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Local Cambodian food (2 hrs)

Of course you’ll have to try some dishes of Cambodian cuisine. A restaurant with a very nice and quiet ambiance is Khmer Surin Restaurant. In this clean restaurant you can try all kind of local delights, like fish amok and Chicken with ginger and lime. And don’t forget to order a wonderful Cambodian Angkor beer. You will find this restaurant at number 9, Street 57.

If you have a strong stomach and like to try a real local place, try the Cambodian BBQ in a restaurant like Sovanna for example. Just order the meat you like, and they will serve you some sauces and vegetables you can use. If you want you can order some fried rice with it. For sure this is a very local style of dining and your dinner will only cost a few dollars. Sovanna can be found at number 2C in street 21 and another one at number 10 in street 21.

Bar streets (1 hr - 1 night)

Street 104 is located at the northern end of the riverfront area. It is packed with little bars, restaurants and guesthouses. It is an ideal ‘bar hopping’ street. Unfortunately the bars are known for its prostitutes as well.

It is a great place to for happy hours in the early evening. Most of the bars get going around 5 pm. Depending on the presence of customers to keep them busy, some places stay open very late.

Another great street full of nice bars is street 136 in the middle of the riverfront area.

Art Street (1-2 hrs)

Street 178, is known as ‘Art street”. It is the street near the National Museum and the Royal University of Fine Arts. There are a lot of shops that sell local and Buddhist paintings, (religious) sculptures and much more.

If you're lucky you will see the artists working on their artwork. And if you like to buy large pieces, most shops ship overseas.

Central market (1-2 hrs)

The distinctive building of the Central Market is a city landmark. The Central Market was built in 1937 and is a masterpiece of Art Deco design. The building features a huge central dome with four wings.

It is a perfect place to buy Silver, jewellery, clothes and souvenirs. This market is inside, so it is perfect to go to when the sun is too bright or when it's raining. The market is open daily from 8 am to 6 pm.

French cuisine Le Wok (2 hrs)

If you had enough of the local food you can try something else. The French have been many years in Cambodia, so they have a long history of French cuisine as well.

A Frenchman owns Le Wok and the food has the real French taste. They serve great meats, starters and deserts and wonderful wines. If you are with a mixed crowd, they serve some local dishes and pastas as well, but we suggest you go for the French menu.

You will find Le Wok, at number 33 Eo Street 178. They are open daily from 8 am to 11 pm. If you like to make a reservation, call them at 092 82 18 57.

Night market (1-2 hrs)

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night there’s a night market in Phnom Penh from 6 to 11 pm. You can find this market at Sisovath Quay between street 106 and 108.

The goods you will find here is the usual stuff sold at night markets around Asia. There are also a lot of food stalls mainly selling Cambodian snacks or simple dishes. And if you’re lucky, there will be a Cambodian concert at the market as well. Cambodia’s got talent!

FCC (1-2 hrs)

If you’ve had enough of Cambodian food and snacks, you should go to the FCC, the Foreign Correspondent Club. This is a good place if you like to have some western style food.

From the restaurant at the first floor you get a great view on the Tonle Sap River. This is the place where western tourists and expats gather during the weekend or after work. The sunset happy hour (from 5 to 7 pm) is a perfect transition from day to evening.

The place is open from 7 am to midnight and is also great for just a coffee or a drink, and they have wifi. They also serve lunch. Great pizzas, pastas, burgers and sandwiches are on the menu. The food is good, but more expensive then the rest of Phnom Penh.

The address is: 363 Sisovath Quay. More information can be found here.

Russian Market (1 hr)

Another huge shopping area is the Russian market. At this market you can buy thousands of things you don't really need, and gifts for people who don't need them as well, but you'll have a marvellous experience just looking around.

Really anything can be found here: souvenirs, clothes, bags, household stuff, crockery, decoration stuff and also fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.

The market is located a bit out of the centre of Phnom Penh, but it’s easy to take a tuktuk for just us$2 or 3. The drivers know where it is, but it is located between streets 155, 163, 444 and 450. The opening hours are from 7 am to 5 pm.

Phsar Kandall (1 hr)

One of the most local markets in Phnom Penh is Phsar Kandall, next to Wat Ounalom. This is where the locals buy their food, drinks and household stuff.

It is really a local market and that’s why it is not really hygienic. But for sure it’s nice to see the daily life of the Cambodians and great to take some pictures. Be careful with your belongings of course.

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Language of the world

Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Phnom Penh.