Cambodia island getaways

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

If you’re dreaming of a Cambodian island getaway, it’s not too early to start planning!

Koh Rong Cambodia

Reminding Thailand of the good old days on Koh Rong.

There are a number of islands that are an easy trip from Phnom Penh via Sihanoukville — here are my top choices:

Koh Rong

This island is one of the most beautiful in Cambodia, or the Gulf of Thailand. On Koh Rong placid turquoise waters lap against sparkling white sand beaches. The island is remarkably undeveloped and there’s not a lot to do — you’ll have to be content with jungle hikes, diving, snorkeling and sitting on the beach drinking Cambodia beer. For food there’s a Thai chef offering her native fare and not one, but two Italian chefs who’ve made the island home and dishing up pasta and pizzas out of a wood-fired oven for visitors. You can also get inexpensive seafood dinners for very little. Check out the best places to stay on Koh Rong.

Koh Russei Cambodia

Waiting for something to happen on Koh Russei.

Koh Russei

Also known as Bamboo Island,  Koh Russei is only an hour by boat from Sihanoukville, which makes it one of the easiest islands to get to from Phnom Penh. Accommodations are very basic and all bungalows have shared toilets. But if you’re looking for a crowd and a party, this old favorite is the place to go.

Koh Rong Sanloem

Be sure to bring sunblock to Lazy Beach on Koh Rong Sanloem.

Koh Rong Sanloem

My two favourite places to stay are on opposite sides of Koh Rong Sanloem and offer two very different experiences. Lazy Beach is where embassy employees go to get away — the bungalows are large, clean and well-maintained and even picky types will have a hard time finding fault with their setup. They’ve also got a badminton net, volleyball setup, lots of board games and table tennis. The bungalows at M’pay Bay are more rustic and less relaxing — you stay just next to a fishing village and will almost definitely get woken up by roosters crowing. But that’s the appeal of the place, getting to see a rural Cambodia village up close without being on some weirdly invasive danger trip.

The best Mexican food in Phnom Penh

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Lina Goldberg
A table covered with the makings for roll-em-yourself tacos at La Cita, in Phnom Penh.

Everything you need for delicious tacos and burritos at La Cita in Phnom Penh.

In case you’re worried that you’ll be giving up the simple pleasures of the Western world when you move to Cambodia, let me be the first to assure you: yes, we do have tacos.

There’s a plethora of California and Texas-style Mexican food in Phnom Penh, which is perhaps one of the greatest advantages to the surprising number of American expats there are in town.

Many Phnom Penh bars offer a Mexican food menu; Garage is at the top of my list — the owner, Jeff, hails from Southern California and cares deeply about the authenticity of his offerings. You won’t find lettuce on his tacos, just heaps and heaps of carnitas and al pastor marinated in pineapple juice, cilantro and onions. At just $3.50 for two, they’re great value.

My favorite Mexican joint in town is La Cita. It used to go by the name La Cita Rendez-vous, which was good for chuckle, but they’ve recently changed the name to La Cita Urban Mex, probably because everyone thought it was a brothel before. The owner, Richard, is from Chile and he’s constantly tinkering with the menu and the marketing of the place. His style is not that of a California taco truck, but it’s delicious. His tacos may be made with flour tortillas but they’ve got the best fillings in town — try the carnitas — and the burritos are even better. Priced at $7.49 for a small (and a small is BIG) the place even satisfies picky Californians who think they know more about Mexican food than you do. They also serve a few Chilean specialities.

Dark horse in town is Viva! I say dark horse not because it’s little-known, quite the opposite. Originally from Siem Reap, Viva! opened a branch in Phnom Penh last year to much ho-humming. The place was known for being boring and bland, and most expats went there for one thing and one thing only: $1.50 frozen margaritas. But I’ve caved in and ordered the wet burrito a few times and it’s actually pretty damn good and only $5.50 (be sure to ask for sour cream on the side for an extra $0.50). They also have $1 tacos which aren’t the best tacos in the world but are quite large and make a good-value snack after a few margaritas.

Garage, 9 Street 110; T: 012 754 763
Viva!, 11Eo Sisowath Quay: T: 093 678 888
La Cita Rendez-vous, 13 Street 282; T: 092 388 123

Edit 10/31/2013: Since this post was written, I have a new favorite, Alma Cafe. Check out the Move to Cambodia review here.