On a whirlwind trip to Southeast Asia, after a few days where it seemed like the travel gods were really out to get me, with 30 hours of food poisoning in Thailand followed by four flights in three countries over the course of one day, I was really ready for a rest. Due to a mixup with my traveling companion’s visa type, our entire trip to Myanmar was scrapped at the last minute. We ended up back in the airport in Bangkok with no plans and limited options, since many countries in the region, like Vietnam for example, require a visa application that takes at least a few days. Cambodia offered visas on arrival and it was a short, inexpensive flight from Bangkok.
As someone who is naturally good at planning trips with strong feelings about how much to plan ahead vs. how much spontaneity to build into a trip, this last minute arrival in a new country, with no plans, was a little jarring. But I rolled with it.
Where to stay in Phnom Penh
With just a few minutes to spend on hotel booking platforms before the flight boarded, we got lucky when we chose Colina Boutique Hotel on the fly. It had an infinity pool and bean bag chairs on the roof with a fantastic view of the city. We went up to check it out the night we arrived, around midnight, when we were supposed to be in another country altogether, surveying this city I knew nothing about. It was too cold to enjoy the pool but in warmer weather I’m sure it sees plenty of action. The breakfast was great, too…I hadn’t eaten anything other than airport food the day before and there were cooks on hand to make eggs to order, and the buffet had fried rice and fruit, juice, and more.
The Colina is in an neighborhood that must be popular with tourists, because when we looked up American food joints in Phnom Penh (don’t judge – that food poisoning in Thailand was a real knockout) it turned out a place called Brooklyn Pizza & Bistro was right next door to our hotel. Without having had a clue where to stay in Phnom Penh, the Colina turned out to be a great spot to acclimate to our new city after a strenuous couple of days, it was clean and extremely affordable, and easy to catch a tuk tuk right outside. When we left I realized when we were a mile away that I’d left our passports in the hotel room safe, and they were extremely nice and accommodating when I flew back into the hotel in a panic.
Since we had a couple of days in Phnom Penh before heading to Siem Reap to check out Angkor Wat, I wanted to check out another, more upscale hotel. After doing a little research I came across Plantation Urban Resort & Spa. It was clear from the photos that this hotel would be chic and beautiful, with two gorgeous pools and a restaurant serving French-Cambodian cuisine, but it also offered a way to connect with the local culture and history. We booked a room for our last night in town.
The building was an administrative location during the French colonial era, being that it’s located close to the royal palace, so the building has characteristics of French-Khmer design. It was restored in 2011 by a local architecture firm, and also hosts art exhibitions and fashion shows that help promote Cambodian arts & design. Knowing all of this made the stay even better than it already was, which was pretty perfect. The food in their restaurant was excellent. The pool area had luxurious cabanas and a lovely bar. The rooms have canopy beds and balconies.
Both hotels were great and such different experiences. I love staying at more than one place in a single city because it gives you the chance to see the people and culture from different perspectives and vantage points.
Where to shop in Phnom Penh: Fair Trade Shopping on Street 240
Every time I head somewhere new I look up neighborhood descriptions and try to zero in on whatever place – and there always is one – where the independent, locally-owned shops cluster. I’m pretty sure I have yet to visit a place where I wasn’t able to find a mom-and-pop store selling something interesting for me to buy and take home. It’s a good feeling when you hand your dollars directly to an artisan or small-business owner, especially if it’s in a developing country. Even better if you’ve had the chance to chat with them about their shop and their life. I used to write store profiles for a digital travel and shopping guide where I got to interview some of the most incredible, creative and passionate people who had opened their own shops in New York City and Berlin. Ever since then I’ve loved getting to know shop owners and learn the history behind the places where I buy things.
So when I went to Cambodia I did a little research and read that some fair trade shops and other small boutiques were scattered around one street…Street 240. I loved that the streets in Phnom Penh are numbered – it made things so much easier! Lucky for me, Street 240 was also walking distance from The Plantation. I should mention that the distance was easy, but the terrain wasn’t. There was no real sidewalk, so as is typical in Southeast Asia, getting there involved dodging tuk-tuks and cars. But the street itself was pedestrian-friendly and felt like a stroll through a small village. I forgot for a minute that I was in a big hectic city.
Mekong Quilts was my favorite shop there, and in fact the items I bought there were the only souvenirs I took home from Cambodia or Thailand (no Buddhas for me, thanks). They sell quilts, pillow shams, scarves, small bags and pouches (I took two, one for myself and one for a friend) and other items that are handcrafted by women in rural Cambodia and also Vietnam with the goal of creating sustainable employment opportunities for them. Artisandesigner (A.N.D.) is another shop that sells accessories, clothing, handicrafts, jewelry and more that are designed and made by disabled craftsmen using locally sourced materials. The shop runs in partnership with WAC – Watthan Artists Cambodia.
Street 240 also had a hole-in-the-wall vintage book shop, D’s Books, that’s worth perusing.
Phnom Penh Travel Tips
I wish I’d had more time to explore this amazing city because I absolutely loved my short stay there. Other than where to stay and shop in Phnom Penh, I have a few other recommendations:
Sunset at the Royal Palace
Getting there was quite the adventure. It was walking distance from Plantation so I decided to go alone on foot. Crossing the street in Phnom Penh, as well as many other big cities in Asia, can feel very treacherous. There aren’t crosswalks and streetlights to regulate whose turn it is to go, so you kind of just have to go. The best way to do it is to smush yourself in with a group of people – safety in numbers! – who look like they know what they’re doing (ideally, local residents and not other travelers!) I was waiting nervously for so long that eventually a very young girl with long blond hair and an Australian accent just grabbed my hand and led me into a group of people who crossed together, and immediately I understood this was how it worked. Aha!
Cocktails at Raffles Hotel Le Royal
The famous elephant bar is transporting. Legend has it their most famous signature drink called the Femme Fatale – made of creme de fraise des bois, Cognac, and sparkling wine – was designed for Jackie Kennedy when she was a guest at the hotel during her trip to Cambodia in 1967.
Lunar New Year and markets in Phnom Penh
I happened to be in Phnom Penh during the lunar new year celebration which was a lot of fun. On the way to check out a huge market in the city centerwe ran into a fabulous parade with costumes and a dancing dragon. It was as authentic as it gets, with very few other tourists in this part of town, but we were clearly very welcome to be there. This was one of my favorite things about the city – it never felt like anything was being put on for tourists, nor did I worry we were inserting ourselves disrespectfully. The market was great too, it was huge and we only scratched the surface of what they had there – fruit and veggies, clothes, and so much more.