Travel information

At timеs, Phnоm Pеnh, Cambоdia, сan fееl a bit hесtiс and maybе a littlе intimidating.  I thоrоughly еnjоyеd my stay and whilе thеrе lеarnеd variоus survival taсtiсs in оrdеr tо maке visiting Phnоm Pеnh slightly еasiеr and mоrе managеablе.    Sоmе оf thеsе survival taсtiсs might еvеn tеaсh yоu a fеw lеssоns оn hоw tо bе nativе in Cambоdia.  In any way, havе an awеsоmе timе in Phnоm Pеnh; a сity that I соnsidеr tо havе a grеat mixturе оf еntеrtainmеnt, dеliсaсiеs, humоr, and grеat fоlкs.

Phnоm Pеnh

1.  Tunе Оut a Littlе

It is uttеrly unavоidablе that all оpеratоrs оf all fоrms оf mоtоrizеd transpоrtatiоn will pursuе yоu fоr a ridе.  Mоtоrсyсlеs will pass, nоtiсе yоu arе a fоrеignеr, and thеn rеvеrsе in an attaск tо sесurе a jоb.  If yоu say “nо” thеy will smilе and asк again as if yоu didn’t hеar thеm, оvеr and оvеr.

Survival: If yоu dоn’t want tо еvеntually gо slightly сrazy, nоd nеgativеly with a friеndly smilе оn yоur faсе соntinuоusly.

2.  Chat with Lосals

Mоst lосals in Phnоm Pеnh arе gеnuinеly friеndly and mоrе than willing tо соnvеrsе.  Arоund thе main tоurist sесtоr sоmе оf thе tоuts havе bесоmе a littlе dоdgy but arе still vеry friеndly.

Survival: Avоid thе tоurist arеas and сhat оr asк fоr adviсе frоm lосal Cambоdians.  Many arе awеsоmе tо talк tо and spеaк Еnglish surprisingly wеll.

3.  Havе Fооd tо Givе Away

Thеrе arе many bеggars in Phnоm Pеnh whо hоld оut thеir hands and rеquеst sоmе fоrm оf mоnеtary сurrеnсy, US Dоllars bеing thе mоst widеly bеggеd.  I dоn’t partiсularly always suppоrt thе giving оf mоnеy as it сan bе highly misusеd.  I hоwеvеr dо suppоrt hеlping оthеrs if thеy rеally nееd a basiс nесеssity.

Survival: Havе sоmе form of food or snacks (bananas, nuts, jackfruit) readily available to distribute to the hands that ask for the US Dollars.

Traffic Phnom Penh

4.  Cross the Streets

At rush hour, there is an always present flow of steaming traffic with few traffic lights, leaving next to zero options to cross from side to side.  One night I failed my brilliant idea to cross the street on foot by sprinting and then merging myself into the traffic…didn’t work.

Survival: A group is the best way to cross the street.  Stay huddled and move from one lane to the next (be in the middle).  If you are alone, slowly proceed one step at a time.  If someone is about to hit you, hold out your hand and always attempt to make eye contact.  Get across the street slowly and cautiously.

5.  Afternoon Coffee Break

With the French influence (similar to relaxing in Vientiane Laos), coffee shops in Phnom Penh serving stout brews are abundant.  When you order an afternoon coffee, a complimentary pot of Chinese tea is also served to you (or 6 pots in my case).  Not a bad deal in my opinion.  Many coffee shops will also offer bread or a delicious dim sum Chinese steamed bun known as Banh Bao which is a bit of a comfort food for me.

Survival: To remain calm and collected amidst a backdrop of chaos, enjoy a quiet afternoon coffee and tea.  The combination’s of caffeine will always result in positive effects.  I frequented a place right across the street from the Russian Market where many coffee houses await.

Afternoon Tea

6.  Accommodation

My stay in Phnom Penh was indeed a pleasant one and fit well within my designated budget.  Around the Boeung Kak Lake, there are numerous guest houses offering satisfactory lodging options.  I stayed at the No Problem guest house at the end of Street 93.

Note: The lake is being developed and filled in with land and may not be around for too much longer.

Survival: Get a room with a friend or two on the Boeung Kak lake front for about $4 and you most likely can sustain living life for quite a sum of time.

7.  Food Partaking

I wasn’t going to let this article slip away without the mention of a few of the delicacies that are imperative to stuff.  Local Cambodian food is exquisite and ranges from delicious ginger chicken to coconut fish curry and bitter melon pork.  The sauces and chili sauces accompanying are equally seductive.  Num Pang, or baguettes stuffed with pate, luncheon meat, vegetables, and sauces, are superb and resemble the Laos version of the sandwich.  The famous tamarind juice from the Kandal Market was unbelievable.

Survival: Try anything and everything especially if it looks good and the eatery is hopping with business.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Num Pang (Baguette Sandwich)- Located all over the city.  For an awesome experience go to the Wat Phnom Garden round-a-bout near the Cambodian-Japanese Friendship Bridge.
• Amok Trey- Stunning fish in a coconut blended curry.  Find this dish all over the city.
• Cha Knyey- Braised chicken with pepper and loads of ginger.  I ate this dish in the Old Market (Psah Chas).
• Nom Banhchok (Cambodia Noodles)-  Rice noodles with vegetable and awesome sauce and chilies.
• Tamarind Juice: Get lost in Kandal Market and ask for it!

Num Pang Sandwich

8.  Heat Stroke

The afternoon sun in Phnom Penh penetrates with a brute force.  It can dehydrate you and take advantage of you with haste.  Don’t be a victim to the harsh rays.

Survival: water, hat, sunscreen, hydration, rest, coconut juice, tamarind juice

Coconut Hydration

9.  Money Exchange

The US Dollar and Cambodian Riel (KHR) are interchangeable currencies in Cambodia.  However, on the street, the exchange rate is lower than what local banks and exchanges offer.

• Street/Business:       $1=4000KHR
• Bank or Exchange: $1=4155KHR to 4200KHR (at our visit it was 4190KHR)

Ultimate Survival (Note: figures are when I was in Phnom Penh in Jan 2010):

1. A standard meal on the street will cost $1 or 4000KHR
2. Instead of using $1, exchange it at a convenient exchanger for 4190KHR
3. If you exchange $20 you will get 83,800KHR which the banker will round up to 84,000KHR
4. You will have made 4000KHR, or more importantly a Khmer LUNCH
5. Do this everyday and it is the ultimate survival tactic for Phnom Penh

Cambodian Riel and US Dollar

Migration Mark had a glorious time in Phnom Penh discovering awesome things and researching migrationology.