Exploring The Unexplored Phnom Penh, Cambodia!
Eat a sock LDR - we finally made it!
To celebrate his return, we thought that the best way to do it was of course - book a trip. The questions was where to. I hate going to places like Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh because it's full of Singaporeans. Last thing I wanna do is go on a trip and feel like I'm back in Orchard Road.
We chose Cambodia because while it isn't the most touristy place, it isn't that foreign to us as well. Most people think of the Angkor Wat and Mekong River when Cambodia is mentioned, but since we weren't really into ancient ruins or that sort of thing, we decided to visit Cambodia's capital - Phnom Penh!
Our Phnom Penh Villa
I really wanted to have a nice private pool villa where boyfie and I could take nice pics for the gram and enjoy our own privacy, but alas, the only two villas with a private pool, Blue Lime and Pavillion were fully booked. We decided to settle for this small, quaint villa - The Sarina Hotel & Villa which only cost us about S$190 for three nights! Breakfast was included, with a cosy room right in front of the public pool.
We really enjoyed our stay there (aside for some really noisy and inconsiderate Koreans who were shouting and playing at the pool really loudly at 7am, and another incident where two random guys just opened our door while we were asleep) and the staff were really friendly and helpful. All basic amenities are included, and the bed was one of the best we've ever slept on! The hotel food is so-so, but they do have quite a variety of breakfast options and it's delivered to your door! It's also best to inform the staff if you'll be out past midnight, so you won't get locked out like we did.
The Sarina Hotel & Villa
Address: #819 Street. Sos With Corner Hanoi Street Sangkat Phnom Penh Thmey Khan Sen Sok, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Telephone: +855 87 786 569
Website
The Cambodian Food
My boyfriend and I had our concerns about the food there, as we've heard so many stories about food poisoning and this mysterious delicacy called Palm Tree Juice which you should never drink. Some of my friends were lamenting about how salty the food was, or how unhygienic it was, and that it just didn't taste all that good in general.
Not sure if my friends were talking about Cambodia or a totally different place entirely because the food there was good!
We tried food from all places - from the hidden stalls beneath the tents of the Russian Market serving amazing Cha Khoi Teil and soup noodles, to the Cambodian fried rice and spring rolls we ate at a bar alongside the Mekong. Drinks are also super cheap, with house pour beer at US$1 and cocktails at US$3!
Some other interesting food places we visited was this restaurant called Babylon Restaurant which had the most amazing and affordable Arabian food we've ever tasted, as well as Sora Skybar - sitting 37 stories above the ground with US$6 alcohol during happy hour and delicious wagyu sliders.
Another interesting thing to note is that the tap water here is drinkable!
The Attractions in Phnom Penh
There are a lot of things to do in Phnom Penh, and 5 days weren't enough to cover all of it. We visited some touristy spots such as the Russian Market, Royal Palace, National Museum, Mekong River, and The Killing Fields.
I really recommend you to watch the Angelina Jolie-produced show on Netflix "First They Killed My Father" before visiting the S21 Prison and The Killing Fields. The visit there was an emotional one, and I think it's a really important part of history that we should remember, even if we are not Cambodian.
For gambling kakis like my boyfriend, you can drop by Nagaworld, a large entertainment complex with a casino. There are also many clubs around, such as Sound Club which played amazing music and had a GIGANTIC dressing room slash toilet for the girls (and someone to hand you tissue after washing your hands). If you're coming with friends, you can open a table at about US$160. While browsing through TripAdvisor, I came across some reviews saying that certain clubs are very unfriendly (and don't even welcome) foreigners, so if you want to be safe, just go to Sound Club!
Phnom Penh has a lot of coffee shops, so take your time hopping from one place to another! One coffee place that's open 24 hours is Coffee Bridge 24H, which is a great place to study. It has decent coffe, cup noodles, and free WiFi.
Phnom Penh also has two AEON malls, and I was really surprised to see Love, Bonito and The Editors Market there!
Getting around Phnom Penh
Cambodia is extremely easy to get around via Grab Car or Grab Tuk Tuk. A 10 min ride via Grab Tuk Tuk costs about US$2~3, and the furthest we traveled (about 20 mins) cost about US$8. It is easy to get a Grab there, and the drivers can speak English. You can also choose to pay in Cambodian riel (KHR), US Dollar, or both! The only downside is that it's quite difficult to get a Grab when it rains. If it does rain, just keep booking and re-booking until you get a driver, or just holler at a Tuk Tuk passing by. I wont recommend going out too far on a rainy day in case you get stranded.
Money in Cambodia
Cambodia has an unofficial dual currency system, so you can use both the riel (KHR) or US Dollar (4,000 riel to 1 US dollar). The Singapore Dollar is basically useless here, so be sure to convert all your money to riel or USD before you arrive.
The riel is usually used for small buys, and as change is restaurants/ grab/ convenience stores. As the US Dollar is widely accepted and available in Cambodia, most ATMs there will dispense dollars instead.
PHNOM PENH IS GREAT!
While most people are unfamiliar with the Pearl of Asia, there are actually many things to do here. Just like any city, Phnom Penh has the ulu, less-developed kampung area as well as the buzzing, MBS-level luxury of the Phnom Penh city centre. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our trip in Phnom Penh and narrowed our pleasant experience to 2 reasons:
First, the people are so friendly and accommodating. Unlike taxi drivers in Bali and Bangkok who are constantly trying to scam you or relentlessly ask for tips, the people here are honest and don't ask for much. This actually made us want to tip them even more. Local sellers aren't aggressive and leave you alone most of the time.
Secondly, the transportation and food here are so, so cheap. Compared to Grab prices here which can easily cost S$20 just for a 10 minute ride, the rides there were so affordable that we barely spent S$20 on transport over 3 days. Food is good, with reasonable prices and portions. Now that I'm back in Singapore, it annoys the hell out of me that I have to spend S$20 on a small plate that's not even enough to feed a baby.
So if you're looking for a next getaway, add on Phnom Penh to the list! Whether you'll be there for 5 days or 5 weeks, you'll be in for a refreshing experience that you wont get anywhere else in Southeast Asia!
Love this post? Feel free to share and comment below or check out the time I visited a Love Hotel in Japan here.
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| Babylon Restaurant |
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| Sora Skybar |
The Attractions in Phnom Penh
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| The Cambodia National Museum |
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| The Royal Palace |
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| The Silver Pagoda |
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| The Killing Fields |
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| Nagaworld |
Phnom Penh has a lot of coffee shops, so take your time hopping from one place to another! One coffee place that's open 24 hours is Coffee Bridge 24H, which is a great place to study. It has decent coffe, cup noodles, and free WiFi.
Phnom Penh also has two AEON malls, and I was really surprised to see Love, Bonito and The Editors Market there!
Getting around Phnom Penh
Cambodia is extremely easy to get around via Grab Car or Grab Tuk Tuk. A 10 min ride via Grab Tuk Tuk costs about US$2~3, and the furthest we traveled (about 20 mins) cost about US$8. It is easy to get a Grab there, and the drivers can speak English. You can also choose to pay in Cambodian riel (KHR), US Dollar, or both! The only downside is that it's quite difficult to get a Grab when it rains. If it does rain, just keep booking and re-booking until you get a driver, or just holler at a Tuk Tuk passing by. I wont recommend going out too far on a rainy day in case you get stranded.
Money in Cambodia
Cambodia has an unofficial dual currency system, so you can use both the riel (KHR) or US Dollar (4,000 riel to 1 US dollar). The Singapore Dollar is basically useless here, so be sure to convert all your money to riel or USD before you arrive.
The riel is usually used for small buys, and as change is restaurants/ grab/ convenience stores. As the US Dollar is widely accepted and available in Cambodia, most ATMs there will dispense dollars instead.
PHNOM PENH IS GREAT!
While most people are unfamiliar with the Pearl of Asia, there are actually many things to do here. Just like any city, Phnom Penh has the ulu, less-developed kampung area as well as the buzzing, MBS-level luxury of the Phnom Penh city centre. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our trip in Phnom Penh and narrowed our pleasant experience to 2 reasons:
First, the people are so friendly and accommodating. Unlike taxi drivers in Bali and Bangkok who are constantly trying to scam you or relentlessly ask for tips, the people here are honest and don't ask for much. This actually made us want to tip them even more. Local sellers aren't aggressive and leave you alone most of the time.
Secondly, the transportation and food here are so, so cheap. Compared to Grab prices here which can easily cost S$20 just for a 10 minute ride, the rides there were so affordable that we barely spent S$20 on transport over 3 days. Food is good, with reasonable prices and portions. Now that I'm back in Singapore, it annoys the hell out of me that I have to spend S$20 on a small plate that's not even enough to feed a baby.
So if you're looking for a next getaway, add on Phnom Penh to the list! Whether you'll be there for 5 days or 5 weeks, you'll be in for a refreshing experience that you wont get anywhere else in Southeast Asia!
Love this post? Feel free to share and comment below or check out the time I visited a Love Hotel in Japan here.
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