it has been more than 3 years since the first i went to Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Phnom Penh 2009). I've decided to spend my Christmas holiday here as my dad was here again for work and it would be nice so spend christmas in another place before going home to Philippines.
Christmas eve dinner with the old man. hehe.
i spent a week in Phnom Penh including my flights in/out of this country. I did prepare an itinerary BUT didn't follow coz most of the places i wanted to see were closed plus i was sick so i basically spent the entire trip getting lost, food tripping, experiencing the wonderful bliss of spa and shopping.
TIP: avoid going during Christmas holiday season as most of the establishments were closed. some will open after new year.
places i wanted to see but were closed during my intended date of visit during Christmas season:
1. Deco
2. Bloom Cafe
3. Daughters of Cambodia Visitor Centre
4. Nataraj Yoga
GETTING TO/OUT/AROUND
I took malaysia airlines going to/out of Phnom Penh. There was lay over in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for a few hours as there was no direct flight from Jakarta. I managed to book promo flights via this airline which turned out to be cheaper compared with the other airlines (especially low cost ones). yay for that!
Phnom Penh International Airport
as for going around Phnom Penh, i always take tuktuk. one of the hotel's staff have a sideline of driving a tuktuk around so i got his services to drive me to my desired destinations. minimum amount i paid for each ride was 2$ usd. the farther the place, the higher it will cost.
Tuktuk tip: ask first how much would it cost from point A to point B and then haggle!
walking can also be done along the streets of Phnom Penh. I got lost most of the time so instead of hailing tuktuk, i walked. haha!
ACCOMMODATION
lucky for me i stayed at my dad's hotel during my stay. i stayed at Comfort Star Hotel for a week. My dad stayed here as it was the nearest hotel to his workplace. This hotel is at Monivong Boulevard. quite far from the action though near to russian market. room was big and wide, fast wifi, and hotel staff were pleasant and accommodating.
clockwise from left: 2 big beds, room door and bathroom, my dad watching his koreanovela (couch and closet), office area
TOURIST ATTRACTION
for the entire time of my stay, i have done only one tourist-y thing in Phnom Penh. That is to visit the National Museum.
Tip: best time to visit is late afternoon around 3 - 4 pm. since the museum closes at 5 pm, 1 - 1 1/2 hours are enough to explore the museum.
National Museum's Facade
middle area of the museum
SHOPPING
We went to 2 places: Sorya Shopping Center and Russian Market
Sorya Shopping Center
for all your tiangge needs. not so much souvenirs to buy here but more of RTW needs. you can buy clothes, gadgets, DVDs, accessories and more. Don't forget to haggle!
Russian Market
i love love russian market! i love shopping made-from-cambodia items! from bags to tunic tops, it was heaven! Plus, my siblings loved all my souvenirs i got for them which were house decorations and cambodian tunics and pants. if only i had massive space in my bag, i would have shopped for more!
SPA
okaaaaay, for those who knows me personally, i was never a fan of massages and spas. i never had a full body massage nor experience spa before BUT for some reason, maybe boredom or the flu, made me look for a spa place during this trip. Based on the reviews i have read online plus it's accessibility, i walked in to The Villa Paradiso Spa. BEST DECISION ever! it was like entering into a whole new world. literally. haha! as soon as you enter, you won't feel that you are in a bustling city. pure bliss!
kudos from the receptionists to massage therapists for pampering me so well. i was so inlove with the place and experience that i treated my dad for a massage a few days after my visit for him to experience it too! he loved it!
i had the aromatherapy massage on my first visit and then the kmher traditional massage on my second visit. both were awesome! if only i have known this place beforehand, i would have booked for an overnight stay! aaaack!
heaven!!!
my second visit. my dad was delighted with the experience. haha!
FOOD
for the endless list of recommended restaurants to try, it was so hard to choose where to go! here are some places i got to check out and dined...
Comme a la Maison
dined on my 2nd night in Phnom Penh. I was not feeling so well so i didn't get to enjoy my food that much. i did love the cake. it was so damn expensive but oh so yummy!
food ordered: risotto (i forgot my dad's. haha!)
cake: strawberry cheesecake with roasted almonds and strawberry sauce
Cafe Yejj
a stone away from russian market. my dad and i dined here for lunch after we shopped. i didn't like my food that much. serving was too small but i did love the mango shake! perfect drink for an otherwise humid weather.
food ordered: lime and honey grilled chicken with avocado salsa and sweet corn rice
The Shop
I read good reviews of this restaurant over tripadvisor but for me, it was ok. nothing to rave about. went here for brunch and it was a bit crowded. as much as i would like to stay a bit longer, i felt like i just have to finish my food and leave. Maybe because all the servers are in a hurry that even i felt i need to hurry. oh well.
food ordered: breakfast melt (yummy!)
Cafe Fresco
I was supposed to hit yoga that morning but it was closed so i walked from the yoga place enroute to this cafe to grab breakfast instead. servers were accommodating and nice.
food ordered: clubhouse sandwich
Jars of Clay
i love jars of clay! one of my favorite restaurants in phnom penh! after a solo trip to russian market, i went here for brunch. cozy ambiance and the food was great! plus massive servings in an affordable price!
food ordered: chicken and mango salad cake: mango cheesecake (the BEST mango cheesecake i have tasted at this side of the world! trust me when i say it's awesome coz it's really that good!)
Hagar (Catering) Restaurant
Before i even got to Phnom Penh, i have already been researching where to have Christmas eve dinner. I wanted the cheap but good buffet type so i decided to book christmas eve dinner here with my dad. i have called one day before to reserve a table and they called the day itself to confirm the reservations.
the restaurant is a training center for local people who are in restaurant industry. everyone is attentive and their effort to accommodate diners was something to smile about.
food wise, it was good. though my dad didn't like the beef dishes as the meat was not tender enough. we both enjoyed the fish dish (i forgot its name). as for the desserts, cakes were good but nothing to hype.
my dad and i realized that night that we are not the buffet type of people. hahaha!
Romdeng Restaurant
my number 1 restaurant in phnom penh!!!! you will miss a lot if you don't dine here!!! if there's one restaurant in phnom penh i would recommend for everyone to try is ROMDENG!!! emphasis on the exclamation points!!! hahahaha!
my dad had a send off party 2 nights before we leave Phnom Penh so i was to have my dinner by my self which was fine by me. Off i went to Romdeng, expecting nothing but boy, i was simply mesmerized!
ambiance of the place was cozy and home-y both for day and night time.
anyway, i've been reading that they serve tarantula and because of that curiosity, i found myself ordering one for starters. hahaha! i don't know if i ate it correctly but i loved the experience. i can now brag that i ate a crispy tarantula. haha!
since my first time experience was great, i brought my dad here for lunch on our last day in Phnom Penh. we enjoyed our food minus the tarantula. hehe.
food ordered: (dinner) crispy tarantula, fish amok, banana fritters with lime syrup and coconut ice cream; (lunch) prawn in crispy taro nest with palm wine and honey vinaigrette, steamed mekong river fish with ginger sauce and basil, palm sugar and soy braised boneless duck with chinese cabbage, rice flour and turmeric crepes filled with caramelized banana with coconut gelato.
crispy tarantula, anyone?
lunch with fathergoose
Final Thoughts About Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh holds a special place in my heart as this destination was the
purpose i have started my love affair with DIY trips. funny that every
time i come to visit this kingdom I'm always sick. literally bed ridden
sick. last time i was having a sever asthma episode that lasted for
almost the entire duration of my stay. and this time, i had a stupid
flu.
moreover, this trip made me realize that sometimes a laid back vacation is necessary to fully enjoy the essence of being on a holiday. in fact, on my last night i was disappointed of leaving phnom penh as i felt i just got there. i do hope that i'll get to visit Phnom Penh again in the near future. let's cross fingers to that!
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