Juicing in the Charming City: Phnom Penh juice bars

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Jen Green

Cambodia is hot year-round, and Phnom Penh expats of a certain age try to stay in shape. Who can blame them, with the variety of gyms available, not to mention other fitness, yoga and dance classes in town. And the beach is just a three to four-hour bus ride away, right? Not to mention the Penh’s many pools; one is often required to be bikini or boardshort-ready as an expat in Cambodia.

Juicy Mercy Phnom Penh

Juicing in Phnom Penh, a sign at Juicy Mercy.

But eating healthy is just as important as getting in your exercise. And whether or not working out is your thing, sometimes drinking your five-a-day is nicer than all of the chewing involved in eating a big healthy salad.

Juice bars are popping up all over Phnom Penh, just in time to keep your hot season “glow” and give you some much-needed vitamins and minerals. This raft of juice shops focuses on fresh, local fruits and vegetables, and no added sugar. Most juice bars offer both juices and smoothies– we’ve set out their sizes and prices so you can compare. We’ve noticed that Phnom Penh juice bars don’t open especially early (8 a.m.) but do stay open until 8 or 9 p.m. for the student crowd.

Bbii Fresh Phnom Penh

Get your juice on at Bbii Fresh in Phnom Penh

Bbii Fresh

Small juice: $2.50
Medium juice: $3.99
Smoothie: $3.99

Special features: Bbii Fresh have small juices for take-away in cute squat glass bottles, and one type of pre-made salad with two options for dressings. And there’s a unique feature among the Phnom Penh juice bars:  a tidy, minimalist hostel/hotel in the back.

Juicy Mercy

juice (one size): $3.80
smoothie (one size): $2.80
Special features: Juicy Mercy also have a few salads, which looked tasty, and Greek yogurt. Although it is a little pricey, if you work out at The Place, Juicy Mercy means you can easily pop in for a juice post-workout. The space is also comfortable and includes tables and chairs that you could work at, or large leather couches.

The Hub juice

Anti-aging carrot at pineapple juice at the Hub.

Hub Juice and Smoothie Bar

Small juice (12 oz): $2.80
Medium juice (16 oz): $3.50
Smoothie: $2.00 – $2.80

Special features: Hub’s juices and smoothies are fully customizable! Calorie information is included for each juice and smoothie. Plus, they have specials like frozen fruit popsicles and fruit juice mixed with Red Bull (consumers must be over 16). They also have a seven day “juice cleanse” program, which recommends certain juices to drink before lunch and before dinner. At $39.20 for the week, this is probably the most affordable juice cleanse in town (although you still have to buy your own meals). Plus, they deliver.

The Juice House

Small juice (12 oz): $2.85
Medium juice (16 oz): $3.95
Smoothie: $2.00 – $3.00

The Juice House has a unique approach to juice, which is to make them taste delicious by adding things like ice cream and cookies to them. It’s not all high-calorie treats, though. They have a range of 100% fruit and vegetable juices ingeniously served over ice so as to not dilute them, and smoothies that can be made with rice milk, almond milk, soy milk or cow’s milk, and sweetened with honey.

Phnom Penh juice bar juice house

Juice served, literally, over ice.

Chom Ka (delivery only!)

juice: $4 for 500ml or $8 for 1 liter

This simple juice delivery service makes it easy to keep your home or work fridge stocked with juices to satisfy your 5-fruits-and-vegetables-a-day. Order the day before for morning delivery, or plan out an entire week of healthy juices to be delivered to your home or office. The mangosteen juice, which is only available during mangosteen season, is milkshake-thick, sweet, light pink, and not to be missed.

You can also get some fresh, healthy juices from these fine Phnom Penh cafes, along with yummy salads and other good-for-you fare:

Artillery juices $2.50, smoothies $2.50 -3.00, three-day Just Juice Cleanse $69 (delivery included)
Backyard Cafe juices $3.50, smoothies $3.50 – 4, 3 day juice cleanse $65
Gerbie’s juices $2.95, smoothies $3.25
Kettlebell Cafe juices $2.25- 2.75
Vego juices $2.95, “Power Drinks” $2.95

Bbii Fresh

172A Street 51, between Street 360 and 370, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 011 883 882; 093 883 882
facebook.com/BbiiFRESH
bbiigroup.com

Juicy Mercy

22 Street 282, between Street 51 and Norodom Blvd, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 017 610 904
facebook.com/juicymercy

Hub Juice and Smoothie Bar

Corner of St 310 and St 63, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 016 995 993
hubcambodia.com

The Juice House

30Eo Street 178, Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
T:012 220 815
facebook.com/thejuicehousePP

Chom Ka

T: 017 359 545 (call or text)
facebook.com/pages/Chom-Ka-Juice

Artillery

Street “240 ½” off of Street 240, Royal Palace area, Phnom Penh
13B Street 278 between Street 57 and Street 63, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 078 985 530, 012 904 365
artillerycafe.com

Backyard Cafe

11B Street 246, Royal Palace area, Phnom Penh
T: 078 751 715
backyardeats.com

Gerbie’s

78 Street 51, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 098 786 161
facebook.com/gerbiessaladandsandwich

Kettlebell Cafe

45 Street 454, Toul Tom Pong, Phnom Penh
T: 012 750 430
facebook.com/amatakkettlebellcafe

Vego Salad Bar

3Eo Street 51, BKK1, Phnom Penh
21B Street 294, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 012 984 596; 011 984 596
vegosaladbar.com

Review: Cambodia Bayon Airlines

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Lina Goldberg

Yet another Chinese entrant into Cambodian domestic airspace, Cambodia Bayon Airlines flies between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, and Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. Flights are incredibly cheap, but there are some serious safety concerns to consider. We fly Cambodia Bayon Airlines from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and see what all of the fuss is about.

Cambodia Bayon Airlines

Cambodia Bayon Airlines flies Chinese MA60 turboprop planes. Be ready for a loud ride.

Cambodia Bayon Airlines is Chinese-owned, partially by Joy Air who unsurprisingly chose not to operate under their original name, which sounds exceedingly crude in the Khmer language. They’re flying one MA60, a Soviet-style turboprop plane, that covers all of the three routes each day, but they’re planning to expand their fleet and presumably dominate the Cambodian domestic market with flights between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap every 45 minutes.

The MA60 (“Modern Ark 60”) is a Chinese-made plan with a troubled history. Because of numerous crashes, accidents, and safety concerns, the plane has been banned from flying in the US, Europe, UK, New Zealand, and Australia. Recently, countries like Tonga, Nepal, and Indonesia have either gotten rid of or banned the MA60 due to safety issues. Cambodia Bayon Airlines, on the other hand, has 19 more on order, which will eventually make them one of the airlines in the world with the largest number of these exotic, if dangerous, planes (only beaten by the aptly named Okay Airlines).

Cambodia Bayon Air economy class

Economy class on Cambodia Bayon Air…not as bad as you might expect.

Now here’s where I digress into the stuff that you might not care about, but Bayon Air purchased the 20 planes at a cost of $450 million from Chinese state-owned aerospace company Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). But according to the Phnom Penh Post, “Bayon Air is a subsidiary of Bayon Holding Limited, which is wholly owned by AVIC and China Easter Air’s Joy Air.” So yes, a company is purchasing millions of dollars in unsafe planes from itself to operate in Cambodian airspace.

Of course I was completely unaware of any of this when I booked the morning Bayon Air flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. And it was fine; I survived the flight. The flight took about 50 minutes, which is longer than Bassaka Air, because it’s a smaller plane. The noise near the propellers is pretty loud, and there’s no room for any large or awkward luggage in the overhead bins. Perhaps knowing these failings, Bayon Air bribes its passengers by handing out pastries and water during the flight.

Cambodia Bayon Air inflight service

The pastry bribe: not bad for a 50-minute flight.

I was told that check-in closes 30 minutes before the flight takes off (and boarding starts at the same time). Like the other domestic airlines, Bayon Airlines is relatively lax with ID requirements and will accept a photocopy of your passport in lieu of the real thing. I also noticed the security screener ignoring the screen, making me wish I hadn’t chucked my bottle of water.

The Bayon Airlines MA60 have 50 seats. 48 of those are regular economy seats, but the other two appear to be two random easy chairs in the back of the plane (which is where the passengers board) that makes up the whole of business class.

On the Phnom Penh to Siem Reap route, prices start at $32 for a one-way once taxes are included and a preposterous $153 for business class. The Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville route seems to be hovering around $70 (and $169 for biz). This route is especially silly, because it flies from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap to Sihanoukville, which takes almost three hours. If you hit the gas, you can drive it in the same amount of time, so the plane is probably not the best way to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. If you’re flying Siem Reap to Sihanoukville, flights are currently starting around $54 for a one-way ticket.

Cambodia Bayon Air business class

The exceedingly odd solo business class seat. There’s one more across the aisle.

Overall, I probably won’t be spending a lot of time flying on Cambodia Bayon Air because of safety concerns, but I also recognize that I’m probably more likely to die on Cambodia’s roads than I will in its skies, no matter how often I fly.

Bayon Airlines schedule:
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: 8:10 a.m.
Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: 8:00 p.m.

Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: 4:20 p.m.
Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: 3:00 p.m.

Sihanoukville to Siem Reap: 5:35 p.m.
Siem Reap to Sihanoukville: 9:55 a.m.

At the time of writing, Bayon Air is flying daily trips between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville (with a triangle flight). It’s best to check and confirm, as they change their schedule regularly. I’d recommend not booking too far in advance or relying on them to connect to an international flight. With only one plane, if they have any mechanical failures the flights for the day will inevitably be cancelled.

Tickets can be booked with most travel agents in Cambodia, or tickets can be reserved on the Cambodia Bayon Airlines website, and then paid for within 24 hours at their office in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, or Sihanoukville. They will also, allegedly, send someone to you to pick up payment in either of those cities while they work on getting their payment processing set up.

Want to compare all of the airlines flying between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap? Read the Phnom Penh-Siem Reap flights blog post. 

Cambodia Bayon Airlines

Phnom Penh International Airport, Phnom Penh
Borei Angkor Arcade Shopping Center, Road 6, Siem Reap
T: 023 231 555; 099 227 301
bayonairlines.com

Learning Khmer: Interview with a Khmer language teacher

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Lina Goldberg

You know you should learn Khmer, but have you done it? Khmer teacher Chhun Vanna has been instructing foreigners in the finer points of the Cambodian language for five years now. Today, she talks to us about common mistakes that Cambodia expats often make when learning Khmer, plus tips for learning the language.

Vanna Learn Khmer Now

Teacher Chhun Vanna answers your questions about learning Khmer.

What is the most difficult part of learning Khmer for Cambodia expats?

There are many difficult parts of learning Khmer for foreigners. Khmer has some sounds that English does not have. A lot of times the dt and ng sound at the the beginning of a word are hard for them to reproduce.

How long does it take for an expat to learn Khmer to a proficient level?

Every student is very different. Some come wanting lessons five days a week, plus studying a lot on their own. Or some study once a week, but they have a girlfriend or boyfriend giving them a lot of practice. But If there was a student who lived in Cambodia, I would say after six months the student could speak really well. Reading and writing is also possible in six months, but the student has to be motivated and find the best way to learn.

What are the common mistakes that expats make when trying to speak Khmer?

Foreigners make some mistakes when speaking Khmer, but for the most part, the grammar is easy compared to English. Some Khmer words are ordered different than English and the student will try to translate exactly, instead of remember the different rules of the Cambodian language.

Learning Khmer: language flash cards

Vanna says you can learn to read in six months. Yikes!

Do you have any tips for expats who are studying Khmer?

The first tip for learning Khmer is practice, practice, practice. If you live in Cambodia, go order food in Khmer. Pretend you don’t speak English and try only Khmer. Learn one new word a day. Pick one word and use it many times (out loud, and in your head). For students learning outside of Cambodia listen to YouTube lessons, and Khmer music. Maybe put notes on things you are learning. If learning about the kitchen, write the Khmer word on the refrigerator, and write the Khmer word on the trash can, etc.

What is your favorite expression in Khmer that most Cambodia expats probably don’t know, and what does it mean?

One saying i like is, “Kom kit rian Jong Tver mondrey Saorb kperm puak dei noam ouy kro. Trov rian Tver jia kak se-Kor terb mian trop dtor tov kang kroy.” In Khmer script: កុំគិតតរៀនចង់ធ្វើមន្រ្តី ស្អប់ខ្ពើមភក់ដីនាំអោយក្រ ត្រូវរៀនធ្វើជាកសិករ ទើបមានទ្រព្យតទៅខាងក្រោយ។.

It means: ‘Don’t try to become a government minister as that just leads you to do corruption. Instead be a farmer and real wealth will come to you.’

Another easier saying for foreigners which can be used many different ways is min ey te (មិនអីទេ). A lot of foreigners know it, but I rarely hear them say the word. It can mean ‘you’re welcome,’ ‘it doesn’t matter,’ and ‘I dont care.’ It is similar to the Thai word mai pen rai.

Get more tips on learning Khmer from Vanna at learnkhmernow.com, where she has videos, worksheets, and vocab lessons to help get you started. 

The best supermarkets in Siem Reap

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Lina Goldberg

Luckily for expats, there’s no shortage of excellent supermarkets and grocery stores in Siem Reap. Recently, two new stores have opened their doors, making the grocery landscape even more competitive. Like supermarkets in Phnom Penh, the grocery stores in Siem Reap are chock full of imported goodies at surprisingly low prices. Of course you’ll find fresher produce and lower prices at the local markets, but sometimes you just want access to Western products and meats that have been refrigerated. Here are the best grocery and supermarket options in Siem Reap.

Angkor Market

inside of Angkor Market, Siem Reap Cambodia

Angkor Market in Siem Reap carries an astonishing range of imported groceries.

Angkor Market is the local favorite with Siem Reap expats and it’s not hard to see why. The store is small and usually crowded, but it’s packed full of just about every conceivable product a foreigner could want, from imported cheeses and natural yogurt to cocoa powder and black beans. Since the announcement of the opening of two new grocery stores in Siem Reap, Angkor Market has upped their game and expanded their meat, seafood, and produce selection. You can now find a wide range of local and imported fruits, vegetables, and herbs (including dill, tarragon, and sage) as well as local and imported meats, cold cuts, and sausages.

The outside of Angkor Market, Siem Reap

Angkor Market in Siem Reap is an expat’s dream grocery store.

Upstairs they offer a full range of homewares, from kitchen tools to pet supplies to stationary. Angkor Market also has a better selection of cleaning and laundry products than any of the other stores in town. While there is no way they could pack every conceivable product into such a small place, it certainly feels like they have somehow managed to do it!

Lucky Supermarket

Lucky Mall, Siem Reap

Siem Reap’s Lucky Mall is the home of the aptly named Lucky Supermarket.

The most popular supermarket in Phnom Penh has never really managed to take off in Siem Reap. It’s more than twice the size of Angkor Market but Lucky Supermarket is usually empty, save for the random tourist wandering the aisles looking for Kampot pepper. That said, they actually have an excellent selection of products, including many Western and Asian brands, all at good prices. They’ve also got fresh produce and meats, including some imported stuff mainly from Australia. The dairy section is pretty good, featuring imported cheeses, fresh milk and a thousand types of interestingly-flavored Asian yogurts. They also have a bakery on site with fresh breads and cakes.

Lucky Supermarket Siem Reap

Aisles big enough to swing a cat, or use a shopping cart.

Excitingly (for me, anyway) Lucky carries a selection of UK brand Waitrose teas, jams, cookies, and other pantry items at very reasonable prices. An area Lucky particularly excels in is snack and junk foods, so if you’re looking for packaged cookies, soda, instant noodles or cake mix, you’ll be placated with all the brands you know from home and some you’ve never heard of. They also have a small homewares section, plus household staples like shampoo, diapers and pet food.

Lucky Supermarket is popular with parents who say that Angkor Market is too small and difficult to navigate with strollers, shopping cart, or angry toddlers.

Thai Huot

Thai Huot, Siem Reap

Thai Huot has finally come to Siem Reap. Hooray!

Thai Huot was a long-time expat favorite in Phnom Penh. More recently, they’ve expanded to two more stores in Phnom Penh and one in Siem Reap. Thai Huot has wide, spacious aisles that are filled with an excellent selection of imported pantry items. Thai Huot specializes in French and European products, and all of their shelf tags specify which country each item is from. Thai Huot is easily the best place in Siem Reap to find spices; they’ve got the sort of things that no one else carries (who knew you could get juniper berries in Cambodia?). They’ve also got a great range of French wines, European baking supplies, and hard-to-find items like dried morel mushrooms.

Thai Huot interior, Siem Reap

Inside the gleaming new grocery heaven, Thai Huot.

Thai Huot is not the place to go for meats, fruits, or vegetables, and their tiny selection pales in comparison to what Angkor or Lucky carry. But for European panty items and French beauty products, they can’t be beat.

Asia Market

Asia Market Siem Reap

Asia Market, it’s a mystery.

Newcomer Asia Market is a bit of a mystery to yours truly. Located on Sivatha within walking distance of Pub Street, the store seems to cater to tourists rather than expats and locals. They dedicate a large amount of floor space to snack food, packaged local gift products, t-shirts and Cambodian trinkets. The store is designed like a supermarket, however, and since their opening at the end of 2014 they’ve started carrying more and more products.

They carry a random assortment of products, including a few bulk items like giant wheels of cheese. Their produce selection is better than Thai Huot and best of all, they don’t use plastic or styrofoam packaging for the vegetables they sell, they wrap them in banana leaves. Asia Market also carry many Cambodia-made products, including items that you used to only be able to find at the local markets, like dried fish, beef, and squid. They also have a large beauty and bathroom section, and carry products not found anywhere else in town (pH neutral shampoo, anyone?)

Angkor Mini Market

Angkor Mini Market Siem Reap

Packed with goodies: Angkor Mini Market.

A spin-off of Angkor Market, Angkor Mini Market boasts the same great selection as the full-size store and a convenient location near touristy Pub Street. Even better, this grocery store is open 24 hours a day and have the same prices as their other store.

It seems impossible, but they’ve managed to fit almost all of the products found there in this even smaller shop, but the focus seems to be more on items that tourists or those snacking in their hotel rooms might want. They have a decent selection of fruits and veg, but if you’re planning on cooking a five course meal, it probably makes sense to hit up Angkor Market, which is not far away.

Angkor Market
Open 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sivutha Blvd at Oum Khun Street, Siem Reap [map]
T: 063 767 799

Lucky Supermarket
Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Lucky Mall, Sivutha Blvd, Siem Reap [map]
T: 081 222 068
luckymarketgroup.com

Thai Huot
Samdech Tep Vong Street, Siem Reap [map]
T: 063 968 822
thaihuot.com

Asia Market
Open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Sivatha Blvd, near Samdech Tep Vong Street, Siem Reap [map]
T: 017 765 092; 010 888 059

Angkor Mini Mart
Open 24 hours
128 Sivutha Blvd, Siem Reap [map]

Where to drink coffee in Phnom Penh

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Jen Green

There was a time when to get a coffee in Phnom Penh you had little choice but to go to Brown Coffee or one of the other offerings on Street 51 in BKK1, or for 2,000 riel you could get a strong, sweet Khmer iced coffee from your neighborhood street drink lady or the “best Khmer iced coffee” in Russian Market. Those days are over.

Cambodian latte

Get latte’ed out of it in Phnom Penh.

There seems to be a new coffee shop opening every week, including chains from Australia (Gloria Jean’s), France (Le Diplomate), Laos (Dao, Joma), Japan (Kiriya), Singapore (Artease, YaKun), South Korea (Caffe Bene), and the UK (Costa). That coffee shop on the corner of 57 and 310 has changed names (but not much else) at least three times in the past 18 months, and trendy new cafes are popping up everywhere from Psar Kandal to Toul Tom Pong.

While you might be hard-pressed to find traditional Khmer coffee roasting in a steel drum, no fewer than three local cafes boast their own roasting machines (Brown, Feel Good 2, Terrazu). Even some of the coffee carts have pastry refrigerators and espresso machines.

But for all of this talk of “single origin” and arabica, how is a person to choose where to get their caffeine fix these days? Whether you are a social drinker, coffee snob, straight-up caffeine addict or backpacker on a budget, here are our recommendations.

For the coffee

At Feel Good and Feel Good 2 veteran roaster Marc Adamson and his protege (and silver medal Cambodian National Barista finisher) Sophorn roast coffee daily and supply many cafes and restaurants in Phnom Penh. They still manage to be head and shoulders above the competition in the quality of their coffee drinks, with excellent espressos and silky textured milk piccolos, flat whites and lattes.

Feel Good coffee Cambodia espresso

A Feel Good espresso. Unsurprisingly, it will make you feel good.

For a meeting

Head to Brown Coffee (but with ten outlets, make sure you agree on which one!). This Cambodian coffee chain was one of the first to serve espresso-based coffee drinks, and their iced coffees and frappes are delicious. A place to see-and-be-seen for students, Brown Coffee boast plenty of big tables for work and meetings, but if you are looking for quiet, you had better go elsewhere. Their roastery on Street 57 also offers some single origin filter coffees and cold brew — be sure to specify when you order if you want yours without sugar!

For the sidewalk vibe

Bistrot Bassac and Chez Flo are side-by-side French-owned tiny cafes on Street 308. The sleek, architectural Bistrot Bassac and the perfectly mismatched, quirky Chez Flo are great places to chat and watch the foot traffic while sipping on a coffee after lunch or over cake.

For letting the kids run around

Breezy outdoor restaurant and cafe Farm to Table has an indestructible weathered-industrial vibe and a tractor and miniature outdoor kitchen play set for the little ones. Luckily for the older crowd, Farm to Table also makes a great espresso.

Cambodian coffee affagato ice cream

The perfect way to perk up and cool down on a hot day.

For the ice cream

Nuk Coffee boasts a liquid nitrogen affogato: super-chilled creamy ice cream with a shot of espresso. It’s not our favourite coffee in town, but with hot season upon us, this cold, creamy and caffeinated treat does the trick.

For the cold drip

Terrazu near BKK Market uses a glass drip tower to make a light and fruity cold drip coffee that is great over ice. While it might remind you more of iced tea than a coffee, it highlights the bright citrus and floral notes of Ethiopian beans.

For a quickie

With its cool walk-up counter, Kettlebell Cafe does great coffee drinks for the crowd with places to go. Whether it is before (or after) a workout at Crossfit Amatak, or on your way back to work after lunch at one of the restaurants nearby, the service is spot on, the milk is smooth and sweet and the coffee is delicious. And if you can’t wait the thirty seconds for an espresso, they have ready-made cold brew to pour over ice and send you on your way with.

Feel Good
Open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
79 Street 136, Psar Kandal, Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
T: 079 888 773
feelgood.com.kh

Feel Good 2
Open Daily, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
11b Street 29, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 077 694 702

Brown 57
Open daily, 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Street 57 at Street 294, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 070 257 474
More locations: browncoffee.com.kh

Bistrot Bassac
Open daily, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
38 Street 308, Tonle Bassac, Phnom Penh
T: 070 902 021
facebook.com/bistrotbassac

Chez Flo
Open Mon through Sat, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 11 p.m., stays open to midnight Thurs through Sat
T: 012 986 270
facebook.com/chezflophnompenh

Farm to Table
Open Tues through Sun, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
16 Street 360, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 078 899 722
facebook.com/farmtotable

Tarrazu Cafe
Open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
340 Street 370, BKK1, Phnom Penh
facebook.com/tarrazucafecambodia

Kettlebell Cafe
Open Mon through Fri, 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sat 8:30 a.m. to 2 :00 p.m.
45 Street 454, Phnom Penh
T: 012 750 430
facebook.com/amatakkettlebellcafe

Jen Green is a coffee fiend based in Phnom Penh.  In the interest of full disclosure, she has worked with Feel Good on (bean sourcing) and Kettlebell Cafe (equipment and barista training). Jen has a blog about Southeast Asian coffee, littleblackdrink.com.

Snaps: Lotus fields in bloom

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Lina Goldberg
Lotus flowers in lotus field

Lotus flowers as far as the eye can see.

A photo of Siem Reap’s lotus fields in full bloom and the story behind it.A photo of Siem Reap’s lotus fields in full bloom and the story behind it.

It’s lotus season in Cambodia, and here in Siem Reap the lotus fields are in full bloom. Visitors can show up and pick their own lotus heads, which is what we did this morning. Once you’ve finished, you pay for what what you pick, much like raspberry farms or apple orchards in the States. In Cambodia, locals eat the stem, seeds, and roots of the lotus plant. I had never been very impressed with the lotus seeds I’ve bought on the street, but eating them fresh from the plant was a completely different experience.

The photo opportunities at the lotus fields were fantastic, but I, like the lotus-eaters of yore, mostly squandered any chance of accomplishing anything due to the heat, the glare, and the endless supply of lotus seeds. I got a few good snaps, though, and I like this one because it hints at how vast the fields are, all filled with blooming lotus flowers.

Hot season is here. Are you ready?

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Lina Goldberg

This week hot season has arrived with a bang in Cambodia, and expats have responded with a whimper. The weather reports just don’t accurately describe our suffering. Today in Siem Reap it’s 100 degrees fahrenheit (with 50% humidity), but AccuWeather, which takes in account humidity, cloud cover, and sun intensity puts it closer to 110, and it feels closer to 140. And surprisingly, every hot season seems worse than the last. We’ve got some tips for how to survive Cambodia’s hot season.

sleeping in a tuk tuk

Nothing wrong with a mid-afternoon nap.

Adopt the local schedule

When newly arrived expats and tourists see the locals swinging in hammocks after lunch, they often come to the mistaken conclusion that Cambodians are lazy. Cambodians are not lazy, they have ingeniously organized their day to keep them out of the heat during the hot afternoon. The busiest times in Cambodia are before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m., and these should be your busiest times, too. Don’t bother trying to get anything done in the mid-afternoon, it’s an exercise in futility, and like all exercise will leave you hot and sweaty.

Get your air-conditioner checked

I’m going to be honest, I have no idea what air-conditioner repair people actually do, but I know that if I don’t call them every six to 12 months, the temperature in my bedroom rises, and not in a sexy way. A full cleaning and tune-up should only cost between $10 and $15 and your room will be noticeably colder afterwards.

Angkor Era Hotel pool, Siem Reap

The Angkor Era Hotel pool is one of the biggest in Siem Reap, and kid friendly.

Head to a hotel for a swim

Many of us live in local-style digs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t slip on a pair of Topsiders and pretend to be a guest of one of the many 5-star hotels in town. Most of them will let non-guests in for a fee, and that fee includes the use of the gym and pool. It also includes hanging out in the air-conditioned lobby for the day. Many smaller hotels will let any paying customer use the pool, so if you order a pina colada, you’re in. Circa 51 and the 252 are good choices in Phnom Penh, Angkor Era is popular in Siem Reap. But if you’re not at the pool, please keep your clothes on.

Baby your plants

If you, like me, are trying to grow Western herbs and vegetables in your garden, be warned that it’s unlikely they will survive this heat wave. My plants, like their owner, have been wilting precipitously. Either harvest them now, or move to a more regular watering schedule (I have some plants that are requiring twice a day). You can also buy shade cloth at any of the local markets, it’s only a few thousand riel per meter. Even plants that usually like full sun will benefit from shade cloth during hot season. Pets and humans that venture outside will also appreciate a shade cloth canopy.

coconut with straw

Drink a coconut. It’s good for you.

Stay hydrated

This is probably obvious, but it’s too easily ignored. Drink lots of water. Have a coconut; they’re better at replacing fluids than water or sports drinks. Dehydration is the cause of much crankiness in Cambodia, and it’s a scientific fact that drinking a coconut will make you feel better. For others, though, a cold Angkor beer is more effective.

See a movie

If the Phnom Penh heat is killing you, the most sensible option is to head to one of the city’s many air-conditioned movie theaters. There are quite a few big cineplexes these days, all showing English-language blockbusters, as smaller movie houses, The Empire and The Flicks, showing more eclectic selections. For more information on the best cinemas in Phnom Penh, see our blog post on Phnom Penh movie theaters.

In Siem Reap, check out the new Platinum Cineplex for an eclectic mix of blockbusters, Thai comedies, and Khmer horror flicks.

Kep crab statue

Kep beckons.

Get out of town

It’s always hotter inland, so when things get unbearable, head to the coast. The islands (like Koh Rong) might seem like the obvious choice, but they are woefully hot and can become almost unbearable on days where there is no breeze. endless crab, and air-conditioned hotels. Despite its well-deserved dismal reputation, Sihanoukville isn’t a bad option, either. These days there is more accommodation construction than demand, and it’s possible to stay in a luxury hotel with a pool for next to nothing.

Siem Reap: 280 miles from the beach

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Lina Goldberg

The weather is starting to heat up again in Siem Reap and tourists are jettisoning their garments like snakes shedding their skins. Sartorial defiance is the order of the day as visitors stroll the streets of Siem Reap bare-chested or in bikini tops, oblivious to local mores or universal standards of good taste. They visit Angkor Wat in tube tops and short shorts, confident that the gods, spirits, and security guards will be honored by the sight of their underbutt.

Woman wearing a bikini in Siem Reap

Where’s the beach? Oh, just about 280 miles from here. Photo by Mr. Sam Rachna

Siem Reap is not a beach town (nor is Phnom Penh, for that matter). So it’s perplexing to see tourists wandering the streets of a city that’s a full 280 miles from the nearest seashore — there aren’t even any direct flights — shirtless or in swimming gear.

Cambodian culture values modesty. Khmer women generally keep their shoulders and knees covered, while most men wear long sleeve shirts and pants even on the hottest days. It’s true that Cambodian culture is (slowly) changing, and you’ll sometimes see young Cambodian women in sleeveless shirts. But for the most part, Cambodians dress modestly.

Now before you say, “But I saw a Cambodian man standing in front of his house with his shirt off!” remember that he was standing in front of his own house. The difference between public space and private space is often blurred in Cambodia, where people carry on their lives in full view of tourists. However, you’ll usually only see Cambodian men shirtless if they’re at home, farming, mentally ill, or acrobats at the circus. And you won’t see Cambodian women in bikini tops, even at the beach.

Topless dudes on Pub Street.

Topless dudes on Pub Street. Photo by Hanno Stamm.

Of course visitors aren’t necessarily expected to share Cambodian values. But they are expected to respect them. Skimpy clothes at tourist-oriented bars and clubs — places where no Cambodian grannies are likely to be traumatized by the sight of your pasty chest or butt cleavage — aren’t entirely unacceptable. Prancing around city streets in the equivalent of underwear is; such behavior shows a total lack of consideration for the locals and their culture. Even more blatantly disrespectful is wearing revealing clothing while visiting Angkor Wat, the largest and most revered religious monument in the country.

A recent spate of naked tourists in Cambodia is provoking a backlash. Several visitors have been deported for stripping down at the temples, and three others were kicked out for riding motos naked through Kampot. The Apsara Authority is sick of streakers and skimpy outfits and reportedly will be strictly enforcing dress codes for visitors to the temples starting April 1st.

Screenshot of a CNC tv show about scantily clad tourists

A CNC TV show about skimpily dressed tourists got a lot of attention in the local community.

A report on Cambodian television chastised tourists for dressing inappropriately. Photos from the piece were posted on Facebook and dozens of locals expressed their disgust with scantily clad tourists. One wrote, “Some tourists driving moto by themselves wearing underwear along the road in public. That make local residents feel unhappy with your culture bringing to Cambodia. I hope you understand well about the way of respect one’s local culture and custom. Respect a local culture and custom means you are respecting you yourself too!”

So show some respect for yourself, for your Cambodian hosts, and even for the expats who don’t want to see your sideboob. There are no beaches in Siem Reap, so keep your bikinis poolside and off the street. And, for the love of prahok, please cover your shoulders at the temples!