Locally-owned places to stay on Koh Rong

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Lina Goldberg

Last week we covered some of our favorite places to stay on Koh Rong and reviewed Paradise Bungalows and Monkey Island, two island old-timers that have been there there for a while. But if you’d prefer to stay in the village or support a locally owned business, we’ve sussed out some of the newer accommodation offerings.

lazing on the beach at Koh Rong

Support local businesses while you are lazing away on Koh Rong.

The guesthouses in Koh Toch village don’t have any frills, but are some of the cheapest and friendliest places to stay on Koh Rong. Koh Rong has had a lot of development recently, but the booming business hasn’t really trickled down to the local families in Koh Toch village. Visitors supporting the village businesses are very appreciated (but please put a cover-up on in the village on the way to the beach, bare torsos and bikinis are a no-no). At the end of this post, we also review a Cambodian-owned business that is further down the beach and offers more luxurious digs.

White Rose Guesthouse

White Rose Guesthouse Koh Rong

The Khmer-owned guesthouse White Rose is a popular choice in Koh Toch village.

This Khmer-owned guesthouse and cafe is one of the most popular spots in the village. Located just in front of the first pier across from the Friends of Koh Rong, White Rose is known for its friendly, laid-back atmosphere. The proprietor, Lymoon (known as “Lee” around the guesthouse), is a Cambodian who has brought his Phnom Penh business experience to Koh Rong, which is home to some of his family, including family members who run TyTy Family Guesthouse. White Rose also employs a couple of Western staff, people who came as visitors and quickly decided they never wanted to leave. Their influence is felt in the downstairs cafe’s menu, which features foreigner favorites like pancakes, burgers, and sandwiches. Breakfast at White Rose is a popular affair—we tried the muesli with fresh tropical fruit and yogurt, which was good value at $3.25 for a heaping bowl. They also claim to have the best vegetarian food on the island, which is probably true, because there aren’t a lot of other options.

As with all of the guesthouse options in Koh Toch Village, rooms at White Rose are simple, with wood walls, mosquito nets, and a fan that is powered only when the electricity is on between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to midnight. (There are LED lights from solar power the rest of the time.) There are two WiFi connections, one downstairs and one upstairs, that run when the electricity is on. There are also security bars on the windows to protect from possible break-ins and we were pleasantly surprised to see fire extinguishers, a rarity on the island. Upstairs features a balcony with tables and hammocks where guests can hang out and enjoy the views of the village and the sea. All rooms have a shared bathroom that was very clean when we saw it. Double and twin rooms go for $14 to $26 in the high season, but can dip as low as $10 in the low season. Dorm rooms in the mixed dorm go for around $7, depending on demand.

TyTy Family Guesthouse

TyTy Family Guesthouse Koh Rong

The balcony at TyTy Family Guesthouse gives a great view of village life.

Located in the village just off the first pier and run by the extended family of Lee of White Rose, TyTy offers a more Cambodian experience. When we visited there weren’t any English-speakers around, but some friendly villagers were happy to help translate. The simple wooden rooms are outfitted with either one or two double beds, each with a fan and mosquito net, and have access to a shared bathroom. Simple and clean, TyTy is a no-frills place to stay and get a village experience. Upstairs there’s a balcony to hang out on and watch daily Cambodian village life in Koh Toch village.

At the height of high season a room with a double bed goes for $15 and a room with two double beds goes for $25. In the low season, rooms can go for as low as $8. Rooms have security bars on the windows for added safety.

Para Guesthouse

Para Guesthouse Koh Rong

For the full Koh Toch village experience, check out Para Guesthouse.

If you’re looking for the most village-y of all of Koh Toch’s village guesthouses, Para is definitely the one. Located behind Western-owned Bong’s, Para is off the beach and sandwiched between villagers’ homes. It is essentially a Cambodian wooden house that rents rooms to foreigners. Rooms have a double bed, mosquito net, and security bars on the windows to prevent break-ins. All rooms share a bathroom and shower. There’s also a balcony with table and chairs and a lovely sea view. Rooms are as low as $8 in low season, but can go up to $15 or even $20 when the island is fully booked.

Happy Bungalows

Happy Bungalows Koh Rong

The happiest thing about Koh Rong’s Happy Bungalows is the short walk to the hammock.

These high-end Koh Rong bungalows are located directly on the beach, on what used to be Monkey Island’s property (land disputes are one of the less exotic features of Koh Rong). They’re Khmer-owned, although the manager was not there when we stopped by. However, his presence was signaled by the sign that states, “9 a.m. checkout time.” It seems that Cambodians have a different idea of what constitutes a reasonable time to wake up in paradise.

The bungalows are some of the newest on the island and are thus in very good condition. They’ve been made with treated wood so they shouldn’t deteriorate as quickly as the more cheaply built places. Each of the 12 bungalows has two beds with mosquito nets and a fan. They are naturally lit and have glass windows (most of the other bungalows on the island are quite dark inside). The nicest part of the bungalows are the balconies; each one has benches and if you’re lucky enough to be in a bungalow directly facing the water, you’ve got an unimpeded view of the sea. During the high season bungalows go for $65. Prices will be lower during low season, but when we visited the staff couldn’t tell us how low, so it’s worth calling ahead.

White Rose Guesthouse

Koh Toch Village, across from Friends of Koh Rong pier, Koh Rong
T: 010 758 767, 096 916 9267
facebook.com/WhiteRoseKohRong

TyTy Family Guesthouse

Koh Toch Village
T: 016 880 953

Para Guesthouse

Koh Toch Village, behind Bong’s Guesthouse, Koh Rong
T: 087 643 470

Happy Bungalows

Koh Toch Beach, Koh Rong
T: 015 769 659; 087 707 788

Learning Khmer: Khmer for Foreigners at RUPP

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Lina Goldberg

If you’re looking to learn Khmer, one of the most well regarded courses is at Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Institute of Foreign Languages. The course, ‘Khmer for Foreigners’ teaches reading, writing, and speaking. Most teachers and Cambodian learning classes focus only on speaking, and most expats never learn to read or write the language. The successful completion of Khmer for Foreigners, on the other hand, will have you reading, writing and speaking the language at a high level after a year.

Khmer studies schoolwork and flashcards.

Learning the alphabet in Khmer for Foreigners.

The course is five days a week, 90 minutes a day for eight to 10 weeks per term. There are four levels each running four times per year and it’s possible to do the entire course in a year. Khmer for Foreigners costs $800 for a year, or $200 per level. Those who’ve successfully completed the course say that learning to read Khmer script is integral to learning to speak the language, as understanding how each character is pronounced results in overall better pronunciation, thus making it possible to make oneself understood.

While it’s generally thought to be the best Khmer language learning program around, I had mixed feelings about it. The class taught me an awful lot about the Cambodian educational system, far more, in fact, than I learned about the Khmer language in a month of class. The material, which uses a book called We Learn Khmer, is taught entirely by rote. The teacher was an accomplished linguist with a degree in Cambodian literature, but our classes generally followed the same format: he would hand out a worksheet with a list of Khmer characters on it. He would read it aloud once, then he would read it aloud a second time. This time, we would all repeat back what he said. Finally, he would go around the classroom asking each student to read the worksheet aloud one by one (and there were 18 of us). Most of us had written down the phonetics for the sound of each character and were just reading what we had written down, rather than actually recognizing the character. All of the actual learning I did was outside of the classroom, and the time in the classroom felt sort of pointless. Having a Khmer partner, friend, or colleague around that can correct your pronunciation when you are studying is invaluable as pronunciation is key.

That said, I have met others who had a very different experience in the Khmer for Foreigners classroom (and had a different teacher). The beginning weeks are difficult, they say, but once you learn to recognize the characters —no small feat because the language has one of the largest alphabets in the world — the class becomes more rewarding.

Even after a month I was able to recognize some of the alphabet and try and sound out words on business fronts (all businesses need to have Khmer signage, and many Western businesses just spell out their business name phonetically in Khmer, making for good reading practice.) Those who manage to stick it out actually learn to read, write and eventually speak Khmer, unlike the great majority of expats in Cambodia. As we wrote last week, there are a lot of good reasons to learn Khmer, even if it’s not strictly necessary to live as an expat in Cambodia.

For me, the last straw was the time and location. Right around the school there is bumper to bumper traffic every day in the early evening, so getting from Toul Kork back into town took an hour by car or tuk tuk every day. The 90 minute class took approximately 3.5 hours door to door, plus at least an hour or two of studying every night, which was more of a commitment than I was ready for. I’ve been told that the morning classes have lighter traffic, or that taking a moto allows you to beat the crowds. Overall, this is still considered one of the best courses in town and at about $3 an hour, is also the best value.

The upcoming terms run from April 1-June 27, July 1-September 12, and Sept 15-December 27.

Level 1 meets from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Level 2 meets at 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Level 3 meets at 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m or 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Level 4 meets at 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m or 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP)
Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL)

Russian Federation Boulevard, Toul Kork, Phnom Penh
T: 012 866 826; 012 827 284
rupp.edu.kh

Expat Q&A: “I literally tore up my return ticket back to England”

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Lina Goldberg

In this series we talk to Cambodia expats about what they know now that they wish they had known when they first moved to Cambodia. This week we talk with British expat Scotty Davis.

Scotty

Scotty, appreciating a moment on the floor in Phnom Penh.

Scotty Davis is originally from Liverpool and decided to make Cambodia home five years ago. He spends most of his time doing stand-up comedy (look for Scotty Muldoon on the comedy club lineups) and fronting the indie rock band, the Teaner Terners — “the city ain’t gonna entertain itself,” he says. In terms of gainful employment, he also teaches English to young learners in Phnom Penh.

MTC: Scotty, how did you end up an expat and what do you wish you had known before you moved to Cambodia?

SD: “I’ve been living overseas as a British national for 11 years now. The vast majority of which have been spent in Asia. Kanchanaburi, Thailand, was the first port of call that I chose to drop anchor and embark upon a life of expattery. The cognitive rationale—or, to be more accurate, the flimsy excuse—that drove my decision to make the initial leap into an unknown cocktail of existence that, in those early days, consisted of, but was not limited to: sweating profusely, listening to pretentious expats trying to out-knowledge each other on obscure local geography, the unremitting confusion of all external stimuli, not to mention the frustrating mental burnout brought on by the ever shifting immigration laws, fees, and paperwork related to procuring visas and work permits, was, I swear, to save money on airfare.

I returned to Liverpool after each of my backpacking adventures around Southeast Asia and knew that I would keep flitting back and forth between the two regions, such was my attraction to these newly encountered and fantastical lands I’d discovered. It was like an entirely new reality with different freedoms to explore; a reality without the narrow-minded social narrative that seemed to sully peoples’ opinions. And so, during one of my travels, I made the decision to stay put in Thailand and literally tore up my return ticket back to England.

A number of years later, after relocating to Hong Kong, I visited Cambodia on a short trip and couldn’t help but immediately identify with its gritty personality and no-nonsense nonsense (I realise that sentence doesn’t make sense but that’s my point!). I only spent 10 days in country and knew I wanted to return some day. Eventually, circumstances dictated that I was in a position where I was able to make a choice of where to move to following on from Hong Kong. It was a no brainer, really. Within hours my ticket to Phnom Penh was booked. That was almost five years ago.

Because of my time spent living in Asia, coupled with the fact that I had already visited Cambodia, when I eventually made the permanent move to reside in Phnom Penh there was no difficult period of adjustment or unexpected culture shock on my part. Plus, I also had a couple of friends who were living here already when I arrived, and, being a gregarious person, it didn’t take long to feel like a part of the social fabric of the city.

11 years on from my decision to turn my back on my homeland and I still sweat profusely. The confusion of external stimuli reached a plateau and then tailed off, not unlike the tuning out of white noise after a prolonged period, and also because I became a more confusing, complex person myself, thus I must have met it somewhere in the middle of the chaos scale. Obtaining visas became easier over time through practice and patience. Here in Cambodia, though, you don’t even need practice at visa applications or, surprisingly, patience. Just currency. And now, true to form, I have discovered through the self-reflection of writing this summary of my time here that I am indeed now one of those pretentious expats trying to out-knowledge other expats on obscure local geography.

So, back to things I wish I’d known when I first moved to Cambodia that I know now:

Major Sports Results

I’m not a gambler but back in 2009, if I knew the major sports results that have happened in the interim, I would have placed bets on all those games I could remember the results of, cashing in like Biff in Back To The Future II. Only without a DeLorean.

Never Get 3 Month Visa Extensions

During the first couple of years here I exclusively only got 3-month visa extensions. I hugely regret this. My advice is only get 12-month extensions—six months minimum—even if it puts you out of pocket for a short time. All those 3-month visas rapidly take up space in your passport and renewing a British passport in Phnom Penh is very costly. Not only that, 3-month visas are not multiple-entry, which effectively self-imprisons you within the Kingdom’s borders whilst your friends go on holidays to Thailand/Vietnam/Laos while you remain at home, too proud to renege on the 2.5 weeks you have left on your visa. But then of course you end up going with them anyway, invalidating those 2.5 remaining weeks and then have to buy a new visa on re-entry. If you want to follow in my footsteps and still not learn a single thing from this futile exercise, do what I did and extend that reluctant visa by only 3 months again.

And again.
And again.
And again.

Trust me. It’s cheaper in the long run and more convenient to extend your visa as long as possible.

Freshie Boys

Had I known, when I first moved here, about these annoying little sh*ts that needlessly weave in and out of traffic on their Scoopys/Finos, putting peoples lives at risk whilst simultaneously trying to fix their Rod Stewart-esque hairdos in their wing mirrors at 80kph, I would have immediately gone out and bought an old, clapped-out, run-down, disgustingly cheap motorbike, taped myself up in foam padding and bubble wrap and rode around the streets of Phnom Penh hunting down Freshie Boys.

As soon as I’d have spotted a Scoopy/Fino with the obligatory two or three Freshie Boys mounted upon their motorized steed, I’d have tailed them until they inevitably committed an act of gross stupidity, rode up alongside them, let them laugh at my regalia and rusty motorbike for a second and then… BAM, jumped off of my speeding vehicle and taken the lot of them out with a double clothesline. I’d have walked away unscathed, dusted of my dented, old motorbike and got back to work finding another gaggle of Freshie Boys to educate on traffic etiquette. You know what? I still might do that. Just wish I’d have started earlier.”

6 reasons to bother learning Khmer

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Steven Halcrow

It’s true that one of the appealing things about moving to Cambodia is the expat’s ability to survive in-country without learning much of the local language. But just because you can get by without learning to speak Khmer, does that mean you should? Here are six reasons you should bite the bullet and start learning Khmer the minute you arrive.

Learning Khmer in fabric market in Phnom Penh

Nothing puts an anxious mind at ease like understanding what people are saying about you.

1. You’ll save money

Tuk tuks and food are two staples of life in Cambodia (although not to be confused with one another). If you learn even basic Khmer you will find that both will cost slightly less in the short term, and add up to a considerable saving in the long term. At the market, it will help to find a stall owner that patiently waits as you try and decipher what she has said, instead of shouting her friends over to gather round and laugh in your face as they watch you struggle with your own feeble grasp of Khmer numbers. Of course you don’t need to learn Khmer–tuk tuk drivers are happy to speak English, especially if they say ‘ten dollars?’ and you agree. A few basic phrases lets the driver know that you’ve been here long enough to know a fair price.

2. It will make you look less stupid

Standing in the street speaking loudly in broken English will not get you very far unless your goal in life is to have passers-by pause to take note of how ridiculous you sound. Your English may even deteriorate to the point where it doesn’t even make any sense in English as you repeatedly fail to adhere to even the most basic of grammatical rules. This attempt to over simplify what you are trying (badly) to say is a tell tale sign of a breakdown in communication. You will look and sound considerably less ridiculous if you are trying to speak in rudimentary Khmer as opposed to speaking with confidence in unbelievably poor English.
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3. It will make you feel more intelligent

Khmer is not widely spoken outside of Cambodia, but being the native tongue, it certainly comes in handy when you’re here. Your communication skills will become sharper and you will generally feel more in tune with your environment, allowing you to get so much more out of your experience here. The UN may not be knocking down your door as a result of your heightened sense of communicative awareness, but you will find a definite sense of intellectual satisfaction the first time you are able to conduct a fair negotiation with a tuk tuk. This is in addition to the elevated sense of pride as you watch all the other expats filing out of Lucky supermarket with cornflakes and cheese as you head to Kandal to haggle over the price of a pig’s ass.

4. It will not be expensive

Teaching methods in Cambodia still leave a little to be desired, but at least it’s cheap. Some Khmer lessons involve simply turning up and listening to the teacher speak only Khmer the whole time. The idea is that you listen and observe, and even though a lesson may be as little as $5, you can get a similar experience sitting in a crowded noodle shop where you will only be charged a dollar for soup. You can start to pick up words from just listening and the language may start to sound familiar as you identify commonly used words, but a proper lesson holds a far greater value and good teachers are out there. If you find one it still won’t cost more than $6 or $7 per hour.

5. To better understand when you’re being insulted

They say that ignorance is bliss, but sometimes it helps when you are surrounded by a group of Cambodians all laughing at your overwhelmingly foreign attributes—such as your sweatiness or your hopeless attempts to communicate—to be able to understand a few specifics about what exactly they find so funny. Merely standing there with a slightly imbecilic grin on your face as the comments bounce off you will not cause you any long lasting damage, but if you are able to offer a basic short rebuttal indicating how rude they are being, they will, most of the time keep their comments to themselves and maybe even wait until you are out of earshot before they go back to ridiculing you.

6. Because you are not at home any more

Some would argue that moving to a foreign country and not even attempting the language is just plain rude. Try whenever you can to speak the lingo, the locals are certainly not under any obligation to speak English. You don’t have to go and hang out with every Khmer that you exchange words with but after a while you may find that smiling incessantly and mumbling barely coherent Khmer/English noises under your breath when getting change for a $100 bill at the Panda Mart (oh, the guilt), tends to wear a bit thin. Kids working in marts are always keen to exchange a few words in English and this can give you a vague feeling of self worth (if you’re not already working as an English teacher) but wouldn’t you get a far greater kick out of forcing a laugh from the ancient woman who spends all day at the market selling pieces of a chopped-up pig? With a little bit of basic Khmer, she may even give you the local price.

Where to stay on Koh Rong

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Lina Goldberg

I’m going to wager that since moving to Cambodia, I’ve spent more time on Koh Rong than any other travel writer out there. Over the years, I’ve stayed at a number of places on the island and poked my head in and looked at rooms at many, many more. This time around I checked out some of the newest places on the island (stay tuned for more next week). Despite how much has changed as of late, I still have my favorites amongst the best places to stay on Koh Rong. First on the list: Paradise Bungalows and Monkey Island.

The beach in front of Paradise Bungalows on Koh Rong

A little slice of Paradise on Koh Rong.

Paradise Bungalows was the first accommodation on the popular eastern side of Koh Rong, and as the competition has increased, the owner, Rudy, has only upped his game. At this point it’s safe to say that Paradise Bungalows is the best place to stay in the Koh Toch Beach area. What sets it apart? Attention to detail.

Paradise’s bungalows are located on a beautiful stretch of white sand beach, and the less expensive ones are further back in the tropical jungle. Whichever bungalow you end up in, though, you can enjoy the tidy Paradise stretch of beach.

Paradise Bungalows Koh Rong interior

It’s the attention to detail that makes Paradise Bungalows so nice.

Paradise’s bungalows are located on a beautiful stretch of white sand beach; the less expensive ones are further back in the tropical jungle. Whichever bungalow you end up in, though, you can enjoy the tidy Paradise stretch of beach.

The Paradise Bungalows are nicer than the rest–even the ones that look just like theirs–because of the little details, like lights made from traditional Cambodian fishing baskets festooned with seashells, or even something as simple as providing shelving to keep your clothing on, an amenity that most bungalows neglect.

where to stay on koh rong

Welcome to Paradise.

Even if you aren’t staying at Paradise, it’s the best place to go if you’re trying to avoid the backpacker vibe. The gorgeous wooden restaurant and lounge is made from recycled teak and features ambient lighting, relaxed seating, and a world music soundtrack. There’s also a decent selection of wine available by the glass ($4) or bottle ($15-20ish). They’ve got several surprisingly efficient staff members, which makes it one of the most stress-free places to hang out.

The only downside is that Paradise Bungalows are usually booked up three months in advance, which is probably because the prices are so extremely reasonable. Prices for the fan bungalows range from $35 to $75 per night, and you can book on their website or through their booking office in Sihanoukville.

Paradise Bungalows

Koh Toch beach,Koh Rong
T: 092 548 883 (Sihanoukville booking office)
paradise-bungalows.com

Monkey Island

Popular with backpackers and flashpackers, the Monkey Island bungalows have been designed to hold the maximum number of people possible; every bungalow sleeps at least four people. Our group of three stayed in two bungalows, and each bungalow had three beds, presumably so backpackers can bunk together to save money. The bungalows are simple, but nice. They’re made from treated wood with locally made thatched roofs and walls with windows that are locked using a piece of wood. There have been a lot of thefts in the past, so now every bungalow has a wooden security box for your valuables. Bring your own lock (or they sell new ones for $3). Bungalows have hammocks and chairs outside. The bungalows are not particularly tidy, and many of the amenities have seen better days. But that doesn’t matter if you’re just there to party, right?

Monkey Island bungalows on Koh Rong

Monkey around at the Monkey Island bungalows on Koh Rong.

Monkey Island is probably the most fun place to stay on the island. The large restaurant area is constantly filled with people and music–what kind of music depends on the mood of the bartender and can be anything from hip hop to Britpop. Happy hour lasts from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., during which time cocktails, which are already reasonably prices at $3 or $3.50, are offered two-for-one. If you’re looking to meet other people and hang out (and don’t want to stay in the village proper), Monkey is the place to stay.

The beach in front of Monkey is lovely as well, with white sand and calm, turquoise waters, and they’ve got a lot of it. There are hammocks hung between some of the trees and it’s an ideal place to read a book or just woolgather. They also make an effort to clean the beach and keep everything in their area tidy, which is a far cry from the indifference of most accommodations in the village proper.

Beach in front of Monkey Island

Koh Toch beach, Koh Rong.

The food at Monkey Island is also worth trying—particularly the Thai curries. Prices are low (around $3.50) and portions are enormous. They also have good Western fare and the prices are no more expensive than on the mainland. Service can be a bit a bit spotty, so order drinks first and have some patience when it’s crowded.

Monkey Bungalows sleep 4-5 people and cost between $25 and $35, depending on proximity to the beach and whether they have a private or shared bathroom. Book online or at Monkey Republic on Serendipity Beach Road in Sihanoukville.

Monkey Island

Koh Toch beach, Koh Rong
T:081 830 992; 081 830 991 (Sihanoukville booking office)
monkeyisland-kohrong.com

Review: Hotel Cambodiana, Phnom Penh architectural landmark

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Lina Goldberg

The Hotel Cambodiana in Phnom Penh is a stunning example of the New Khmer architectural style–you’ll either love it or you’ll hate it, but it’s sure to make an impression, much like carved wooden scale model of the temples of Angkor found in their lobby.

Hotel Cambodiana Phnom Penh

New Khmer architecture (it’s a thing) at the Hotel Cambodiana in Phnom Penh.

The Cambodiana is a massive hotel with a long and storied history. Soon after the hotel opened in 1969, the government was overthrown and Lon Nol soldiers used the hotel as military barracks, Later, the building was finally abandoned by the Khmer Rouge. Since then the hotel has been restored to its former glory, although it’s unclear whether or not they are still using the original decor or just going for a retro feel. Either way, this is not the sleekest most modern hotel in town, but they do have good deals on rooms and the best views in town.

Hotel Cambodiana looks out over the Mekong, and all of their river view rooms have stunning views of the action on the river. Even the rooms with city views make for pretty good goggling as the windows in every room are quite big and the rooms are high up enough to give a nice view of town.

Hotel Cambodiana room interior

A basic room at the Hotel Cambodiana, Phnom Penh.

Rooms are the standard, slightly worn, luxury hotel style. There’s nothing exciting here, but they’re immaculately clean with renovated bathrooms with bathtubs, and large, flat-screen televisions. They can also provide rollaway beds for kids, and they include a breakfast buffet every morning.

The rooms are large, and they have four types. Deluxe and superior rooms, and junior and executive suites that feature marble bathrooms and an extra room for watching TV and having meetings. Many of the rooms are for smokers, so be sure to ask for a non-smoking room if you prefer. Prices for the Mekong Club floor are $20-30 more for similar rooms, but they offer better views, a buffet breakfast, a two-hour “snack time” from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with free sunset drinks and appetizers, daily newspaper delivery and other VIP offerings.

Cambodiana Hotel pool

Laze at the Cambodiana Hotel pool while gazing at the Mekong.

Guests also get access to the hotel’s fully equipped gym (check out our full review), steam rooms and sauna. Spend the day lounging by the recently-renovated pool and take a spot on a sun lounger that looks out onto the Mekong River. They also have two tennis courts with racket rentals, and if you want to improve your game, lessons are only $8 an hour. That’s hard to beat!

Rack rates for the rooms are between $200 and $700, but if you walk-in they are 50% off and they are even cheaper on Booking.com and Agoda, with rates as low as $75.

→ Check prices and book a room at on Booking.com or Agoda now.



Booking.com

Hotel Cambodiana

313 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh
T: 023 218 189
hotelcambodiana.com.kh

Looking for more? View the full Phnom Penh city guide for tips on where to stay, what to eat, and things to see and do.

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How to get visa and passport photos in Phnom Penh

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Lina Goldberg

One has plenty of reasons to need lots of passport photos in Cambodia. You’ll need one just to get into the country, every time you renew your visa, when you try to enter many of the neighboring countries, and even for job applications. So you may be wondering where you can get passport photos made in Phnom Penh. Never fear, it’s fast, painless, and ten times cheaper than at home.

Girl cutting passport photos at Good Luck Printing Phnom Penh

Unlike at home, they’ll even cut your passport photos for you in Cambodia.

You can get passport photos made at any of the photo shops in town. You can recognize these by the giant cheesecake portraits of couples and women in traditional Cambodian dress posted outside. They will usually say “photo shop” and have pictures of photographs or printers on the outside. There are photo shops every few blocks all over central Phnom Penh. On Sihanouk Boulevard, just next to the corner of Street 51, there are three photo shops next to each other. I’ve used them all and they all do the job (addresses and phone numbers below).

The best part about getting passport photos in Cambodia is that they have suits and ties at the photo shop that you can wear if you so desire (and it’s not a bad idea if you’re applying for a job in Cambodia). Also, despite passport regulations in many countries, Cambodian photo shops have no compunction about using Photoshop to remove any unsightly blemishes.

Photo shops on Sihanouk Blvd, Phnom Penh

A bank of three photo shops on Sihanouk Blvd next to the corner of Street 51, Phnom Penh.

Passport photos cost 5,000 riel ($1.25) for four photos. You may be quoted as much as $3 or $4, but be assured that that going rate is 5,000 riel. They may suggest you pay $2 if you want 30-minute service. In most cases, if you decline and just wait, they will give them to you for 5,000 riel in 15 minutes.

If you’re using the photos for visas, any of the regular sizes are fine. However, if you are getting a new passport be aware that your country has specific requirements that the photo shops might not be aware of. It’s best to bring instructions for what you need for your photo if you are getting a new passport. You can find guidelines for your country on your government’s website. Here are a few: US passport photos, Australia passport photos, and UK passport photos.

Good Luck Printing

84 Sihanouk Blvd, Phnom Penh
T: 023 721 222; 092 814 889

Kim Long Photo Digital

Sihanouk Blvd, Phnom Penh
T: 023 721 144

Lucky Digital Printing

Sihanouk Blvd, Phnom Penh
T: 012 430 228; 023 213 215

Review: Elephant Express mini-bus, Phnom Penh-Siem Reap

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Lina Goldberg

As of June, 2015, Elephant Express is no longer in business.

Elephant Express (aka Elephant Expresses Transportation) used to have a reputation for being the safest of all of the mini-bus services between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Based on a trip I took a few days ago, I think they’ve changed their business plan and are now the fastest mini-bus going from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh.

Elephant Express Toyota HiAce

Elephant Express uses Toyota HiAces to get you from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (or vice-versa).

The road from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh is not idea. Because the road is so bad, the trip between Phnom Penh and can take much longer than usual. The average is 5.5 to 8 hours, the shortest for mini-buses and taxis, the longest for big buses that stop a lot. Our trip on Elephant took about 6 hours, including three breaks. This was only due to break-neck speeds and generally unsafe driving.

The buses are 16-seat Toyota HiAces. The seats are a bit wide and more padded and comfortable than many of the other mini-bus services, but the vehicles are old and not particularly clean. You book your seats in advance, so be prepared to request by number if you want a specific seat. Directly next to the driver is 001, which they won’t book unless the bus is completely full. Seat 1 is the front row seat next to the window. 2, 3, 4 are a row behind the driver, with 2 being closest to the window. 5 and 6 are a pair of two behind that, and then there’s a foot-long gap to seat 7. The next row is a pair, 8 and 9 and a single seat, number 10. The last row is 11, 12, 13, and 14, and isn’t particularly comfortable if they are all full because they are more narrow than the other seats. Book in advance for choice seat selection, though they tend to run at lower capacity than other companies.

Elephant Express HiAce interior

The padded luxury of the Toyota HiAce.

Most of the other companies use newer Ford vans, while Elephant’s vans are a bit older (and showing it). That said, they are more comfortable and the drivers do seem to drive as slowly and safely as one can expect. Our driver took as much care as possible to avoid the giant potholes along the way and didn’t seem to make any wild attempts to pass on the street.

The breaks were at a Tela gas station about an hour outside of Siem Reap, which had surprisingly clean toilets (bring your own paper if you are so inclined) and a selection of beverages and processed foods. The second break was at Arunas Hotel in Kampong Thom. Their toilets aren’t the best, but they aren’t squatters so it’s manageable.

Kampong Thom Market food stalls

To avoid the “barang tax” skip eating at the Arunas hotel and hit the tasty food stalls outside Kampong Thom Market.

Arunas, like most other bus rest stop restaurants have very distinct dual pricing, with the rates they charge foreigners being nearly double what they charge Khmers. For this reason, I would suggest avoiding eating there, and instead heading to the food stalls directly next door, in front of Kampong Thom market. There you’ll find food sellers with tables and chairs selling various tasty treats including barbequed chicken, num banh chok, noodle soup, and fruit smoothies.

Elephant Express claims to offer a small bottle of water, moist towelette, and WiFi on board (Password: Elephant-XXXX, XXXX being the four-digit license plate number of the van), but we have never seen the WiFi working (they don’t even bother plugging it in) and the moist towelette was nowhere to be seen on this recent visit. If you’re desperate for Internet on the journey, get a 3G plan for your phone.

Buses run from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap at: 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.
Buses run from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh at: 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.

Seats on Elephant Express cost $8 for Khmers and $10 for foreigners. The price includes a tuk tuk pickup at your hotel in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. Unlike other bus companies, they are unwilling to give expats the local price. And while I know that this is standard practice with transport companies in Cambodia, it still rankles me. Personally, I would be more inclined to take a service that doesn’t have race-based pricing such as Giant Ibis or another mini bus that charges expats the same as locals such as Mey Hong or Seila Angkor.

Elephant Expresses Transportation

#5 Street 102, Phnom Penh
T: 023 983 133; 012 323 172; 097 888 1149

#18, National Road 6, Phum Bateay Chas, Sangkat Slorkram, Siem Reap
T: 012 323 175; 011 549 999; 097 888 1139
facebook.com/elephantexpresses