Why you should visit Otres in rainy season

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Cassie Wilkins

A little way out of Sihanoukville, Otres beach is a welcoming haven away from the craziness of the kingdom. With white sand, clear seas and a horizon dotted with tropical islands, it is the perfect place to unwind, even when stormy days are forecast. Despite the occasional grey clouds, for a lot of us here on Otres, rainy season is our favorite time of year, and the quieter days give us the opportunity to kick back, relax and enjoy our beachside paradise.

Otres Beach sunset

Don’t miss the rainy season sunsets on Otres Beach.

These days, Otres actually consists of three different communities; the beach-side Otres 1 and Otres 2, linked by a kilometer long stretch of empty sand, and Otres Village, a peaceful riverside neighborhood set back into the jungle. In high season, the community is buzzing, with tourists, travelers, expats and locals flocking to the beach, seeking sun, sea and sand with a bit of hedonistic pleasure thrown in for good measure. From luxury resorts to backpacker bungalows and laid-back acoustic sessions to all night jungle raves, Otres is the perfect place to find what you’re looking for. In fact, so much so that many travelers find themselves marooned here for months and even years on end, myself included. Continue reading →

Review: Sichuan Impression restaurant, Phnom Penh

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Lina Goldberg

I have been meaning to go to the Chinese restaurant on Sisowath Quay for years. Apparently I missed the boat, because it’s closed, but a new boat pulled up almost immediately in the form of a new Chinese restaurant in the same location. Even better, it’s serving Sichuan food.

Sichuan restaurant Phnom Penh

Imposing and grand, just like a Chinese restaurant should be.

The building itself is worth mentioning — on the corner of Sisowath and 246, the restaurant is very grand, featuring tall picture windows covered with silk draperies, and outside, a giant cement arch that you must pass through to enter, with a sign in Chinese and Khmer, no English. The place is impressive and unsettling, much like China itself.

I noticed that the place had changed ownership when I saw the female staff outside doing a syncopated dance routine. If it was designed to catch my attention, it worked, and my eyes were then drawn to the poster-sized photos in the restaurant of fiery Sichuan dishes. They had me at facing-heaven chilies and I vowed to return for a meal in the next 48 hours. Continue reading →

How to get to Phu Quoc from Cambodia

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Rebecca Hartley

Despite years of rumors about a new super-duper direct ferry from Kampot to Phu Quoc Island, there is frustratingly still only one way to get to Phu Quoc from Cambodia — starting in Kampot, travel to the Vietnamese border, cross the border, and then catch a ferry from the border town of Ha Tien. In this post, I’ll go over how to get to Phu Quoc from Cambodia via Kampot.

Phu Quoc island Vietnam

It’s possible to get to Phu Quoc from Cambodia via Kampot.

It’s worth noting that there are flights from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap that connect in Vietnam, but this can take just as long as going overland. You can also get a ferry from the town of Rach Gia, but as it is a couple of hours drive from Ha Tien and takes an extra hour on the ferry, this post focuses on the Ha Tien route.

You generally have two options when making this journey — do the trip yourself or book a through ticket with a tour agent. Continue reading →

What’s new in your neighborhood: Russian Market

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Alyssa Casey

Phnom Penh’s Russian Market neighborhood is constantly transforming as it continues to respond to the influx of residents in search of cheaper housing and a more relaxed atmosphere than the city center. It’s easy to miss some of the many new spots popping up, so we thought we’d do a quick round up.

Long After Dark Russian Market Phnom Penh

Long After Dark’s extensive selections of whiskey and vinyl records.

Long After Dark

Whiskey lovers, look no further. Long After Dark’s collection of over 50 whiskeys has something for every palate. Not a whiskey drinker? There’s also a full bar with unique cocktails, wines, and beer and cider on tap. The modest but expanding food menu includes burgers (both meat and vegetarian), pastas, “toastie” sandwiches, and other grilled pub fare. The lunch menu includes a variety of $5 pastas, juices, and iced coffees. Every week a different “whiskey of the week” is featured on special (you can stay up to date on that via their Facebook page). Continue reading →

Cambodia announces new retirement visa

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Lina Goldberg

Update: please see our page about Cambodia visas for more information about the ER retirement visa

The Cambodia Daily has reported today that Cambodia will be offering a new visa for retirees. The category ER visa is a retirement visa that will (possibly) start being issued on Monday, August 1st, 2016.

Here’s what we know about it so far:

  • It’s a one year, renewable visa.
  • ER visa holders will not require a work permit.
  • In order to apply for an ER retirement visa, foreigners will need to show proof of financial stability and retiree status from their home country.
  • Those on the retirement visa, like other foreigners, will not be allowed to purchase houses or land.

Continue reading →

Driving in Sihanoukville: What you need to know

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Greg Kamphuis

Sihanoukville is known for having having many easily accessible beaches and sights. The city is also known for having expensive, disagreeable tuk tuk drivers, which makes renting a motorbike in Sihanoukville a tempting proposition. There is one thing that may stop you though – those pesky laws. In this post, I’ll go over the most common reasons foreigners get pulled over in Sihanoukville, and how to avoid them.

Sihanoukville traffic police

Sihanoukville is known for traffic stops targeting foreigners. Here’s how to avoid them.

The good news is that on January 1, 2016 the Cambodian government put in place a whole new set of traffic laws that make it a lot easier to keep yourself out of trouble with the ever present, and fearfully reputed, Sihanoukville Traffic Police.

Continue reading →

Guide to computer shopping in Phnom Penh

Posted on July 23, 2016 by Sam Kendall

If you live in Cambodia long enough and use your laptop for both work and leisure you will eventually find yourself in need of a new one, or at least one that is new to you. So what can you do when the combination of heat and power fluctuations gives you the need for a computer? One option is to go to Singapore and buy one, but if you can’t get to Singapore, here’s a brief guide to buying a computer in Phnom Penh.

buy computer Phnom Penh

No, computer shopping in Phnom Penh does not need to be a nerve-wracking experience. (Nojima, Aeon Mall)

Do your computer research

Doing research before you head to the laptop store is a must in Cambodia. Some of the stores possess extremely knowledgeable staff, but some staff members are less knowledgable and you will never know which kind you will get until you are in the store. Similarly many of the major stores have websites which list computers and accessories on them, making it easy to do research from home before heading to the store. Some stores are better at updating their websites than others, but it is still a good way to check if the prices and selection meet your needs before you head out to buy you new machine.

Continue reading →

How to eat vegan and vegetarian in Cambodia

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Alyssa Casey

Any vegetarian or vegan knows that finding meat- and dairy-free options can take a bit more planning while traveling. Luckily, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are very vegetarian-friendly cities. With a few tips, you can easily enjoy the wide array of meatless and dairy-free delights that Cambodia has has to offer. We also have cards in Khmer you can print out and take to restaurants.

Eating vegetarian in Cambodia

Learning about ingredients in Cambodia will help you maintain a vegan or vegetarian diet.

What to know: ingredients

The main enemies of any vegan and vegetarian in Cambodia will be fish sauce, oyster sauce, chicken powder, and prawns. Fish sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken powder are frequently used for flavoring, even in many vegetable dishes. If the restaurant menu has descriptions in English, it will often (but not always!) indicate when oyster sauce or prawns are used. However, fish sauce and chicken powder can be trickier to figure out, so it’s always good to confirm with the server (see below for helpful Khmer phrases). Many restaurants aimed at tourists have English-speaking staff, and I have had a lot of success with simply asking for vegetable dishes without oyster sauce or fish sauce.

Continue reading →