Going Out

Food and Drink

As elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the quality of the food is a draw in its own right. Khmer cuisine shares much with that of both Thailand and China, although it tends to steer clear of excessive use of spices. Quality restaurants are found in all areas that see mainstream tourism, while cheap but tasty food stalls are ubiquitous around the country. Most meals are rice-based.

National specialities:
• Prahok (fermented fish paste) is used to flavour many dishes.
• Local fruits include banana, coconut, the durian fruit (known for its distinctive odour), jackfruit, longan fruit, lychee, pineapple and rambutan fruit (which has translucent white flesh).
• Crispy fried spiders are a snack for the adventurous in Northern Cambodia.
• Amok trey (fish in a thick coconut curry sauce, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed).
• Rice noodles proliferate and can be bought covered in curry sauce from street vendors.

National drinks:
• Fresh coconut juice.
• Green tea.
• Rice wine.
• The local beer is called Angkor.
• The most popular, and refreshing, Khmer drink is soda water with a squeeze of lemon.

Legal drinking age: There are no age restrictions.

Tipping: Tips are appreciated in hotels and restaurants where no service charge has been added, and by tour guides.

Nightlife

It’s not difficult to find vibrant nightlife in Cambodia, particularly in heavily visited destinations such as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (which neighbours the Angkor Temple Complex). Bars and restaurants are plentiful, ranging from down-and-dirty drinking holes to smart cocktail bars. Outright nightclubs are few and far between, although girlie bars are anything but rare – be sure to check a venue out before handing over a cover charge.

Most major hotels offer entertainment of their own, with properties in Siem Reap especially good at hosting traditional dance performances during high season. Gambling is a major pastime in Cambodia and there are several casinos in Sihanoukville and on the border with Thailand.

Shopping

Visitors to Cambodia have a tendency to leave with bulkier luggage than on arrival: the country’s markets are heavy with potential souvenirs, ranging from silks, textiles and statues to carvings, silverwork and Buddhist artworks. Unique to Cambodia is the omnipresent krama (a unisex checked scarf usually made of cotton), while silk can be bought either by the length, or in the form of scarves and other garments. Jewellery, ceramics, clothing, CDs and DVDs are widespread in city markets (try Phnom Penh Central Market as a starting point) – go prepared to haggle.

Shopping hours: Daily 0800-2000.