Phnom Penh:
Hun Sen's house:
Independent Monument:
Nagaworld:
(the only casino in Cambodia)
Bus Ride from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap:
Siem Reap:
Angkor:
Psar Leu (Local Market):
To Pub Street:
Tonle Sap River:
Eat in Cambodia:
Angkor Palm Restaurant:
Baguettes with different fillings:
Barbeque Chicken:
The Blue Pumpkin Cafe:
Neary Khmer Restaurant:
Kitchen Angkor Chey:
Just as Angkor has put Cambodia on the tourist map, so too amok (baked fish with coconut, lemongrass and chilli in banana leaf) could put the country on the culinary map of the world.
Cambodia has a great variety of dishes, some similar to Thailand, Laos, Chinese and Vietnamese cooking. But all come with a unique Cambodian twist, be it the odd herb here or the odd spice there. Khmer cooking has the aromas of India, the textures of Thailand and the subtlety of Vietnam.
Freshwater fish forms a huge part of the diet, thanks to the natural phenomenon of Tonle Sap lake.
The French left their mark too: baguettes are the national bread and Cambodian cooks show a healthy reverence for tender meats.
Rice and prahoc - a fermented fish paste that your nose will soon recognise at a hundred paces - forms the backbone of Khmer cuisine.
Cambodian meals almost always include samlor (soup). Samlor machou banle is a popular hot-and-sour fish soup with pineapple and a splash of spices.
A Typical Khmer meals will usually consist of a soup (somla), a fish or meat dish and a salad.
Other popular soup dishes are:
somla chapek - pork and ginger soup
somla machou bangkang - sour and spicy prawn soup
moan sngor - coriander and chicken soup
somla machou saich koh - sour beef stew
Fish Dishes:
dt'ray aing - grilled fish
dt'ray chean neung spey - fried fish with vegetables
dt'ray k'nyei - grilled catfish with ginger sauce
Meat Dishes:
saich moan chha khnhei - stir fried chicken with ginger
saich koh aing - grilled beef
moan dhomrei - sliced chicken sautéed with holy basil
choeeng chomni jruk chean - fried pork spare ribsKhmer
cha'ung cha'ni jruk ang - spare ribs marinated with mushrooms
an sam jruk - pork and soybeans marinated in ginger and chilli
Salads:
phlea saich koh - grilled beef, coriander and mint salad
Codiments to accompany Cambodian meals:
prahoc - fish sauce
tuk dt'ray - fish sauce with ground, roasted peanuts
Where To Eat:
Khmer Food:
Psar Chaa:
It has plenty of food stalls on the northwest side, all with signs and menus in English. These are all atmospheric places for a local meal at local-ish prices. Most are just US$1.50 to US$3.
Local Food Stalls:
A good strip of local food stalls opposite Wat Dam Nak
The Alley:
wall-to-wall with good Cambodian restaurants, many of which are family owned.
- Socheata II Restaurant: offers a big range of Cambodian classics (Pithnou St) (7am to 10pm)
- Khmer Kitchen Restaurant: a popular place, which offers an affordable selection of Khmer and Thai favourites (The Alley) (11am to 10pm)
- Angkor Palm: This award-winning Cambodian restaurant offers the authentic taste of Cambodia; try the legendary amok (Pithnou St). The platter for one is a veritable feast comprising eight dishes including spring rolls, spare ribs, amok, rice, mango salad and Khmer desser for just $6. (10am to 10pm)
- Amok: A fine place to try this dish (The Alley) (5pm to 11pm)
- Champey: succulent amok and spicy mango salads are 2 of the favourite dishes at this moderately priced French/Khmer restaurant with a reputation for excellent food and service (Psar Chaa)
Drink:
The Psar Chaa area is a good hunting ground, with Pub St:
- Warehouse (Psar Chaa area) 10.30am to 3am
- Laundry Bar (Psar Chaa area) 6pm to late
- Angkor What (Pub St) Siem Reap's original bar; 6pm to late
Snacks:
The Blue Pumpkin:
near Psar Chaa; with branches all over town, including at Angkor Wat.
The original bakery is packed from 6am to 10pm and sells a wide selection of breads, sandwiches, pastries, shakes, icecreams and beverages. Pastries start at $1 and ice creams are $1 per scoop.
Where To Shop:
Psar Chaa:
this place is well stocked with anything one may want to buy (silverware, silk, wood carvings, stone carvings, Buddhas, paintings, rubbings, notes and coins, T-shirts, table mats etc)
Angkor Night Market:
4pm to midnight
It is packed with stalls selling a variety of handicrafts, souvenirs and silks