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Review: Da Matti? Italian restaurant and reggae bar, Koh Rong

Posted on May 8, 2016 by Cynthia Herman

On the 3rd pier closest to Koh Toch village is Da Matti? (the question mark is theirs), an Italian restaurant, formerly called La Mami, now under different, but still Italian, ownership. With the name change came the addition of a reggae bar, that incongruously compliments their menu of homemade gnocchi and ravioli, traditional Italian pastas, and interesting cocktails.

Sunset on the Koh Rong pier where Da Matti? is situated.

We chose to lounge outside on floor cushions at low tables further down the pier, although normal height tables and chairs are available inside and closer to the restaurant building. As the sun went down, a string of red, yellow and green string lights added a nice glowing ambient light along with candles on table. Da Matti? is centrally located but still far enough down the pier to feel peaceful, with only a low thud of music coming over from the beach bars — this is probably as romantic as Koh Toch restaurants get. Continue reading →

Fancy weekday breakfasts in Phnom Penh

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Jen Green

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and my coffee dealer agrees. But it’s hard to manage a weekday morning when you are not rushing off to work or school or dropping the kids off…you know what I mean. In the hopes of inspiring you to take a day off for brunch, we’ve explored some of Phnom Penh’s swanky new breakfast spots.

So what if it’s a weekday? You deserve a beautiful breakfast.

The Tiger’s Eye

South African chef Timothy Bruyns is serving some favorites from Common Tiger’s brunch menu, along with some new Western and Asian breakfast dishes at the gastropub incarnation of his restaurant, The Tiger’s Eye. Braised short rib stirred through egg noodles and bok choy with a fried egg on top was excellent, with the tender meat holding itself together just until it’s inside your mouth. Scrambled eggs with toast and bacon isn’t fancy per se, but in-house cured bacon and fresh rye bread made this a satisfying plate, even if the eggs were a bit softer than I prefer. Continue reading →

Keeping fit in Battambang

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Elisabeth Tuck

Surprisingly enough there is no shortage of ways to get or stay in shape in Battambang. Whether it is more traditional means you seek or some fun ways to enjoy the local area while working up a sweat, you really just need to know where to start!

Quite possibly the biggest pool in Battambang.

Take a stroll down to the banks of the Sangker River at dawn or dusk and you will be intoxicated by the culture and community spirit that culminates. Whether running, walking, or making the most of the permanent work-out machines, there is no shortage of activities to help you keep fit. The best part about choosing this option, other than that it won’t cost you a single riel, is that you also get a great opportunity to interact with the locals. Additionally, dance workout groups run 6 to 7 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. on the Wat Sangker side of the river, offering low-cost (1000 riel) exercise groups with a really fun and social vibe. Continue reading →

Review: Skybar, Koh Rong

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Cynthia Herman

As your boat arrives at Koh Toch pier, high above the line of beachside bars, restaurants and guesthouses, you’ll see the word “Skybar.” The term is often been used to describe city bars perched on top of a high-rise block, and it seemed unlikely that the view from a beach bar that wasn’t serviced by an elevator could match the vertiginous heights of skybars I’d been to before. But, after having put in the legwork to get up to the bar-restaurant, the panoramic view of sea and sky did justify the name.

The view from Koh Rong’s hilltop Skybar.

In case the climb begins to put you off, the stairway up is dotted with encouraging signs — “Keep going! Not much further!” — as you make the ascent. We arrived around 5 p.m. to find a happy hour from 6 p.m. offering two-for-one cocktails (normally priced between $3 and $4.50). They also have regular daily deals, such as Wine and Dine Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays. The lovely view along with reasonably priced spirits and a couple of choices of wine make this arguably the best spot on Koh Toch for some sundowner drinks — even if you won’t be getting a direct sunset view (which you would need to be on the other side of the island on Sok San beach for). Continue reading →

Review: Cambodian Cultural Village, Siem Reap

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Tessa

In a town dominated by foreign tourism, the Cambodian Cultural Village in Siem Reap offers a uniquely local — and to Western eyes, decidedly odd — take on Cambodian culture and history. Part amateur museum, part theme park, part fun fair, the CCV may disappoint more serious-minded visitors, but it’s an ideal outing for those with young children to entertain or a taste for the quirkier side of the Kingdom.

Just one of many photo ops at the Cambodian Cultural Village in Siem Reap.

The Cambodian Cultural Village aims to sum up the essence of Cambodia within 210,000 square meters (about 52 acres). There are miniature versions of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, the Reclining Buddha, and other famous landmarks (“It like you have traveled all over Cambodia in haft day,” boasts the CCV’s vaguely English-language web site) and a series of “villages” dedicated to the Khmer and six of the country’s other ethnicities, including the Cham and the Chinese. Continue reading →

Visiting Kep National Park

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Sharlie and Ed

Most visitors to Kep do little more than eat crab, laze on the beach, and enjoy sundowners. But if you’ve already exhausted all of those options, just turn around and you’ll see that right behind you is a jungle — Kep National Park — that’s home to walking and trekking (or moto) trails, tranquil scenery, and lovely vistas.

Need a break from feasting on crab? Hit the trails at Kep National Park!

We’ve been to the park a few times and have always meant to explore, but didn’t get around to it until now. Recently, however, we managed to roll out of bed at 7 a.m.(!) and take hugely enjoyable early morning hike that was well worth the early start and sore feet afterwards. Continue reading →

Exploring Sihanoukville’s coffee culture

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Sharlie and Ed

Surprisingly, there are other things to do in Sihanoukville besides drinking beer. One of our favorite things to do is to sit down with a coffee and watch the world go by. Cafe culture is booming in Sihanoukville, and it seems that every week another coffee shop pops up that serves coffee, frappes, and more. We feel duty bound to try them all and share the secrets of Sihanoukville’s coffee culture.

The sweetest rocket fuel you’ll ever drink.

Cheap local-style iced coffee is widely available from street vendors everywhere for around 1,000 riel, but if you fancy something more sophisticated or require air-conditioning or WiFi, here’s a rundown of some of our favorite places to grab a caffeine fix. Continue reading →

Insurance nightmare in Cambodia

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Lina Goldberg

One of the worst medical experiences of my life occurred two years ago, and I wasn’t even the patient. Shaun, a visitor to Cambodia whom I’d recently met, was admitted to Calmette Hospital, a public hospital in Phnom Penh, with a near-fatal spinal injury. He’d been mugged by a motodop and left for dead, and he urgently needed high-quality medical care.

Shaun in Calmette Hospital, waiting to be airlifted to Bangkok.

Instead, he was shuffled around from clinic to clinic, and after it was confirmed that he had a potentially fatal injury, he lay in a bed at Calmette for 33 hours, untreated and surrounded by filth, while his friends and family tried to convince his travel insurance company to honor his policy and evacuate him to an international-standard hospital in Thailand. Continue reading →

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