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2013 Christmas dinners in Siem Reap

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Lina Goldberg

Looking for something more current? Check out our updated list of Siem Reap Christmas dinners for 2015.

Apologies for posting this so late, but there are lots of options for Christmas dinners in Siem Reap this year. As per usual, many of the major hotels are offering Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners, and some smaller budget establishments are, too. Here’s the Move to Cambodia round-up of the best Christmas dinners in Siem Reap for 2013. If you know of others, please leave details in the comment section.

Don’t worry, we’ve still got Christmas in Siem Reap.

X Bar

Backpacker favorite X Bar is offering what appears to be the cheapest Christmas Eve dinner in the country, at only $6 per person. Dinner starts at 8:00 p.m. on December 24th and features stuffed and baked chicken breast with roasted potatoes, fresh vegetables and red wine gravy. There will be live music from 8 p.m. until midnight with Cambojam and the Xrays, and then live DJs will keep you going until Christmas morning (although it is unclear if Santa will fill your X-Bar stockings, apparently his reindeers are afraid of the DJs). You can pre-book your dinner via this Facebook event page, or by calling Rick at 017 363 590, or you can book in advance at the bar.

12 Sivutha Blvd (Opposite Pub Street)
T: 012 263 271
facebook.com/XBar

Molly Malone’s

Irish pub and restaurant Molly Malone’s is offering Christmas dinner special from 12 p.m. on December 25th for $28.75 per person, only a 25 cent rise from last year which is astounding considering the levels of inflation. You go, Molly Malone’s. This year’s menu starts off with a glass of mulled wine, then onto starters of cream of mushroom soup and a classic prawn cocktail, and then a choice of mains. Your options are a traditional roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing with potatoes two ways (roasted and mashed) cauliflower cheese, steamed seasonal vegetables, gravy and cranberry sauce or grilled Tasmanian salmon with hollandaise sauce and the same Christmassy sides as the turkey. For dessert they are offering a chocolate, raspberry and cream yule log. Kids get a two-course menu with a soft drink for $15.75. Reservations are suggested.

Corner of Pub Street and Sivutha Blvd, Siem Reap
T: 063 963 544; 063 674 0999mollymalonescambodia.com

Gigi Brasil

Gigi Brasil suggests you try a different sort of Christmas…the Brazilian sort. This means a churrasco-style dinner that consists of lots and lots and lots of grilled meats, including picanha and maminha (Brazilian-style beef), sausages and chicken wings and hearts. The meats will be accompanied by roasted corn and pineapple, skewered vegetables, garlic bread, salad, dessert and a glass of red one or a classic caipirinha. They’re serving it up on Christmas Eve from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. and on Christmas Day from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for $35 per person.

546 Sala Kanseng Village, Siem Reap
T: 095 812 135
gigibrasil.com

Soria Moria Boutique Hotel

If you’re in the mood for a Scandinavian Christmas (and why wouldn’t you be?) Soria Moria Hotel is having a Christmas Eve celebration starting at 6 p.m. that will get you into the Scandinavian Christmas spirit. Did somebody say gløgg? We’ve heard good reports from those who have been in years past, so this seems like a good option. The dinner will be ham and pork belly served with potatoes, broccoli, carrots, sauerkraut & pease pudding and of course brown gravy sauce. There will also be potato salad, garden salad, scrambled eggs with Norwegian salmon, cured ham, egg halves, anchovies, and a selection of breads. For dessert there will be rice pudding with berry sauce, gingerbread and assorted Christmas cookies. And of course there will be free flow gløgg (gluhwein/Scandinavian mulled wine), soft drinks, beer and wine.

The night will also feature Christmas carols from children from Sangkheum Center for Children, games, and even a visit from Julenissen (Santa Claus). The price is $32 per person and includes a Christmas gift & a donation to the Sangkheum Center for Children. Children under 4 eat for free and children under 12 are half price.

Please RSVP by December 20 to mail@thesoriamoria.com

Wat Bo Road, Salakamrouk, Siem Reap
T: 063 964 768
thesoriamoria.com

Palate Angkor Restaurant and Bar

Palate is a new restaurant on the river opposite FCC and they’re having a Christmas Eve dinner for $35 per person.The five-course dinner starts off with seafood and mushroom spring rolls and chestnut soup with black chicken and asparagus, then a traditional Christmas turkey with honey-baked ham, brussels sprouts and porto wine gravy or sea bass fillet served with baby potatoes, English spinach and tom yam and coconut foam with a traditional Christmas pudding for dessert. Musician Jim Latt will be playing live music throughout. Reserve in advance by calling 063 955 252.

Acha Sva Road, Wat Bo Village, Siem Reap
T: 063 955 252
palateangkor.com

Il Forno

Il Forno is offering a Christmas dinner this year on the 24th, 25th and 26th. They’re offering two menus, one from the land and one from the sea. The land menu features a starter of crespell with speck, radicchio and taleggio, then a pasta course of tortelloni di ricotta and spinach with white ragout and fillet mignon on crispy potatoes with porcini mushroom sauce as the main and chocolate bread pudding for dessert. The sea menu starts off with homemade blinis with Sicilian tuna tartare, then a pasta course of black and white ravioli with seafood and saffron sauce, then pan-fried seabass as the main with vanilla sauce and sweet potato mash and dragonfruit pannacotta with passionfruit reduction for dessert. Both options are $50 and come with a glass of wine, and if you’d like to order items ala carte, that is also possible. Reserve in advance at 078 208 174. Walk-ins are welcome but spaces are not guaranteed.

The Lane, Siem Reap
T: 078 208 174

FCC Angkor

The FCC Angkor is offering a swankier affair in Siem Reap than at FCC Phnom Penh (in your face) on December 24th and 25th. Their set menu is $55++* per person and starts with a Champagne cocktail. The menu starts with canapes (smoked salmon, dill and cucumber on blinis and crisp pork belly with vanilla-infused apple sauce), starters of duck and chicken terrine en croute with foie gras and micro-salad and lemon and lime sorbet, then on to roast turkey with roasted vegetables and potatoes with all the trimmings and a cranberry jus, and baked Alaska and chocolate petits fours for dessert. Reserve by calling 063 760 283.

Pokambor Ave, next to the Royal Residence, Siem Reap
T: 063 760 283
fcccambodia.com/siemreap

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

The ever-popular Christmas Day brunch at Raffles Hotel is happening again this year, and those in the know advise getting there early — ie. before the festivities start at noon when Santa shows up and gives gifts to the kids. There’s a children’s choir that will be singing in the lobby and a pianist that will charm you with Christmas tunes for the duration. The buffet starts at noon and features a sushi and sashimi buffet, pastas, salad bar, a selection of Asian and international hot foods, carvery, cold cuts, cheeses, soups, and desserts (including a yule log). Basically the menu is very long and you’ll leave stuffed. Price is $40++ for adults, $26++ for kids 5-11 and free for kids under 5. Reserve in advance.

If you want to blow some cash on Christmas Eve, Raffles also has a comprehensive program that includes pre-dinner cocktails, a buffet dinner by the pool which will be filled with thousands of floating candles, a Khmer cultural show, a children’s choir singing Christmas carols, and an appearance by Santa who will bring gifts for the kids. The buffet will feature a barbecue station and no less than a whole suckling pig and whole chickens on spits. Cost for adults is $105++ and kids 5-11 are $55++ (and it appears that kids under five eat for free). It is highly recommended to make a reservation 24hrs prior to the event by calling 063 963 888 or emailing dining.siemreap@raffles.com
.
1 Charles de Gaulle Avenue
T: 063 963 888dining.grandhotel@raffles.com

Le Meridian Angkor

Le Meridian Angkor is having a ‘Christmas Eve Gala Dinner‘ that includes an international buffet, live band, songs, Christmas carols by a local choir, and a Cambodian cultural dance performance. The spread promises to be lavish, with more than a dozen types of appetizers and salads, a falafal station and a moutabal station(seriously), chilled soups, a salmon station, crab cakes, foie gras, pate, traditional turkey with stuffing, half a dozen other mains, a pasta station, a selection of Khmer dishes and a barbecue station. For dessert there’s a Yule log station with no less than four types of Yule Logs, a creme brulee station, a macaradone station, tarts (the dessert), a chocolate station, an eclair station, and a gingerbread house.

Price is $ 90++ for adults and US$ 45++ for kids 4-11 and includes free flow soft drinks, water, chilled fruit juice, local beer, tea or coffee, and house wine. They also have a special rates for residents of Cambodia at $65 per person, and it is suggested that you make a reservation in advance.

Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Siem Reap
T: 063 963 900
lemeridienangkor.com

There are a few more places including the Victoria Angkor Resort and Tangram Garden offering Christmas dinner that you can find more details about on this thread in the Siem Reap Expats and Locals Facebook group.

*All of the hotel prices are ++, which means they don’t include various taxes and VAT. Expect to pay an extra 10% above the listed price.

2013 Christmas dinners in Phnom Penh

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Lina Goldberg

Looking for the 2015 list? Check out the best 2015 Christmas dinners in Phnom Penh.

Here’s the Move to Cambodia round-up of the best Christmas dinners in Phnom Penh for 2013 with a good mix of budget and upscale options. If you know of others, please leave details in the comment section.

There’s a lot more Christmas in Cambodia than you might expect.

Hagar Restaurant

Hagar is having their yearly buffet on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On the 24th and 25th they are offering a buffet dinner that costs $20 for adults and $10 for kids 10 and under. On the 25th they are also offering lunch buffet at $17 for adults and $10 for kids. This year they’ll have a roast lamb as the main, with lots of sides, accompaniments and starters, including seafood and soup, but no turkey this year. There will be several desserts that will include cookies and homemade apple pie. Reservations are required. T: 070 221 501

44 Street 310, BKK1, Phnom Penh
T: 010 333 095
hagarcatering.com

Aussie XL

Aussie XL does a great value Christmas dinner of roast turkey with stuffing, honey-glazed ham and roast pork with roast potatoes and vegetables, pumpkin and a pudding with custard for $15.95 per person starting at 12:00 on Christmas day. Reservations suggested as they will book up fast. T: 023 301 001

205A Street 51 (Pasteur), Phnom Penh
T: 023 301 001
aussiexl.com

Alley Cat Cafe

Alley Cat always puts on a great holiday feed, and this year promises to be no different. On Christmas Day they are offering a three-course menu for $20 per person. The meal with start with mussels in a fresh tomato and basil broth, then a plate of turkey and ham with mixed roasted vegetables, green bean casserole, red cabbage with apricot and balsamic vinaigrette, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy, a deviled egg, cranberries and a dinner roll. If you’re not too stuffed, they give you a choice of pumpkin pie or cheesecake for dessert. There’s a single seating from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and reservations are advised, call 012 306 845.

42, Street 19z, Phnom Penh
T: 012 306 845
facebook.com/AlleyCatCafeCambodia

FCC

The FCC is back with their yearly offering on December 24th and 25th, offering a set menu for $31.50++ per person that includes a glass of sparkling wine. The menu consists of a starter of duck and chicken terrine en croute with foie gras and micro-salad, roast turkey with roasted vegetables and potatoes with all the trimmings and a cranberry jus, and baked Alaska for dessert. Call for reservations: T: 023 224 014

363 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh
T:023 724 014
fcccambodia.com

Paddy Rice

Paddy Rice is offering a two or three-course Christmas lunch and dinner on the 25th of December. Lunch runs from noon til 2:30 p.m. and dinner is at 6:00 til 8:30 p.m. You’ll be greeted with a glass of Buck’s Fizz on arrival, then a classic prawn cocktail and then onto a traditional roast turkey and ham dinner with brussels sprouts, sausage wrapped in bacon, stuffing balls, bread sauce, roast potatoes and vegetables, gravy and cranberry sauce. For dessert there’s a fruit trifle. Cost is $19.50 for two courses and $22.50 for three courses, and if you book a table of four in advance, they’ll throw in a free bottle of wine.

213 Sisowath Quay (at the corner of Street 136), Phnom Penh
T: 023 990 321; 017 773 102
paddyrice.net

Tepui at Chinese House

Tepui is doing a Christmas Eve dinner this year that is less traditional than some of the other offerings, but promises to be delicious. The five-course dinner starts with a glass of prosecco, then a foie gras terrine with fig jam. Next comes a seafood bisque with coconut and lemongrass, roast sea bass with sweet potato mash and pickle vinaigrette, and a pork tenderloin with homemade polenta, ceps juice and cherry tomato confit. For dessert there are carrot mini-muffins with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream and to finish it off, a digestif of dessert wine. The cost is $55 per person, and you can make reservations via Facebook or email info@tepui.asia

45 Sisowath Quay, in front of Phnom Penh Port, Phnom Penh
T: 023 991 514
tepui.asia

Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh all decked out for Christmas.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal

If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, Raffles has several very swish options. There’s the ‘European Christmas Market Dinner‘ on the 24th of December, held in their Cafe Monivong from 6:00 until 10:00 p.m. with Christmas carols by the Khmer Children’s Choir at 7:30 p.m. For the kids, there’s a special buffet with favorites of the shorter set, along with movie screenings to keep them occupied. The menu will feature smoked salmon, roast turkey, roast beef, cheeses, yule log cake and many more (you can email for the full menu). Price is $110++* for adults, and includes signature wines, beers, mineral water, soft drinks and chilled juices, $55 for kids between 6 and 12 and children under 5 eat for free.

On the 25th of December Raffles have a ‘Santa Claus Buffet Brunch‘ from noon until 3 p.m. in the hotel lobby. The price is $110++ inclusive of signature wines, beers, mineral water, soft drinks and chilled juices, $150++ inclusive of unlimited Taittinger Brut Champagne or $170++ inclusive of unlimited Taittinger Rose Champagne. They’ve yet to release the details of the food buffet, but it seems likely that those who are signing up for this boozy brunch aren’t there for the food, anyway. Also on the evening of the 25th of December, they have a ‘Christmas Night Market Buffet‘ at Café Monivong from 6:00 to 10:30 p.m. for $95++ inclusive of signature wines, beers, mineral water, soft drinks and chilled juices. There’s a sushi and sashimi buffet, a salmon counter, a seafood counter, salad bar, a selection of Asian and international hot foods, carvery, cold cuts, cheeses, soups, and desserts. Basically the menu is very long and you’ll leave stuffed. The fancy-shmancy option on the 25th is their Le Royal dinner, for $125++ per person with a glass of Champagne or $175++ per person with wine pairing (5 wines, you do the math). The menu features a seafood platter of mussels Florentine, tuna tartar, salmon gravelax, shrimp croquet, lobster risotto then onto a red cabbage velouté and sweet basil and cayenne sherbet, rosemary-crusted lamb chops, roasted potato cake with port wine-scented just, Le Royal farmhouse cheese selection trolley, roasted duckling with grand mariner-orange sauce, tiramisu log (of the yule variety?) with galliano coffee cream.

Dress accordingly and reservations required: T: 023 981 888.

92 Rukhak Vithea Daun Penh (near Wat Phnom), Phnom Penh
T: 023 981 888
raffles.com

InterContinental Hotel

The Phnom Penh InterCon also has several Christmas activities and options, starting with a ‘White Christmas Dinner‘ on December 24th, although the title may refer to the skin color of their target audience rather than the possibility of snow. In the Regency Cafe they’ll be offering a lavish buffet including turkey, foie gras, smoked salmon and roast lamb among others. $38++ and includes one glass of wine. If you want something less traditional, in their Xiang Palace restaurant they have a Christmas Eve offering of a six-course Chinese dinner with specialties including Peking duck, filled crab and abalone. $49++ per person and includes half a bottle of wine.

On the 25th the InterContinental has a Christmas brunch in the Regency Cafe, during which Santa will make an appearance and bring gifts for the kids. The menu will feature a wide selection of Christmas favorites including lamb roast, Monte Cristo casserole (battered, deep-fried ham and cheese sandwiches topped with jam and sugar), roast turkey and smoked salmon, among others. $48++ per person. Reservations: T: 023 424 888 ext. 3562. They also have a lot of other Christmas options including making a gingerbread house or just having a glass of mulled wine at the bar. For more details check out Holidays at the Phnom Penh InterContinental.

296 Mao Tse Tung Blvd, Phnom Penh
T: 023 424 888
ihg.com/phnompenh

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra

The Sofitel has several Christmas options this year. On December 24th they are having a Christmas Eve dinner with a five-course authentic Italian menu with Chef Andrea Molinari recreating the dishes his mother made every Christmas (and he’s got her recipes). The menu includes foie gras, smoked apple gelato, red peppers and goat cheese, polenta-crusted bacala, Mont Blanc cake and more that I was too lazy to type out. $65++ per person, $32++ for children under 12. Also on December 24th from 6:00 until 10:00 p.m. at La Coupole, there will be a dinner featuring a seafood buffet, Christmas carvery, Asian delicacies and a range of sweets. Best of all, they’ll have free-flow booze. $79++ per person including unlimited beer and wine, $99++ per person including unlimited Champagne, and $39++ for kids under 12 that includes…unlimited soft drinks.

On Christmas Day, the Sofitel has a brunch at La Coupole from noon until 3 p.m. This one is well suited for children as they’ll have a dedicated kid’s corner with live entertainment and access to the pool. The menu will feature Christmas classics. $79++ per person including unlimited beer and wine, $99++ per person including unlimited Champagne, and $39++ for kids under 12 that includes…unlimited soft drinks.

On the evening of December 25th they’ll have a dinner at La Coupole that features fresh seafood and a “festive buffet.” $38++ for adults and includes a glass of wine, $19++ for kids and includes a glass of…iced tea. 6:00 til 10:00 p.m. Reserve all of the above in advance: T: 023 999 200

26 Old August Site, Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh
T:023 999 200
sofitel.com

NagaWorld

I’ve actually started to get sick of typing these up, so this one will be brief. Nagaworld has a “Festive Feast Buffet Dinner” from 5:30 til 9:30 p.m. On December 21st through 23rd it’s $28++ for adults, and $38++ including beverages (I’m guessing that’s beer and wine, but they aren’t sayin’) and $16++ for kids. On December 24th and 25th it’s $38++ for adults, $48++ including beverages and $16++ for kids. Any of these dinners will also get you entrance to Darlin’ Darlin’, the Nagaworld nightclub that features a pretty decent Filipino cover band and a lot of good-looking, financially-minded ladies. For reservations, call 023 228 822.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen Park, Phnom Penh
T: 023 228 822
nagaworld.com

*All of the hotel prices are ++, which means they don’t include various taxes and VAT. Expect to pay an extra 10% above the listed price.

Cambodian artist Lim Muy Theam exhibition in Siem Reap

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Lina Goldberg

Lim Muy Theam is a Cambodian artist whose trademark lacquer pieces capture moments in time in the lives of ordinary Cambodians, from farmers herding cattle to monks collecting alms. Theam’s work captures the beauty and mundanity of daily life in Cambodia.

Boy at Trapeang Thmor by Lim Muy Theam.

Theam was born in Takeo province, where he lived until the Khmer Rouge fell and Vietnam invaded in late 1978. his family fled and by 1980 had arrived as refugees in France, where Theam trained as an artist. He studied interior design at the Ecole Boulle and painting at the Fine Art School in Paris. After graduating, he returned to his native Cambodia where he continued his art and now works to promote Cambodian traditional arts and crafts to the younger generation.

Theam draws inspiration from Cambodia’s ancient pagodas and their religious murals. Using polychrome and lacquerware techniques, Theam’s unique style replaces canvas with wood. His designs are painted on and then sanded and lacquered, using successive layers of paint to create a rich thickness that is enhanced by the scratches that reveal the layers and colors beneath. Each piece is comprised of layer upon layer of paint and endless additions and subtractions of color and texture, resulting in a complex richness that highlight his bold scenes of everyday life.

Monk procession by Lim Muy Theam.

His work touches on not only the lives of everyday Cambodians, but hint at Cambodia’s dark history, with references to the horrors of the Pol Pot era. His recent work focuses on the “blurred ambiguity between ‘common’ people and those considered sacred, expresses his perception of a reality where peculiarity and beauty combine seamlessly.”

The McDermott Gallery in Siem Reap will be hosting an exhibition of Lim Muy Theam’s work, ‘Situations,’ from December 14, 2013 until February 28, 2014. The opening reception will be on Saturday, December 14th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (That’s tomorrow!)

You can also see more of Theam’s work on his website, theamshouse.com.

McDermott Gallery
The Passage (Between the Old Market and Pub Street), Siem Reap
T: 092 219 647
asiaphotos.net

Five reasons not to travel by night bus in Cambodia

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Lina Goldberg

Night buses are the buses most prone to accidents in Cambodia. Last year in one two-week period there were three night bus crashes, that caused the death and injuries of several tourists. People often want to take night buses in Cambodia because they save time, and the Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Sihanoukville routes are particularly popular. They may save time, but avoiding them saves lives. Here are five reasons not to take night buses in Cambodia:

A couple of Cambodian buses parked in the bus yard, waiting to transport passengers.

Imagine how much more foreboding they are after midnight!

1. Cambodians get sleepy at night

Most Cambodians live with their families and sleep in communal living spaces. Most of their families wake up around dawn and begin going about the business of daily life, usually in a normal, noisy way. This means that your bus driver has probably been awake and eating prahok since 6 a.m. and is going to start getting very, very, sleepy come 2 a.m.

2. Roads are dark

Outside the major cities, roads are not lit. In fact, they are pitch black. Many are also still unpaved. Unpaved and cloaked in darkness. There are also no enforced laws that drivers must turn on their headlights and many choose not to in order to “save gas.”

3. Speeding merrily along

Cambodians are not big fans of staying out incredibly late at night. So when they are done doing whatever they are doing, they want to get home as quickly as possible. In order to do that, they drive as fast as their car, moto, or their/your night bus will allow.

4. There is no wrong way

Because of their great hurry to get wherever they are going, Cambodians drive on the wrong side of the road when it’s convenient for them and even more disconcertingly, they will attempt to overtake other vehicles on a two-lane road when there are cars coming directly at them.

5. Everyone is drunk at night

While Cambodia is no longer the wild west it once was, Cambodians and expats alike seem to have no problem swilling down cans, nay, cases of Angkor beer and then hitting the road. Most traffic accidents are caused by inebriated drivers, and a much higher percentage of drivers are drunk at night. Cambodia does not yet have a designated driver program. Even if your bus driver is not drunk, everyone else on the road is.

Combine all of the above and imagine a dark road with your sleepy driver at the wheel while other half-drunk drivers on the road try and overtake by driving straight into your bus at 90 miles an hour, and you’ll understand why I have never, and will never take a night bus in Cambodia.

Expat Q&A: Discovering Phnom Penh’s nerd community

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Lina Goldberg

In this series we talk to Cambodia expats about what they know now that they wish they had known before they moved to Cambodia. This week we talk with expat Paul Harper.

Paul Harper Cambodia with Google Street View mapper

Paul Harper at Google Developer’s Festival in Phnom Penh with Google Street View backpack camera operator. Google Street View is currently mapping Cambodia including Angkor Wat.

Paul moved to Cambodia in 2007. Born in Australia to English parents, he was raised in Canada and has lived and worked all over the world. He’s been an Information Security Officer with the United Nations, a Queensland Correctional Officer, a New South Wales Police Special Constable and a British Territorial Army Paratrooper. He describes himself as a “free software enthusiast and aging punk rocker” (you should see his air guitar!)

MTC: Paul, what do you know now that you wish you had known before you moved to Cambodia?

Oddly, not much. That may sound cocky, but it comes partly from my previous job and travel. I first came to Cambodia in 2007 to spend three months helping the start up of the UNAKRT (United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials). Before that I worked as a UN Security Officer in The Hague, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Sudan. I had also traveled independently to Thailand in 1986 for four months so had a fair idea of Asian travel.

When I travel to another country (even on holiday) which the UN dramatically calls “going on mission,” I do an area study of the country which includes finding books in the library on the history and politics, looking at the US, UK, Australian and Canadian travel security advisories, the major guidebooks like Fodor’s, Rough Guide or Lonely Planet, expatriate forums for that country and checking Move to Cambodia book did not exist at that time but it would have certainly been something I would have bought at the time.

The other advantage I had was that I already had colleagues who were working in Cambodia who could answer my questions. So even before I had arrived I had a fair idea of how much a tuk tuk to the city would cost and to keep an eye on my bags. I also knew not to do dumb things like an Australian tourist who left their iPad on the seat of the tuk tuk at the red light because it wasn’t going to be there when the light turned green.

Even though I have been here since 2007, I continue to learn new things about Cambodia. I keep an eye on the Leng Pleng website to see what bands are playing. The Kunnooh site is good for art events. The Lady Penh site has all kinds of activities from movies to chess to yoga. People who say there is nothing to do in Phnom Penh except drinking are not trying too hard.

One of my big surprises here was discovering Phnom Penh’s geek or nerd community. There are regular Barcamps in Cambodia which are some of the largest in the world. There is an active Google Developer Group in Phnom Penh. As I write this the second Startup Weekend is happening in Phnom Penh. For foreigners a good way to join the community would be to get in contact with the people at coLAB during the monthly meeting on the first Tuesday of each month.

Actually, there is one thing I wish I had known before I came here. I wish I knew I was going to marry a beautiful Cambodian lady named Somaly Mean within three months of arriving. If I had known I would have studied up on the meaning of customs during the Cambodian wedding ceremony. I would also have spent a year doing yoga to prepare my old knees for the ceremony!

The views expressed are Paul’s, and do not reflect the views of any other organization or employer.

Expat Q&A: Cambodia, how beautiful you are

Posted on November 11, 2013 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 American expat Sheila Mischke.

Sheila, enjoying a relaxing moment in a Cambodian hammock.

Sheila, the mother of last week’s interviewee Anna Mischke, has been in Cambodia for two years. Sheila has been the General Manager of Beyond Interior in Phnom Penh, and although she’s planning on heading back to the US soon, she hopes to find a way to live in both worlds in the near future.

MTC: Sheila, what do you know now that you wish you had known before you moved to Cambodia?

SM: “I wish I had known how very difficult it would be to leave. As I think about wrapping up a two year stay here I find that several times a day I see and experience things that are so beautiful and tender, or at least funny, that I wonder if I will ever enjoy myself to this degree elsewhere.

Life is so wonderfully raw and real here. The climate, poverty and culture here causes so much of private life to be lived along the road that the traveler gets a peek into otherwise hidden scenes. Babies being bounced and bathed, business men pondering their invoices, teens examining their spots, meals being cooked, dishes being washed. It’s all so out there.

The wealth and climate of my homeland dictate that most of life take place behind closed doors. I already feel lonely thinking about it. Ahhh Cambodia…how beautiful you are.”

Snaps: “The best iced coffee in Phnom Penh”

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Lina Goldberg

Mr. Bunnareth and what might possibly be the best iced coffee in Phnom Penh.

This photograph was taken by recent arrival and photographer Lucas Veuve. Here’s the story behind the photo:

“Mr. Bunnareth has been making coffee in the Russian Market for more than 30 years. He’s truly an amazing character. The first time I visited his stall I stayed for more than an hour, chatting and drinking the iced coffee that he is famous for. He gives me an extra shot of coffee, ice and condensed milk which provides me with enough caffeine for the day. For $1, it’s worth every cent.

You can identify his stall amongst the others as he has the most flags, postcards and newspaper cut-outs hanging from the ceiling. Otherwise, just look for the board that says ‘The best iced coffee in Phnom Penh.’ Be aware though, the other vendors also make this claim!”

Lucas Veuve is a freelance travel and humanitarian photographer based in Phnom Penh. For more information on his work, visit his website.

Expat Q&A: Leave like you’re really leaving

Posted on November 4, 2013 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 24-year-old American expat Anna Mischke.

The infamous Anna Mischke.

Anna expatriated to Phnom Penh from Washington just about a year ago. Originally on an internship, Anna now works at a Cambodian fashion magazine, as an English-language writer and editor.

MTC: Anna, what do you know now that you wish you had known before you moved to Cambodia?

AM: “I moved to Cambodia, having followed my mother after she relocated to Phnom Penh for business nine months earlier. When I decided to make Cambodia home, I prepared myself for a whole new life and made a lot of choices that ended up giving me a massive headache once I arrived and figured out what life would be like after settling in. I’ve been here just over a year, and while I do still love it with all its quirks, splendors, interesting bits, and weirdness–there are definitely moments where I wonder “how quickly can I get a one way ticket back to the States?”

Then I’ll take a moment to gauge my surroundings, look at where I am, the people milling about, and being in a different city, Phnom Penh, which is so different than chilly Washington, and remember exactly why I’m still here.

I wish I had known about Move to Cambodia or had a wider network before I came into the country blindly, not having any idea what I was heading into. Hopefully these little tips can be for you what I wish I had known.

Leave like you’re really leaving: When I left Washington State, I left behind a lot of things with my (now) ex-boyfriend that should have been properly packed up, stored in a safe place, or tossed out. I had all the intentions of coming back within a year–with at least one visit at the six month mark–but I never made that visit, cancelled my return ticket, and realized that some precious items will have vanished during my stay abroad. A piece of advice, when you leave, leave as if you’re leaving for good. Don’t assume you’ll be back anytime soon; even if you do end up going home a few months later, at least you have the safety net of being prepared to not go back if with peace of mind.

Bring the bat: On a related note, don’t leave behind things that make you happy on a daily basis. For example, my favorite piece of home decór was a taxidermy Pipistrelle bat in a Lucite cube. I left that in storage, and I miss looking at him on my shelf each day. Bring a token from home that brings you enjoyment–the little things really do count.

Don’t close your bank account: I made the mistake of closing my Chase bank account when I moved here, thinking I either didn’t want to pay the $10 monthly fee if I had less than $1,500 in my account at all times (word to the wise: you should try and have that much in your account at all times…you never know when you’ll need it) and that it just wasn’t necessary to have a stateside account. WRONG. It was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in the relocation process, considering Cambodian banks use SWIFT codes rather than routing numbers so you’re unable to use PayPal to transfer funds between US and Cambodian accounts easily (unless you do an expensive wire transfer). Also, Cambodian banks can be a huge pain for a host of reasons: from basic procedural understanding to customer service, such as knowing the just because someone has said “yes”doesn’t mean it’s actually possible (like using a Cambodian debit card to pay a US credit card), to the services themselves, like the lack of online banking for certain banks. Even though you’ll probably need to get a local bank account, it’s always a plus to have an account back home. Try a credit union or local bank that won’t charge you monthly fees.

Invest in everyday items: Before you come, think about what you use most throughout the month and try and figure out if it’s possible to find here for a decent price. For me, the difficult ones have been tampons, sports bras, socks, simple yet stylish sandals, and yearly planners. Stock up on those things before you get out here so you don’t have to worry about shipping costs or having friends and family camel them back and forth for you.

Accept the ache and pleasure of nostalgia: I’m a hyper-emotional person and associate almost every smell, song, or flavor with something, someone, or a time in the past or places I’ve lived before. I’m still getting used to the fact that although I frequently get a dull ache in my chest and a lump in my throat when thinking of the “old days,” things will never go back to what they were. My life will not be the same as it was before, even if I had gone home after only a month in Cambodia. Time abroad will change you, as it has me, and finding myself in moments that I will never forget are the ones I know will be difficult to experience anywhere else. Cambodia is unique in so many ways, many that I am discovering a year later and I know that I will continue to learn and never know everything. Instead, when a feeling of nostalgia or sadness hits, accept it, embrace it, and move with it.”

You can read more of Anna’s musings about life in Cambodia on her blog, mischkebusiness.com.

Move to Cambodia