Photo exhibition: “Cambodia Reawakening: One year after the Khmer Rouge”

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Lina Goldberg

In 1980, one year after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, American photographer John Burgess arrived in Phnom Penh, where he began a journey across Cambodia to document the country’s recovery process. Burgess, who worked as a journalist for the Washington Post and TIME, traveled by car from Phnom Penh to Battambang and Siem Reap, and around the Tonle Sap, capturing amazing images along the way.

This month his photographs from that time will be on display in Siem Reap at Footprints Cafe from May 3rd to May 17th. See below for more details.

Cambodia vintage photo

The Phnom Penh-Battambang train was running, with every square centimeter filled. (Captions by John Burgess)

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The best pizza in Battambang

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Megan Brake

Despite its small size and relatively quiet atmosphere, Battambang has a surprising amount of foreign food options. From Indian to American, French to Spanish, visitors and Khmer alike can get their fix of cuisines from around the world. Oddly enough, the food with the most variety in Battambang is pizza.

Because I adore pizza, I’ve made it my mission to check out all the options in Battambang and find my favorite. The results of my arduous search include more than a few nights stuffed with pizza, and a definite choice for the number one best pizza in Battambang.

Battambang pizza

The best pizza in Battambang? Gets my vote!

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Review: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap PSD Xpress bus

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Lina Goldberg

As of December 19, 2017 PSD will no longer be offering service between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. 

Now that the road between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is fully paved and the trip takes only six hours, there’s no better time to get a glimpse of the Cambodian countryside through a bus window. PSD Xpress is a new company running full-size buses twice a day. If you’re trying to decide which company to take for the bus ride from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, I’ve got a report from a recent trip (I’m actually writing this review on the bus right now).

PSD Xpress Cambodia

PSD Xpress is the latest luxury bus plying the Phnom Penh to Siem Reap route.

PSD Xpress is aimed at the tourist market, positioning themselves alongside Giant Ibis and Mekong Express. But how do they compare? Continue reading →

Kampot late-night eats

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Kat Koepnick

Kampot is a foodie town, and that holds true even after most restaurants close — usually around 10 p.m. But fewer options and your current state of inebriation should not deter you from venturing out to satisfy those midnight munchies — particularly if it’s earlier than 1 a.m. (After that hour your options become rather grim and you’ll find yourself stumbling around to the handful of bars still open begging for a packet of Kampot crisps.) If it’s nighttime and you’re hungry, I’ve put together a list of the best late-night eats in Kampot.

Open late Kampot

Late? Hungry? Never fear, Kampot has lots of options.

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How to get a visa for Vietnam in Cambodia

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Lina Goldberg

If you’re headed to Vietnam after Cambodia, you’ll need to arrange a visa in advance. The price of getting a Vietnam visa in Cambodia is far cheaper than in Western countries, so you can save a bundle by getting it here.

Vietnam visa

Heading to Vietnam and need a visa? Skip the embassy and head to a travel agent.

At the time of writing, the following countries are able to visit Vietnam without a visa:

  • 15 days: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Japan, South Korea
  • 21 days: Philippines
  • 30 days: Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia

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Siem Reap: Tour the temples by bicycle

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Steven Halcrow

Time is a funny thing. Six weeks ago, waking up at 4 a.m. to cycle around the Angkor Wat temple complex seemed like such a good idea. Now, at 4 a.m. on the day of the tour, I am significantly less enamored by the idea. It’s still dark out on the way to the pickup, and on Sok San Road we passed last night’s stragglers who are refusing to admit that it’s morning. Exactly what you need to see before going on a 5 a.m. bicycle tour.

Grasshopper Adventures temple tour

Cycle your way through the temples.

Grasshopper Adventures is one of the biggest bike tour companies in Asia and has a great reputation and glowing reviews so I signed up for the Angkor Sunrise Discovery Tour. We were picked up by our guide, Som, and a nameless driver who laughed uncontrollably every time I said anything in Khmer. First stop was the ticket booth to buy our $37 temple passes, not included in the $85 tour price.

This may seem expensive, but you are fully catered for with bike and helmet, breakfast, lunch, snacks, pickup and drop-off, as well as a qualified Angkor temple guide to show you around. The Angkor Sunrise Discovery Tour is one of their more expensive day tours, others are significantly less. Continue reading →

Abortions in Cambodia…what you need to know

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Lina Goldberg

Information about abortion can be difficult to come by in Cambodia, especially for expats. Here’s what you need to know. Abortions are legal in Cambodia up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. After that, abortions are allowed if the pregnancy is developing abnormally, if there is risk to the mother’s life, or in case of rape. However, many of the hospitals and clinics that deal with foreigners (i.e., the ones with English-speaking staff who have trained abroad) will not terminate pregnancies — or even perform a D&C after a miscarriage — and the Khmer clinics may shy away or even refuse to treat foreign women.

Even in situations where abortion is legal in Cambodia, it is frowned upon. Unmarried women are expected to remain abstinent until marriage, and if they do get pregnant, they are expected to marry the father rather than terminate the pregnancy. For married women, abortions are more acceptable, but the husband must give his permission for the procedure if it is done in a government clinic or hospital.

Finding information on abortion in Cambodia can be difficult, and many providers may be hesitant to talk about it; some are unaware that it is now legal. Clinics may tell you over email or the phone that they do not offer the procedure when they actually do, so it’s worth going to talk to the clinics in person. Continue reading →

Things to do in Mondulkiri (elephants, elephants, elephants)

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Jen Green

No mention of Mondulkiri would be complete without its star attraction, the Asian elephant. In Cambodia, the second largest land mammal’s numbers have dwindled significantly in the last 20 years, and recent estimates put the current population between 250 and 600 in the wild. But only around 48 elephants are domesticated, meaning that all revenue-generating elephant activities — from elephant rides and treks to moving logs — are concentrated in a very small, aging population spread out between quite a few villages, camps, and sanctuaries. If you’re hoping to see these majestic beasts in Cambodia, Mondulkiri is the place to go.

Mondulkiri elephants

Hoping to set eyes on an Asian elephant? Head to Mondulkiri.

Elephants naturally need very little sleep, and instead spend as much as 18 hours a day eating in order to get sufficient calories. Time spent doing multiple tours and treks for tourists can be very taxing, and over time lead the elephants to be tired, prone to injury, undernourished, and dehydrated. Add to that mix fierce the competition for tourist dollars and you can imagine that the elephant tourism industry in Mondulkiri is competitive, and at times, controversial. We’re here to help you make sure that your money is going to local people and to good treatment of the elephants through responsible elephant tourism. Continue reading →