Ruined Cities Tropical Islands

Cambodia money This Cambodia money post explains the slightly complicated dual currency system, which one you’re likely to use, what it’s worth and how to obtain it. The official currency in Cambodia is the riel, with approximate exchange rates being 5,200 for one UKP or 4,500 for a Euro, while a dollar will get you around 4,000. Conveniently, the nice…

When’s the best time to visit Cambodia? You’ll possibly only visit Cambodia once – you’re seeking to optimise your tour – so just when is the best time to visit Cambodia? In our experience, most potential travellers’ primary consideration – and most frequently asked question – when considering booking a tour to the small Southeast Asian nation would be, ‘what’s…

Sunrise and sunset at Angkor Everyone likes a great sunset photo. Silhouettes of palm trees against a fiery sky, perhaps a silhouette of a bathing elephant (if you happen to be on Koh Chang) or an iconic Buddha image or temple spires would look great on your social media profiles. Sunrise photos are, of course, rarer – you are on…

Visitors to the tiny circular park surrounding the foot of Phnom Penh’s famous landmark, Wat Phnom, will be amazed to see the impressive flock of great and wreathed hornbills which have now taken up residence in the heart of the Cambodian capital. The mixed flock appears to be at least a couple of dozen or so individuals strong – (some…

Tuol Damrei Sor The rarely visited Angkorian temple site of Prasat Kuk Roka forms a regular break on our overland trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. It’s a small, albeit intact, sandstone tower – probably dating to the 11th century – and a minnow compares to what awaits at Angkor. However, it does illustrate a lot of features which…

Cambodia Boat Trip  . What follows is a brief account and selection of photos of a recent Cambodia Boat Trip from Siem Reap to Battambang. I think we first ran this Cambodia boat trip way back in 2000. It was a very different country in those days and the journey across the Tonle Sap and up the Sangkar River to…

The Sangkar River The mouth of western Cambodia’s Sangkar River lies concealed amid a maze of water-hyacinth-clogged waterways, endless reed marshes and clouds of egrets in the far northwestern corner of the vast but shallow Tonle Sap Lake. Anyone with a window seat between Bangkok and Siem Reap may have peered down on these extensive wetlands and unique ecosystems where…

A few images of some of the hard-working women in Phsa Prahok, Battambang’s fish market, taken over the course of several recent visits, To point out that topping and tailing fish all day long, every day, is extremely laborious, dirty and tiring would be rather stating the obvious and certainly a very tough way of earning a living. We can…

Coming up, based on over 20 years of leading tours to Cambodia’s UNESCO World Heritage site; are the following few Angkor tips and suggestions on how to optimise your temple visit. Firstly, though, one very important tip! Try and time your visit for the low season. The awesome, often jungle-clad, temples in Western Cambodia are obviously today a huge draw…

Khmer Red Curry Recipe Khmer red curry paste (kroeung) can be made in advance and any leftover can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days or it freezes well Curry paste ingredients 2 sticks of lemongrass, outer leaves discarded and roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2 shallots, peeled and chopped 2 kaffir lime leaves Zest of…

Fish Amok Recipe A lovely, mild fish and coconut curry, fragrant, zesty and full of flavour. Below is a simple version which can be cooked using ingredients many of us will already have in the kitchen, without the need for specialist shops. Made it, ate it and did the washing up in less than an hour and there’s spare curry paste…

Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, has three principal downtown city centre markets that most casual visitors are likely to come across: Phsa Thmei, Phsa Chas and Phsa Kandal, which translate as New Market, Old Market and Central Market, respectively. Alternative spellings such as Psa, psar or phsar are also sometimes seen, as there is no official English transliteration of the Khmer…