By Jay Austin
Jet’s Container Night Market opened in March 2017, showcasing an array of restaurants, shops and bars all housed in shipping containers. The market kicks off, 7 nights a week, at 4pm and goes until midnight. Although crowded, this is one of Phnom Penh’s newest evening hot spots. We recommend guests to try at least one drink at one of the rooftop container bars which offer a great view of the surroundings. You can see a short video of market here.
By Jay Austin
Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s bustling capital and for years it has been known as the hot, busy business center of the country. After a recent re-exploration of Phnom Penh, we discovered that there is more here than meets the eye and it certainly warrants more than a mere 24 hours to soak it all in. This is an exciting time for Cambodia as a country and as a culture. Following years of atrocities and war, the country is beginning to revive itself. What we are seeing now is an explosion of art & culture which is taking Cambodia back to its former glory as one of the hottest places in Southeast Asia. This is particularly evident in Phnom Penh where international influence has blended with local culture to create some truly exceptional experiences.
This 3 day suggested itinerary merely scratches the surface of all that Phnom Penh has to offer the discerning traveler, but we are sure it will keep you enthralled and show you exactly why we are so lucky to call this incredible country home. A further 2 days could easily be spent with Phnom Penh as a base to explore the ancient capitol just outside the city, spend some time at the Sun Bear sanctuary or just enjoy the extensive range of restaurants and bars that this city has to offer.
Phnom Penh is also a wonderful starting point for trips to many other interesting Cambodian destinations such as Siem Reap, Battambang, Kep or Koh Rong Sanloem. This is a place that was formerly known as a gateway which has become a destination in itself!
Day 1 –History and Architecture
This morning you will enjoy a wonderful introduction to Cambodia’s architectural history as you slowly move through the small side streets of Phnom Penh in the most traditional form of transport, a cyclo. This tour is lead by an architectural specialist who is there to provide you with some wonderful insight into the architectural elements of the city’s inner core.
With your newly acquired architectural knowledge, you will be able to take in the Royal Palace and National Museum this afternoon in a new light. Experience Cambodia’s rich history as your expert guide leads you through some of Cambodia’s most beautiful places and takes you on a journey of the past.
This evening you are going local! You will be met by Cambodian Chef, Mr. Nara who will guide you comfortably through a number of markets and street food locations as you sample the local Cambodian snacks along the way. For dinner this evening you will be invited to join Nara at one of his favorite local restaurants before returning to your hotel.
Day 2 – Reminiscing and Moving Forward
This morning you will visit former Khmer Rouge prison camp S21 which is a sobering experience for most. Here you will have the opportunity to meet the 2 survivors of the camp who have gone on to write inspirational books about their experiences in this harrowing time of Cambodia’s history. From here you will drive out to the Killing Fields, a quiet place of memory for those who were lost during this tragic time. This is a sombering experience indeed, but also an experience that all should have, simply to marvel at how quickly the people have come back from such a horrific time. This will help you to truly appreciate how far Cambodia has come in the last 20 years.
Head back to the city to enjoy lunch at Friends Café, operated in support of a local NGO who works with poor and disadvantaged children to provide them with education and a better life.
This afternoon is for adventure! You will be collected by the fantastic team at MotoGirl to explore Phnom Penh on the back of one of their signature pink motorbikes, like the locals do! Visit local villages, the silk island and learn from these wonderful young entrepreneurs about their favorite places in Phnom Penh and on the outskirts of the city. Return to your hotel at approximately 5pm to freshen up for this evening’s special dinner.
At 6pm your driver will collect you with another incredible young Chef, Mr. Veasna who will be taking you to a private river-font apartment this evening to prepare a special gourmet Cambodian meal for you. Relax on the balcony overlooking the river and enjoy Phnom Penh from above as Veasna prepares you an unforgettable meal.
Day 3 – Culture and Culinary Experience
Today you will hit the markets with Chef Nara to purchase the ingredients you will require for you morning cooking class. Watch and learn as Nara barters on the price of vegetables and even give it a go for yourself. Enjoy your guided tour through the chaos before heading to your cooking station at Feelgood Café to start learning. Nara will guide you through the process of putting together 3 tasty traditional Cambodian dishes which you will enjoy for lunch.
This afternoon you will visit one of Cambodia’s largest not-for-profit organizations whose primary focus is on art and culture. You will be guided by one of their expert teachers in the art and forms of traditional Cambodian dancing, called Apsara Dancing. This 3 hour workshop will help you to gain a broader understanding of the traditions of Cambodia and how the art forms were almost lost and are now experiencing a revival thanks to organizations such as this one.
Take a break and head to the riverside for an early dinner this evening before returning to the National Museum to take in the Cambodian Living Arts traditional dance show. This is reputed to be the best performance of Cambodian traditional dance in the country!
This short 3 day itinerary can be combined with any larger itinerary package, or can stand alone for travelers looking for a short stop-over in Phnom Penh. The price for this touring will vary depending on the number of travelers, and the level of accommodations. … Read more »
A lot of our tours are for first-time visitors to Cambodia, which is great, but you can’t fit in a lot of the more remote options in these tours so I always love it when returning guests want an itinerary that takes them away from the main highlights and explores a little more off the beaten track. This last week I had a wonderful guest who wanted just that. She has a short amount of time, but a large amount of energy and spirit! I was, in fact, so excited for this that I ended up putting together two itinerary options for her. One includes Battambang and its amazing train, and the other goes East out of Phnom Penh and includes some of the more remote and, in my opinion, more unique temples. Our guest did choose one of the following tours for her Easter holiday. Which one do you think she chose and which one would you choose?
-Andrea Ross, CEO of Journeys Within
Journeys Within Custom Classic Cambodia – Option 1
24 Mar 16 Phnom Penh: Arrival
Arrive on your flight – arriving Phnom Penh at 17:40.
Arrive in Phnom Penh where you will be met by an air conditioned van and driver and will be transferred to your hotel.
Meals Included: None
Overnight at La Librairie Hotel – 1Single Chambre Declassees
25 Mar 16 Phnom Penh: Royal Palace and National Museum
This morning take a tour of the Royal Palace, which to this day is still the royal residence. See the amazing royal collection and the beautiful architecture before heading to the National Museum, where you will be taken around by a trained museum guide who will show you some wonderful pre-Angkorean pieces as well as a number of special pieces from the temples. Return to your hotel for lunch or have your guide drop you off in town where they can help you find a good lunch spot. Remember to take a look at our Cheat Sheet which lists a number of our favorite restaurant recommendations!
Leave Phnom Penh early by air-conditioned car and head towards Battambang. The roads are basic and the countryside is a mix of small villages and rice fields. Here you retrace the steps of many Cambodians who, back in 1975, were forced from Phnom Penh and sent to Battambang to “work for the revolution.” On a good run the journey should take around 5 ½ hours. Once in Battambang, your guide will take you to your hotel in town.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at La Villa Hotel – 1Single Standard Room
26 Mar 16 Battambang: Village Tour with Bamboo Train
Have breakfast at your hotel before heading out into the countryside and learn more about life in one of the local villages. Here you can learn about local industries, such as the methods of making jars, rice paper, and spring rolls, and visit one of the markets where you can try some local delicacies. Continue on to Wat Banan, one of the best preserved temples in the area. Please note it is quite a climb up to the temple (360 steps!) but the view at the top is well worth the climb.
Enjoy a well-earned lunch at a local restaurant, before finishing your tour with the unique experience of riding the bamboo train. This fun little adventure will take you along an old track through some wonderful local countryside, where you will stop to visit the nearby brick factory and village before heading back to your hotel mid-afternoon.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at La Villa Hotel – 1Single Standard Room
27 Mar 16 Battambang: Thma Puok Village Homestay with Narla
After breakfast, you will be met at your hotel by your driver and Narla at 9:00am. The drive to Thma Puok is approximately 2 1/2 hours, and along the way you will stop in a village for an opportunity to try local snacks such as sticky rice. When you arrive in Thma Puok, you will go straight to Narla’s family home which will be your homestay for the evening. A traditional family lunch will be served, and you will have some free time to relax and chat with Narla’s family. Later in the afternoon, you will take a village walking tour where you will meet some of Narla’s relatives and neighbours before walking to Prasat Kasen (Mote Temple), and ancient Hindu temple located next to the village. In the evening, return to your homestay and enjoy a traditional dinner with Narla’s family and friends.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Homestay
28 Mar 16 Banteay Chhmar Temple and Drive to Siem Reap
Start the morning with your choice of a home-cooked traditional breakfast or go into the village for local-style noodle soup. After breakfast you will drive approximately 30 minutes to the beautiful Banteay Chhmar temple. Banteay Chhmar dates from the late 12th to the early 13th century and it means Narrow Fortress. The massive temple complex, along with its satellite shrines and reservoir (baray), comprises one of the most important and least understood archaeological complexes from Cambodia’s Angkor period. Next, you will take a short drive Banteay Top (Fortress of the Army) a small, but impressive temple that was constructed around the same time as Banteay Chhmar. You will enjoy a local picnic lunch at Banteay Top before making the 2 hour drive to Siem Reap. Narla will accompany you to your hotel for check-in before saying goodbye.
Meals Included: Breakfast and Picnic lunch
Overnight at The Aviary Hotel – 1Single Tailorbird Standard
29 Mar 16 Phnom Penh: Departure
Your guide will meet you at your hotel for your private hour-long transfer to the airport in Danang and will ensure that you arrive in time for your onward flight – Cambodia Angkor Air K67114 departing Siem Reap at 16:25 & arriving Phnom Penh at 17:10.
Catch your connecting flight – Departing Phnom Penh at 19:15.
Meals included: Breakfast
PLEASE NOTE
This itinerary is currently in progress and does not reflect hotel room availability. The pricing is not final until the itinerary has been confirmed and booked.
Tour Rate: $ 1,890.00 per person based on 1 people traveling.
Price includes:
Price excludes:
Journeys Within Custom Classic Cambodia (Option 2)
24 Mar 16 Phnom Penh: Arrival
Arrive on your flight – arriving Phnom Penh at 17:40.
Arrive in Phnom Penh where you will be met by an air conditioned van and driver and will be transferred to your hotel.
Meals Included: None
Overnight at La Librairie Hotel – 1Single Chambre Declassees
25 Mar 16 Day 1: Phnom Penh – Sambor Prei Kuk
Your driver will meet you at your hotel and will drive you to Kampong Thom. Arrive and relax at your hotel and enjoy the swimming pool.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Sambor Village Resort – 1Single Deluxe Single
26 Mar 16 Day 2: Sambor Prei Kuk – Preah Vihear
You will be met by a local community guide at your hotel and head to Sambor Prei Kuk, Pre-Angkorean temples that date to the 7th century. You can explore the temples by bicycle before enjoying lunch in a local home. After lunch, say goodbye to your guide then get back on the road to Preah Vihear and arrive in the early afternoon.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Preah Vihear Boutique Hotel – 1Single Deluxe Room
27 Mar 16 Day 3: Preah Vihear Temple
Today you will go to the much disputed border with Thailand to see Preah Vihear Temple. Preah Vihear sits atop a plateau overlooking the lower lands of Cambodia making for stunning views. The road getting to Preah Vihear varies depending on the season, but you drive through some wonderfully remote parts of rural Cambodia to get here, passing local villages and markets. Return to back to your hotel for afternoon at leisure.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Preah Vihear Boutique Hotel – 1Single Deluxe Room
28 Mar 16 Day 4: Koh Ker – Siem Reap
Visit Koh Ker in the morning when it is still cool. This was the old capital of King Jayavaraman IV when he moved the capital north from Angkor Wat to here. The temple itself has faced a lot of vandalism and many of the once beautiful sculptures are missing heads, but it still is a beautiful legacy to the Khmer Empire. If you have the energy, and aren’t afraid of heights you can climb to the top of the temple, the second tallest in Cambodia, so you can see above the forest line and enjoy amazing views of the rural countryside and the border of Thailand in the distance. Enjoy a basic noodle lunch at Koh Ker and if available meet an infamous soldier from the civil war. Known as a magic man, Ta Kok (Grandfather Kok) was a hero in his village…legend goes that bullets bounced off him and even a landmine exploding under him didn’t leave a scratch! He will be happy to answer questions through your guide and he can show you the tattoos that give him his magic power. He is now the head of police in Koh Ker and his wife runs the noodle stall.
After lunch start your return drive to Siem Reap, stopping for some famous bamboo sticky rice along the way.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at The Aviary Hotel – 1Single Tailorbird Standard
29 Mar 16 Phnom Penh: Departure
Your guide will meet you at your hotel for your private hour-long transfer to the airport in Danang and will ensure that you arrive in time for your onward flight – Cambodia Angkor Air K67114 departing Siem Reap at 16:25 & arriving Phnom Penh at 17:10.
Catch your connecting flight – Departing Phnom Penh at 19:15.
Meals included: Breakfast
PLEASE NOTE
This itinerary is currently in progress and does not reflect hotel room availability. The pricing is not final until the itinerary has been confirmed and booked.
Tour Rate: $ 1,815.00 per person based on 1 people traveling.
Price includes:
Price excludes:
It’s strange to see many of my Cambodian team and friends highlighting that today is the 40th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge entering Phnom Penh and “liberating” the country. At the time, Cambodia had been in a bitter civil war and many describe the initial jubilation of the war being over and the country being unified. Of course, anyone that knows the history of Cambodia knows that this jubilation quickly turned to confusion and then fear as Phnom Penh was evacuated, and millions died in the following years of Khmer Rouge rule.
So while I don’t think it’s a day that anyone will celebrate, it is a day to be remembered. You have to keep in mind that this was only 40 years ago, which means many in Cambodia still remember this day, many more remember the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge takeover, and still more make life choices based on this fateful day and the subsequent killings without even realizing it.
One of the most fascinating aspects of living in Cambodia was seeing the long-term effects of the Khmer Rouge regime. Many of our team still own guns, though buried and out of sight, “just in case.” There is also a fear of banks, and often money is kept under the mattress.
One stark example of how the Khmer Rouge’s policies are still influencing Cambodians today is personified by a tuk tuk driver we employed early on in our time in Cambodia. Though a wonderful young man with a great personality, it became apparent, through a couple of close calls, that he needed glasses. We told him we would be happy to buy them for him, but he refused, claiming he could see fine. Another couple of close calls later, we again insisted that we at least take him to get his eyes checked. And again, he refused. Finally, we came to realize that he had been told by his parents not to wear glasses; that wearing glasses made you stand out and was dangerous. Of course his parents hadn’t added that this was only dangerous if the Khmer Rouge came back to power.
During the Khmer Rouge regime anyone with an education was systematically killed, so wearing glasses had highlighted education and had gotten many intellectuals killed. If his parents had stated that their fear was driven by the Khmer Rouge, our tuk tuk driver would have scoffed at them and happily donned a pair of glasses. Instead it was just insinuated that wearing glasses was dangerous and bad luck, not something to be messed with.
Slowly we’ve seen these emotional scars of the war fade further and further into the deep psyche of the Cambodian people. But today, looking back on that fateful day 40 years ago, it’s important to remember the history of the Cambodian civil war, the effects of the Khmer Rouge’s rule, and the amazing progress that has been made by the country since the May 1993 democratic elections.
More sources:
Scars of the Khmer Rouge: How Cambodia is healing from a genocide
Four decades after Cambodia’s Year Zero… Read more »
The Made in Battambang art exhibition is opening up in Phnom Penh this week. A group exhibition, this show brings together visual artists, living and working in Cambodia’s former commercial hub…
Over the last few decades Battambang, one of Cambodia’s lesser known locales, has been transforming itself into an artistic hub.
Though it is one of the country’s most populous towns, it remains largely overlooked by visitors. Nestled on the Sangker River, southwest of the Tonle Sap Lake, Battambang has been quietly transforming itself into a center for the arts for the past few years.
In large part this is due to Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS), a Battambang-based not-for-profit Cambodian association established in 1994 to help vulnerable children and their communities. Using their art schools, social supports and educational programs, PPS are looking to help rebuild their country through the recognition of Khmer art and culture.
Over the last 20 years, the organization has attracted an increasing number of children from difficult situations; streets kids, trafficked children and orphans are among PPS’s alumni.
This thriving centre for art excellence has spurred a revival of galleries in Battambang — contemporary spaces such as Maek Maek, Sammaki, and Lotus gallery are on the rise.
Taking their talent to Phnom Penh, the Made in Battambang exhibition brings together 25 artists who live and work in western Cambodian town. Featuring more than 100 contemporary works this exhibit presents the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Khmer art, present and future.
Check out the Made in Battambang exhibit on Facebook here.
Made In Battambang opens on Feb. 13 at 6.30pm with a live painting session at Institut Francais Cambodge, 218 Street 184. It runs until Mar. 25.… Read more »