Another view of Phnom Penh

Of course you must have visited the S21 prison and the Killing Fields in the capital of Cambodia to get an impression of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. Wandering along the boulevard and soaking up the mighty Mekong River is also a must and of course there are temples. On the internet you will find a number of trips under 'What to do in Phnom Penh', but simply discovering something yourself is often a lot more fun than all those pre-made offers, not to mention often very cheap.

How about no less than two short boat trips for the price of 50 cents? Almost unbelievable but beware. Most tourists are fond of the entertainment options along the boulevard overlooking the Mekong River. However, there is also an other side that seems very far away but is easy to reach.

Come with me and take a tuk tuk to the ferry where the boats carry cars, motorcycles and pedestrians across the Mekong. You can use the ferry on the far left to cross over to the very large Sokha hotel, which is a striking eye-catcher when viewed from all sides. The crossing costs no money because for 500 riel or 12 ½ dollar cents you get to the other side. Take a walk to the small Muslim community that is not exactly luxuriously housed there. Photographers can probably shoot a nice picture. Walking further along this side of the Mekong you will see a lot of restaurants where, if you are a lover, you can enjoy oysters, crab, lobster and of course fish. The short trip back costs the same amount, so out and home for 25 dollar cents.

The other ferry takes you for the same amount to the hotel located more to the right of the Sokha. You really have left Phnom Penh and arrived in Piseth City (www.pisethcity.com).

Although the heart of the town is located 12 kilometers away, it is still nice to take a leisurely stroll around. The boats sail on and off so you never have to wait long. And if you choose the right time for the return trip, you can take a nice picture of the sunset over the city.

In short, two nice trips that you can do one after the other and fall outside the tourist generalities and hardly cost any money.

Night Club

Just come with me to the Tonle Sap Restaurant & Night Club as the official name goes. Don't expect scantily clad ladies or well-groomed company, nor extortionate prices from the word Night Club. All dishes are very reasonably priced and do not exceed $ 6,75 and a jug of Ankor beer costs $ 4.

Every evening an orchestra plays and various vocalists let you enjoy typical Cambodian songs. With special -apparently very popular music- most of the guests present take to the dance floor. The dance rhythm is very different from what we Westerners are used to. And that is precisely what is amusing, because the dance partners barely touch each other and let their arms and especially their hands move to the rhythm of the orchestra. Just watch and then just go on the floor yourself.

How to get there

You can of course simply take a tuk tuk, but a walk is very simple; continue straight along the Mekong river towards street 98. On the right side you will see the 'Night Club'. The neon letters are in Cambodian, which already indicates that they are focused on their own population. And actually that's the wonderful thing and you hardly meet a tourist here. Don't go there too early, because the word Night Club says it all. The music starts at 20.30:XNUMX pm, but the atmosphere really kicks in by XNUMX:XNUMX am. Have fun and let us know about your experience.