There are surprising number and variety of high quality eateries in town. At the top end, often elegant and very popular with the local ex-pat and business community are the international restaurants. Many of the other international restaurants in Phnom Penh have a continental flare – German at Wihelm Tell –behind the Sunway hotel and Riverside, Italian at the riverside’s Pop Café, Mediterranean delicacies at Riverhouse and Tamarind on street 240 near the palace. Ther are alos several Thai, Chinese, and Western places. Pizza parlors are plentiful. The riverfront is a great area to explore for restaurants and bars, dozens of which stretch along Sisowat Quay.
Khmer Food
There are many more places around town that are worth trying. Some of the more popular areas include: South of the Central Market (Phsar Thmei), street 63, north-east of the NationalMuseum on street 178, street 240 on the south side of the palace offers restaurants and Rubies wine bar and the area of street 51 South.
It's so sweet!
Prek Leap Restaurants along NR6 after the ChroyChangvarBridge over the TonlesapRiver has blessed Phnom Penh with a multitude of Khmer restaurants by opening up access to the Mekong riverfront. These are the places to eat for well-to-do Khmers, and at the weekend are packed with literally thousands of people on a big night hour.
The accommodation in Phnom Penh which see a significantly once you star spending more than US$15. For US$20 or less it is usually possible to find an air-conditioned room with satellite TV and attached bathroom. If you spend between US$25 and US$35 you can get something quite luxurious. Top-end accommodation is only available in Phnom Penh, but represents a significant leap in price for what aren’t always significantly better rooms.
There are several international standard hotels in Phnom Penh.
Sun Way Hotel
There are a limited but sufficient number of international Standard hotels in town including the Hotel inter-Continental, Sun Way Hotel, Phnom Penh Hotel, Amanjaya Pancam Hotel at around $110, though there are often special rates available, especially for walk-ins.
The best-known budget places in town are the Capital Guesthouse, a little less known but recommended by budget travelers are Last Home Guesthouse, The Booddhi Tree, a traditional wooden house converted into tranquil rooms located across from the ToulSlengMuseum, New Star and Royal Guesthouse. The area near the mosque on BeoungKakLake is fast becoming a backpacker center with several cheap restaurants, Internet Shops and guesthouses.
Phnom Penh, like other Cambodian tourists destinations, is in the midst of rapid change. Over the past few years the number of tourists as well as the number of restaurants, hotels and other tourist services has grown dramatically. There are now direct daily flights to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap from several Asian cities including Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Vientiane, Singapore, Taipei, and more. At least four overland border crossings have opened since 1998. Even Travel within the country has become easier with several airlines flying domestic routes, regular bus service to Sihnoukville, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Poi Pet (Thai border), and Vietnam and road conditions on the national routes gradually improving throughout the country. Phnom Penh is increasingly becoming an essential part of the travel’s itinerary.
Wat Phnom
NationalMuseum
A mixture of Asian exotica, Indochina’s charm and Cambodian hospitality await the visitor to Phnom Penh. The Capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia located at the confluence of four great rivers – the ‘four faces’ of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers – Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s commercial and political hub, and is home to more than two million of the country ‘s 13.1 million people. The city is divided into three sections. The north is an attractive residential area, the south or the French are of the city with ministries, banks, and colonial houses, and the heart of the city with shops, variety of spectacles. Early morning the sun rises with particular warmth and you can find locals of all age’s forms. Khmers stroll about its banks to enjoy the cool breeze in the evening. Phnom Penh also offers several cultural and historical attractions including the RoyalPalace, Silver Pagoda, NationalMuseum, Wat Phnom and TuolSlengGenocideMuseum. There are also a variety of services including five-star hotels and budget guesthouses, fine international dining, sidewalk noodle shops, neighborhood pubs and more.
Cambodia is in the heart of the land once known as Indochina, bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north and Vietnam to the east. It is a fascinating place, which despite its tiny size and its large powerful neighbors, has managed to remain uniquely Khmer. Our cultural traditions pre-date those of Thailand, and unlike Vietnam, which has had dominant Chinese influence; its dominant influences originate from the Indian subcontinent.
Modern-day Cambodia is the successor-state of the mighty Khmer empire, which during t he Angkorian period (9th to 14th centuries) was the cultural heartland of South-East Asia. It ruled over much of what are now Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, and its legacy is one of the wonders of the world. The ruins of Angkor are in a category of their own: there is no other historical site in South-East Asia that matches their grandeur of this Ancient Complex. The traveler’s first glimpse leaves one bewildered.
Angkor Wat, which represents the full flowering of Khmer genius, is a breathtaking experience, matched only by sights such as the place of Lhasa or the Forbidden City of Beijing. Cambodia is increasingly becoming the travel destination of choice, and increasing investment allows for all of the dimensions of the travelers needs to be met in a fashion unique to this flourishing country. The land borders with Thailand are now open to foreigners and there are many direct flights between Siem Reap and original destinations. Cambodia is now well and truly back on the travel map of South-East Asia. With the serene and mystifying temples of Angkor, Cambodia has something to offer that none of its neighbors can rival. There are the unspoiled beaches, coral, reefs and seaside paradise with white sand beaches and the warm blue seas of the Gulf of Thailand and national parks that are just starting to see visitors. The meandering MekongRiver lures curious visitors to boat trips through Cambodia, Laos and China. Its mighty waters also provide a habitat for some of the last remaining freshwater dolphins in Asia. The northeast of the country is home to wild and mountainous landscap4s, and the gateway to Cambodia’s ethnic minorities and much of the country’s diminishing wildlife and forest.
Despite a difficult history, we have come through the experience with warm smiles and hospitality that are the unique charm of Khmer society. Cambodia’s tourism industry is thriving, and there is an atmosphere of genuine enthusiasm and warmth towards the foreign visitor. Nobody comes away from Cambodia without a measure of admiration and affection for the inhabitants of this beautiful and distinct country.
