Koh Kong Trip, Part 2
Another long overdue post.. This is the sequel to my Koh Kong Trip, Part I, which I know I should have posted ages ago but due to combined reasons of laziness, procrastination, convenient memory gaps, on top of Facebook addiction, well, I am now months late in posting this update.
After that refreshing Koh Kong Tatai Waterfalls picnic and swimming, we all piled ourselves in the van and headed towards Koh Kong City. This was another scenic drive and in just thirty minutes we were in Koh Kong town proper. Hmm, a very typical Cambodian town, the only difference was that the roads were wider or maybe it was because it was 12 noon and no one wants to beat the heat of the sun and stay on the road..
Photo above is the riverfront and that long bridge going towards the Thai border – Had Lek. After a few minutes driving around and checking guesthouses, we settled on Bopha Koh Kong Hotel. Not exactly five star accommodations but the rooms were huge and comfy. We got a twin room with ensuite bathroom with hot shower, a TV with lots of channels though mostly Thai, a personal ref and AC. Not bad at all for $18 only per night. In Koh Kong, Thai Bahts are generally more acceptable than the US Dollars or Cambodian Riels.
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Living in Phnom Penh: A Day Trip to Kirirom National Park
Last Sunday, Hi-ace got a call from his best friend inviting us to spend the day at Kirirom National Park. Chinkee was ecstatic coz she misses playing with Noel,their 2-year old son. So we set off for the 3 hour drive at around 8 am.
This is actually my second trip to Kirirom, though last time we went there it was raining hard, so no good photos and I also forgot to write about it. This time though the weather was awesome so I have plenty of photos. If you’re living in Phnom Penh, this is one of the places to escape to if the chaos of Phnom Penh gets a little unbearable.
Ok, so what’s with Kirirom? Its a National park located about 112 km from Phnom Penh, with a lush forest and pine trees. If you’re from the Philippines just imagine the place to be a little similar to Baguio or Tagaytay but with a lot less people around . It’s a very popular picnic area for Khmers as it allows them to escape the hustle and bustle plus the heat of Phnom Penh. Most Khmers go to several waterfalls near the area and these usually have picnic huts you can rent. I noticed though that the streams were a little dried out so swimming is a little out of the question. Must be because its summer time.
Going there by public transpo is a bit hard I was told but its still possible. I saw some foreigners there too and they hired motorbikes to get there. The best way still is to have your own transportation. National Highway 4 (NH4) is pretty scenic but I was very much on my toes as there are lots of cars, taxis with kamikaze drivers. And not only that, there plenty of cows roaming around the highway so things are interesting. Once you turn towards the National Park, there are less cars, more greens…
We reached the place around 11 am, picked a picnic hut near the stream. Khmer picnic huts are usually elevated, with some nipa thatch for roofing, and mats for lounging around. Khmers love eating sitting lotus-style so its hard to find huts with tables in their picnic places.
Affordable Spa Indulgence @ Bamboo Spa
Who doesn’t like experiencing a bit of pampering every now and then? I love massages and here in Asia its quite easy to indulge with lots of spas and salons in most major cities. It’s a tradition that has sprouted different kinds of salons as well as types of massages like Balinese, Thai, Shiatsu etc.. And it has been good to know that Phnom Penh also has it share of spa’s tourists, expats and locals frequent.
I’ve been looking for a spa here in Phnom Penh where I could regularly have my full-body massage as well as foot massages. True, there are lots of spas and massage parlors to choose from and I’ve tried out several in the area, but most of them are quite pricey and its a little hard to indulge when I keep thinking of the cost of each massage haha. I know every since I became a mom, I’ve been a little hard on myself and I tend to be really thrifty.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, I met a lovely Filipina friend and she invited us all to her newly opened spa. It’s called Bamboo Spa and its located at No. 21 St 228. It’s quite easy to find, its very near Pasteur (St.51) along the same street as International SOS and three doors down from the Italian restaurant – Le Dou.
They have a good range of services and their full-body massage comes highly recommended. I love the small spa ambiance, the scents of the oils and of course, the super relaxing massage. And another thing to love is the price! Full body massages cost less than $10 for more than an hour of pampering. At that price, I could easily make it a weekly indulgence! Bamboo Spa – exactly what I’ve been looking for. Pampering at an unbeatable price..
It’s a must visit.. Check out the link to the map for the Bamboo Spa location. Will post photos soon. =) And you can email Bamboo Spa at bambootree_house@yahoo.com or call 089-630791 and look for Elma.
View Bamboo Spa in a larger map
Scenic Cambodian Countryside and a Visit to a Pagoda..
A few months back, Ma, my mother-in-law asked us if we wanted to go to a pagoda to get a monk’s blessings for the coming new year. Though, I am not Buddhist, I would usually come as a sign of respect and also so I could observe and learn closely their customs and traditions. After all, my husband is a Buddhist and its a big factor for both of us to understand each other’s religion.
Anyway, the trip promised to be scenic as the pagoda is located somewhere in Kampong Chhanang. The day started really early and at 6 am we were already on a tuk-tuk speeding towards Sisowath Quay near the riverside and going towards National Road No. 5. This was my first time to take a really long ride in a tuk-tuk. Ma and Hi-ace says its the best way to go, we get to enjoy the breeze and take in as much scenery as we want to. The price of the round trip ride on the tuk-tuk was unbelievably just $8!! I really am seriously in awe of Ma’s bargaining abilities.
So, it was me, Hi-ace, Chinks, our nieces Sokna and Cheng and Ma in the tuk-tuk.. The ride was really so enjoyable and I almost fell asleep being lulled by the wind and the not so bumpy ride. We had been traveling for about an hour when we turned left (lol! don’t ask me where..) towards a small market then onwards. The road became smaller and unpaved and both sides mostly lower with lots of water and some houses on stilts. We stopped for a bit to buy some lotus seeds (Ma and the nieces loves snacking on these..) and also some lotus flowers to offer in the pagoda.
The views were absolutely fantastic and so rural.. Then we reached a place with lots of cows being herded we turned right, then suddenly there was a bang! We had a flat tire and it was in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but the cows, ponds, lotus flowers and rice fields. The nice tuk-tuk driver told us to wait by the roadside and he’ll go look for a vulcanizing shop. So then, we proceeded to occupy ourselves by taking photos of ourselves and the stunning rural landscape.
My Khmer Coffee Addiction
It’s a fact. I’m addicted to it. I can’t start a day without coffee and I usually have it a couple more times each day. When I first visited Phnom Penh last 2004, I was fretting and thinking that maybe I’ll be on a coffee-diet. Lol! I was really really wrong! I discovered that Cambodians are more than passionate about their morning cup. In fact, they have coffee anytime of the the day!
A few doors down my mother-in-laws house in Toul Tompoung area, there is a Khmer restaurant (corner resto St. 432 and 163) serving espressos and iced coffees at a fraction of the price of famous coffee houses. And the taste? Whew! One of the best brews I’ve ever had. Not only that, I was amazed to find out that most of these local cafe’s roast their own local beans so you get freshly roasted coffee which, believe me has the best taste. Khmers prefer their beans roasted really black and adds a little fat or butter making the taste a lot richer. They would usually roast their beans every other day around 2-3 pm and just the aroma is heavenly!
So, though I still frequent nice cafes around Phnom Penh (I do enjoy their plush seats, free wifi, pastries..) but every so often you can find me sampling coffee from these small restaurants found all over Phnom Penh. These shops mostly speak very little English so come prepared and have this memorized (lol! I even have a small note always with me with Khmer translation of this just in case..)
- hot black coffee – caa-fei kh’mav (khdow -hot)
- coffee – caa-fei
- iced coffee – caa-fei teuk koh
- ice coffee milk – caa-fei teuk koh tuk duh koh
Khmer coffee is usually served hot – black or with milk / iced – black or with milk. There’s also a place inside Russian Market (Tuol Tompoung Market) serving what they claim to be the Best Iced Coffee in Phnom Penh. It does taste really good, and since there are a lot of tourists in the market they can speak English, so ordering a glass of iced coffee is a breeze.
It’s located right in the food hall, just look for the sign..
And to tempt those iced coffee lovers..
I’ve already shared this passion for Khmer coffee to some of my friends and also my sister. Ouwie is now also a certified Khmer coffee addict. Lol ! I can still remembered when she first tried it, she found it so good, she had too many glasses and found herself unable to sleep and was looking for natural sleep aids. So, though its tastes really good, just have it in moderation 
Happy coffee drinking!
O’Russey Market, Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh has several large traditional markets selling all kinds of goodies and its advantage over supermarkets? you can also haggle to get a good bargain. As an expat, I’m more used to supermarkets and it took sometime for me to brave these traditional markets on my own. I first got hooked with the Russian Market (Tuol Tompoung Market), then I began exploring other big markets.
One of my all time favorite Phnom Penh Markets is the O’Russey Market. It’s a six-story building, market stalls are on the first three floors, and on the surrounding streets. O’Russey Markets is a well-known wholesale market for food ingredients, seafoods,textiles, and clothing. You can also find some gardening items, mechanical tools, and electronics. Toys and food stuff you usually see being retailed in small stores across Phnom Penh are usually bought from here in bulk.
Be forewarned, this market is huge, and the pathways in between stalls are very narrow so be prepared to squeeze your way in. I always make sure I’m in my best (Divisoria-Manila like) mood whenever I venture to this market. It also helps if you can take walks for extended periods of time as there are limited resting areas around the market so best prepare with your joint supplements, a bottle of water, and something to wipe the sweat off your face. And do be careful also with your valuables.
The first floor contains mostly food items, goods for reselling, electronics, gardening supplies. But what interests me the most about this market is the upper floors. The second/third floor houses wholesalers of books and other school materials, clothing, accessories. You can also find textiles, tailoring supplies, ready-made clothing, tailoring shops and some hair and nail salons.
The best part for me is the second-hand clothing/shoe/bags/home items. We Filipinos call this UK or ukay-ukay and this is where you can find designer items @ bargain prices not to mention unique pieces. O’Russey’s Ukay-Ukay/Second Hand stores holds a lot of great finds. I found some cute bags and shoes here but what I really really love are the curtains I discovered here. Second-hand shopping can be a bit difficult and only for those who has the gumption to sort though all the piles, but its very rewarding too..Try it for once and you’ll get hooked and one place to start your ukay-ukay hunting is the O’Russey Market.
I found this really interesting video on YouTube featuring O’Russey Market and the surrounding streets. Video courtesy of MSA Production
O’Russey Market on Google Maps
Khmer Hammocks and Food
This happened a few weeks back.. It was a weekend and with Hi-ace having a day without anything scheduled, so he asked me where I want to go for the rest of the afternoon. That day, I didn’t want to eat in any fancy resto or even go malling, I simply wanted to have some wind and rest and I was thinking I wanted to eat grilled sweet corn.
Hi-ace then told me he’ll bring us over to one place that is uniquely Khmer. Hmm, that was enough to pique my interest. I know Khmers loves picnics so I was expecting somewhere in a park or a place with lots of mats, you sit down and order food..
After crossing the Japanese bridge, he drove on for more than 30 minutes and I was beginning to wonder where he was taking us. All I could see where fewer and fewer houses and big empty fields. Then we reached a place with houses built on top of stilts and towering over a huge pond filled with lotus plants..
I just love discovering out of the way places like this and when I saw these, I knew I was in for a treat.. Hi-ace told me this is where a lot of Khmers go for food and some R & R. So how’s the inside of those houses on stilts? Here..
You can choose which nook you want to stay in. There’s a mat and a low table in the middle and hammocks made of dried hyacinth. And I was so surprised that those hammocks was so comfy! It was no wonder I fell right into sleep after we had lunch. It’s hard to resist anyway, the food and breeze made me so sleepy..
Eating @ Khmer-Thai Restaurant
A couple of days ago, we went to CityMall to do some Christmas shopping. It was really crowded coz there was this concert about to start at the Olympic Stadium which is right next to the mall. I guess those who were waiting for the concert to start figured its much better to wait out in the air-conditioned comforts of the mall.
We were done shopping around 7pm and the restos inside the mall were all jampacked. Both Hi-ace and me doesn’t like eating in crowded places and we were also craving for some Thai food that night. We found ourselves cruising around Tuol Tompoung Area for a new place to try and we first decided on going to Tonle Bassac, eat-all-you can Khmer/Thai food but it was full of dining Korean tourists and was too noisy. Then we saw this little restaurant right across Tonle Bassac along St. 163 right at the back of the gas station.
It’s smallish, with just a couple of tables downstairs and had a sign Khmer-Thai Restaurant. We’re both lovers of Khmer and Thai food so we decided to give this one a try..
We were in for a surprise! Though the place is small when you get in, they have a very spacious 2nd floor dining area, where you get to lounge around on cushy cushions and dine in leisure. Good ambiance, decor not too overboard like Khmer Surin..(Sorry photos are kinda blurry.. I just took them with a phone camera..) Chinks loved the cushions so much she kept bugging me to buy one like it the next day. She says it’ll be great while she’s watching cartoons..
They have a good menu, mostly Khmer and Thai favorites. We settled on Mixed Seafoods Salad, Morning Glory in Oyster Sauce,Fish Amok (we usually try out Amok in Khmer restos..), and Pad Thai. The verdict? I love the Mixed Seafoods Salad! I can’t seem to get enough of it. The Morning Glory in Oyster Sauce was good too as well as the Pad Thai Noodles. The Fish Amok, not the best but it was okay.
Mixed Seafoods Salad
Morning Glory aka Kangkong in Oyster Sauce
Pad Thai Noodles
Their version of Cambodian delicacy - Fish Amok
Another thing I liked about the place is that you can eat as much rice as you can and pay only $.25/person. Haha, obviously I eat a lot of rice. They also have free pandan tea which is great coz you’ll surely be drinking lots of it to chase off the spicy flavors.
All in all it was a great dining experience for us. The prices are good, mains costs about $3-$8, and there’s a lot of space to sit, relax and enjoy the meal. And though there were other diners there, it was quiet and the seats arranged in a way that you still get your space and privacy.
Suffice it to say, well be back there again. I’ve already made a promise to try out all their salads =)
Koh Kong Trip, Part I
Part 1 – On to Tatai Waterfalls, Koh Kong Cambodia
Tatai Waterfalls, Koh Kong Cambodia
Better late than never. That’s my motto. Hahaha! For this post anyway. I keep forgetting to schedule posting this.. Forgive the memory gaps.Anyway, this is all about our trip to Koh Kong, Cambodia last August? Seriously, I even forgot the date already 
.
We were looking at another boring weekend that time and Hi-ace suggested we go over to Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) so we could roast ourselves a bit (I really mean we could have a good rest at the beach). So that was the plan, till my sister-in-law heard we were going and pretty soon there were about 10 more people wanting to join us. I so appreciate my Cambodian family, they are almost always having itchy feet. You know, they are what my father usually calls ‘layas’ that’s a Bicolano word meaning ‘wanderlust’.
Instead of taking a bus, we all just decided to rent a van. Then we just realized all of us had been to Sihanoukville several times already, and since we had a van at our disposal, why not go someplace else we all haven’t been to. We picked out Koh Kong, mainly because it has beaches too, less touristy, plus we all wanted to see the Mangrove forests. Koh Kong was IT then. Our Mondulkiri travel was a superlative for me, so I was really excited too about this Koh Kong Trip since well a lot of people had been raving about the place.
Koh Kong is at the southern part of Cambodia, and the city is about 8 km from the Thai border. Krong Koh Kong has also been dubbed before as Cambodia’s Wild West. This province is just so vast, with little houses around, sparse population, lots of beaches, rainforests, mountains etc. Simply a great place to explore (I just wish we had more time, but we could always go back 
)
Traveling with my Khmer relatives was fun and educating as well. Well, educating for me anyway, in terms of their culture and made me realize more how Cambodians are really into picnicing. Anyway, we took off early morning, the van was all packed, lol! we were almost bursting full (not with people!) but with the goodies and foodies my mother-in-law insisted we take. You know, she knows how much we love eating and what if we get stranded or something, in any case, lets just say if we get stranded in the middle of nowhere, we had enough food and water to last 10 of us for 2 days with more to spare.
My nieces and nephews were also lugging in luggages and I did wonder what’s in there coz we were only going for two days. I know, this kinda weirded me out, since I usually travel light, with just the essentials. Another thing I noticed, most of them were dressed to the nines and for a minute I felt left out. I mean, two of them were wearing heels and dresses, others were wearing pants and long sleeved shirts like they were going for a job interview or something, and Hi-ace, Chinks, me and another niece, well were the only ones wearing shorts, shirt, and slip-ons. Ok, so I thought maybe that’s just how they like to travel.. No sweat.
One good thing about going to Koh Kong is that the road condition is excellent. I could still remember how numb my butt was when we went to Mondulkiri so this was a great thing for me. And once you get past the intersection between National Highway 4 (going to Sihanoukville) and National Highway 48 (going to Koh Kong) the views are just stunning! Everything is all green and there are a couple of bridges you have to pass through and the water is all clear and reflecting all green colors of surrounding lush mountains. The road is mostly winding, carved from mountains, with very little houses almost all the way.
A few kilometers before we reached Koh Kong, around 10 am, the driver said were stopping for a swim at Tatai Waterfalls. The van traveled on something like a dirt path away from the main highway for something like half kilometer, then we came upon a small er and really steep path and the driver told us we just had to go on by foot. Okay, I’m a total klutz and I just keep imagining myself simply tripping and rolling over and just finding myself plunging on the waterfalls.
None of that happened though, thankfully Hi-ace had the good sense to order me to remove my slippers so I could go down barefooot. God! Even Chinks got there ahead of me. It was really that steep and I wasn’t even carrying anything. You could guess how amazed I was when I saw my nieces carting their luggages (which they told me has their clothes so they could change after swimming), and they were going down the steep hill like it was nothing.
And was it worth climbing down? Totally! The water levels were not so high so the river was gently flowing. We had to climb down a couple more rock formations, and wow! just wow! something like 4 meters of thundering water and it was awesome! The water was crystal clear, you can actually see little fishes swimming all over.. The kids had a great time swimming and of course, we adults had a picnic! I think any Cambodian outing is incomplete without this… I know my description won’t do justice to Tatai Waterfall, so here are the photos..
Photos – Royal University of Phnom Penh
One of our favorite places to stroll about here in Phnom Penh is the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Late afternoon gets a little bit crowded there with young people having picnics, some playing soccer, some playing badminton and some ‘not-so-young’ doing some brisk walking.
The Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) is located along the corner of Confederation de la Russie and St. 598. The area is big with lots of trees, ponds, walking paths. It’s also free to get in as long as its open. Though its not as big but it does reminds me a bit of UP Diliman grounds.
The buildings are also lovely, some built in the 1960’s so the architecture is pretty interesting blend of Khmer and French influences. My daughter loves going to the ponds in the Institute of Foreign Language, lots of fishes there and you can even feed it..
Whenever we go there I can’t resist taking photos of the buildings and I’ve collected some to share. Enjoy!
Royal University of Phnom Penh (Photos)
Khmer Restaurant: Boat Noodles
I love Khmer food but I must admit I’m nowhere near good when it comes to cooking it. I’m always pressed for time and one characteristic of Khmer cuisine is the freshness of ingredients (and I don’t have time to go to the market daily..) and lots of spices that needs to be chopped/grated/minced etc.
So when I crave Khmer food, I either resort to the cooking of my nice mother-in-law who spoils us several times a week with her always delicious Khmer cooking. But I’m not that thick-skinned to eat at my in-laws house everytime though I know they would welcome it. So we usually head out and try out different Khmer restaurants around Phnom Penh.
One of our favorite Khmer Restaurants is Boat Noodles Phnom Penh. This homey restaurant is located in St. 294, near the Philippine Embassy. It’s menu features a lot of Khmer and Thai favorites. It’s hard to miss this place if you’re looking for it. The facade is full of potted plants, statuettes with a lot of cars and motos parked especially during lunch and dinner hours. It’s popular among locals, expats and tourists alike.
Why we love it? The menu is extensive, delicious and affordable. Mains usually goes for $2-3. A family meal for 3 would not go beyond $15. Another reason is the ambiance. It has the look and feel of a traditional Khmer house, wooden decor, Khmer silk, surrounded by lush plants and fishes swimming in small ponds. Their staff too is an asset, speaks English well and you can easily request to tone down the spiciness of some of the dishes. And the last reason we like eating in Boat Noodles Restaurant – their fried ice cream. Chewy crust filled with ice cream deep fried and drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with cream and cherries. For some reason, Chinkee just loves it.
My favorites – spicy Khmer salad with beef and basil, green papaya salad and Cambodian fresh spring rolls. Hubby loves the tom yum soup best. If you’re visiting Phnom Penh and looking for affordable and authentic Khmer cuisine plus good ambiance, Boat Noodle Restaurant is worth the visit.
Boat Noodles Phnom Penh
Went Shopping with $20 and Got This..
I was in need of a little retail therapy. I had been in a horrendous mood for the last couple of days, must be PMS or I simply have tons to do and no time to do facials or even have pedicure. Anyway, a few days ago, I decided to treat myself to some shopping. I wanted to go early so the malls were not an option so I went to Psar Tuol Tompoung (Russian Market) to see what I could interest me.
That’s one the things I miss in Manila. The malls and shopping 
. From where we lived in Cavite, an SM Mall was just a couple of minutes stroll so I usually have my retail fix every so often. Here in Phnom Penh, though there are air-conditioned malls I find them too smallish and some vendors are really in for the kill (I mean they really overprice!) so I prefer going there with a Khmer (more bargaining power..) or I just go over to Tuol Tompoung Market. I guess malling isn’t yet so much a part of Cambodia culture .
I decided to play a little game and see what I could buy with $20. I figured not much. I was wrong. One of the reasons Tuol Tompoung Market is really popular with the tourists – Brand Name Clothing @ a fraction of its original price. No, they are not second hand. All brand new, I don’t have any idea how it got there but I have a few guesses. They are all from garments factories from all over Phnom Penh. Brands like Calvin Klein, Levis, Gap, Colombia, Billabong, Banana Republic, Dockers, Old Navy, H & M to name a few and in-house brands of some US chains like K-Mart.
So, if one really has a thing for brand name clothing at super discounted prices then you wouldn’t mind, the hot and claustrophobic market. It’s actually fun and reminded me so much of Divisoria, Manila on its not so crowded days.
After about an hour shopping around, I spent a total of $16 and here’s what I got!
2 Old Navy Tank Tops, 3 Old Navy Stretch Pants (perfect for working out!) and 2 H & M shirts for Chinks. Not Bad for less than $20 bucks. Now, I’m planning my next shopping outing..
If you’re visiting Phnom Penh, Tuol Tompoung Market (check the map here) is a must visit. Not only can you find Western clothing at bargain prices, but this place is also full-packed with quality souvenirs, Cambodian silk, and if you’re gastronomically adventurous, try out the yummy Cambodian food on the food stalls in the middle of the market.
A Peek At a Mondulkiri Tribe
On the second day of our Mondulkiri trip we spent a lot of time visiting schools and the second school we visited is located in the village called Putang where there are tribes living. You’d easily get seduced with the surroundings, grassy hills, valleys, pine trees, and cool breeze. I envisioned a village that is rural and lacking the trappings of modern life but I was surprised that the houses were modern enough but still constructed in traditional Khmer style – held up on stilts and some are concrete. The photo below is what a typical rural Khmer house looks like. Though the roof is already made of tin. I’ve seen roofing made of clay tiles and I find it really fabulous.
I assumed before that this style was because of the frequent flooding in the lowlands but then traditional houses in the uplands are the same so that must be really the traditional style. I asked a couple of Cambodians why traditional houses are high up and help up on stilts and they said its mostly because farmers and families in rural, agricultural areas usually have oxes or cows for farming and they are sheltered under the house. The extra space down below also give them extra space to do housework with a lot of breeze. That made sense to me.
Minority tribes here are very welcoming and when we went to the village school they even prepared a welcome dance and prayer in their own tribe dialect. The tribes elders all gathered around in a circle with a big jar with bamboo straws for drinking. I was curious about the contents and I was later told it was a traditional wine and since the place was an upland and cold at night so they like drinking wine. It also part of their tribal ritual. After the tribesmen said their prayers and extended their welcome to us, they all took out their simple “gong-like” instruments. It looked simple but they could definitely whip up some good rhythm out of it. Then they danced in simple steps in a circle.
I was fascinated by their colorful cloth, the women’s hair accessories and the earrings. Check out the photos, you’d obviously see why.. This visit to the minority village certainly added a different, eye-opening aspect to our trip. For a foreigner like me things like this brings valuable insights about Cambodia culture. I really hope that though these tribes embrace modern conveniences, immigrant as well as foreign influences, they’d still be able to hold on to their beautiful and unique culture.
Phnom Penh’s Traditional Markets, A Must Visit…
There is great shopping you can do here in Phnom Penh, be forewarned though that argain shopping here can be done not in the comforts of airconditioned malls like in other countries but in traditional Cambodian markets. The main rule of the shopping game here is: BARGAIN!
Markets in Phnom Penh are usually open from 6:00 am till 5:00 pm. For tourists here, I’d really advice shopping in some shops selling handicrafts and textiles as some of these are raising funds for poor Cambodians.
Here’s a little overview of where to go shopping and what are the best finds in these markets:
Central Market or Psar Thmei
At the time of writing this post, this market is under renovation so vendors are temporarily located on makeshift stalls along the streets surrounding the market. Since these stalls are temporary, it can get unbearably hot because its a little crowded. Anyway, once the market is done being renovated things will get a little easier.
The main Art Deco building is really prominent , dome shaped with four wings. I’m not sure how it’ll look like once the work is finished. These market has plenty of stalls selling gold and silver jewelry, antique coins, clothing and other accessories. You can also find stalls selling Cambodian krama or scarves, household items, clothes for sarong, and also second-hand clothes. The market also has a fresh food section. One side of the market also has stalls selling fresh flowers and potted plants.
The Central Market is really a must visit for avid shoppers as it has a wide range of products you can choose from. Be wary though about being overcharged so bargain until you can get the best price.
Psar Tuol Tom Poung or Russian Market
During the 1980’s Russians living here frequented this market that is why it has earned this nick name. Located on corner of St. 440 and 163, near Mao Tse Toung Blvd. (I’m so lucky I live so near this place ). This market is really crowded and it could get unbearably hot. Best time to go is after lunch, less crowds but its hot..The pathways inside can be so narrow so be forewarned, if you go at busy hours, be prepared to squeeze your way in.
This is the most popular market among tourists as it the best place to buy souvenirs. It has a wide variety of real and fake antiques, wooed carvings, silk, silver jewelry. Another reason why foreigners love this market – brand name clothing made from garment factories here in Phnom Penh can be bought here at less than 15% of its original price. Brands like Gap, Columbia, Levis, Calvin Klein, Dockers, Quicksilver and more are all here. There are also several stalls selling pirated DVD’s, CD’s and computer programs.
A Peek at a Mondulkiri Tribe
On the second day of our Mondulkiri trip we spent a lot of time visiting schools and the second school we visited is located in the village called Putang where there are tribes living. You’d easily get seduced with the surroundings, grassy hills, valleys, pine trees, and cool breeze. I envisioned a village that is rural and lacking the trappings of modern life but I was surprised that the houses were modern enough but still constructed in traditional Khmer style – held up on stilts and some are concrete. The photo below is what a typical rural Khmer house looks like. Though the roof is already made of tin. I’ve seen roofing made of clay tiles and I find it really fabulous.
I assumed before that this style was because of the frequent flooding in the lowlands but then traditional houses in the uplands are the same so that must be really the traditional style. I asked a couple of Cambodians why traditional houses are high up and help up on stilts and they said its mostly because farmers and families in rural, agricultural areas usually have oxes or cows for farming and they are sheltered under the house. The extra space down below also give them extra space to do housework with a lot of breeze. That made sense to me.
Minority tribes here are very welcoming and when we went to the village school they even prepared a welcome dance and prayer in their own tribe dialect. The tribes elders all gathered around in a circle with a big jar with bamboo straws for drinking. I was curious about the contents and I was later told it was a traditional wine and since the place was an upland and cold at night so they like drinking wine. It also part of their tribal ritual. After the tribesmen said their prayers and extended their welcome to us, they all took out their simple “gong-like” instruments. It looked simple but they could definitely whip up some good rhythm out of it. Then they danced in simple steps in a circle.
I was fascinated by their colorful cloth, the women’s hair accessories and the earrings. Check out the photos, you’d obviously see why.. This visit to the minority village certainly added a different, eye-opening aspect to our trip. For a foreigner like me things like this brings valuable insights about Cambodia culture. I really hope that though these tribes embrace modern conveniences, immigrant as well as foreign influences, they’d still be able to hold on to their beautiful and unique culture.
