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Cambodia
Travel Guides
Phnom Penh: Hotels, restaurants, bars,
maps...
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Phnom Penh
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Hotels
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Restaurants, Pubs and Clubs
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Maps
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Sights & To Do
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Shopping
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Travel
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Essentials
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Living
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Phnom Penh:
Capital of the Kingdom of
Cambodia
A mixture of Cambodian hospitality, Asian exotica and
Indochinese charm await the visitor to Phnom Penh. Situated at
the confluence of three great rivers - known as the 'Chaktomuk'
(four faces) or 'Quatre Bras' (four arms) of the Mekong, Tonle
Sap and Bassac rivers - Phnom Penh is a city of more than
2 million people, the
capital of Cambodia and the country's commercial, economic and
political hub...
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 ...It
is also comparatively fresh travel destination. An adventure
destination in the 1990s, the city is now a center of diverse
economic and urban development. These days
bistros and boutique
hotels line
the riverfront, smart little silk shops and art galleries dot
the side streets and the city still enjoys a heady dusk-to-dawn
nightlife
As the capital city of Cambodia,
Phnom Penh is fairly young, only rising to the role in 1866, but
is still a city steeped in tradition and
history, offering several
cultural
and historical sights.
A port/trading village and
occasional capital city in the post-Angkorian period, the city
came under French colonial control from 1863-1953, flourished in
independence in the late 1950s through the 60s, was besieged and
then evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in the mid and late 70s,
repopulated in the 80s, revitalized in the 90s and now
undergoing rapid change and development. Much of the central
city including the
Royal Palace
and
National Museum
was built during the French period. You may notice the
old French buildings in
classic colonial yellow amongst the Southeast Asian shophouses
and traditional Khmer pagodas and markets. The
National Museum in
Phnom Penh is the most significant public repository of Khmer
artifacts in the country, displaying many important Angkorian
artifacts and rare pieces from later periods. Historical sites
from the Khmer Rouge period include the
Toul Sleng Genocide Museum
and the
Choeung Ek
Memorial.
Other historical sites
such as the old capital of Oudong and the Angkorian ruins
of Phnom Chisor and Phnom Da lay within an easy day-trip of
Phnom Penh.
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 Hotels
& Guesthouses
Phnom Penh offers a wide and
varied range of accommodations. Hotels and guesthouses are
spread across city, though there is a greater concentration
toward the city center, especially in Boeung Keng Kang 1
area and popular riverside area. Mid-range a/c rooms run
$15-$90/night with CTV, fridge and hot water at the low end
and well-outfitted, boutique style rooms at the top.
Business class starts at about $120. Fan & bed budget digs
can be had for $3-$10/night... (more)
Hotels
by Name *
Hotels by Location
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Hotels by
Price |
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Dining & Restaurants
Phnom Penh offers the best
dining in Cambodia, with choice, depth and authenticity
exceeding the tourist towns. The Cambodian food is
made-for-the-locals authentic whether street food or 5-star
dining. There is a wide range and variety of foreign
restaurants with most western and Asian cuisines as well as
contemporary dining well represented. Given Cambodia's long
relationship with Gallic gastronomic traditions, it is no
surprise some of the best venues in town are... (more) |
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 Nightlife,
Bars & Clubs
Phnom Penh is a good little
party town, offering a heady dusk till dawn nightlife and a
variety of places from which to choose - dance clubs and
discos, sports bars, neighborhood pubs, hostess bars and
more. Bars and clubs are scattered across the town, but as
the city is fairly compact it’s never more than a 5 or 10
minute ride between places. Making it even easier, there are
several little clusters of bars around town allowing you to
easily hop from one to the next... (more) |
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 Shopping,
Markets & Boutiques
Whether you're looking for
traditional Khmer handicrafts or chic contemporary fashion,
Siem Reap is an excellent place to shop for all things
Cambodian. In addition to classic Cambodian souvenirs, Siem
Reap has a unique and growing variety of contemporary art
galleries, fashion boutiques and trendy shops. Shopping
venues are scattered across the town with a concentration of
places along Sivutha Blvd., and near Phsar Chas (the Old
Market) and Pub Street... (more) |
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 Spas
& Massage
Massage for health and
relaxation is a time-honored tradition in Southeast Asia and
Cambodia has its own distinctive massage traditions. Many
spas, massage and reflexology shops are concentrated in
tourist areas such as along the riverfront and Boeung Keng
Kang 1. Boutique spas have become quite popular, aimed
primarily at ladies and couples and offering massage, spa
and salon services in a tranquil, indulgent atmosphere. Most
offer... (more) |
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 Getting
to, from & around Phnom Penh
The majority of international
visitors arrive in Cambodia by air at the Phnom Penh or Siem
Reap international airports. Visas are available on arrival
at both airports as well as most overland border crossings.
Phnom Penh receives direct flights from more than a dozen
Asian cities. There are also regularly scheduled air-con
buses offering direct service between Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam and Phnom Penh that travel (see below.) Currently,
the only domestic air service... (more)
Air Schedules *
Bus Schedules *
Travel Agents
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Maps |
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 Sights
& Touring
Phnom Penh’s points of interest
are largely historical and cultural, but they are only part
of exploring the city. Exotic shopping, unique dining,
indulgent spas and a fair bit of nightlife complete the
Phnom Penh experience. For the sights, set aside two or
three days for the major points. Though it is possible to
squeeze the most important sights into a single day, this
leaves very little time at each location. Popular sights
include the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda... (more)
Royal Palace *
Architecture
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Day Trips *
Traditional Performance |
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 Living
in Phnom Penh
House/apartment rental prices
range from $150 - $3000/month but average between $200 and
$800/month, plus utilities. To find a place of your own,
spread the word, tell your Cambodian friends and
acquaintances and they will bring you lots of options. Also
check out the classified ads in the Cambodia Daily, and, if
you have the time, just drive around desirable neighborhoods
looking for 'For Rent' signs. Realty companies list rentals
and can be quite helpful... (more) |
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 Medical
Services
Though the medical facilities
are still limited and in many cases not up to international
standards, there has been much improvement in recent years,
offering a greater range and quality of services. There are
a half dozen or so international clinics and foreign doctors
in town, most listed below. Calmette Hospital and the
international clinics can handle most medical problems but
serious illness or injury may still require medical
evacuation, probably to Bangkok or...
(more) |
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 Banks
& Money
Though Cambodian riel (KHR) is
the official currency, US dollars are in common use. Most
businesses, especially hotels, restaurants, airlines,
markets and souvenir shops set their prices in US dollars.
Change of less than one dollar is given in riel. Money
changers cluster around the markets and tend to give a
slightly better exchange rate than the banks. When accepting
money, inspect the bills. Marred riel is acceptable tender,
but the tiniest tear in a large US note... (more) |
Cambodia Sites and Blogs...
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This website
is the on-line versions of Canby Publications' popular
city/travel guides to Cambodia:
The Phnom Penh Visitors Guide,
The Siem Reap
Angkor Visitors Guide and
The Sihanoukville Visitors Guide, (which
also include guides to
Battambang,
Kampot,
Koh Kong and
Kep.)
Canby Publications' guides and maps are available free of charge at
select hotels, restaurants, travel agents and other locations in
Cambodia, and through select travel agents in Thailand and worldwide.
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