and taste a selection of Khmer dishes. Stay awake & fresh at AlexCAFE with our promotion noodles and iced coffee for only $2, with free Wi-Fi. 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.

Artease Street 310 (between 51 & 57) Ms. Bo, Manager Tel: 012 886 615 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.

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

Tel: 023 217 262 Stylish, locally owned café with bakery on the premises serves a variety of coffees and pastries, with the green tea latte a house speciality. Open 7.30am - 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, groundfloor restaurant and on the streetside terrace. Open 6.30am - 10.30pm.

Café Le Point Tel: 012 927 643 Enjoy the cosy and relaxed atmosphere under a big mango tree.

Located near KFC on Norodom Bvd, next to La Clef de Sol shop. Healthy, natural and delicious. Open Mon Sat, from 7am to 7pm.

Café Yejj 170 Street 450, Tel: 012 543 360 / 092 600 750

in the kitchen

Some Like It Hot Rebecca Luria-Phillips What do a hot fudge sundae, a venomous bite and a chemical resin all have in common? They’re defence mechanisms used by living creatures – humans, snakes and poison ivy – to safeguard themselves against predators and other stresses. Plants also have defence mechanisms.

Onions are exerting their right to self-preservation by emitting an enzyme that triggers the waterworks, though humans manage to push past it.

Likewise, chilli peppers keep prey away through a chemical compound called capsaicin, which is the burning sensation you feel on biting into one.

Chilli peppers come in all shapes, colours and heat levels. They can be used to cut through rich foods, add new flavour dimensions and notes of heat and spice. Others can add sweet or fruity notes, depending on your preference.

Levels of capsaicin differ by plant and heat levels are measured on the Scoville scale.

A sweet pepper (bell pepper/ capsicum) weighs in at 0, whereas the habanero pepper ranks around 250,000. The majority of the heat is in the seeds and membrane, so you can control levels by removing those parts before cooking.

The diversity and range of chilli peppers that exist in the world speaks to the diversity of the cuisines. Although Cambodia and Southeast Asia are renowned for the spiciness of their cuisine, there are only a small number of fresh chilli peppers available for purchase.

Foraging through markets in Phnom Penh, I came home

with four varieties (ordered from left to right in the photograph).

The list doesn’t include dried or powdered chillies available in spice aisles or specialty shops.

- Thai Bird’s Eye Chilli. This is the most ubiquitous chilli pepper in Cambodian markets.

Small but mighty, the green ones will deliver their bite immediately, whereas the red ones – just as hot – tease out their heat. Bird’s eye chillies are the same variety as African piri-piri chillies and likely the hottest you can find in your local market. Scoville scale: 100,000.

- Cubanelle Chilli. With a thin skin and low water content, these are great for roasting.

They add sweetness and a mild to moderate heat. Cubanelle’s are akin to popular Poblano peppers, common in Latin American cooking styles. If you have ever enjoyed your eggs drowning in salsa verde at Alma Café, you can thank cubanelle chillies for your happy stomach.

Scoville scale: 2,500.

- Dried Coronado Red Chilli.

Known as dried red chillies, they are thin, waxy skinned “elephant ears” that make up the base of curry pastes.

Generally, most seeds have been removed to avoid excess heat offering up a sweet fruity flavour. Scoville scale: 1,500.

- Long Hot or Finger Chilli.

Comes in red and green varieties. Ripening from green to red can affect the heat level. The slender chillies have medium-thick flesh. They’re very similar to fresh cayenne chillies in that they add heat without adding flavour. Scoville scale: 30,000 to 50,000.

Rebecca Luria-Phillips is writer and editor of the food website realfoodcambodia.com which is about building connections to the foods we eat in Cambodia. Questions and comments can be sent to beccaluria@gmail.com

74 asialife Cambodia

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.

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.

Cupcake Rush 23A Street 57/ 306. Tel: 087 696 988.Open daily from 8am to 8pm.

Sweet treats galore at this cute, specialist cupcake shop.

Daughters of Cambodia 65E0 Street 178.

Tel: 077 657 678 www.daughtersofcambodia.org The cafe, called Sugar ‘n Spice, serves light lunches, a few main courses, home baked goods, desserts, coffee and some original smoothies. The cafe is a place for vocational training, where trainees will train and then have the opportunity to graduate into working in top end restaurants and hotels. Value for money. Free Wifi. There’s also a shop selling clothing, accessories and jewellery made on site. Or relax in the spa which offers head, shoulder, face and foot treatments.

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.

Café Tin Tin Tango A cosy restaurant located in the Toul Kork area Serves Asian and Western food including bakery and apartment services. Open daily from 6:30am – 10:00pm. 38 Street 592, Toul Kork Tel: 023 982 109 / 012 808 816 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).

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

Apros Pub 21Eo Street 322 (between 51 & 57) Mr. Sothea Tel: 097 6085 050 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!

Bar.sito Street 2401/2.

Tel: 077 960 413 Cocktail bar, serving especially designed cocktails, ice-cold beers, red and white wines, champagnes and spirits. Open seven days, 5pm until late.

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 a riverfront vantage.

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) Chez Rina Cocktail Lounge 6 Street 98, Round the corner of Brown’s Riverside Tel: 017 259 955 Phnom Penh’s coolest lounge in a beautifully restored 1890s space in the historic old French Quarter around the Post Office. The focus is on cocktails and conversation hosted by the lovely Chanrina. Open Monday - Saturday 5pm - 12pm.

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.

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.

Elephant Sky Bar 134Z 7th & 8th Floor Patio Hotel Street 51 (on the corner St. 288) Tel: 023 997 900/Ext. 701 www.patio-hotel.com Elephant Sky Bar has set up on the roof top of Patio Hotel with a sky pool where you can see a fabulous view of the town. It is perfect for business talks and relaxation during lunch or after work.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch & dinner from 6.30am – 11pm.

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 hangout, 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: 023 218 987/010 312 333 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 until late.

Riverside Bistro Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148, Tel: 012 277 882 / 023 213 898 (see Restaurants International) Seibur Street 308.

Tel: 092 839 440 Aperitif room. Open seven days, from 5pm to 11pm.

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 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 downstairs 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

asialife Cambodia 75

music as well as a mellow jazz sound track. Open noon until midnight.

to Cambodia as well as support the best of local talent.

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.

Darlin Darlin NagaWorld Hotel and Casino, Hun Sen Park.

Tel: 023 228 822 Top-end nightclub with live music popular among the high-flyers of the city. Semi-private booths in a chic environment make for an unrivalled experience. Open daily from 7pm until late.

Zino Wine Bar and Restaurant 12 Street 294.

Tel: 023998 519 FB: www.facebook.com/zinowinebar Zino offers a comprehensive wine list by the glass and bottle, professionally made cocktails and a constantly evolving Mediterranean and Asian menu. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

Kitchen closes at 11pm.

Gay-Friendly

Arthur & Paul Males Bar and Spa 27 Street 71, BKKI Tel. 023 212 814/077 892 256, www.arthurandpaul.com The first gay (men-only) Spa-BoutiqueHotel-Restaurant-Bar in Phnom Penh.

For everyone who would like to relax after a harassing day of work or intensive visiting, the steam baths and sensual showers are at your disposal. Ease muscle tension, chat, have a Jacuzzi or just relax in one of the private rooms.

After using our facilities or swimming, you can enjoy a drink in the bar or just relax in the restaurant and lounge or around the pool.

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.

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.

CodeRED

By Koh Pich Bridge, opposite Naga World.

Tel: 017 800 642 Launched by veterans of PP clubland, CodeRED aims to bring high calibre DJs

Heart of Darkness 38 Street 51.

Tel: 023 222 415 One of 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.

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.

Nomads Club 46-48, St 172 Khan Daun Penh (opposite Pontoon) PP Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Nomadclub 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.

Pontoon Street 172 It is an institution in Phnom Penh.

The biggest, wildest club where it all happens. Pontoon is the night-out you need to have while in Phnom Penh.

Riverhouse Lounge 157 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 012 299 161 The Riverhouse Lounge is a place for party lovers. Live DJ music every night of the week, theme parties and events will fill your calendar’s nightlife.

Operation Time: 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 - 2am.

Listings

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.

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.legendcinemas.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

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.

Romeet 34E Street 178. Tel: 092 953 567.

Romeet is a dynamic space for Cambodian contemporary art, presenting exhibitions, talks, workshops, local collaborations and international exchanges. The galllery was founed by Phare Ponleu Selpak in 2011.

Open Tues - Sat, 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 6pm, and 2pm to 6pm on Sundays.

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 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd. Tel: 023 986 032. www.cambodianlivingarts.org A non-profit arts organisation devoted to the revival and transmission of traditional Khmer performing arts that puts on performances and provides tours.

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.

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.).

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.

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.

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

76 asialife Cambodia

Carnets d’Asie offers a selection of French books.

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.

Living Arts Experiences 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 018 998 570 Email: events@cambodianlivingarts.org Visit local dance, theatre and musical rehearsals of the traditional Khmer arts through Cambodian Living Arts’ Observation Tours. Available in Siem Ream, Phnom Penh & Kampong Speu call for times and to book in advance.

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 full-day rates available.

Classes

At La Table Khmère cooking class 11E Street 278, Tel: 012 238 068 www.phnompenh-cooking-class.com For all those wanting to learn how to prepare traditional Khmer specialties from scratch in a clean and airconditioned setting. Morning classes include a visit to the local market. Open daily, classes start at 9am and 3pm.

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.

sos

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, Welcome everyone to the peaceful yoga studio.

Wide variety of daily drop-in yoga classes & monthly workshops in many styles with international qualified teachers. Your yoga class contributes to our NGO yoga programs for local kids. Stretch your body while feeling great about reaching out to Cambodian youth.

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

Scuba Nation PADI 5* IDC Diving Centre 18 Sothearos Blvd (near FCC) Tel: 012 715 785 www.divecambodia.com Learn to scuba dive in Phnom Penh. The academic and pool part of the course can be done in Phnom Penh and you finish with 2 days in Sihanoukville on the boat.

We conduct refreshers, try dives and kids’ pool parties as well as the full range of courses. Open 9am-6pm, Sat & Sun 9am-5pm.

Simphony Music School No. 243, Street 51.

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

Febrile Seizures in Children Dr Rathmony Heng A seizure is a sudden timelimited change in motor activity and/or behavior that results from abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It is frequent in younger people and occurs in approximately 10 percent of children.

Most seizures in children are caused by disorders originating outside the brain, such as high fever, infection, syncope, head trauma, toxins or abnormal heart rhythm. Febrile seizure is the most common seizure in those aged from six months to five years, with peak onset at 14 to 18 months. It may be caused by a sudden rise in body temperature, usually within 24 hours of the onset of a fever.

Fortunately, febrile seizures are not as dangerous as they may look. They’re usually harmless and typically don’t indicate a long-term or ongoing problem. A simple febrile seizure is usually generalised all over the body and lasts a few seconds to 10 minutes, followed by a brief post-seizure period of drowsiness.

Fevers that trigger febrile seizures are caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

Typical childhood illnesses, including respiratory illness and infections such as roseola, are often associated with febrile seizure. A less common but very serious cause of sudden fever with seizure is an infection of a child’s brain.

Initial evaluation of an infant during or shortly after a suspected seizure should

include airway, breathing and circulation assessments as well as temperature, blood sugar and blood pressure measurements. During examination, a doctor’s most important responsibilities is to determine the cause of the fever to rule out brain infection.

The most common complication is the possibility of more. About one third of children who have a febrile seizure will have another one with a subsequent fever.

Watching your child experience a febrile seizure can be alarming. You can help by keeping him or her safe by placing them on their side, staying close to watch and comfort, removing any hard or sharp objects nearby and loosening any tight clothing. Do not attempt to put anything in your child’s mouth during the seizure episode. You should seek medical attention as soon as possible if your child has his or her first febrile seizure, even if it lasts only a few seconds.

Routine management of a normal infant with simple febrile seizure includes a careful assessment of the airway, active measures to control fever, and the reassurance of parents. Doctors may give Tylenol or Ibuprofen to help reduce fever, but it won’t necessarily prevent a seizure.

There are some medications that can be given to reduce the risk of recurrence of febrile seizure. Talk to your doctor if your child has a similar episode.

Dr Rathmony Heng is a part-time doctor at International SOS. If you have any enquiries regarding this or any other medical matter, please contact info.cambodia@internationalsos.com

asialife Cambodia 77

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

Chemists

U-Care Pharmacy 26-28 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel 023 222 499; 39 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel 023 224 099; 41-43 Norodom Blvd. Tel 023 224 299; 844 Kampuchea krom Blvd. Tel 023 884 004; 207-209 Sisowath Quay. Tel 023 223 499; 194 Tro Sork P’em. Tel 023 224 399. www.ucarepharma.com Provide international cosmetic brands, leading imported health & beauty products, only certified medication.

Professional advice and convenient and strategic locations.

Open daily from 8am to 10pm.

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

78 asialife Cambodia

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 www.shigedental.com 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-ofthe-art equipment, benefit from the experience and guidance of qualified trainers, and relax all year round in the open-air swimming pool.

Fitness Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla. Tel: 015 704 759 Achieve individual targets whether sports specific or to tone, lose weight, build strength or improve cardiovascular fitness for a healthier and fitter lifestyle.

Open daily 6.30am until late.

Raffles Amrita Spa Raffles Le Royal Hotel. Tel: 023 981 888 Modern gym and pool in Phnom Penh’s most elegant hotel. Use of gym, pool, sauna and Jacuzzi is available to nonguests. Open 6am - 10pm.

Physique Club Hotel Cambodiana, 313 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 012 810 432 Reasonable selection of equipment in the gym and a pool overlooking the river. Open 6am - 10pm.

The Gym at The Place 90 Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023 999 699 Modern establishment featuring a fully equipped gym and weekly classes in

dance, yoga and aerobics.

Open 6am - 10pm , Mon – Fri, 8am 10pm Sat/Sun

Hairdressers

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.

Toni & Guy Aeon Mall first floor, Tel 023 901 190, Facebook toniandguycambodia Toni & Guy Cambodia will bring 50 years of hair fashion heritage to Phnom Penh.

Originally from UK, there are now over 400 salons worldwide. Specialist stylists for cuts and colourists to give the colour you want from the UK and Japan. Uses Label M products. Open every day from 10am until 8pm.

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. Open Mon - Fri 8.30am6pm , 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.

Aura Spa 21 Mao Tse Toung Blvd (near the corner of St. 63). Tel: 023 555 3209/015 991 688, www.auracambodia.com Aura Spa creates its own signature massage therapy with well-trained therapists to enhance a traditional blend of ancient health and beauty practices which have been passed down from generation to generation. Open every day from 9am – 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 women and men. Japanese-trained nail artists have years of experience and provide expert personal care in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Full set care (manicure and pedicure), more than 250 nail lacquers, more than 350 nail design samples. Acrylic and gel nails are available. Open daily 8am – 7pm.

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: 023 219 105 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. Open daily from 10:00am – 7:00pm.

LA ROSE Spa 164b Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 211 130 / 080 900 900 www.larose.com.kh Professional, experienced, qualified therapists offer a tailor-made range of remedial, relaxation and nutritional advice. High-end natural products and a wide range of homeopathic remedies, creams, flower essences and signature organic massage oils.

Master Kang Health Care Centre 456 Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 023 721 765 Health centre next to Man Han Lou Restaurant offers foot massage in public or private rooms, with both Chinese and oil massage. A grand piano is played in the evenings.

Open 10am - 12pm.

Nail Holic Street 592, Tuol Kork (next to Indrak Tevy High School) Tel: 012 357 887/097 4123 337 Nail polish and pedicure services using products from Korea. Comfortable chairs in relaxing surroundings with professional, hospitable and friendly staff speaking Khmer, Korean and English. Open daily from 8am – 6pm.

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

Open daily 6am - 10pm.

The Spa at NagaWorld Hun Sen Park.

Tel: 023 228 822

This luxurious spa promises to bring the ancient Cambodian spa therapy to the world, and claims to be the only all-suite unisex spa in Cambodia.

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

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

Treatments are provided with international and local high-end products.

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

Waterlily Spa N42, Spean Anthernou (near Koh Pich) Tel: 012 632 329, spawaterlilty.com Indulge yourself with our spa services that pamper guests from head to toe.

Waterlily Spa offers skincare/facials, body treatments, massages, waxing and nail care. Open daily 10am - 11pm.

Tattoos and Piercing

Black Star 5A Street 90, Phnom Penh www.blackstarcambodia.com Tel: 070 200 900/078 753 697 Welcome to Black Star Tattoo’s Cambodia’s finest whether you’re just passing through the Penh, or you’re a resident, this is the place to come for the highest quality tattooing.

Open daily from 10am – 10pm.

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 The Beeline Arena is the first multipurpose sports arena in Cambodia with international standards, including Multi-surface state of the art FIFA regulation pitch, 2,000 person capacity, VIP lounge and restaurant. Rental for football, 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.

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.

Cambodia Golf & Country Club Route 4, Kompong Speur Tel: 023 363 666 International standard, 18-hole golf course.

Open 6am until dark.

asialife Cambodia 79

Listings

family Cafés & Restaurants

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.

The Shop Too 38 Street 337 Tel: 012 952 839 Little haven of calm with a wide range of fresh bread, patisseries, chocolates, juices and excellent salads, sandwiches.

All products such as croissants, cakes

etc. are baked on the spot…With a big garden in front and nice courtyard at the back, it makes it a perfect place for family as well. Open daily 7am – 9pm.

Kids can rejoice now that this indoor children’s play centre offers clean, safe facilities. Available for private parties.

Open daily 9am - 8pm.

Entertainment

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.

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.

Kids City 162A Sihanouk Boulvard. www.kidscityasia.com Indoor entertainment centre with climbing walls, ice skating, laser tag. toddler town and other attractions.

Monkey Business Paragon Department Store, Second Floor. Tel: 023 319 319

International 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 Alberta.

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 play-based, ‘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 secondary 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 Primary Class Preschool and Primary (Grades 1 to 3): Secondary Branch 50, Street 322 Tel: 017 997 112 registrar@thegivingtreeschool. com

80 asialife Cambodia

Our multi-age Primary Class, for students ages 6-9 years, is designed to accommodate each child’s individual learning needs. We follow the International Primary Curriculum, and include tennis, yoga, music, art, computers and swimming. 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 Learning Jungle School 14 Street 337, Toul Kork Tel: 095 222 885 / 023 5555 363 www.learningjungle.com International early learning and care provider headquartered in Canada is proud to announce its entry into the Cambodian pre-school market.

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 fullyauthorized 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.

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.

5 Street 325, Tel: 077 993 073 givingtreetk@thegivingtreeschool.com Committed to creating a safe, fun, and supportive learning environment through our play-based curriculum, our international teaching team guides students ages 6 months – 5 years old in exploring their world through interactive learning activities. Available in English & French.

Raffles Montessori International School of Phnom Penh 18 Street 294 corner of Street 57, Phnom Penh Tel: 023 993 999 / 011 95 97 79 www.rmispp.edu.kh, info@rmispp.edu.kh International standard school from Singapore is inviting you to bring your children to experience the beauty of an independent education.

You will see for yourselves how the Montessori education will transform your child wonderfully guided by a team of Montessori-trained teachers/directresses with so much love and passion for children. We offer Kindergarten and Primary programmes for children of ages 1.8 to 8 years old.

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.

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

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.

Giving Tree Preschool 17 Street 71, Tel: 017 997 112 registrar@thegivingtreeschool.com 50 Street 322, Tel: 017 997 112 registrar@thegivingtreeschool.com

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.

Pichoun 25DE0E1 Street 294 Tel: 095 208 352 Children’s clothing shop offering a range of affordable goods, also contains a kid’s play area. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

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 one-stop 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.

asialife Cambodia 81

kids corner

Goodbye

Final Farewell Gemma Mullen This will be my final childcare column for AsiaLIFE. I hope that, over the years, I’ve been able to make things a little easier for parents and childcare professionals here in Cambodia. All of us who work with children, or have kids of our own, know that caring for them and aiding their development can be tricky and testing but also extremely rewarding.

I think the best way we can finish is by going back over the key ideas that I have covered in these pages. Of course, every situation needs its own techniques, from dealing with teething and transitioning out of nappies to helping a fussy eater and working with a bad sleeper, but there are some fantastic general rules of thumb that I am fairly certain will help every parent or carer.

If my columns have shown one thing, it is that so much of parenting is simply about using a bit of common sense.

You would not believe the number of times I’ve seen extremely intelligent parents, both of them at the very top of their professions, suddenly become gibbering wrecks when their little one demands something. It goes without saying that we need to love, protect and care for our tiny tots, but that doesn’t mean we have to give them everything they want. Don’t be scared to say no to your

children, however hard it may be at times.

In fact, if I had to pick one golden parenting rule, it would be this: Don’t pander.

We all want our babies to be happy, but allowing them to rule the roost completely will not benefit anyone. It will not prepare them well for school, where they will have to follow rules, and it will also most likely make your life far more difficult than it needs to be.

Remember, you’re the parent, you’re the one in charge and you’re also the one who sets the example. If you make empty threats and allow tears or tantrums to set the agenda then you are well on the way to some difficult days and nights.

However, apart from being a staunch believer in setting boundaries and (both parents) sticking to them, regular readers will also have noticed the recurring theme of praise.

As well as being firm when necessary, we all need to turn into big loving balls of positivity when our kiddies have done something good. It seems obvious (as so many things do when it comes to parenting), but if you show them you’re pleased with them then they will be more likely to repeat that good behaviour.

You see, being an effective parent is not rocket science, but having happy, pleasant children really is out of this world.

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.

82 asialife Cambodia

services

Listings

business & services 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. All products from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia have been treated to withstand any climate. Open 9am - 6pm 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.

Western Service Centre 24 Street 420. Tel: 012 477 831 www.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.

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 packages in Cambodia and neighbouring countries by the day, week or month.

Expat Motorbike Cambodia 38Eo, Street 322, Tel: 089 491 436/089 518 867 Email:emcjapeng@ gmail.com, www.facebook.com/ RentalMotorCambodia We offer motorbike rental services for expats living in Phnom Penh including well-maintained motors, reliable & responsive service.

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.

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.

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

Commercial Banks

asialife Cambodia 83

services

money matters In Orbit Paul Dodd

The orbit of satellites and financial planning are not usually subjects discussed together, but regular readers will know I like to make obscure connections. Most people believe that satellites orbit the earth, but in reality the truth is more complicated.

A satellite in geostationary orbit remains fixed with respect to an observer on the ground, which makes it ideal for communications because antennas, such as your TV satellite dish, can remain directed at the same point in the sky.

Although these satellites may look stationary, they are in fact moving at a speed so finely tuned that they are falling to earth at exactly the same rate that the curve of the earth falls away from the satellite. The earth and the satellite are so completely in tandem that they never collide.

So what does this have to do with your finances? Well, financial planning for expats can be complicated, with salary, expenses, investments and assets often earned, spent or held in different countries and involving different currencies.

Add in to the mix the fact that many of my expat clients living in Asia are country-hoppers – relocating to a different place every two to three years – and you can imagine how complicated financial planning can be.

That’s why expats require the modern financial adviser to be a satellite to their earth.

Tracking and following their progress around the globe and

providing a consistent stream of information and advice to keep their financial goals on track. It makes good sense on many levels. Switching and changing long-term investments and pensions is not something anyone wants to be doing too often. Aside from the hassle factor it can be expensive and eat deeply into your capital.

Fortunately, in today’s world there are financial products specifically designed for the ever-moving expat. International bank accounts offering the highest levels of client protection can be accessed instantly anywhere in the world via ATM or Internet banking.

It is a similar situation with investments, regular savings plans and pensions. There are a wide variety of choices where expats can save in a low tax environment and have secure guarantees on deposits. For expats living in unstable parts of the world these products allow them the ability to make plans for their future without worrying that future political, economic or financial turmoil will deplete or even eliminate savings.

Fortunately modern communications make it simple to for expats to keep in touch with their adviser. Today, after 20 years in financial services, I have clients spread around the world doing all kinds of amazing things but I am able to continue working closely with them, like the orbiting satellite constantly maintaining contact with its base station on earth.

Paul Dodd is an area manager 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.

84 asialife Cambodia

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.

directory and vehicle tracking system.

CIMB Bank PLC 20AB Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 988 388, 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.

Insurance

Maruhan Japan Bank 83 Norodom Blvd. Tel: 023 999 010 First Japanese bank in Phnom Penh.

Bikes & Mechanics

Forte Insurance 325, Mao Tse Toung Blvd, Phnom Penh, Tel: 023 885 077 www.forteinsurance.com Forte Insurance is dedicated to providing exceptionally comprehensive and efficient insurance services (Corporate Insurance & Personal Insurance) to all our clients.

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

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

Group policies can be customised.

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

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.

Household Goods

Japan Home Centre 48A Street 294 (btwn St 63 and 51) A place where you can find all of your household needs. Open daily from 10am to 8pm.

IT & Software

Cresittel Co., Ltd. Office 705, KT Tower, 23 Street 112. Tel 098 518 888 Provides software solutions and systems, point of sales systems for bars and restaurants, website designing and telecoms consulting.

Has showroom at 385 Street 215.

KTOP 4th Floor, Sorya Shopping Center.

Tel: 023 6666 763, www.ktop.com.kh Broad range of quality and up-to-date smartphones, tablets, computers and accessories. Special services for OS upgrade, maintenance, applications, games, music and movies for mobile devices and computers. Open daily from 9am - 8.30pm 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 Tel: 023 211 700 / 010 624 001 www.ocean-tech.biz Technology company that offers GPS navigation systems, an online map

Internet Provider

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

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.

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.

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.

Gordon and Associates Asia 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.

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. 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.

services 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

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. i3 Studio Tel: 017728895/095666817/092709596 www.facebook.com/i3studio Photography services: event, prewedding, wedding coverage and videography service.

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.

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. expat2cambodia Call Sophie: 066 200 767 www.expat2cambodia.com Your personal consultant offering services from expat to expat in the client’s own language: city orientation, house hunting and utilities, health care, cars/motorbikes, recreation facilities, networking, shopping, administration.

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 pickup service.

Telecoms

Emaxx Corner St 214 and Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 818 We provide a national, high-quality, 4G communications network service for Internet and multimedia services including commerce, entertainment and education for development of Cambodia.

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

Aircon Restaurant

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.

Art Exhibitions Dance Theatre German Classes

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

464A Preah Monivong Blvd.

Tel: 010 201 000.www.smart.com.kh www.facebook.com/SmartAxiata One of the most dynamic and fastest growing mobile telecom service in the country, issues the 010, 015, 016, 069, 070, 081, 086, 087, 093, 096, and 098 prefixes.

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

Workshop Space Open-Air-Cinema

asialife Cambodia 85

Listings

shopping Art

Estampe 72c street 174 (between St. 63 & St. 51) Tel : 012 826 186, www.facebook.com/estampe. phnompenh1 A wide collection of vintage items can be found at Estampe. There are originals and reproductions of old photos, books, maps from late 19th and early 20th century. Documents on specific themes or periods for unique tailor-made collections for hotels, restaurants or house decoration can be made. Open Monday - Saturday from 11am to 7pm.

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

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.

86 asialife Cambodia

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

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 33 Street 302. Tel: 016 934 999 www.artwood.asia Drop in to our showroom to experience modern wooden furniture designed and manufactured in Cambodia. Offers free consultations for both commercial and residential custom-made needs.

DeCosy 219 Street 19. Tel: 023 219 276 Stocking charming knick-knacks and furniture,is the place to find the things to make your house a home. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

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. 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.

Fashion

Ambre 37 Street 178. Tel: 023 217 935 The high-end fashion designs created

by Cambodian designer Romyda Keth are popular all over the world, this beautiful colonial building makes the perfect setting for the city’s most glamorous design shop. Also has men’s fashion. Open 10am - 6pm, closed Sun.

A.N.D. 52c Street 240. Tel: 017 854 726 artisandesigners@gmail.com The designers at A.N.D. work with many local artisans, giving a fashion twist to traditional skills: look for generously-sized ikat wraps in pure cotton, innovative up-cycled bags, and covetable jewellery combining hand-carved hardwoods with silver and vintage porcelain.

Bambou Indochine 7 Street 178. Tel: 023 214 720, Facebook: bambouindochine High-quality T-shirts, Polo shirts and comfortable clothes in original designs.

A full-range of sizes for men, women and children. Open daily 8am -10pm.

Beautiful Shoes 138 Street 143. Tel: 012 848 438 Family-run business measures your feet and designs the shoe exactly as you wish. The shop also caters for men.

Open from 7am to 6.30pm.

Bliss 29 Street 240.

Tel: 023 215 754 A beautiful colonial building houses this exquisite shop with funky patterned cushions, quilts and an excellent clothing line. The health spa at the back of the shop also sells Spana beauty products. Open from 9am to 9pm (closed Mondays).

Color Vintage 168 Street 13 Color Vintage is Phnom Penh’s premiere shop for refined vintage styles for men and women. We source authentic articles from around the world and offer free alterations for a perfect fit! Buy, sell or exchange.

Couleurs D’Asie 33 Street 240

Chhuon Sarin

inspiring arts

Classical Wedding Music CLA Throughout history, music has been a vital element that accompanies Khmer people through the different milestones of their lives.

Even in today’s fast-paced, developing society, beliefs remain. Weddings are still one of the most important ceremonies in local culture – they not only unite two people, but two families.

They play a significant role in an individual’s life, despite being shortened to adjust to modern life’s prerogatives. In ancient times, the celebrations could last up to seven days.

Cambodian weddings follow an extremely coded and complex series of rites, each being accompanied with a specific song. Wedding songs have served the same purpose throughout the evolution of Khmer arts, despite various historical cultural influences.

By taking part in these unique nuptials, the married coupleto-be and both families want to ensure blessings from the ancestors. Wedding songs are a means of doing this and embody oblations to the ancestors (me ba).

You can witness both ‘Khmer music’ (phleng khmer) and ‘Siamese music’ (phleng siem) in Cambodia’s provinces. Khmer music is fascinating in that it points to an underlying unity between various genres, including classical wedding music, that use a similar ensemble.

Modern wedding music was created during the 15th century, notably with Chinese cultural influence leading to the creation of the Khim instrument among others.

Classical wedding music is formed by the two distinct trends stated above. ‘Khmer music’ corresponds to ensembles with bowed and plucked string instruments, including music once commonly played at weddings and spirit possession rituals.

On the other hand, ‘Siamese music’ refers to the gong- and xylophone-based ensembles associated with court dancedrama, known as pin peat in Khmer and pi phat in Thai.

While listening to the different kinds of classical wedding music, what is truly reflected is its underlying unity of rhythm and tones. All styles stir emotions and the music appears as a means to levitate and bring you to a timeless world where the living and departed are respectfully gathered to celebrate the union.

This kind of art is not only used at weddings, but also for spirit possession ceremonies and certain funeral ceremonies. One can notice the use of similar instruments, but also sometimes the performance of many of the same songs, which translates to the association of Cambodian music with determining life times.

Physiotherapy Phnom Penh General Physiotherapy Practice Manual and Rehabilitation Therapy, Medical Taping, Paedriatic Physiotherapy-FitKids* & Acupuncture (TCM) Dick van der Poel Lidwina Niewold Veerle Knoop Naomi McKnight - Certified Physiotherapists -

Tel : +855(0)23 99 63 44 hp : 092 485 593 Street 456, #45C Phnom Penh, Cambodia Email: physiophnompenh@gmail.com * Extended treatments!

Cambodian Living Arts celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. To mark its achievement, CLA will be submitting a regular column to AsiaLIFE to explain the world of traditional art forms to our readers.

asialife Cambodia 87

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 10 Street 208.

Tel: 012 394 915 A design boutique offering home decor, women’s fashion, kids clothes, bags, accessories and continually updated design surprises. Near KFC on Norodom Blvd. Open 9am - 6pm Monday - Saturday Lim Keo 9 Street 222.

Tel: 012 941 643 Pret a porter by Lim Keo, son of Sylvain Lim, the master of Cambodian fashion.

Lost‘N’ Found Vintage Store 321 Street 63 cnr Street 322 Tel: 023 640 5047 Vibrant vintage shop offering a selection of interesting, handpicked second-hand dresses, handbags, belt, purses and other accessories. Men’s clothing available too. The collection is constantly changing and the attractive prices already make it popular amongst expats.

Luna Boutique 8E1Street 278. Tel: 023 220 176 www.lunaboutiquephnompenh.com Original and stylish fashion designs for men and women.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.

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.

SentosaSilk Uniform 33 Sothearos Blvd, cnr Street 178 Tel: 012 962 911/ 023 222 974 sentosa@online.com.kh Well known for its professional management ability, SentosaSilk gives clients efficient and reliable service through quality systems and procedures that consistently enhance product quality and reliability.

Sobbhana Boutique 23-24 Street 144/49 Tel: 023 219 455/ 023 219 452 www.sobbhana.org, A not for profit organisation founded

by Princess Norodom Marie, offering a range of colourful, handwoven silk products. Profits fund training, medical care and education of weavers.

Smateria 8Eo Street 5. Tel: 023 211 701 7 Street 178.

Tel: 023 214 720 www.smateria.com Boutique specialising

in accessories made from recycled materials including a range of bags and wallets made from old fruit juice cartons, plastic bags and mosquito nets.

Subtyl 43 Street 240. Tel 023 992 710 www.subtyl.com Up-market boutique selling Cambodian handmade women’s clothes, scarves, shoes, bags and other accessories in contemporary and interesting designs, the Subtyl collection combines class with colour. ChilliKids children’s clothing is also stocked at the shop. Open 9am - 7pm.

Food & Wine

AusKhmer – The Pantry Shop 125 Street 105 Tel: 023 993 859 /023 214 478 This small deli features a variety of well priced wines, Australian beers, and French delicacies, cheeses, antipasti, and cold cuts. Open 10am - 8pm.

Camory – Premium Cookie Boutique 167 Sisowath Quay.

Tel: 023 224 937 Makes cookies using produce from the provinces such as cashews from Kampong Cham and Mondulkiri honey.

A portion of the profits fund education for a local orphanage.

Open 9am - 8.30pm.

Celliers d’Asie 62B & 98 Street 432. Tel: 023 986 350

TROPICAL & TRAVELLERS MEDICAL CLINIC Dr.Scott BSc.MBChB. DRCOG.DipVen. (U.K.) -20 years of medical experience in Cambodia

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

88 asialife Cambodia

Wine supplier with the largest quantity of retail stock in town, has been providing wine to most of the top hotels and restaurants for over ten years. Open 8am -12pm, 2pm - 6pm, closed Sun. Comme a la Maison 13 Street 57. Tel: 012 951 869 Decidedly sophisticated French restaurant has a small delicatessen and bakery at the back of the restaurant ideal for that morning baguette or croissant with your coffee. Open from 6am - 10.30pm.

Dan Meats 51A Street 214. Tel: 012 906 072 Phnom Penh’s man of meat, Lanzi, supplies his strictly non-vegetarian products to many restaurants around town. Open 7:30 - 6:30, closed Sun. Kurata Pepper Cnr. Streets 63 & 322.

Tel: 023 726 480 Selling organic Koh Kong pepper and associated products, Kurata is one of the more unusual shops in town.

Open daily 8am - 7pm.

Open Wine 219 Street 19 Tel: 023 223 527 Aircon wine shop and tasting gallery sells wines, severac, calvados and meat. Open 7pm - 11pm.

Red Apron 15-17 Eo Street 240 Tel: 023 990 951 Home of wine enthusiasts in Phnom Penh is both a wine boutique and tasting gallery. With around 300 wines, the boutique has more range than the supermarkets.

Open 9am - 9pm.

Supercheap Cambodia 87 Street 360, Tel: 023 631 3668 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.

The Chocolate Shop 240 35 Street 240 Tel: 077 666 402 Premium Chocolate shop with a large range of Cambodian-made Belgian chocolates including some classics such as pralines, truffles, bars as well

as some unique Cambodian flavoured products such as Mondolkiri honey pralines and Kampot pepper encrusted chocolates.Open 9am - 7pm from Monday to Saturday & 9am - 4pm on Sunday. Second outlet in BKKI Street 63. Third outlet in Aeon Mall, Ground floor - Sweet Island.

The Deli 13 Street 178, Tel: 012 851 234 Café and bakery with take away breads, sandwiches and pastries. Now has a second outlet on Street 51.

Open 6.30am - 6.30pm, delivery service (within 30 minutes) 7am-11pm.

Silks & Accessories

Friends ‘n’ Stuff 215 Street 13 Friends ‘n’ Stuff shop sells products made by the parents of children in need, from various Friends projects, as well as other consignment items.

After some serious shopping, you can relax here with a manicure and massage by Mith Samlanh’s beauty training students at The Nailbar.

Friends ‘n’ Stuff has a small shop at Russian Market and Romdeng restaurant as well. Open daily from 11am to 9pm.

Mekong Quilts 49 Street 240 Tel: 023 219 607 www.mekong-quilts.org Outlet for NGO Mekong Plus, stocks a large range of hand-crafted bed covers, home accessories, gifts and decorations. Benefits Mekong Plus, which promotes health initiatives in Svay Rieng Province.

Open 9am - 7pm.

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

Open daily 8am - 7pm.

Pinno Home or Japan Home Center 48A Street 294 (between 63 & Monivong) Ms. Alice Yam, Director Tel: 095 320 620 alice.yam@pinnohome.com

asialife Cambodia 89

Himawari Hotel Cambodiana French Element Hotel & MW Medical AG Service

St. 129

St. 151

St. 153

St. 157

St. 159

St. 392

St. 380

St. 370

St. 352

St. 386

St. 368

St. 376

St. 350

St. 360

St. 330

St. 348

St. 310

St. 320

PhalyCraft Ludwik German R

Toul Sleng Museum

St. 121

SupercheapSt. 133

St. 242

St. 260

St. 163

Sihanouk blvd.

St. 167

.1

84

St

89 St. 17

Legend Cinema 6

St.

28

31

8

31 01

St

.1

93

34

8

0 29

4

8

vd .

ao

38

St.

Ts e

38

4

To u

ng

37

M

St.

2 40 St.

4 40 4 41

0

St. 43 St.

St. 346

4 43 St.

7) 21 t.

(S th ire M

on St. 388

St. 372

St. 362

St. 344

St

.2

17

St. 336

St. 324

St. 314

)

271

St. 596 St. 598

St. 598

St.

St. 336

St. 326

St. 218

St. 210

St. 204

St. 202

St. 186

St. 230 St.

71

4

Bl

36 St.

St.

.

St St. 316

St. 182

St. 160

St. 156

St. 270

la n de io erat

Technical Institute of Cambodia

2

59 St. 90 asialife Cambodia

4

St.

35

6

St.

St. 6 33

St. 272

St. 234

St. 230

St. 217

St. 206

St. 202

St. 194

St. 156

St. 150

St. 146

St. 136 Kampuchea Krom

St. 116

(Airp

ort R

oad)

St. 604

St. 265

13

.2

59

.3

St

S t.

St

17

St. 263

vd

.(

6

.3

15

269

St. 160

331

333

St

.3

255

St. 261

St. 156

St

74

St.

7

57

St. 188

St. 182

St. 162 5 St.

St.

St. 33

St.

2

St.

St. 150

57

9

St.

St. 259

St. 136

St.

St. 311

St. 257

St. 132

0

24

St. 261

fed Con

57

ie Russ

600 St. St. 602

8

St.

St. 566

St. 309

St. 319

9

S

6 t. 5

St. 606

90 St. 5

Tin Tin Cafe Tango

6

Blvd. (St. 128)

St.

88 St. 5

St. 5

84

NailHolic St. 305

St. 321

5

St. 33

56

St. 122

Rattanak Hospital Comme a la Maison

4

St.

IFL: Brown Coffee

St. 608

86

07

St. 323

54

St. 325

St. 33

St.

253 St.OPPOSITE

297

592

82 St. 5

St. 5

St. 5

66

St. 5

54

78

52 St. 5

17

St.

01

80

.3

2

St. 327

54 St.

St. 5

St

0

St. 329

54

St. 150

St. 618 St. 608

48 St. 5

50

St. 3

St. 5

28

8

St. 138

St. 134

St. 616

St. 614

St. 612

St. 610

St. 566

St. 564

St. 562

8

St. 560

St. 55

St. 556

St. 528

2

St. 524

St. 52

St. 5

St. 5

46

St. 5

95

03

53

St.

St. 534

13

6

St.

St. 530

St. 532

.3

St. 146

S

St

53

St. 3

99 St. 2

St. 251 St.

St. 253

St. 2

St. 3

St.

St. 226

St. 220

St. 122

St. 118

St. 112

6

75 St. 2 516 6 51 St.

7

8 . 52

St. 247

St. 192

73 St. 2

4 51 St. St. 33

St

St. 341

St. 291

Learning Jungle School

St. 247

09

Khema Clinic

15

93

.3

St. 2

St

To Airport approx. 6 km

Chenla Theatre

g Blvd.

.2

AT THE AIRPORT: 9 St. 28 Bambou Indochine Smateria

Mao Tse Toun

St

2 t. 5

St. 241

Home Connect

Forte

11

St. 243

St. 237

07

St.

St. 233

(St. 289)

InterContinental Friends ’n’ Stuff

St. 239

.2

Penn Nouth

St. 231

Royal Rattanak Hospital

Grand Phnom Penh Golf TK Avenue

St. 227

St. 229

St

St. 225

05

5

.2

St.

28

St

St. 3 28

99

1

03

.1

28

.2

St

St.

St. 528

St. 223

7

St. 221

19

1

St.

St.

608

95

St.

St

Sunbird

.1

79

05

St

2 St.

32

The Way Cafe

93

S

7

99

.1

St. 221 7 t. 2

.1

St

.2

91

St

.1

St )

St

St. 213 d. (St. 215 Nehru Blv

7

St. 211

St.

33

8

St.

32

8

St.

.3 St

.2

St.

36

St

0

St.

2 St. 18

3

8

St. 175

29

St. 171

St. 304

St. 292

St. 127

Olympic Stadium

169)

St. 360

St. 310

St. 294

St. 288

St. 300

St. 278

St. 280

St. 119

.2

aquie (St.

St. 334

St. 322

St. 302

St. 288

St. 306

St. 282

St. 276

St. 117

St

Tchecoslov

Confederati

St. 278

St. 252

St. 152

St. 118

St. 122

v Jok Dimitro

on de

St. 165

St. 95

St. 242

St. 248

St. 232

St. 236

St. 198

St. 190

le ar

1 St.

St. 161

St. 149 St. 161

Givin

St. 143

St. 143

Ch

64

St. 139

St. 134

St. 141

1

St. 394

St. 308

Wat Lang Ka

St. 26

2

Sihanouk Blvd.

4

2

St. 25

St. 24

St. 214

St. 182

St.

8 16 St.

)

d)

14

St. 71

T-Bone

St. 113

St. 115

17 .2 St e( ull Ga e sd

St.

Samata Spa

St. 113

St. 125 Orussey Market

St. 63

St. 105

St. 111

11

St. 57

The Terrace The Flicks K’NYAY

St. 107

0 17

109

St.

St.

16

6

St. 140

.1

Irrawaddi

Supercheap

Oknha Noukan

St

Street)

Simphony

Japan Home Centre

Lucky Kids City

St. 180

St. 158

Blvd.

Monivong

Malis Dental Clinic

St. 137

henton la Russie (Poc

St. 312

Suramarit Blvd.

6

0

St. 24

8

2

St. 22

St. 22

4 St. 21

8

St. 200

St. 184

St. 20

8 St. 17

2 St. 17

St. 174

St. 154

St. 136

Kampuchea

St. 109

g Airport Roa

Byrd

Hotel 252 Le Rit’s Hair & Nail Studio International Le Cafe Dental Clinic International Chiropractic Clinic CCF

Dara Shoes

St.93

Le temps des Cerises St. 51 (Pasteur

Kurata Pepper

Derma-MK

Queen Boutique Hotel

St. 107

Le Biz

St. 70

Sihanouk Blvd.

264

St.

84

St. 1

2

8 4

St. 136 St. 126

r (St. 114)

St. 118

duong

(St. 110) St. 108

St. 106

Kramuonsa

Blvd.

St. 86

St. 80

St. 14

6 0

St. 13

St. 13

St. 118

St. 108

St. 106 St. 102

Monivong

Smateria

Ocean UdonCafe HomeFeel Hotel Pandan Hotel

St. 55

Crepe Mania

Cabaret

Raffles Hotel Le Royal

St. 126

St. 76

Villa Paradiso

Romdeng

St. 81

Central Mansions The Shop

British Embassy

French Embassy

Cineplex St. 67

mey Psar Th

ur (Paste

St. 63

(St. 128)

Stella

Estampe

Pontoon Mr Lee

St. 53

Market

Krom Blvd.

St. 75

Central

St. 96

St. 86

St. 90

Tell

al Hotel Le Roy

Exchange

St. 84

Preah Ang

St. 92

St. 61

St. 88

82 St.

80 St.

78

St. 74

St. 72

St. 102

Oknha San

88 St.

84

United States Embassy

4

St.

t

Takarabako La Marmite

St.

ha

oy C Chru

Fra

eS nc

St. 14

4 10

02

St.

.1

00

St

.1 St

8 .9 St thomok

krong Cham St.

Wat Phnom

St. 51

Le Librairie

.3

90

Sobbhana

) Street

St

Baksei

St. 49

ay

The Chinese House Brasserie du Port Hotel Cara Doors 7) t. . (S

Nathan Horton Photography

o

Black Star Tattoos

Sharky’s

9

M

w

St. 1

16

S

iso

Qu

h at

Giant Ibis Transportation Van’s

l tra e Cen Offic t Pos

7)

Limoncello

Chez Rina

21

d.

St. 17

3

St. 154

St. 1

9

t.

pR

St. 1

ge

Water Lily Spa Meta House Cambodian Living Arts The Duck Higashiyama Kan Ji Almond Hotel Sofitel TEAV St. 9 Phokeethra Zino Banana Tree Blvd Soth One More AEON Mall earos Bl St. 21 Shigeta I Ching vd.

Toni & Guy Java Café & Gallery iCAN St. 21 Samba Luna Irina’s St. 29 Seibur St. 29 Lost Room ISPP Caravan’s Malis La Rose Infinity Derma-Care t Euro Dental Clinic umen

Jay’s Diner Latin Quarter

(S

Sa

St. 1

Reyum Institute of Arts & Culture

id

Australian Embassy

Red Apron Yves Rocher Mekong Quilts 240 Phnom Penh ndence Mon pe The Shop Inde A.N.D Villa Samnang Beyond Jasmine Interiors ard Monkey Business ulev om Bo od The Plantation or Elephant Sky Bar N Botanic The Blue Pumpkin Villa Srey Patio Hotel Monument Books Toto Ice Cream Brown LimKeo Steve’s Steakhouse Dosa Corner Coffee Cafe Le Point . 25 St St. 23 Duplex Petra The Dollhouse ence Taqueria Resid Tho La Clef Corona Huynh La Table Khmer de Sol Circa 51 SOS Cupcake Rush 78

St

Amara Spa

th

To

nle

40

Rising Sun Sentosa Silk K West Amanjaya St. 13 Color Vintage National Museum Friends

Lemon Grass Paddy. 5Rice

Beirut Indian Delight iVIVA! Gloria Jean’s Stone Grill

St. 7

Splash Inn Quinapenas Vegetarian Public House Villa Borann Mumoo’s Bar Sito Royal Palace Emergency Room Artillery The Warehouse

ni re

Riverhouse Bistro Riverhouse Lounge

Sushi Bar Comme a la Maison Bellevue

h

Vietnam Friendship Monument

n)

St. 25

Riverside Bistro Metro Café The Blue Pumpkin

e Arena

e (t enc

nsio

esid

er R

hm

o-K

Sin

a eM

Br

Sunbird 2 Fox

Sothearos Blvd.

St. 2

Chow

ow

y ua

St. 244

Sis

Q ath

St. 258

Ch

Pop Café Bambou Indochine Smateria FCC Bodia Spa

ce

St. 246

en fer

St. 240

on kC

mu

to ak

on

Mind Body Eriq Amtalla Salon Practice Shangri-La

ll Ha

St. 266

Phnom Penh Central

ag Dr

Naga World Darlin Darlin

ou

m

in

Bl

1 l Road

St. 35

9

St. 35

9

St. 36

3

St. 622

St. 62

8

Dragon Water Park

0

ge

St. 64

id

St. 36

8

Br

St. 63

on

9

Mon

ivo

rid ng B

ge

L’imprevu

7

St. 36

6 St. 62 0 St. 63

St. 620

ag Dr

St. 64

2

St. 64

4

Nationa

Jingu Japanese Restaurant

vd.

St. 394

Natio

Canadian International School

a Rose Topaz

2

1) t. 27 . (S Blvd Pho

umin

DK Schoolhouse

St. 73

St. 97

St. 466

St. 99

St. 99

Yoth

St. 508

Smart

St. 436

St. 95

apo

ROCK Entertainment Club

Man Han Lou

Rambutan Giving Tree Resort Monivong Blvd.

l Kh

rak ema

St. 63

Arthur & Paul

ne

oad

rd

St. 466

St. 462

St. 422 St. 400

St. 398

St. 392

St. 380

St. 370

Aura Spa Thida Salon New York Steakhouse Eton House

St. 71

leva

nal R

levard

The Governor’s House

y

Bou

St. 484

Norodom Bou

eet)

dom

St. 474

ps ses

Noro

St. 498

aros Bl

ing AN

St. 101 St. 103

Nature Wild

ce

Art desLignes

St. 488

5

173

47 St.

17

7

.1

75

St

.1

81

St.

510 St.

506 St.

St.

502 St.

S

St.

494

St.

492 St.

St. ara

. (S lvd

t. 2

71)

St. 457

St. 448

St. 442

em

in B

30

St.

18

3

.

l Kh

um

St

lvd

apo

ho kP

St.

gB

75

St. 4

Global Art

St

.1

un

St. 432

St. 424

St. 4 St.

St. 438

t. 173

Yoth

7

430

St. 486

St. 480

St. 476

St. 478

St. 472

St. 163

Physiotherapy St. 16

St.

St.

488

490

St. 147

St. 470

St. 468

St. 464

Hahahoho

St. 444

Toul Tom Pong

St. 155

St. 460

St. 450

St. 440

St. 432

St. 426

St. 418

St. 408

Russian Market

St. 145

49 6

Indigo Counselling

St. 482

Cando Craft Cafe Yejj

00 t. 5

St. 135

504

512

St. 450

St. 454

St. 446

St. 432

St. 440

St. 428

St. 408

St. 132

St. 456

St. 121

ercheapSt. 133

St. 105

St. 454

udwik German Restaurant

St. 420

Mao Tse Toung Blvd. (Street 245)

St. 396

St. 390

St. 386

St. 376

St. 360

St. 368

WSC

85 St

.1

87

.1

91

(St. 271)

St

St

.1

93

n Blvd.

St

.1

95

19

7

St.

43

4

Yothapo

30

l Khemara

k Phoumi

St.

To Choueng Ek Killing Fields approx. 12 km

.2

17

St St

asialife Cambodia 91

.2

0

Glamazon @ Code Red

Photography by Rudi Towiro

92 asialife Cambodia

Opening @ Major Cineplex

soundfix album review

Sia

1000 Forms of Fear

‘Chandelier’, the reggaeinfluenced opening track of Sia’s sixth album, sounds uncannily like a Rihanna song. There’s a reason – Rihanna’s 2012 heartbreaker hit ‘Diamonds’ was co-written by Sia, a 38-year-old Australian musician who also helped compose Beyoncé’s ‘Pretty Hurts’, Flo Rida’s ‘Wild Ones’ and David Guetta’s ‘Titanium’. Despite the success of 2004 song ‘Breathe Me’, Sia’s reputation as a pop songwriter has surpassed her fame as a performer in recent years. That may be about to change, as her record 1000 Forms of Fear propels Sia into the spotlight. Sia still maintains an intentional low profile, performing without showing her face. But it’s what can’t be seen that matters. Sia’s commanding, athletic vocals and skill for creating impassioned ballads and memorable pop tunes more than make up for her camera shyness.

94 asialife Cambodia

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

Shabazz Palaces

Mirel Wagner

Spoon

Ask not what a genre can do for you, but what you can do for a genre. That seems to be the M.O. of Shabazz Palaces, whose experimental sound pushes forward the boundaries of hip-hop. The Seattle-based duo’s second studio full-length is a nod to the term lèse-majesté, a French reference for insults to the monarchy. Rapper and producer Ishmael Butler describes the album as an attack on the materialism and selfishness of mainstream hiphop. Shabazz Palaces’ other half is producer and percussionist Tendai Maraire, the son of a legendary Zimbabwean Mbira player. Together, the two create the complexly layered, futuristic soundscapes that accompany Butler’s unruffled rapping.

Drawing on improvisational jazz sensibilities, the mercurial, disjointed structure can be offputting or compelling, depending on the listener’s perspective.

Treason or revolution? Let the people decide.

Macabre and morose may not be the most appealing adjectives to portray a promising young musician. Yet singer-songwriter Mirel Wagner creates beauty from lyrics about death and desolation. There’s poetry in the words Wagner writes, which echoes in the delicate, sensitive ways she sings and gently plucks the acoustic guitar.

Born in Ethiopia, Wagner was raised near Helsinki by Finnish adoptive parents. With home a country that barely sees the sun for months, she finds inspiration in the darkness that others might dread. Her sophomore album is a collection of stark, bluesy folk elegies, which Wagner wrote during a month of seclusion at an old log cabin in northern Finland. Somehow, for describing the effect of her songs, a brighter adjective should be added to the mix – luminescent.

“There’s intense gravity,” sings Spoon frontman Britt Daniel on ‘Inside Out’, from the band’s eighth album. Yet despite the pressure of a 20-year career, the indie rock band seems anything but weighed down. With a sound that remains relevant rather than outmoded, Spoon’s latest will neither disappoint long-time fans nor fail to electrify a new audience. The Texasbased quintet creates music that is studied and well informed, without seeming at all cerebral or distant. Daniel’s scruffy, oddly sultry vocals and bouncy riffs are the band’s meat-and-potatoes, but it’s the details – the slight pauses, the little instrumental embellishments, and the heartfelt zeal for music – that make Spoon distinctive. They Want My Soul ranks high among the band’s discography. Time will tell if it’s an ultimate crescendo, but it sounds like Spoon isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Lese Majesty

When The Cellar Children See The Light of Day

They Want My Soul

topten

endorsed

Official 97.5 Love FM Phnom Penh Top Ten 1. Rude 2. Maps 3. Somebody To You 4. Not A Bad Thing 5. Fancy 6. She Looks So Perfect 7. Me and My Broken Heart 8. Summer 9. Problem 10. Talk Dirty

Magic!

Maroon 5 The Vamps Justin Timberlake Iggy Azalea 5 Seconds of Summer Rixton Calvin Harris Ariana Grande Jason Derulo

UK Top Ten 1. Am I Wong 2. Rude 3. Love Runs Out 4. Crazy Stupid Love 5. Budapest 6. Ghost 7. Faded 8. Problem 9. Boom Clap 10. It’s My Birthday

Nico & Vinz Magic!

OneRepublic Cheryl George Ezra Ella Henderson ZHU Ariana Grande Charlie XCX will.i.am and Cody Wise

US Top Ten 1. Rude 2. Stay With Me 3. Fancy 4. All That Base 5. Am I Wong 6. Problem 7. Maps 8. Chandelier 9. Bang Bang 10. Boom Clap

Magic!

Sam Smith Iggy Azalea Meghan Trainer Nico & Vinz Ariana Grande Maroon 5 Sia Jessie J Charlie XCX

Escaping to the Forest Monyneath Reth Two months ago, I found myself surrounded by motorbikes and cars in the middle of a polluted, stagnant traffic jam while making my way to work. In the midst of this heavy congestion, none of the vehicles, including mine, were able to move for almost 30 minutes.

Smoke from the engines combined with the burning sun made the whole atmosphere exasperating. Sweat began to drop from everyone’s cheeks and the tension was rising as the jam got longer.

A 25-year-old man riding on a yellow and black Yamaha Fino Fi 2010 decided to drag his bike to the pavement and breathe for a while, which lead me to drag mine there too. It was an anxious moment that became hilarious when that Khmerican man turned to me and said: “You know what!

There is no traffic jam in my jungle.”

The only thought I had was that he must have been living in forest for a long time, as indicated by his long hair and beard. But I started laughing as he explained that his weekend hobby was exploring the jungles of every province in Cambodia.

This experience inspired me to take up the habit, and now it has become my only addiction. Even travelling on a small budget over a weekend, you can discover inner peace and give yourself a break from the busy city of Phnom Penh.

Recently, two friends and I trekked for almost three

hours in Mondulkiri province, crossing streams before eventually reaching a village full of indigenous people.

Having locals to accompany you would be easier and safer, especially for trekking overnight. Ask for more information at the travel agencies there.

The welcoming service of the village home-stay – located about 50 kilometers from the town, Sen Monorom – along with eating authentic food, made us feel as if we were staying at a five-star hotel. It was a brilliant moment on our journey.

Locals throughout Cambodia have their own traditional way of living and surviving that can teach life lessons missing from the school curriculum. Imagine, a city person like me now knows how to plant cassava, camp in the forest, trek along hill ranges, and fish in the Mekong River. There is plenty of stuff to do, so don’t worry. You will survive a few days without an iPhone or the Internet.

Cambodia contains thousands of destinations in which to enjoy the beauty of nature, and my most recommended spots are Aural Mountain in Kampong Speu province, Phnom Voir in Kampot province, where you learn how to plant pepper, and Koh Rong Island, off Sihanoukville, where I have just returned from. In fact, I’m already packed for my next trip at Pdoa Island in Kratie province.

asialife Cambodia 95

bookshelf California: A Novel Edan Lepucki Little, Brown

Set in the not-so-distant future, Edan Lepucki’s debut novel California follows 20-something couple Cal and Frida, who have fled the deteriorating streets of Los Angeles to live in a post-apocalyptic world where anyone and anything could mean danger. Longing for the comforts of the past, fearing an unpredictable future and struggling to accept everything that has transpired in between, Cal and Frida eke out a delicate existence, isolated from other people, making ends meet in an abandoned house in the woods. When Frida becomes pregnant, the pair realise that they cannot raise a child alone.

Faced with new uncertainty, the couple head for a mysterious nearby community, where they must prove themselves in order to gain the protection of the settlement – and stay alive.

Everything I Never Told You Celeste Ng Penguin Press

From its opening sentences, Celeste Ng’s debut novel frames the coming chapters with a tragic, heart-wrenching fact: Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet. ‘They’ are the Lees, a Chinese-American family in 1970s small-town America, and Lydia is their beloved middle child. James, an accomplished Harvard professor, yearns for Lydia to have the social life he never did. Marilyn, a housewife, looks back wistfully on her youth, pushing Lydia to become the doctor she did not. But when Lydia’s body is suddenly discovered in a local lake, the precious equilibrium of the household spirals out of control, digging up secrets, frustration, anger and guilt. Lydia’s siblings, Nathan and Hannah, see what Marilyn and James cannot – that Lydia sacrificed her own happiness to fulfill her parents’ wishes.

96 asialife Cambodia

The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail Oscar Martinez Verso Books

Every year more than a quarter of a million Central American migrants make the treacherous journey north to the United States, travelling through Mexico on a freight train known as The Beast. Along the way, there are thieves, kidnappers, rapists, murderers and, even more frightening, police.

Those who are not sold into slavery by migrant smugglers, known as coyotes, or caught up in the violence of gangs and drug cartels still run the risk of losing life and limb atop the fast-moving locomotive. Based on his own experiences with The Beast, Salvadorean journalist Oscar Martinez provides a harrowing account of life on the rails, giving voice to the thousands of nameless Hondurans, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans and Salvadoreans in flight and the untold horrors many must endure on the dangerous ride north.

Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival Laurence Gonzales W W Norton & Co

Twenty-five years ago, United Airlines Flight 232, a fullyloaded jumbo jet, careened into the runway of Iowa’s Sioux Gateway Airport, erupting in flames. Upon impact, a large section of the plane broke apart, rolling into a cornfield beyond the runway. Incredibly, of the 296 people on board, 184 survived. Crafting a meticulous reconstruction of the ill-fated flight, Laurence Gonzales ties together hours of interviews with the crew, passengers and rescue personnel to create a detailed sense of the circumstances under which Flight 232 went down. As a pilot himself, Gonzales delves deeply into the scientific and technical elements as well as exploring the human side of the tragedy.

boxoffice

Lucy

Valley of the Lost Ants

If I Stay

The Maze Runner

The writer and director of The Fifth Element and La Femme Nikita, Luc Besson, is back, this time directing screen siren Scarlett Johansson in Lucy.

The movie details the life of a woman (Johansson) who becomes caught up in a dark drug deal. The tables turn when she transforms into a female action hero, who has evolved to access more of her brain than normal humans.

Veteran actor Morgan Freeman also stars in this action-thriller.

The discovery of a box of sugar cubes at a picnic in a leafy valley sparks war in this insectcentric French animated film.

A colony of black ants, helped by a ladybird trapped inside the box, claim the sugar for their own, taking it back on the gruelling journey to their home.

When the evil red ants get wind of the discovery, a dramatic siege takes place.

Based on a young adult novel

by Gayle Foreman, If I Stay tells the story of talented young cellist Mia Hall (ChloĂŤ Grace Moretz). After falling in love with musician Adam, Mia thinks that the hardest decision she will have to make is choosing whether to be with him or pursuing her career at the prestigious Juilliard music school. But a family drive changes everything.

After a catastrophic crash, Mia is caught in an out-ofbody experience between life and death and only has one decision left to make.

Adapted from a popular book

by James Dashner, The Maze Runner has echoes of the post-apocalyptic world of the Hunger Games trilogy. Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) wakes up trapped in a mysterious maze with only a band of young men for company. With no memory, he dreams about a mysterious organisation called W.C.K.D and can only hope to escape by putting togeher pieces of his past.

Coming Soon july Movie Releases Legend Cinemas See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule The Scar Sep. 2 The Journey Sep. 3 Valley of the Lost Ants Sep. 3 Lucy Sep. 9 If I Stay Sep. 10 The Swimmers Sep. 18 The Maze Runner Sep. 22

asialife Cambodia 97

pub quiz

spotted!

Green

Heat

1. Who had a worldwide hit with the song ‘Orange Crush’ from the album Green?

2. What does a stimpmeter measure?

3. What is the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team in the United States?

4. Which Star Trek character has green blood?

5. Which country’s flag was, until 2011, a green rectangle?

21. What is the name of the musical based on Wuthering Heights?

22. Who did Margaret Thatcher replace as the leader of the Conservative party?

23. Which 1988 dark comedy starred Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty?

24. In terms of passengers, what is the busiest airport in Europe?

25. What is the literal meaning of the word sarcophagus?

Steves and Stephens 6. Stephenson’s Rocket ran on the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives, named after which two towns in the Northeast of England?

7. On what day is the Feast of St. Stephen celebrated in the Western Christian church?

8. Who wrote Treasure Island?

9. Steve Wozniak was a cofounder of which company?

10. Steven Georgiou is now known as Yusuf Islam.

Under what name did he become famous?

Celebrity Zombies 26

27

Dark 11. Whose autobiography is titled Tall, Dark and Gruesome?

12. What did The Darkness believe in in their 2003 hit?

13. Who wrote Heart of Darkness?

14. Which 1973 album holds the record for number of weeks on the Billboard 200 album charts?

15. In The Lord of the Rings, whose fortress is The Dark Tower?

4

1 8

2

1

4

2

28

7

3 1

6 4

5

29

Light

2 9

30

7

2

9 7

6 3

6 8

1. R.E.M 2. The speed of golf greens 3. Green Bay Packers 4. Mr Spock 5. Libya 6. Stockton and Darlington 7. 26th December 8.

Robert Louis Stevenson 9. Apple 10. Cat Stevens 11. Christopher Lee 12. A Thing Called Love 13. Joseph Conrad 14. Dark Side of the Moon 15. Sauron 16. Starlight Express 17. Southern Lights 18.

C 19. Crimean War 20. Shetland 21. Heathcliff 22. Edward (Ted) Heath 23. Heathers 24. Heathrow 25. Flesh Eater 26. Martin Freeman 27. Giorgio Chiellini 28. Bryan Cranston 29. Jennifer Lawrence 30.

George Clooney

16. What musical takes place on roller-skates?

17. What is more common name of the Aurora Australis?

18. In physics, what letter is used to represent the speed of light?

19. In which war was The Charge of the Light Brigade?

20. The wonderfully named island of Muckle Flugga was home to a lighthouse. In which group of islands is it?

6

pub quiz answers 98 asialife Cambodia