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Full country name: Kingdom of Cambodia
Area: 181,035 sq km
Population: 10.2 million (growth rate 2.5%)
Capital city: Phnom Penh (population: one million)
People: 90-95% ethnic Khmers plus ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese
Language: Khmer (few speak English, Thai, French or Japanese)
Religion: 95% Buddhist, also Muslim and animist
Government: Transitional democracy
Head of state: King Norodom Sihanouk
Prime Minister: Hun Sen
Electric Current: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Electrical brown outs and power surges are frequent. Most major hotels and business firms have their own power generators.
OVERVIEW
Cambodia is an extremely rugged and dangerous country to visit. As a result, it attracts few tourists, especially from Western countries. Most of the Westerners (male) who go to Cambodia are experienced travelers coming from Thailand to do either a quick 3-5 day visit or a visa run. Those who are doing a visa run either live or are staying long term in Thailand. Their visa has expired and Cambodia is one of the easiest countries to go to renew one’s visa. Once they renew their visa, they will quickly hope on a plane and return to Thailand, the land of pleasure. Those who are coming for a quick visit are usually among the brave few who have been to Thailand many times and are looking to explore new sex playgrounds. Other tourists who come to Cambodia are backpackers and adventure seekers interested in seeing the Angkor Temple Complex, the world’s largest religious monument.
WEATHER: Hot and humid.
You may be asking when is the best time to go to Cambodia as far as weather conditions apply. Many tourist resorts are seasonal and dependent on weather conditions to attract tourists. For example, a ski trip to the mountains or sunbathing at the beach will be dependent on weather conditions and time of year. Other countries offer attractions that are not dependent so much on the weather and thus are year round. For example, take Las Vegas. While you may wish to visit Vegas during the spring time, rather than the winter, the fact is you can gamble your heart out any time of the year. By analogy, the same applies to Cambodia where the sex industry is on the go 365 days a year, making the sport of girl chasing and sexercise a year round event. That translates to mean anytime is the best time to go to Cambodia, considering the fact that girl chasing in Cambodia is a year round event (i.e., the brothels never close). However, this is not to say the weather cannot put a damper even on your girl chasing excursions. While severe flooding during the rainy season (July to October) or the scorching heat during the hot season (March to June) may nudge you to travel during the cool and dry season (November throughout February), the absence of tourists during the off season actually works in one’s favor as one can find a healthy reduction in hotel rates, taxi fares and short time love affairs.
HOLIDAYS
The sex industry never seems to close (except in the case of the occasional police crackdowns which are rare). The most celebrated holiday is the Khmer New Year, April 13-17, in which many Khmer girls (but not Vietnamese) leave the capital of Phnom Penh to return to their home town. While one living in Cambodia may notice somewhat a shortage of Khmer women during this brief period, for those visiting things will for the most part appear as normal. Note: this is the same time period as Songkran (the Water Festival in Thailand) and you will see a few Khmers throwing water at each other on the open streets, but nowhere in proportion to that which you will find in Thailand. As a result, many male tourists who reside or stay long term in Thailand will come to Cambodia at this time to escape the hectic water festival in Thailand. They will then return back to Thailand after the 19th, when Songkran in Thailand is over. Thus there will be a somewhat large surge of male tourists hanging out in Phnom Penh during this time period. Not to worry, as there are always enough girls to go around.
HEALTH RISKS
Inoculations: No inoculations are required at this time upon entry into Cambodia. If you stay within the city of Phnom Penh, it’s unlikely you will need any shots. However, if you do plan on visiting the countryside, it is recommended you consult your family physician or any health officials to see if risk of malaria or other ailments is a concern at the time of travel. Your Embassy will also offer any travel warnings and recommendations of inoculations. At this time of writing, none are required.
CUSTOMS
It is unlikely you will be searched either going into or out of Cambodia. Custom officers appear to have little interest in what you are bringing in or out of the country. When I asked an officer if I needed to declare my laptop computer or camcorder, he just waved me on in, as if he could not give a shit. This is not to say you should feel free to bring in any illegal substances (such as illegal drugs) or electronic equipment without declaration (such as a TV or VCR), but you need not be overly concerned with any of the common travel gear you are entering or exiting the country with.
PASSPORT AND VISA
A valid passport and tourist or business visa is required to enter the country of Cambodia. The cost of the tourist visa is $20 or 1,000 Thai baht and allows you to stay in the country for a maximum of thirty days. The business visa is $25. You will be required to purchase the visa right there at the airport when you first arrive. (Travel agents in Thailand sell visas into Cambodia at nearly double the cost, so just purchase your visa when you first arrive). When you first arrive at Pochentong International airport in Cambodia, have a passport photo of yourself ready, your passport and the visa application filled out (handed to you on the plane). Hand all that to the immigration officer when you first you enter the airport terminal (still under construction). They will then stamp a tourist visa emblem on your passport and you will be granted a 30 day stay in Cambodia. If you, by chance, overstay your visa (30 days), you will be charged a penalty of $5 per day. If you wish to extend your stay, it’s best you purchase a business visa upon arrival, then visit the Cambodian Consulate for further extensions.
Note: There is a $20 or 1,000 Thai baht departure tax, payable in cash at the airport at the departure terminal.
FLIGHT INFO
How Do I Get There:
Bangkok is the center point for travel into Cambodia. International flights into Cambodia from other countries at this time are limited. Most tourists route their flights into Cambodia from Bangkok, Thailand. Recently, Utapao airport in Pattaya, Thailand began offering flights into Phnom Penh. For a very reasonable price, I might add. Bangkok Airlines offers round trip airfare, from either Bangkok or Phnom Penh for about $130 (5,800 baht). Royal Air Cambodge is about $20 more and Thai airlines, like usual, is the most expensive (almost $50 more than Bangkok Airways). Be aware that Bangkok Airways out of Pattaya offers flight service four days a week (Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sun.). Flights out of Bangkok run daily. It is advised, for security reasons, you take the morning flight, rather than the evening flight, if you fly out of Bangkok.
How Long Is The Flight:
The flight out of Bangkok or Pattaya is one hour. It’s a direct flight; there are no stopovers. All airlines serve snacks and drinks, included in the flight.
Do I Need To Book My Flight In Advance:
Only during high season (December and January). Even then it’s unlikely you will find a fully booked flight, especially if you are flying out of Pattaya. I flew out of Pattaya five times within the last year and the most I counted (during Christmas) was 22 passengers on the plane, both coming and going. During low season (February through November), I counted as few as 9 passengers. If you book your flight 3-5 days in advance, you should have no problems getting a seat.
MONEY
Exchanging Money: Although the local currency is the “riel”, the fact is the US dollar is the acceptable means of payment in Cambodia. Almost any establishment that caters to tourists (hotels, restaurants, brothels, markets, tour agencies, airport, and so on) will list their prices in US dollar and expect you to pay in such. Therefore, it is not necessary for you to exchange any of your US cash into riel. In fact, you should travel with US dollar just as if you were living in the states. The only rule is make sure your cash is pristine, meaning it has no tears whatsoever, or is not damaged in any way (or it will not be accepted). If you need pocket money to hand out to the beggars or small change to take a motorbike, just change a buck or two at your hotel. Keep in mind when you eat at a restaurant or buy something at the market, you will get a small portion of riel back as change, along with your US dollar. For example, if your meal was $5.50 and you gave a $10 bill, they will give you $4 in US dollar and fifty cents in riel (about 2,000 riel). You can then use that as a donnation to beggars or payment to motorbike drivers. If you are carrying Traveler’s Checks or Thai baht, you can go to the National Bank of Cambodia (open Mon thru Fri, closed weekends and holidays) or Ly Hour money exchange booth (open 7 days a week) to convert to US dollar (do not convert your money to riel). Be aware you must have your passport when exchanging TC’s (but not for cash). It’s a good idea to have the original receipt from your bank with you when you first purchased your TC’s. There are a lot of counterfeit bills in circulation, so the banks and exchange booths will scrutinize you to death. For security reasons, always use a car taxi to transport yourself when changing money. All taxi drivers will know where the exchange booths and banks are.
Counterfeit Money:
There is no doubt that counterfeit money abounds in Cambodia. Therefore, check your change carefully should you exchange your money with a stranger on the street (not recommended!). As an example of how easy it would be to pass counterfeit bills in this country, let me use a real life illustration. A friend of mine jokingly was handing out Disneyland style play money ($3 bills with Clinton’s face on it!) as a bonus tip to the girls (on top of the real money he paid). Many of them thought it was real and complained the next day when they found out they could not cash it in at the exchange booths. One girl refused to believe it was play money and would not give it back to my friend! The bartenders at Martini’s pub stared at a fake $3 play bill for almost five minutes, not sure to accept it or not (my friend then giggled and paid them in real money). In a country where play money passes for real, you can be sure counterfeit bills abound.
AIRPORT TO HOTEL
Once you arrive in Phnom Penh, you will need to transport yourself to your hotel. There are three ways you can get from the airport to your hotel.
Motorbike Taxi drivers:
The least expensive way is to hire any of the motorbike taxi drivers who hang out at the airport parking lot. Don’t worry, they’ll find you as you exit the airport. While you can hire a motorbike driver for as cheap as a dollar or two, it is not recommended you make use of one, for several reasons. First, it’s unlikely you will be able to haul all your luggage on a motorbike. Second, even if you can, if it rains (and thunder storms come out of nowhere in this country), you and your baggage will get soaked to the bone. Not only in water, but in mud as well. Third, motorbike accidents are a way of life and if you get in one, you could suffer major bodily harm. Not to mention losing all your luggage as you attempt to recoup from the accident (thieves abound!). Lastly, the dust you will breathe on your way to the hotel will probably require oxygen therapy for the remainder of your trip.
Airport Taxis:
The authorized airport taxi drivers charge $7 for a ride anywhere into town and are both safe, comfortable and pleasant. This is the best way to get from the airport to your hotel. To find such a taxi (they are white and yellow striped), simply walk up to the small, but very visible airport taxi booth, located at the airport parking lot (right as you exit the airport terminal). Tell the receptionist which hotel you wish to go to and he’ll assign you a driver. Pay the taxi driver the $7 when you arrive at the hotel of your choice. If you wish, you can call in advance my personal airport taxi driver Boon, at (855) 12-847-857 or ask for taxi number 85. He’s the best!
Hotel Pick Up Service:
If you call your hotel before your departure and notify them of your arrival, they will happily pick you up at the airport. They will have their driver wait for you holding a sign with your name on it, right as you exit the airport terminal in the parking lot. Expect a service charge of $5 to $7. That’s also an excellent way to get from the airport to your hotel. (Note: the ride into town is about 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic. Most hotels are within that vicinity).
Hotel to airport:
You can also have your hotel hire you out a taxi on the day of your departure. The price should be $3 to $5. Give them one day advance notice.
HOW LONG SHOULD I STAY
Few visitors can stand the heat, dirt, pollution, and lack of amenities for long periods of time (i.e., more than a few days to a few weeks). Even the hard core “sex tourists” (someone call my name?), can last no more than 2-3 weeks. You can see most of the sites and visit most of the brothels in a week or less. By then you will have pretty much saturated all of the girls and will be fiddling your thumbs during the long and boring evenings and afternoons.
HOW MUCH TO BRING
The amount of money you need to bring will depend largely on the hotel you stay in, how many girls you screw a day, what restaurants you eat in and how much booze you consume. For me, I do well on $60 to $70 per day, spending $15 on my hotel, $7 on food, $20 on girls, $1 on water at the bars (I don’t drink), $7.50 on taxi fare and another $10 or so on odd ball items like snacks, CD’s and whatever else I can waste my money on. If you are happy in the $15 a night rooms and screwing one or two girls a day, you can easily vacation on the same amount. However, because money tends to disappear out of nowhere, it is highly suggested you carry double the amount you expect to spend. That way should an emergency arise or you decide to extend your stay, you won’t find yourself in a bind. Bring at least $100 per day and you will be quite well off. Remember, you can always bring your money back with you. But if you run short on cash, few will be around to hand out a loan.
HOTELS
Prices for Lodging:
Prices range anywhere from $4 a night at the Capitol (a favorite hang out spot among backpackers and low budget travelers), to $15 at many of the mid-range hotels such as the Golden Gate or Sunshine hotel, all the way up to $2,000 a night for the grand suite at the Intercontinental. Most of the popular hotels around town charge $15 a night for a clean, air-conditioned room with color TV (HBO, Cinemax and a host of other cable stations), western style toilets, hot/cold showers and a refrigerator to stock your goodies.
For starters, we recommend you stay at the Golden Gate hotel, located at No. 9, Rd. 278, Sangkat Bang Keng Kang 1, Khan Chamkarmon. Tel: 012-721-161. Email: goldengatehtl@camnet.com.kh. The price is $15 per night for a decent air conditioned room with western toilet (hot/cold water), good cable TV (HBO/Cnn/BBC, etc.), safe deposit boxes, and excellent location. Yes, you can bring female guests to your room (18 or older). Note: hotel offers free daily laundry service. After you settle into the Golden Gate, you can explore other hotels, such as those listed below.
Huge Hotel List Cambodia Hotel Information (Phnom Penh) (January 2000) (* H:Hotel, G:Guest House, R:Restaurant, D:Disco, K:Karaoke, M:Massage) Name Type(*) Number of Rooms Room Rates (US$) Place Single Double Single.
Hotel And Guest Houses
Golden Gate Hotel Rate is $15 per night and female guests are allowed (provided they are 16 or over). Room rate includes free laundry!, air conditioned room, maid service, western toilet/shower, cable TV (HBO, BBC, Cinemax, and a host of other good stations), and excellent staff. It has very good security (safety boxes are very secure). The location is excellent. It’s off the main road, so you don’t get any traffic noise or pollution hitting you in your face. Also, with Lucky market, Sunday video, Le Siam restaurant, Golden Gate internet cafe, etc., all right around the corner, it’s very handy to stay there.
Hawaii Hotel Located at #18, Street #130, Sangkat Phsar Thmey 1, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh.
Tel (855-23)426652. Tel (855-23) 426747. Fax (855-23)426652. Range: $20 – $40. Clean, mid-range hotel. Loyal following amongst the regular visitor crowd. Thai restaurant. FRF. Visa/MC
Queen Hotel: Located on the corner of St. 214 and St. 63. Great location a block from the US Embassy and two blocks from the “Lay Lay Massage Parlor” on St. 63. $20 per night for a huge room with king bed, air con, fridge, etc. Get a room on the back side, front side too noisy.
Sharaton Hotel is located on Street 47, near Wat Phnom Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Tel: (855) 23 360 395-8. Or 426-773 / 426-274 Fax: (855) 23 361-199 / 426-858. Email: sharaton@forum.org.kh
Walkabout Hotel Walkabout rooms go from a $4 basic fan…to $12 with fan, AC/TV. Rooms are old and AC was not too efficient (window leaked like a sieve). The best thing about the Walkabout…is the expats that frequent the bars at all hours of the day and night. Great sources of info. Walkabout food…like many places in Cambodia is expensive. They have the worst hamburger I have ever eaten, anywhere in the world…for all of $4, but their $3 breakfast wasn’t too bad, but coffee is $1/cup.
The Chhay Hour Hotel (pronounced “Chay Whore”) is on 174th St, one door east of 51st St. Phone (023)-215-822 or FAX (023)-215-622. It is a Chinese hotel as it really has 5 floors, but the elevator numbers the floors 1 thru 6…and omits the evil ‘4’. Whatta find!! I learned that it is mainly short-time hotel, complete with about 25 massage gals. The rooms are nice and clean, quiet…large non-squeaking bed, AC, TV (w/ porno on one channel) and unlike some of their rooms I had a _tub_ and shower. Cost was a mere $15/night. Recommend staying on the top (6th) floor as it is above the massage parlor (5th flr) and little traffic except for some of the girls who stay in a room (by outside rooftop). Only one other farang was staying long time in the hotel, in the room across from me. Feb. 2001.
Tai Seng: Located on 56 Monyvong Street- Near British Embassy. Rooms $15+ old building
$20+ new building. A/C, Satellite TV, refrigerator, Hot Water. Poor location as you are away from the restaurants, markets, and main night life.
Hotel Yang Chou: No.27R., Street 252(1/2 block from Monyvong) Sangkat Chatamok, Khan Doun Penh. Rooms $15+ A/C, Satellite TV, refrigerator, Hot Water. Great Location.
Capitol Guesthouse: The most popular hotel/restaurant/hang-out among low budget travelers, especially European back packers. Fan rooms starts as low as $4 per night. The restaurant is an excellent place to mingle with other travelers, both in the mornings, afternoons and early evenings. Capital also offerscity tours of Phnom Penh and outside sites, such as the Killing Fields, etc. Located on No. 14 AEo, Road 182 Sangat Beng Prolitt Khann 7. Phone: 855-23-364-104, 023-724-104. Fax: 855-23-214-104. No Hot Water, TV or Refrigerator.
RESTAURANTS
Sorya Restaurant: One of the few air-conditioned restaurants in town. Located opposite the Bus Station near the Central Market. Street 142, Sangkat Phsar Thmey 11, Khan Daun, Penh. Tel: (023) 210-638. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Very large menu selection. Most meals on the menu are priced as large (for a family of 4) or small (for two people), meaning if you come alone, you should order only one or two dishes, small size. Try the beef salad (ask for the beef to be cooked well done), the fried mixed vegetables, fish in tomatos sauce, and Singapore style noodles. Meals include free hot Chinese tea, free fried peanuts, and free desert (usually a small fruit plate with sweets). Most meals (small size) are between $1.50 to $3.50. Warning: Sorya closes at 9 p.m., so get there early if you eat there for dinner. Good facilities (upstairs) for wedding parties.
Le Siam:
This tiny, fan cooled restaurant is located right next to the Golden Gate hotel and specializes in Thai and French food. Open for lunch and dinner, but closes from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Most meals are around $3.50.
Capital Restaurant and Guesthouse:
The hang out spot for back-packers and low budget travelers. It is open air, so during the lunch-time hours, it s a bit warm. The omelets are edible and so is the coffee. You will pay for the butter and jam for your toast. But, the toast is only a nickel. Extra charge for milk in your coffee as well. Great place to meet other fellow travelers.
Martini’s Pub:
Popular for late night dinner (about the only place in town to eat after 10 p.m.) among both locals and tourists. Open air, with poor quality outdoor movie theater (only one in town, actually). Located at 402 Mao Tse Tung Blvd (near the Intercontinental hotel).
Beef Luclac Beef, French Fries, lemon/pepper sauce $2.00
Beef Noodle Soup Full of beef and large noodles $1.00
Beef Kabobs Beef, Green Peppers, Pineapple (2 ) $1.00
½ Chicken well spiced $1.00
Garlic Bread enough for two people $1.00
And many other dinners for: $2.00
Drinks: Tea, coffee $1.00
Soda, Coke, Sprite $1.20
Beer Dependent on the brand $2.00-$3.00
Hard Liquor Everything is available Inexpensive. Why get drunk with so many great looking women
around. This isn’t America where you want your vision blurred.
TIP: Don’t eat on the streets or open-air restaurants with the locals. Much of the food is not prepared for tourists (i.e., carrying local bacteria from non-refrigeration of poultry and meats). If you buy fruits and veggies from the open air markets on the street, buy only those that are protected (such as banana’s, coconuts, oranges, etc.). Avoid lettuce unless you have chance to wash it yourself or eat it at the five star hotels.
Foreign Correspondents Club On the second floor of a beautiful old building over-looking the river. Good food, good bar, colonial ambience. As the name implies, a journalist’s meeting place. Delivery. Books. Internet access downstairs. 7:00AM – 12:00mid #363, Sisowath Quay Tel: (23) 724014. Phnom Penh Restaurant Guide
FOOD POISONING
Diarrhea, worms, and the occasional stomach cramping is to be expected while traveling in Cambodia. Over-the-counter anti-diarrhea pills and other medicine usually serves to clear that up. Food poisoning is serious and can be countered by carrying charcoal and wide spectrum antibiotics prescribed by your family physician, whom we recommend you consult on this matter. If you eat at the high class restaurants or hotels and avoid eating from the food vendors on the street (where refrigeration is unheard of and food is not properly washed), your chances of food poisoning are greatly reduced. Food items to be avoided is any type of shell fish, meats served rare or raw, and unprotected raw veggies and fruits (such as lettuce, the skin of an apple, etc.) Smell the food before you eat it, then taste it slowly. If it has a bad smell or taste, don’t eat it. Request that your meats are cooked well done. Drink right out of the can, rather than out of a class with ice. Never drink unfiltered water or water from the faucet at your hotel sink or shower. After brushing your teeth, do your final rinse from bottled water in your room.
SHOPPING
The Russian market: Shopping in Phnom Penh is both limited and extremely obnoxious (due to the street beggars and heat). The Russian market is no exception as there is no air conditioning or fans and the heat of the day will make you feel like you are shopping in an oven. While the market offers a somewhat interesting array of Khmer artifacts, both recent and old, most of it is junk. It’s also quite cheap, provided you always bargain the price down, at least half of what the saleslady is asking. Here’s a sample of some items you can find. Nice bronze heads (softball size) $5. Bronze masks (6 inch diameter) $3. Statues (6 inch) $1, (11 inch) $5. There are many other items to look at, but these are the ones that I liked.
Central Market:
This market sells a variety of odd ball and mostly useless items, mostly for the locals. It has a huge selection of clocks/watches (mostly junk) and clothing your grandparents might consider fashionable. About the only items worth buying are a pair of sandals (to replace your dirt/mud soaked tennis shoes), a Khmer music tape (which will give you a migraine if you listen to it all the way through), and a souvenir Cambodian T-shirt to prove to your friends you were one of the few and brave to visit this god-forsaken country.
GETTING AROUND
There are three ways to get around the city. The most comfortable and safest is by air-conditioned car taxi. The second is by motorbike taxi, which is extremely dangerous (due to risk of having a crash) and uncomfortable (as you will be breathing all the fumes and dirt from the heavy traffic) and the third by citlow (man powered, three wheeled, taxi), which is a pain-in-the ass as few drivers speak any English at all and don’t know where the hotels are. With this in mind, we highly recommended you stick with car taxi drivers throughout your stay in Cambodia.
Taxi drivers.
An excellent car taxi driver is Mr. Boon, airport taxi driver #85. His cellular phone number is 855- 12-847-857. Give him a call and let him be your driver for the duration of your trip. If Mr. Boon is not available, you can either hire out the same driver from the airport who got you to your hotel safely or a recommended driver from your hotel. The rate for a hired hotel taxi is typically $5 to $6 per hour, but Mr. Boon will drive you around all day and night for $20 to $25.
Motorbike drivers are by far the cheapest, the most dangerous and the most obnoxious means of transportation. Many drivers hang out any place a tourist is to be found, in the hundreds, so one would think. Their need to become your driver is obvious, as you walk out of any door and there they are, waving, smiling, nodding and doing anything and everything they can to get your attention. If you approach one driver, all the others will surround you, like you were handing out fresh $100 bills. Once you choose a driver, you must make sure he knows the location of the place you wish to go. Handing him an address written in English will be useless as many can not even read Khmer, never mind English. Quoting the exact address may work against you as you mispronounce the name of the street, leading him to believe you want to go elsewhere. Hopefully, he’ll know where it is you wish to go and get you there without having to drive around town for an hour, finally having the sense to ask someone where the place you told him to go is located. Keep in mind, even though you bargained the price, which should be 1,000 to 1,500 riel to get anywhere in town, he will up the price for the extra long trip. Even though he was the one who fucked up by not knowing where the place was to begin with!
The third and worst way to get around is by citlow, a three wheeled, man powered taxi made popular in Saigon. If you think there will be a communication gap with the motorbike drivers, wait till you try the citlow. These guys simply cannot understand the tourist’s accent and therefore will most likely not know how to get you where you want to go. Stay clear of them. You will see a small number of tourists who have rented out motorbikes, dirt bikes actually, and cruise the city. Undoubtedly, these are guys who live in Phnom Penh and know the turf all too well. They better, because riding a motorbike amidst the torn up streets and chaotic traffic (drivers commonly coming at you head on) is next to suicidal. Do it and then send me the date of the funeral. Warning: riding on motorbikes, either by means of Khmer drivers or driving yourself is extremely dangerous. Accidents are common and your risk of scraping up your arms and legs, or bashing your head against a car fender is high. You have been warned.
TOUR COMPANIES
Angkor Tourism
Apex Cambodia Travel Services
Diethelm Travel (Cambodia) Ltd.
Go Cambodia Travel
Sampan Tour
Siem Reap International Travel
Transpeed Travel & Holidays
AIRLINES IN CAMBODIA
There are only a handful of airlines are flying in and out of Cambodia; some are daily and some a couple times a week. You should check with airline companies for their latest flight schedules. The followings are airlines carriers that operate in and out of Cambodia.
1. Royal Air Cambodge, the national carrier.
2. Dragon Airline – Hong Kong
3. Malaysia Airline – Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia
4. Silk Airline – Singapore
5. Vietnam Airline – Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
6. Thai Airline – Bangkok
7. Bangkok Airways – Bangkok/Utapao (Pattaya)
8. LAO Airline – Vientiane
AIRPORT TAX
International Departures: US$20
Domestic Departure: US$20
TRAVEL WARNINGS
Pedophilia: Never bring an underage girl (under 16) to your hotel room. NGO’s have set up a reward system for reporting to the police any tourist (but not a Khmer) with an underage girl.
Security:
The chances of robbery at gunpoint, especially after dark is high. It is not uncommon to hear stories of tourists who, at night, were returning from some club or bar and held up (at gunpoint) by a gang of locals. All tourists are potential targets, but those who appear drunk, flash a wad of money in public (i.e., at a bar for example while paying for a drink), or wear jewelry are at high risk. Cambodia is not a secure and safe place for tourists.
Landmines:
Cambodia has a huge problem with landmines and other unexploded ordinance (UXOs), but fortunately, mines are not a big threat for the average tourist. Mines are concentrated in border
areas and old war zones. There are no mines in major cities and towns where most tourists frequent. The areas around heavily touristed temple ruins in Siem Reap have been demined, though for safety’s sake it is best to stay on established routes and well-trodden paths. If you plan to visit less-frequented, distant temple ruins like Phnom Kulen, Kbal Spean and Beng Melea, stick strictly to paths and go with a guide. Do not walk though untouristed jungle, mountain or paddy areas without a guide. Do not cross international borders except at established border crossing points. Do not take unguided jungle walks in Rattanakiri or Mondolkiri.
Motorbike accidents are not uncommon in the chaotic traffic and thrashed roads of Cambodia, particularly Phnom Penh. A fair number of tourists are injured in mototaxi accidents every year. Your risk of being in an accident is high. Indeed, on my last trip I met two tourists who suffered injuries from motorbike accidents (one fractured his knee, another scraped the crap out of his side), as well as a hooker who deeply scraped the side of her arms and legs. For those who choose to rent a motorcycle and drive themselves, be forewarned that traffic in Phnom Penh is chaotic in the extreme, with drivers coming at you in all directions. Khmer drivers have no regard for traffic signs or rules, often driving on the wrong side of the street. Between the huge pot holes, unpaved streets, and nut case drivers, all we can say is if you ride on a motorbike, your risk of injury is great. Don’t say we did not warn you.
Armed robberies of tourists in Phnom Penh are not uncommon. Although there have been some daytime robberies, most occur at night, often near popular tourist destinations and almost always to tourists on the back of a motorcycle taxi or on foot. The robbers are usually young men armed with a handgun that confront the tourist directly and demand money. Though the robbers generally avoid applying violence, they will become violent if challenged or if drunk.
The best way to avoid robbery is to take a car taxi when traveling after dark. Robbery of people in cars, though not unheard of, is very rare. If you choose to take a motorcycle taxi, it is best to stay on main roads rather than dark side streets. It is best not to travel by foot after dark. There has been a recent spate of violent confrontations (3 incidents) between tourists and robbers. In almost every case the tourist in some way challenged the robber. If you are confronted by robbers, do not resist, do not challenge them, do not try to bargain. Be cooperative.
The key to avoid attracting robbers is to always appear poor and sober. How do you appear poor? Dress poor, like you can’t afford to buy anything. Wear worn out sandals or tennis shoes, pants that look like you got them from a garage sale, tank tops or T-shirts that most would be embarrassed to be seen with in public. Don’t worry, the girls will love you no matter how you dress. (Just don’t wear smelly clothes!) Never wear any type of jewelry, fake or not. Okay, you can wear a plastic watch, but that’s it. Don’t ever flash a wad of money in public, even if it’s a pocket full of $1’s and $5’s which is considered big money in Cambodia (police earn a salary of $20 per month, so your small pocket change may be a fortune to them). The logic in this is simple. If you wear something worth stealing or that looks worth stealing, you make yourself a target. If you look really poor, some might think you’re about to rob them and may actually be scared of you. Drunks are a prime target for both robbers and girls who will steal whatever they can get their hands on in the hotel room. If you must drink excessively, do it when you vacation in Thailand, not here. Appear drunk in public and you will attract every thief in sight. Wear jewelry, fake or not, and you’ll attract even more. Keep all your valuables locked in the hotel safe deposit box and carry only pocket change (under $20) both day and night.
Should you face a robber, give up your money quickly and they will probably leave as quickly as they showed up. Also note that when riding a motorcycle taxi, keep your bag or backpack directly between you and the driver, or let the driver place it in front of him. There have been situations in which people have been pulled off of motos when thieves decide their backpacks look enticing!
Nightclubs:
Night clubs that cater primarily to Cambodians (not including clubs such as Martini’s, 60s, Nexus, the casinos in Sihanoukville and other foreigner-oriented clubs) often draw a large police and military clientele. The mixture of alcohol and guns can lead to violent confrontations inside and immediately outside the clubs.
The vast majority of tourists that visit Cambodia will never face any of the potential problems mentioned above. Do not do what you would not do in your home country. Be aware of your surroundings. Be city-smart in Phnom Penh. Always use your common sense.
Overview
Cambodia is an extremely rugged and dangerous country to visit. As a result, it attracts few tourists, especially from Western countries. Most of the Westerners (male) who go to Cambodia are experienced travelers coming from Thailand to do either a quick 3-5 day visit or a visa run. Those who are doing a visa run either live or are staying long term in Thailand. Their visa has expired and Cambodia is one of the easiest countries to go to renew one’s visa. Once they renew their visa, they will quickly hope on a plane and return to Thailand, the land of pleasure. Those who are coming for a quick visit are usually among the brave few who have been to Thailand many times and are looking to explore new sex playgrounds. Other tourists who come to Cambodia are backpackers and adventure seekers interested in seeing the Angkor Temple Complex, the world’s largest religious monument.
Why Go?
“Most of the single male tourists who come to Cambodia are coming from Thailand (you can fly out of Bangkok or Pattaya) to do a visa run. In other words, they are coming here because they have to, not because they find it so desirable. Such tourists usually stay in Cambodia a short 3-5 days, then return to Thailand (proving Thailand is the place to be, not Cambodia). Indeed, many tourists only ride (by mini bus) across the border into Cambodia for a one day trip rushing back to paradise (i.e., Thailand) as quickly as possible.
Few, if any, single male tourists fly directly into Cambodia as a primary vacation destination. Cambodia offers little or nothing in terms of fun or comfort (i.e., security, dining, shopping, sightseeing, etc.). There is almost nothing in terms of nightlife (no Go Go bars, no topless bars, no Pattaya style beer bars overflowing with girls) and only a handful of “short time” brothels and massage parlors, most of which you will find quite sleazy and depressing. (The brothels, unlike Thailand or the Philippines, are set up for locals, not tourists. What that means is you will probably find them extremely uncomfortable. For example, western style toilets, showers, air-conditioning, clean sheets, towels, even cushioned beds are a rarity in most of the brothels. Shortly, we’ll name the best and cleanest places to go) .
Outside of the red light district, the capital Phnom Pehn offers almost nothing in the way of entertainment or comforts of home (no movie theaters, water parks, air conditioned malls, etc.). Most of you will find the place extremely boring and like the vast majority of male tourists who come for the sex, will find a 5 day trip too long as it is and be anxious to return back to Thailand where the word fun was invented.
So why go to Cambodia? Outside of a visa run (for those of you who are hanging long term in Thailand), you are advised not to waste your time or risk your life. The country has little to offer and what sexual pleasures await you can be all too easily duplicated, in a much safer and enjoyable environment, in Thailand.
While you can expect to certainly get laid every single day of your stay, don’t expect to find much in the way of nightlife. There are no strip clubs, Go-Go bars, high class disco’s, sex shows, or any of the wild and fun stuff you will find in Thailand. Most of the action will be found during the day at the low class brothels and massage parlors where you will be sharing the women often with the local Khmer boys. The brothels are pimp controlled and it is not unusual for a male pimp to gently grab you and with the help of a cluster of girls, “force” you into the brothel. During the evening there are only two or three places to go to pick up on girls and once you burn out on these places, you know it’s time to move on to another country.
Women
The sex scene is primarily, with the exception of Martini’s Pub and Sharkey’s bar, brothel oriented and pimp controlled. What that means is things are set up so you fuck the prostitute in the brothel itself, not in your hotel room like you would with an Angeles City (Philippines) or Pattaya Beach (Thailand) hooker. It also means you generally must go through a pimp to get to the girl, rather than deal with the girl on her own terms. The prostitutes that work the brothels are either Vietnamese or Khmer girls (or half and half), averaging the age of sixteen to twenty-nine. Most are very short and petite, giving the appearance of children. These girls fuck for money, period. Unlike the Filipina’s who desire love, marriage and romance with their customers, most Cambodian hookers are professionals mostly with hearts of stone. Once you fuck them and pay them, you no longer exist. Unless of course, you overpaid them, in which they will certainly be back for more. Outside of Martini’s Pub and Sharkey’s bar, which cater exclusively to male tourists, the prostitutes service primarily local Khmer men. What that means is the sex scene, with few exceptions, caters to the local Khmers, not for the tourists. That’s why, if you go to Toul Kork for example, you’ll find yourself feeling faint of heart when you see the horrid conditions of the room that you are expected to have sex in. Most of the brothels offer short time sex (although you can pay for all night), expecting you to drop your pants, spring a hard-on, and shoot your load at the drop of hat, so the next customer can make his way in. This makes the sex scene in Cambodia very impersonal and cold, with the hookers pussy functioning only as a vendor in which you can shoot your load. There is no time for “getting to know one another” and little opportunity to “spend time together”. While the girls of Martini’s Pub and Sharkey’s bar give somewhat of an impression that your time together is special, that is an illusion. The girls are there only to make money off of you and then move on to the next guy. That is the reality of the sex scene in Cambodia. Perfect for the guy who just wants to shoot his load with no strings attached, not the scene for the guy who wants to fall madly in love with the hooker doll of his dreams. (Not to say you cannot meet a girl in the brothels who will make good companionship, but most are pros just in it for the money).
Surprisingly, you will find both Khmer (Cambodian) and Vietnamese women working the red light districts. Vietnamese girls have migrated into Cambodia to work the sex trade probably because the pay is better and there is less problems with the police. Neither the Khmer nor Vietnamese women speak much English. By comparison, the Thai bar girls are English scholars, really. Khmer girls tend to be much darker skinned, with black and somewhat frizzy hair. The Vietnamese girls have much lighter skin, pinker nipples and more of the expected (slanted eye) look. There are reports that the Vietnamese girls give better service sexually (i.e., BJ’s), but that has yet to be proven. Both Khmer and Vietnamese prostitutes are money oriented (although to us the cost is next to nothing) and once you have paid and the sex is over with, they will move on to the next customer. You will be hard pressed to find girls who, like the Filipinas, who are relationship or marriage minded. This is to your advantage as you will find less jealously and possessiveness meaning taking two, three, four or even five girls at the same time will simply not be a problem.
Cost
Next to free, it does not get much cheaper. Most of the major brothels and massage parlors charge $5 for short time sex. All night generally will cost you $20 to $25. There have been reports of a few places where sex goes for as little as $2. This is what most of the local Khmer men pay when frequenting a brothel.
In the low class brothels, such as Svay Pak (also known as kilometer or Km. 11), Tuol Kork, and the low class massage parlors, the going rate for the tourist is $4-$5 for short time (plus a $1 to $2 tip if the girl was really good). Short time means one fuck, lasting fifteen to twenty minutes. If you take longer than that, expect the other girls to start pounding on your door wondering what’s taking so long. If you take a free lance prostitute out of Martini’s, Sharky’s, the boat houses, etc., the going rate is $10 for short time for most girls. On occasion you will get a spoiled bitch who thinks she is above everyone else (thanks to some tourist over paying her) and therefore will ask $15. Such a girl usually turns out to be no better a performer than the rest, so I would not advise going with such a girl or paying her such an inflated rate. You should add a $1 tip for motorbike fare to all the girls, except the $15 girl. She’s already overcharged you as it is. Most of the time you will be expected pay at the end of the session, after sex, not in advance. I would be very leery of any free lance who asks to pay in advance. By the way, you can also pay these girls in Thai baht. They will all know the exact exchange rate.
Legal
How Do You Determine Their Age: Most of the prostitutes do not carry ID cards with them. If they do, it won’t do you much good, unless you read the Khmer or Vietnamese language. It’s impossible to know a Khmer or Vietnamese hookers true age as it’s the nature of her and her pimp to lie, having you believe she is the age she thinks you want her to be. If, for example, a hooker thinks you want a young girl, she will tell you she is only 14 or whatever age group you seem interested in. If she thinks you want a more mature woman, presto! The 14 year old is now 19. Thus it’s difficult to know the true age of any prostitute in Cambodia. To complicate things more, you cannot tell the age of an Asian merely by looks. Many of the prostitutes look much younger than they really are, usually due to their body size. You can know this by asking the age of the street children (who are not so apt to lie about their age) and compare their size and physical maturity with the prostitutes. You will be shocked at how young all of them appear (one kid on the street looked like she was only about seven and turned out to be thirteen; another looked eleven and was sixteen). Another way is to ask your taxi driver, especially if he is married with children, the age of any girl. He will be able to approximate the true age of a girl with little exaggeration. Most of the time, you will think the prostitute is several years younger than their true age. This is what trips up the anti-sex groups with their highly distorted statistics of children working the brothels in Cambodia.
Although prostitution is technically illegal, the police turn their back by way of bribery. There are crackdowns (usually because the police want more money and the brothel owners refuse to pay) and this forces the red light scene to change and move to another area. Tourists are rarely bothered when partaking in the sex industry unless there is an underage (under 16) girl involved. The legal age of consent is 16 and you are strongly advised to stay clear of anything younger than that. To be safe, if you bring any girls to your hotel, make sure they are obviously (i.e., have mature face, nice size breasts, etc.) of age. NGO’s (non governmental organizations) have been known to call the police when spotting a tourist with what appears to be an underage girl.
Cambodia Events
There are few celebrated events in Cambodia that affect tourists, if any. Most of the red light districts that cater to tourists are open year round and thus you can come to Cambodia to chase women at any time. The only time I found there to be a problem was either a)when there was political pressure that caused the temporary closure of some bars/brothels. Such events are of course unpredictable and can spring up any time. b)During Songkrong (the water festival in Thailand, April 14-19), you have a surge of sex tourists coming from Thailand to Cambodia to avoid the obnoxious water festival in Thailand. Also, during this time some Khemer girls return to their province to visit family, making for a unbalanced ratio of guys (ie., horny tourists) and girls (willing subjects). Outside of this time (April 14-19), you will find uninterupted sexual bliss in Cambodia (crackdowns pending).
Avoid going to Cambodia just before an election.
Prices
Already explained in getting there.
Tipping
As a general rule, it is neither required nor expected that you tip. While certainly nobody will complain if you hand them a wad of tip money, nobody will scorn at you if you don’t. There are basically three services you will have to decide on concerning tipping.
1. Restaurants. It is not required you leave a tip. In fact, I would not tip at all unless the service was outstanding. Normally you will find the service quite frustrating. Here’s a few examples of the type of poor
service you usually get:. A)You sit down and the waiter hands everyone but you a menu. B)Ten minutes
after everyone else’s dish is served, yours arrives. C)When you wish to order more, the waiter somehow
disappears. D)The bill has food items you never ordered (especially rice). And so on…Under such consideration of poor and inefficient service, I hesitate to recommend you tip anything. However, if the service was really good, 5% to 10% is more than enough.
2. Taxi/motorbike drivers. Don’t tip your driver! He already overcharged you ten times the going rate.
It is my general rule that anyone who provides a service and which you pay DIRECTLY has already negotiated a price they are happy with. I do not tip them. I am not talking about METER TAXIS in Bangkok. They get a small share of the meter price from the owners. In Phnom Penn most have their own bikes or cars and you negotiate a price for the day. The only exception is if I am asking them to travel more than the general tourist does. (like 2 trips to Svay Pak in the same day or just driving up and down streets for me to explore…this is why I know Phnom Pen like the back of my hand).. When I do this I give them a bit extra for gasoline.
3. Maids. This is the one exception where you might want to tip in advance (i.e., before she cleans your room). This is especially the case if you want extra towels, more soap, spray to kill in mosquito’s, etc. A fifty cent tip will be highly appreciated. Tip her in Khmer currency (riel). If you gave you all the towels/soap/extra sheets, etc. you needed, at check out time hand her a $1 to $2 tip.
More: They are paid very little and you will be amazed at what a 1000 to 2000 riel tip will do to make them happy. My theory is that when you are in a dangerous third world country you can’t have too many ‘friends’. These are people coming into your room each day.They are basically very honest, but you can increase their honesty by giving them a bit of financial help. I wish I could make the laborers in my country happy by giving them a quarter or two extra every day.
4. Beggars. Don’t tip those who approach you in the tourist areas (i.e., at Central Market, outside Lucky store, outside Martini’s or Sharkey’s, etc.). Such beggars are in the business of begging. If you wish to tip a real beggar, find one sleeping on the streets (easy to do in Cambodia) and hand them one to two thousand riel (twenty-five to fifty cents).
Tipping the girls.
For the sex workers in Cambodia (i.e., hookers), tipping is not required in many cases; in some it’s an
absolute must. When to tip and when not to will depend on the situation and place you meet the girls. Here
are a few examples to illustrate.
Situation #1. If you go to Martini’s Pub, one of the most popular meeting grounds for tourists and hookers in Phnom Penh, there are no lady’s drinks, no bar fines and no fees for taking a girl back to your hotel room (i.e., for sex). The girls that go to Martini’s do not earn a salary; in fact it’s been rumored they have to pay to hang out there. So then, how do the Martini girls earn a living? They reply sole on tips from customers (i.e., from guys who take them back to their hotel to screw). Generally speaking, if you take a Martini’s girl to your hotel, it is expected you tip her ten to twelve dollars for short time sex or twenty dollars for all night. As a rule you tip her after sex, never before. Hand her a fresh US dollar bill just as she is about to exit your room. The same situation applies for a girl you meet at Sharkey’s.
Situation #2. If you screw any girl out of a brothel such as Svay Pak or a massage parlor, it is not required you tip the girl. Rather, you just pay the masasan or papasan (i.e., manager) the fee (generally five dollars for short time; twenty for all night) and that is it. If the girl did an outstanding performance, a one to two dollar tip is more than generous. Tip her of course after sex, not before.
Situation #3. If you take any of the girls from the boat houses, you will have to pay a five dollar fee in advance to the mamasan. Following, after sex, you will be required just like a Martini’s girl to tip her. Again, ten to twelve dollars for short time, twenty for all night.
Situation #4. Don’t tip any girl you don’t have sex with. If the girl doesn’t go with you to have sex, you
don’t tip her, period! Here’s a few other notes on tipping the girls. Tipping in Cambodia is generally paid in US dollar. It’s always a good idea to carry a few one dollar bills when going to the brothels and massage parlors
so you can give your girl a tip. Also, you will need to have change (i.e., $10, $20 bills) to pay any girls
you take back to your hotel. You can tip in Thai baht. Most girls will know the exact exchange rate (baht to dollar) for that day. You can also tip in Khmer money, but with an expected exchange rate of 4,000 riel per dollar, it’s just too bulky to handle that money. Girls prefer the green backs! Don’t give any tips to a girl who asks for a tip while in the bar or massage parlor (i.e., before you’ve had sex with her). She’s not going to give you free sex,
so why should you give her free money?
Water
The water from any faucet in Cambodia (i.e., water from the shower or sink at your hotel) is not safe to drink. At times when you first turn the water on, rust may appear. Just let it run for a minute or so to clear that up. While showering you should use caution in swallowing any water. Since it’s almost unavoidable you will get some water in your mouth while showering (and certainly when rinsing after brushing your teeth), it’s advised you have a bottle of purified water in the bathroom at all times. Use that for a final rinse after brushing your teeth and after
showering if you got water in your mouth. If you accidentally swallow any tap water, plan to spend a few days on the toilet. As for water at restaurants, it’s always best to order bottled water. Never drink anything with ice from any outdoor restaurant that does not cater to tourists. Your best bet is to always drink your soda or beer
directly from the bottle rather than in a poured glass containing ice. While at Martini’s, Sharkey’s or any
air conditioned restaurant or high class hotel the ice is generally safe, it’s best to avoid it whenever possible. If you drink ice from any local outdoor restaurant, you have my sympathy..
INTRODUCTION
If Bangkok or Pattaya, Manila or Angeles are heaven to you, then Phnom Penh is Heaven’s Heaven. Many people travel from Thailand, the Philippines and other Asian cities to visit Phnom Penh, but no one who lives in Phnom Penh travels to Bangkok, Pattaya, Angeles City, Manila or Indonesia to meet women. Imagine all of those people lucky enough to be retired in Thailand or the Philippines would choose to leave those countries to meet women elsewhere. That elsewhere is CAMBODIA!!! It is not just a candy store, but the entire factory.
A few years back, I wrote a travel article for people visiting Vietnam. I stated that it was the Asia of old. It is all of that, and more, but the Vietnamese women there are not available due to the government’s rules. It is really disheartening to see so many lovely young women, who are not available. But they are! You just have to meet them in Cambodia. Do not let the name put you off, the place is fine. In fact, 50% more people die in traffic accidents(45/month) than from landmines(30/month). There is no possibility of you coming across a landmine. I have never heard of an incident of a tourist coming across a landmine. Accidents generally occur when a drunk Khmer is driving his motorbike too fast the wrong way down the street and meets either a pole or a car. Driving slowly on a moto taxi is pretty safe, even though they and all other Khmer drivers use both sides of the road.
For the real Sex Tourist of Asia, not the rank amateur, there is really one country that cannot be missed. The girls do not have the English skills of the Philippines, the country does not have the development of Thailand or the exotic nature of Indonesia. But you did not travel half way round the world for food, shopping or skin diving. It does have, hands down, the best women in SE Asia. That country is Cambodia, and strangely enough, the women are Vietnamese, who have crossed the border to work in a service sector all but closed in their home country. Cambodia has the many of the advantages of Thailand in the late 70’s. If you missed out then, you have the chance to make up for it now. Also, if you did not make it to the Vietnam War, it is now your chance to make up for it. All of those ideas floating around about Asian women being submissive and nurturing are not myths in Cambodia. They are the simple facts of the way the Vietnamese women treat foreign tourists like you.
CAMBODIA: The New “Land of Smiles”Your Smiles!
GETTING THERE
Who flies to Phnom Penh?
Bangkok Airlines is safer than Air Cambodia!!! You can give a robber your money, but you cannot negotiate with the ground you are approaching at 300 miles/hour. Do not fly Cambodia Airlines. Thai Airlines is a bit expensive for the same flight.
From Bangkok:
Cambodia Airlines
Bangkok Airlines
Thai Airlines
MEETING WOMEN–WHY YOU GO THERE
There are a variety of ways to meet women in Cambodia, similar to Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. Cambodia has all of the same ways and a few more—At reduced prices and with enhanced service!!!
Martini’s Bar/Disco/Restaurant/Movies (7:00pm – 3:00am)
Heaven could not be this good, because this place goes beyond the imagination. 120+ attractive, pleasant, outgoing and friendly girls (80% Vietnamese 20% Khmer) come in every night. Only about 20 US, European, Australian, Japanese and Taiwanese men come to meet them. You can guess who is in the driver’s seat here?
This place is free-lance, so there is no need to buy a girl a drink. In fact, I never saw a girl even ask for one. There is also no bar-fine. Some girls want to go short-time and accept $10. All-nighters cost $15. These are low season rates. There is not much of a high season, due to Pol Pot, Cambodia will be a long time coming in getting tourists. When the most famous movie about a country starts out with the word “Killing,” there is only so much a PR firm can do to attract tourists. High Season rates are only $5 more.
In Martini’s, there are so many pretty, sweet, enthusiastic young ladies that I see no reason to ever go anywhere else. The only reason that I go elsewhere is for my friends, who are new arrivals, and want to see more of the delights of the city. But, every night, they are ready for Martinis.
The place gets started at 8:00pm, and that is a good time to get in and eat, get a good table and see the girls as they first come in. I do not go just to look, but to take. This is not a spectator sport but a participatory one. The sooner you arrive, the sooner you can take your honey home. True, most of the girls come in after nine, but there is not anything to do in your hotel anyway.
Movies
There are movies running all of the time. They are usually US movies, Khmer-dubbed and English subtitled. Sometimes they are Hong Kong movies with hot HK women, but you will have to read the subtitles either way. The young ladies around you are finer than the movie stars.
The Disco
The Disco gets going after 9:00pm. There are usually 20 girls on the floor and only a few foreign men. Now and then a couple of backpacking tourists wander in with their girlfriends, but they do not get in the way–except when a fat foreign woman covers your view of two lovely Vietnamese women. You will not be pressured to dance–that aboriginal pre-coital art form , but you will see how energetic the girls are before you make a selection.
The Restaurant
Beef Luclac Beef, French Fries, lemon/pepper sauce $2.00
Beef Noodle Soup Full of beef and large noodles $1.00
Beef Kabobs Beef, Green Peppers, Pineapple (2 ) $1.00
½ Chicken well spiced $1.00
Garlic Bread enough for two people $1.00
And many other dinners for: $2.00
The Bar
Tea, coffee $1.00
Soda, Coke, Sprite $1.20
Beer Dependent on the brand $2.00-$3.00
Hard Liquor Everything is available Inexpensive
Why get drunk with so many great looking women
around. This isn’t America where you want your vision blurred.
*Martini’s is really the best place in the country. And this country is the best place in the world.
Sharky’s Bar
#126 Street 130
Between Street 19 and Street 15, just east of the Central Market and Norodom Blvd.
Owned by an American, this is a place to play pool, eat Thai food and see women in good light. The music is not blaring and the place is comfortable. The food is a bit pricey for Cambodia, but still dirt cheap and very good by Western standards. I just happen to prefer Martini’s. There are plenty of other foreigners in this bar after 9:00pm, and you might want to see this place one night and Martini’s on another.
Happy Hour Beer (5pm – 7pm) $1.00
Beer $1.60 and up
Tea, Coffee, Coke, Sprite $1.00
Food (Thai and American) $2.00 and up
Lay Lay Massage
Street 63(Pasteur) near 182 Street
Do not be deceived by the massage sign. This is not one of those Thai rip-offs where the massage is 5 minutes for 500 baht ($13)and then the girl wants 1,500 ($40) for a short-time. Lay Lay’s, like the other massage services in Cambodia provide a short-time with an attractive Vietnamese lady for….$5. This is not a misprint…FIVE DOLLARS!!! The little rooms upstairs are air-conditioned and serve the purpose quite well. It is better than going all of the way out to Svay Pak(see below) because you save the time, cost(small) and bother. There is air conditioning in the lobby and the rooms. Svay Pak (see below) is a bit down market from this place.
You just walk in and look at who is around. When you see someone you like, just tell her. She will be more than willing to care for you. Pay your five dollars and she will escort you to your love nest for the next ½ hour of pleasure.
Karok Massage Hotel
63 Street(Pasteur) next to 242 Street and 252 Streets
Similar to Lay Lay, but not as nice
Bararasthmey Massage Karaoke
63 Street(Pasteur) next to 242 Street and 252 Streets
Similar to Lay Lay, but not as nice
My Chan Massage Karaoke
63 Street(Pasteur) next to 242 Street and 252 Streets
Similar to Lay Lay, but not as nice
All of these massage-lady homes are similar to Lay Lay in price and services. They are certainly worth a look for the price of a drink.
Svay Pak
This little Passion Street, about 10 kilometers from town, has about 25 lady-homes, each with anywhere from 5 to 15 hostesses. There are about 200 young women waiting to share pleasure with you. Why let them down.
The best way to get there is by A/C Bus. The cost, 50 cents. It is a 30-minute ride from the central bus station. Get the bus for “GO UDONG.” The best time to go is 11:00am, right after you have finished breakfast at Capitol. Nothing much starts out there before then. Buses leave every 45 minutes or so. The Information Desk Attendants at the bus station next to Central Market actually speak English and are helpful. GO UDONG is the only bus foreigners get onto unless they are backpackers going to God-knows-where.
You can get one of the motos in front of your hotel to take you the Svay Pak, but the bus is the preferred form of transportation. It could rain, you know. An automobile taxi could run you up there for $10, and wait for about two hours, but the bus is how most people go, and it is how I would do it. In short, you cannot get wet, the ride is air-conditioned and you will live through a crash. Why ride a moto for 25 minutes when you don’t have too.
Svay Pak is a dirt road nearly 100 yards long with lady homes, snack stands and the like on either side. You will not be hounded as you walk down the street, but you will be requested to come into each of the little homes by a host of attractive young women. They would like you to pay $5 for a bit of fun, and would greatly appreciate a $1 tip. It always gets you better service if you give the tip ahead of time. I know the old saying in Thailand, “Never pay a girl until afterwards, that way she will do a good job in order to get a tip!” I AGREE!! But, Cambodia is not Thailand and Vietnamese girls are not Thai! You did not have to do that in Thailand in 1985 and you do not have to do that now in Cambodia. She will be so happy that she received a tip that she will make you very, very happy.
Before you get all of your hopes up, this place is not first-class. The rooms are not air-conditioned and they are very small. If you prefer, you can also take a girl home from here for the night for only $20. She would be elated if you took her to Martini’s that night. She would be able to speak Vietnamese with the other girls and she will not have to listen to your English all of the time. She will drink only soft drinks and eat for a dollar or two. It is a big step-up for the girl to be able to leave Svay Pak for the day and go to Martini’s. It will also allow her to network with the other girls who are there.
At Svay Pak, you can buy as coke in the lady homes for $1 or, better yet, sit in the little “bar” towards the end on the right(see map), have a beer, coke, cold coconut juice or frozen yogurt and look at all of the attractive young women across the street. They will try to attract enough of your attention in order to get you to meet them after you finish your drink. If one happens to cross the street to see you, and you are interested, she would appreciate a frozen yogurt (13 cents). This will give you 10 minutes to decide if you like her or not. Even if you don’t, just say bye-bye and she will no longer go after you. If you want to hand her 2,000 Riel (50 cents), go ahead, but it is not expected or necessary. Tell a Thai girl that you are no longer interested after buying her a drink and she will not take too kindly to it.
ROAD 154
This is a place to see about sundown. If you go too early, there will not be any women around. If you go too late, it will be too dark to see well. There are lots of women just wandering around looking to meet someone just like you. They will want 10,000($2.50) for a short-time. They are not used to going all night. DO NOT GO HERE LATE AT NIGHT!!! If you do night find anything that you like before about 7:00pm, then leave! That is when the locals start to arrive.
247 Street
This little street, one block away from-and behind the Intercontinental Hotel is worth an early evening look. Again, go in the twilight hours. Do not go too late. There are lots of Khmer women just walking along, some of them pretending to sell some item or another from a stand. They will want 10,000-20,000 Riel ($2.50-$5.00) for a quick hop back to your place. This place is also down market, and I have always found Martini’s to be a better place to play.
TOUL KOK
This is a shanty town that will not pull the attention of most foreigners. I have never taken anyone from here and I recommend that you don’t either. There are just so many other women to be had in better surroundings. Toul Kok, which can be spelled in several ways on the same map, is located on street 70, just west of the turning circle on Monyvong. Take Monyvong north to the street 70 turning circle and go left. The lady homes(shacks) will appear on your right almost immediately.
The going rate is 10,000 Riel ($2.50) for a short-time in their rooms. After one look in their rooms, you would most likely forget about the $2.50 and head on back to your hotel alone all alone. The girls may very well be available to go out too, as everything is available at a price, but for what they want for take out, you could get the cream-of-the-crop from Martini’s.
SAFETY
This starts with the plane trip. Do not take Royal Air Cambodge. If you chose to take boat trips on the lake to Ankor Wat, or on the ocean up the coast, fine, but sit near the exits. Not many people could get out of the boat if it capsized. The road to Ankor Wat or Bantambang from Phnom Penh is the worst I have ever seen. DO NOT TAKE IT!!! The train is acceptable, but slow. There is not another train to crash into. You cannot drown on a train and there is no possibility of falling 20,000 feet before hitting the ground. You can get the Ankor Wat video in town and show it to your friends at home. You will miss the night away from Martini’s.
WHERE TO STAY
There are several good hotels and guest homes that provide good value for the dollar. Here are the best hotels at reasonable rates. You will not find the $100+/night places in this list. Those are reserved for the UN, NGOs, charities and the like. The money they spend goes to some international hotel chain. The money you spend on a Vietnamese girl actually makes it to the poor. Is it any wonder why the countries that have received aid for the longest time also have the least human rights and the least development. Singapore has never received aid of any kind.
Golden Gate Hotel
Samdach Louis Em(Street 282) between Pasteur(Street 63) and Street 57
South of
Rooms $15+
A/C, Satellite TV, refrigerator, Hot Water
Good Location
Tai Seng
56 Monyvong Street- Near British Embassy
Rooms $15+ old building
$20+ new building
A/C, Satellite TV, refrigerator, Hot Water
Bad Location
Hotel Yang Chou
No.27R., Street 252(1/2 block from Monyvong)
Sangkat Chatamok, Khan Doun Penh
Rooms $15+
A/C, Satellite TV, refrigerator, Hot Water
Great Location
Walk-A-Bout Guest House
On the corner of 51 and 174 Streets
Rooms $6+
No Hot Water, TV or Refrigerator
A/C available for $4 extra/night = $10
$1 Anchor Beer all day
Slate Pool Table
Western and Asian Food
*For $5 over the Walk-A-Bout, take the hotels listed above and get a TV, refrigerator and hot water.
CAPITOL GUESTHOUSE
No. 14 AEo, Road 182
Sangat Beng Prolitt
Khann 7
Phone: 855-23-364-104, 023-724-104
Fax: 855-23-214-104
http://www.bigpond.com.kh/users/capitol
The Capitol is where to eat
Rooms $6+
No Hot Water, TV or Refrigerator
I do not know of anyone who has stayed here, but it is not any worse than the other guesthouses in the neighborhood. One advantage to the place is that you are right next to an inexpensive and safe place to eat. There are also plenty of “semi-English-speaking” motorcycle taxis. They will know how to get where you want to go without running you all over the city.
In the back of the restaurant on the left side is a refrigerator with copies on the two city magazines on the top. Take one of each.
IN-COUNTRY TRAVEL
Funny thing, there is only one good road in the country, from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville on the coast. But there is not really any reason to go there. The Americans and UNTAC built the road in the early nineties in order to facilitate the transfer of goods from the port of Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh. Khmers cannot build roads. It is one of those things that the Americans, Europeans or Japanese do in Cambodia.
Even the Greeks built roads!
MOTOS
If you are not close enough to walk to where you want to go, take a moto. This is how to figure prices. You will not get the Khmer rate, but it will be cheap enough so that you will not care. Always keep a bunch of 500 Riel (13 cents)or 1,000 Riel notes (25 cents) in your pocket. When the shops want you to pay exact change and give up your little notes, to Hell with them. Give them the 5,000 ($1.30) or 10,000 Riel notes ($2.60) and make them give you change.
Some people say I am too generous, but I just do not want some moto driver spitting on my back as he bolts away on his motorbike. I do not want someone to think about how to rob me in a country where there is no justice. This is the place where “Better Safe Than Sorry” is really true.
Always pay a minimum of 1,000 Riel. The equivalent of $.25. This is enough for a three-minute ride.
These are approximate rates, not written anywhere, but fair.
3 minutes 1,000 Riel
4 minutes 1,500 Riel
5 minutes 2,000 Riel
6 minutes 2,000 Riel
Only pay 3,000 Riel if you traverse virtually the entire city or when going home from Martini’s at night. Also, show the amount you will pay on your fingers in thousands prior to boarding the bike. Do not go near the bike until he has acknowledged the amount you have shown him. They may try to avoid looking at you in order for you to board the bike and then ask for a larger amount later. I have never had that happen and it is not common, but why risk it? People who live there know how much they can pay, but tourists like yourself, don’t!
So, how do I know how many minutes it will take? Phnom Penh is a small town. Look at your enclosed map, and figure 1 1/2 minutes for every kilometer. As you see, you will cover much of the city in a matter of minutes.
Further rides to the Killing Fields, Airport and other places must be negotiated in advance.
I have never put the Killing Fields on the top of my list, the viewing of 100,000 skulls. It will not make you a better person. There are also tour buses and the like that provide good affordable transport services.
WHERE TO EAT
Martini’s
Great for Dinner
402 Mao Tse Tung Blvd.
On the side street of the Intercontinental Hotel
Beef Luclac Beef, French Fries, lemon/pepper sauce $2.00
Beef Noodle Soup Full of beef and large noodles $1.00
Beef Kabobs Beef, Green Peppers, Pineapple (2 ) $1.00
½ Chicken well spiced $1.00
Garlic Bread enough for two people $1.00
And many other dinners for: $2.00
The Bar
Drinks:
Tea, coffee $1.00
Soda, Coke, Sprite $1.20
Beer Dependent on the brand $2.00-$3.00
Hard Liquor Everything is available Inexpensive
Why get drunk with so many great looking women
around. This isn’t America where you want your vision blurred.
Capitol Guesthouse
Breakfast – Lunch — Dinner
No. 14 Eo, Road 182
Sangat Beng Prolitt
Khann 7
Phone: 855-23-364-104, 023-724-104
Fax: 855-23-214-104
Also arranges tours throughout the country, Vietnam visas, trips to the border, etc. Look at their bulletin board in the morning over breakfast. This is a great place for information. In fact, they probably have more information about traveling in Cambodia than any other place in the city. They are not the most charismatic people in the world, but do provide great services at excellent prices.
Menu
Breakfast
Omelet 50 cents
Cheese Omelet 63 cents
Toast 10 cents
Butter 30 cents
Jam 20 cents
Two eggs 50 cents
Coffee 15 cents
Tea 15 cents
Asia-Europe Bakery
House No. 97E0
Preah Sihanouk Road
Opposite Lucky Super Market
Chocolate Cake 30 cents
Apple Danish(1/2 an apple) 80 cents
The list goes on and on. Very good quality and very good prices.
Attractive and friendly, young female owner who speaks English with a smile.
French Bakery
99B Sihanouk Blvd.
Opposite Lucky Super Market
SAFETY
This starts with the plane trip. Do not take Royal Air Cambodge.
If you chose to take boat trips on the lake to Ankor Wat, fine, but sit near the exits. Not many people could get out of the boat if it capsized. The road to Ankor Wat or Bantambang from Phnom Penh is the worst I have ever seen. The train is acceptable, but slow. There is not another train to crash into. You cannot drown on a train and there is no possibility of falling 20,000 feet before hitting the ground. You can get the Ankor Wat movie in town and show it to your friends at home. You will miss the night off from Martini’s.
This is a safe country if you perform safe activities. I have no problems traveling there and I know of no one who has ever been injured there. I do know of two people who have been robbed—not injured. This is an extremely poor country with virtually no productive infrastructure and a lot of leftover guns. The country virtually lives off of foreign aid, marijuana and heroin exports, timber sales, gemstones, and Ankor Wat tourism. I do not know the proper order to put these in, but the foreign aid money overshadows almost everything else put together. There are no jobs for the people. The citizens do whatever they can to survive, and when some drunk, foreign tourist does not know the way to his hotel or watering hole one night, his motorcycle taxi(moto) may take him to a dark alley, and find people with guns waiting for him, requesting that he give up his wallet. The motos are in on it. They choose to go down dark streets for a reason. Do you wonder why the robbers wouldn’t take the bike as well? The moto driver is their friend. I conclude, during the night, the smart tourist uses the (motos) in front of the hotels, bars and restaurants frequented by tourists, NOT the motos running down the street.
If a moto goes off of the beaten track, do the following, in this sequence:
1) Say “Stop” loudly, holding your flat hand out
2) Turn the throttle down
3) Push down on the rear brake or grab the front brake
4) Rip his ear off—It happens all of the time in rugby matches
5) Pull the knife out of your pocket and put it too his throat
6) This is not America – It is your ass and you can save it however you want to.
No lawsuits will follow. There are no consequences to your actions here.
7) Take the bike when he gets off and drive 2 kilometers. Walk away-leave it without keys. Say nothing.
A few major streets in town, stay on them. The $40 in your pocket is a month’s salary or more. You will never have any reason to have more than $40 with you. That is already double what I would dream of spending during an evening. I can go out and spend $6 for my taxi, food and iced tea. I will pay the girl at my hotel.
Prices are quoted at the rate of $1 = 3,950 Riel (Khmer Money) and $1 = 40 baht. As it is not likely that you will find the $/Riel rate in your local paper, use the $/baht rate and multiply by 100. The Khmer economy is heavily dependent upon the Thai economy for trade and adjusts its currency accordingly. Do not use the LA Times Travel Section currency exchange rates, look on the Internet or in a magazine shop. The Far-Eastern Economic Review, Asia Week and others will provide the correct rates.
SERVICES
Khmer Web #150Eo, Sihanouk Blvd. Near Lucky Super Market $6/hour
Opposite Cambodia Astra Motors
Cambodia Web 80 Street 108 $6/hour
WEBSITE INFORMATION ON CAMBODIA
Sihanoukville.com
The best way to stay current is to punch in “Cambodia” and or “Phnom Penh” in the Search Section of Yahoo or Northern Lights. You can also go into Yahoo, Countries and Regions, Cambodia. They will not have the same information as in this book, but there will be helpful travel hints, weather information and the like. These sights will also have a positive slant on the country that may not be all too accurate.
MAGAZINES
Bayon Pearnik
Principal
These are two free magazines listing everything going on in the city. There is not a lot happening unless you want to fork over expensive Western currency in a first-class place to see someone sing. I cannot see the purpose in it all. Pick them up at the Capital Guest House restaurant or at other tourist spots.
SHOOTING GALLERY
You can shoot military weapons there. You can also fire an RPG. But for the same money, you can have more lovely young women caring for you. Skip the noise and the risks associated with shooting and enjoy the company of the finest women in the world. Who wants their ears to be ringing when they are listening to Vietnamese do their best to speak English. The Vietnamese have enough ringing in their voices for me.
VISAS
Anyone from a Western country traveling to Cambodia by plane will receive a visa at the airport in Phnom Penh for a fee of $20. Upon leaving Cambodia, you will also pay an airport tax of $20.
If you plan to travel overland or by boat, you must get your visa from a Cambodian embassy before you go. The fee is $20. I do not really recommend this form of travel as the roads in Cambodia leave much to be desired. No kidding, the road from the Aranyaprathet/Poi Pet Border to Bantambang and Phnom Penh is post-Apocalyptic. The road from the Aranyaprathet/Poi Pet Border to Siam Reap (Near Ankhor Wat) is the same. The train from Siam Reap to Phnom Penh is slow and boring. The boat from Siam Reap, down the river to Phnom Penh, is acceptable, but SIT NEAR THE EXIT! Better yet, take the plane, unless you are really on a tight budget and enjoy self-mutilation.
SHOPPING
The Russian Market or Toul Tompong
It is a 2,000 Riel ride from anywhere in the city. It is in the southern part of Phnom Penh. The only place worth seeing in the market is on the east-side entrance. There, you will find Khmer artifacts, both recent and old. Nice bronze heads(softball size) $5. Bronze masks (6 inch diameter) $3. Statues (6 inch) $1, (11 inch) $5. There are many other items to look at, but these are the ones that I liked.
CENTRAL MARKET
This market sells everything available in Cambodia, but not much that you would want. It is the best, if not the only place to pick up Cambodian tennis shirts and T-shirts. The prices are about $3-$4 for tennis shirts and $2 for T-shirts. The stands for these are located in the central ring of the market. If one stand does not have what you want, go to the next one and the next one. Do not believe their statement, “No have in Market!” You just have to look for the tennis shirts with the collars on them.
WEATHER
Similar to the weather in Bangkok except that it does actually get cool in the winter months. In December 1998, it was less than seventy degrees in the day and a lot cooler at night. When it rains, it pours, and it pours in the afternoons in August and September. It is hot and dry, Dirt-Dry, in March, April and May. If you are going to be in East Asia anyway, you will know what to expect from the weather in any of the other East Asian cities.
KHMER INABILITIES
Read(60%)
Understand maps. Most of them do not even know where they are let alone where anything else is. They’ll direct you where they want you to go, if they know.
Do anything that has not been done before—and that they can repeat
Listen
Remove paperclips
Give Change—I do not know how on earth they function without having any small money around. One dumb tourist must have said, “keep the change.” And ever since then, they have not wanted to give change.
These certainly are not the wisest people on the planet
Prices of girls:
Short Time: $3 – 5; All-nite: $15-20 at Tuol Koek!!! – (bit higher at Svay Pak – 12 km out of town ) it should be $3-5 for an on-premises short time [up to one hour – you normally won’t be hustled] , depending on the girl’s looks, how long she’s been there, etc. Tuol Koek is a real sight to behold. It’s about a one-mile strip solidly lined with brothels on a 2-lane unsealed road on the northern edge of Boeng Kak lake, just north of downtown Phnom Penh. It’s pronounced “Two-oh kaah,” and be sure to get that right. Just turn left at the French Embassy.
I got two girls for $7 once. DON’T PAY IN ADVANCE and don’t be bashful about sending her back if she doesn’t do as advertised or there’s some major attitude shift or other problem. I see that a lot less often in Cambodia than Thailand, though. Be sure to tip the chick privately for good service. The poor (literally) little girls, some of them do try, they get a few cents only from papa-san and own little more than a dress or two.
b. Ages of girls Asian girls always seem younger to me than they are because of how they develop. They all could fuck OK with some much more willing than others . After three that day I was rather screwed out at one short-time joint but the little darling almost turned herself inside out trying to get me up: sucked it, played with it, rolled her gorgeous tight little body all over me. Although unsuccessful she was surely worth a $5 tip.
C. Places to see: Not much really, it’s not a giant city like Bangkok. Apart from a dusty old museum of ethnography and of course Pol Pot’s awful legacy at Tuol Sleng there ain’t much to dew but screw! You can go to the beach at Sihanoukville about 200 km south but as the roads are appalling and the railway uncertain you probably gotta fly by Captain Eddie Chonglong Airlines!
d. Safety concerns Well it is an anarchic Third World country always in political turmoil and corrupt as hell but if you’re cool and avoid dark places you should be OK. I can’t begin to say it’s totally safe. But it seemed safer than I had been led to believe from posts from 1995 and earlier. I pushed my luck far enough to do the brothels in the early evening (until 10 p.m. or so), being careful to not walk any dark stretches. Streets will be very poorly lit, and brothel areas (like 63rd) may have dark stretches nearby, so it’s important to know where you want to go. The “police blotter” section of the Phnom Penh Post will report an armed robbery incident or two every two weeks, and moto drivers will avoid certain areas and want more money for trips after 10 p.m. or so. “Toul Koek” is OK at night but getting there and back late can be dodgy. Riding a motorbike alone late at night is not a good idea. I had no problems.
e. What you can do there.
f. What you can’t do there. See ‘d’ above. However it’s quite pleasant overall, with some quirks. Your great advantage is that there’s a lot of really good chicks there — it’s not like Bangkok or the Philippines where all the knockouts can flock to pricier bars and leave other places weighted down with the rest. Most speak only a very limited amount of English, at best. Almost all are either Vietnamese or Khmer. Vietnamese are much more lively and outgoing, sometimes in a pushy way. There are some real cuties amongst them, though, and most do oral in addition to the standard “boom-boom.” Khmers (the native race) have a bushier, slightly more Negroid complexion and are known for being a lot more reserved and wary of foreigners. They’ll be sitting down or standing and watching or even scowling while the Viets are doing all the grabbing.
You’ll probably have to approach the Khmer ones or show some interest, though they usually won’t give you the ice treatment. Mamasans and pappasans know these girls are more reserved, too, so they try harder to ease the process. Two of the best I got, and the two prettiest, were Khmer. Vietnamese seem to have the big advantage in self-marketing, though. Some are very cute. Some of the older or less attractive girls can really hook you with how they perform, though. Thankfully, you don’t see any “lady boys.”
Where to go? The City’s OK
Where not to go. Beyond the city limits or off marked roads – muchos banditos with Kalashnikovs, and a gazillion land mines
I. What will girls do for you what they won’t do. Oral-straight-anal-3way-etc It’s rather up to the individual chick; the Vietnamese girls are much more ‘forward’ than their Khmer half-sisters- the former will actually drag you off the motorcycle as you pass their ‘establishment’. The chicks don’t really expect you to make much conversation. The Vietnamese ones will be pretty aggressive anyway. Most Vietnamese girls will happily volunteer if they “yum-yum” or “smoke” (do oral), since most of them do. Ask using those terms if the y don’t volunteer it. A few offered their asses too. Some Khmer girls who DIDN’T do oral would lie and say they do (because of competition?) or the mamasan or pappasan would say they do when they don’t. The mamasan or pappasan should speak some English — enough to haggle a price. ALWAYS FIX IT BEFOREHAND but pay afterwards. The girl will be eager to lead you back to the room (often trying to drag you there). Locals can do it this way, but foreigners should always fix the price first.
j. Any ideas you may have about totally uninhibited activities there. Limited only by your imagination, stamina, and quantity of $$$$.
Can I have 2 girls stay with me for a week? See ‘j’ above.
Also as for the whorehouses, this is the “real” Southeast Asian sex outlet — where the local males go while society looks the other way. For $3 they might get a beer and a quickie in a fan-cooled, partitioned boarding house room just barely bigger than the bed that’s in it. That money, though, is 3 or 4 days’ salary to many of the Khmer customers — this is their “treat” for the whole month.
The establishments will probably seem very dingy and run down to you – a place the fire marshal would have condemned in your own town. Expect to see either a pull-down storefront at ground level on a long 2- or 3-story concrete building (Svay Pak) , or (Tuol Koek) wooden houses on stilts. Girls hang around outside or just inside under the telltale pink fluorescent lights. Asian guys pull in, get something to drink, talk to a girl or two (not buying the girl a drink) and go inside or upstairs. The act is usually performed very quickly, without foreplay. Asian guys seem to have a bent toward that. As an earlier post aptly put it, the whole experience is about as base as it gets. Condom usage and insistence is inconsistent, mostly left up to you. If you must then BRING YOUR OWN, though; Cambodian rubbers are the penile equivalent of wearing thick galoshes that are three sizes too small. They’re really awful, and you’ll be very hard pressed to find anything decent ANYWHERE if you run out.
No worries about take-aways they are geared up for all-niters providing you don’t mind three on a motorcycle! It’s eminently do-able, though it’s best to test-drive first with a short-time, since there are so many places and girls to choose from. You’ll be quoted $20-25 in the early evening, and it may be hard to get the pappasan below $15 – 20 before 10 p.m. on most girls. The pappasan is thinking of the money from short-times he might lose from letting the girl go for the night. Regarding the ‘take-aways’ – you’ll probably be sucked into that way of thinking, too, figuring you could save money by doing 2 or 3 short-times until you’re completely spent, rather than spending twice the dough on one girl. As the witching hour [10pm] approaches, it’s easier to get prices in the $15-20 range (though safety could be a concern if you go too late into the night).
The hotel shouldn’t hassle you and if they do, move. Places like the Hong Kong Hotel, Tokyo Hotel, etc., and most in the $20 range will be fine. They’ll probably rent you a double room anyway if you’re a single male (if not, ask). As in Thailand, avoid the few swanky places and international chains e.g. The ‘Cambodiana’ (the prices should be deterrent enough).
I’ve heard so much about other destinations, but I know very little about Cambodia. I hope you can bring me up to speed about this place, Maybe I’ll visit one day. Don’t leave it too long: the word’s getting around about the low cost and the non-insistence upon damned condoms unlike Thailand now. I’ve lost count of the number of exquisite women I’ve fucked in the last 10 years in Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines all without a bloody condom.. I’m seriously contemplating a return visit soon
OK, so your going to Ankhor Wat to see the magnificent temples. Watch out for the moto drivers, they will rip you off. Pick one carefully. There are a number of places for cheap sex here. Just around the corner from the Nana Guesthouse is the typical low end Khymer brothels. Look for Bayon Smile guesthouse on the same dirt road. And look out for the scarecrows dressed up in womens clothes, this seems to be the unwritten sign for the brothels. it’s pretty nasty around here but I am sure you can get $5 sex in the shacks. Even better is the Martini Nightclub. Despite what the Lonely Planet says about it being nothing like its namesake in Phnom Penh, this place is full of taxi girls. The women here are tops. All night for $30. You can probably get it cheaper. There are also a couple massage parlors there to satisfy your desires.
Pnom Phen / Siem Reap I’ve about 200 pages of notes on my travels and wish I’d had a laptop so I could take notes while traveling and not have to type only condensed versions here. I’ll give a condensed (though LONG) version of my Cambodia here… and later, as time permits, I’ll post some more specific details. Gee…this is getting LONG…so I’ll break it into different parts as I go along!
Thailand 30-day visa expired so flew BKK to PP. I’d called AM’s suggested driver, Mr. Sophann [012-832-203] who picked me up at the airport and I first stayed at the Queen Hotel as Adventure Man had recommended it over the Pancak. AM & I had lunch in BKK before I left and generously provided a number of insights/suggestions about PP, as well as Mr. Sophann’s number. I HIGHLY recommend anyone going to PP use Sophann. He’s a former schoolteacher who has been working as a driver for about 6 yrs now. Unlike most in PP…he is HONEST and RELIABLE and doesn’t take you to any places where he might get some commission. He also works _for_ you…in that knows many of the madams at Kilo-11 and will speak up if he thinks you are being offered a high price or help you in negotiating purchases in the various marketplaces. He charged a mere $20/day…and I heard of other drivers charging as much as $30 and still directing you to places where they got a commission. Likely, because of a different focus (I like to travel cheap), I found soon approached PP somewhat differently than AM suggested. I stayed at the AM’s suggested Queen (bargained down to $25/nite) two days, both w/ a lady from Kilometer-11. I had my gal bring in a second (BJ-type) gal and had both of them grudgingly carry my bags a few blocks over to the Walkabout hotel, where I spent the next day/night with them.
Walkabout rooms go from a $4 basic fan…to $12 with fan, AC/TV. Rooms are old and AC was not too efficient (window leaked like a sieve). The best thing about the Walkabout…is the expats that frequent the bars at all hours of the day and night. Great sources of info. Walkabout food…like many places in Cambodia is expensive. They have the worst hamburger I have ever eaten, anywhere in the world…for all of $4, but their $3 breakfast wasn’t too bad, but coffee is $1/cup. My first night in town I walked w/ my K-11companion to a local restaurant on Monivong (one of three main streets). As I entered, there were wine racks…displayed prices of $40 and up.Shocked, I looked at the menu…a large book like many Chinese places…as saw that plain steamed rice was $3 for a small bowl and $7 for a large one!! Damn…I could probably buy a 50kg sack of rice for less than that! I left quickly and as I soon began doing often, I ate on the street from one of the many vendors for about 1500 Riel (3800 Riel to $1 US). Khmer food is pretty bland compared to Thai, but Thai and Western food is pretty expensive in PP.
Stayed at Walkabout about 3-4 days…then inspected the hotel right next door. Whatta find!! I learned that it is mainly short-time hotel, complete with about 25 massage gals. The rooms are nice and clean, quiet…large non-squeeking bed, AC, TV (w/ porno on one channel) and unlike some of their rooms I had a _tub_ and shower. Cost was a mere $15/night. Recommend staying on the top (6th) floor as it is above the massage parlor (5th flr) and little traffic except for some of the girls who stay in a room (by outside rooftop). Only one other farang was staying long time in the hotel, in the room across from me. The Chhay Hour Hotel (pronounced “Chay Whore”) is on 174th St, one door east of 51st St. Phone (023)-215-822 or FAX (023)-215-622. It is a Chinese hotel as it really has 5 floors, but the elevator numbers the floors 1 thru 6…and omits the evil ‘4’. Suggestions for both Thailand and Cambodia:first learn the language for saying numbers…it’ll go a long way in bargaining for goods and services.
I was advised not to wear sandals nor walk around alone…especially at night. Well, other than the few main roads…which have some lights at night, all the other streets are merely dirt or dirt and rocks and all have potholes of varying sizes, many filled with water after the slightest rain. Most side streets are very dark at night. So…I always wore sandals and walked throughout almost the whole city, day and night, averaging about 3-4 miles/day. I never had a problem…but there were places at night when I did have my alert system finely tuned. Yes, there could have been trouble, mainly at night…but the same applies to any major city and often trouble is purely a random phenomenon. I never carried more that $15US or displayed jewelry, cameras etc. I like to walk in new cities as I always see much more than traveling by any motorized means.
Which brings me to the motos…you best bargain hard for a decent fare, and knowing how to say numbers in Khmer really helps. Traffic in PP is the craziest I’ve ever seen. Signals on main streets as well as any stop signs are ignored. Few cars and zillions of 100cc motos come from four different directions to an intersection. Somehow they all make it through. I expected to see dead moto drivers at every intersection. Truly amazing. On my first moto ride my butt hole puckered to non-existance as the driver screamed towards an intersection filled with vehicles. They all like to honk their horns, as if mystically the horn will clear a path for them. We made it through and future moto rides were just exhilarating!
I visited all the ASFO bars: Martini’s, Sharky, Heart of Darkness, etc. and won’t elaborate much as others have already written of them. I will say that Martini’s is a zoo that must be seen; Sharky’s is the only bar I saw that reminded me of a typical California bar…and the young and cute English speaking mamasan’s daughter, who speaks 4 languages and works days as a secretary for the Cambo Dept of Water, has some nice offerings. Both the other farang and I, who were staying at the Chhay Hour Hotel (see part-1) went to Sharky and took gals from there and they kept phoning the other room to talk to one another, even though our respective rooms were across the hall from one another. It was funny…for a while.
Using Walkabout or Chhay Hour hotels as a reference (note: correction, Chhay is one door _west_ of Walkabout on 174th St…not east), there are some $3 S/T places. Walk west on 174th St and go left (south) on 63rd St [note the streets are not numbered sequentially: ie walking from 174th St to 208th St is only 6 blocks]. Continue on 63rd, past 178th, until you encounter Croix Rouge Khmer St, which intersects on the right with 63rd St. The next two houses on the right of 63rd, as you pass Croix Rouge Khmer have $3 S/t. The first one, on the corner, has no ‘pink florescent light’, but a rectangle of white lights over the door. It has about 25 gals sitting just inside the door. Bargain, as they may ask $5 s/t. Places are kinda base…and across the street, on 63rd, are a few karaoke bars with s/t, l/t. Also, a number of karaoke bars are on 154th st, east Norodom Blvd. There are many more, but explore the city at night.
For souveniers/gifts, don’t go to the Central market….most of the tourists go there and prices are higher…go south to the Russian market (Psah Toul Tom Poung) where more locals shop. Good selection of goods and food stands. Ex. I paid $1.50 US for T-shirts, they asked $4…so learn your numbers and bargain hard. Telecommunications is terrible and very expensive. Some Net cafes charge as much as $15/hr.I found a few that charged $4/hr…example was ‘Kids’ which is a few blocks from where I stayed…located on 178th, a few doors west of Norodom Blvd.
The notorious Toul Kok [sp?] is located on 70th St, in the north of the city. I went there w/ an Aussie and we walked all over the place. Very base…a run down area and long dirt street with dilapidated wooden homes and businesses, with cat houses interspersed. Gals will beckon, and offer services…$3 s/t and don’t even consider l/t. As mentioned in other posts…go with a friend, not alone, nor at night. I never felt threatened…but am cautious.
Near the Walkabout, I saw a tent awning being erected and decorated in the street…a few days later it was filled with nicely dressed people and a loud speaker blaring Khmer music. Curious, I went over and found someone who spoke some English who explained it was a Buddhist wedding. I obtained permission to join and photograph the festivities. There was a professional photographer and videographer there, and they readily accepted me. I spent the whole day taking pictures of the intricate wedding, with the many beautiful costume changes and rituals I didn’t understand. A wonderful experience …and I learned that some Buddhist wedding ceremonies may last up to three days. Later, I made some extra prints for me and sent all photos and negatives to the couple.
ASFO’ers may be dismayed to learn that the focus of my trip was to see the country (both Thailand and Cambodia) and experience the culture. Seeing how many sperm deposits I could deliver to the locals was not high on my agenda. I visited nearly all of the Wats and tourist sites in PP, as well as walk most of the city, viewing everything from the few beautiful homes to a small wooden box (5’x3’x3′) that a rickshaw driver used for housing. PP is a filthy place, with corruption rampant and many NGO’s driving nice cars and living well while doing little for the people. The nicest part of the city is the street/walkway along the Tonle Sap River (where the FCC is located) and the city degrades as you go west from there. I did visit the FCC (go for the view and have a bite to eat…good food) and walked to the gambling casino boat. At the casino, I declined the offered drink, asking for water instead…and after losing $50 at Blackjack, I can claim I had a $50 bottle of water. I’d asked Sophann (the driver) to get me a ticket for the boat to Siem Reap (SR). Tickets are imprinted $25…which is what the tourist pay, but Sophann got mine for $20….and took me to the boat the next day. He’d called his relatives in SR, informing them to pick me up at the dock. Sophann is…wonderful…but I’m not too happy with the way his relatives do business. The Express boat to SR takes about 5 hrs and it is fast, powered by 3-200hp Yamaha engines. Take some food to eat during the trip. Due to low water levels, this time of year, long boats take passengers from the Express boat, a few miles, to the landing. At the landing, the long boat driver asked for $1 and Sophann’s relatives said to pay him. I later learned that this fee is included in the Express boat ticket.
Then his relatives (‘Sen” was his name) drove directly to the Golden Angkor Hotel…not offering me any alternatives to lodging. The rooms were $10/nite and comfortable, but be sure and request an room with a window. Mine had none…so no sunlight to help wake me and inform me it was morning and awakening in a dark room, one must stumble to the far wall to turn on any lights. I was somewhat miffed that no alternative lodgings were offered, but was satisfied with the Golden Angkor, which ‘Sen” was affiliated with. There are other places to stay, with basic guesthouses starting from $3 to SR’s only 5-star hotel with rates from $310-$1900/nite! Then, one of his relatives (“Elit”) offered to function as a driver. A nice kid…knowledgeable, informative and spoke good English. But, it cost me $30 to have the car and tour part of the Angkor Wat for the day. As Cambodia drivers use the right-hand side of the road, unlike Thailand, and that traffic was minimal in SR, unlike PP, I looked for alternatives. I’d asked them if I could rent a motorcycle…and they replied that the locals motos take aggressive action against farangs on bikes and sometimes they either steal or damage them. They also told me that it was against the law for foreigners to drive in SR. I checked around and found this to be TOTALLY untrue!! The relatives just didn’t want to lose a potential customer. I was pissed at their deceit!! Unfortunately, when I did go back south to PP, I didn’t contact Sophann to tell him of my displeasure with his relatives. Next day I rented a 250cc Honda ($12/day after bargaining) and with a map began touring the 77 square mile area that the Angkor Wat occupies. Previously, I had purchased a 3-day ticket to visit the Wat: $40. The Angkor Wat is comprised of 20+ temples and is absolutely spectacular!! I toured them all, as well as venturing up to 30-40 miles outside SR to see how the people live, visit the local markets and see the countryside.
Sihanoukville (Kampong Som): The bus from PP drops you are the center of town. But, Sihanoukville is not a large town, but it is _very_ spread out and thus not conducive to walking. A moto took me to the Melting Pot Guesthouse, which had been referred to me by Glen, the owner of Walkabout. The Melting Pot is located in an area with a number of guesthouses. Prices range from $5-10 a night. I met with Craig, the affable owner and his wife and was informed they were booked up. He referred me to the Chez Mari-yan, which is located about 75 yards away. The longer my trip was the cheaper the rooms I stayed in, in order to prolong the adventure. At Chez Mari-yan I was shown their 4 basic $5/nite guesthouses and then shown their free-standing bungalows, which were $10/nite. None had AC or TV…fan only…but the wooden stilted individual bungalows overlooking the ocean and are very charming and quaint and provided a greater sense of privacy. I opted for a bungalow and had been in country long enough that I felt could easily do without AC. The Mari-yan is landscaped with flowers/plants; wooden walkways go to each bungalow and it has a restaurant, in case you don’t want to go anywhere.
The only deficiency is that they use 9 watt CFC bulbs and the lightening is very insufficient I ate often at the Melting Pot….Craig is an excellent cook and the food is reasonably priced. Generally it’s a young crowd that frequents the Melting Pot, unlike the knowledgeable older expats at Walkabout. There is also a few other eateries a just few steps way. But…transportation in Sihanoukville is a problem. You must take moto everywhere to get around, so I rented another 250cc Honda, this time for only $7/day. Don’t rent from ‘Good Luck’ Motorcycle rentals (whatta name?), but use the rental place next to them as the bikes are newer and in better condition. Both rental shops have branches next to the Melting Pot…use the one across the street, as ‘Good Luck’ is the outlet next door to the Melting Pot.
For those that will rely on motos for transportation, they may prefer to stay near the center of town at a more upscale place, rather than the more isolated area that the Melting Pot is located in. Some suggestions would be the Mohasal Hotel (AC/TV about $20-25), the New Paris (AC/TV about $20) , or the Semsak Hotel (AC/TV, Net access and western restaurant $15-25).
For sightseeing I suggest picking up a free copy of the Sihanoukville visitors guide. The area is sleepy. Went to a number of the area bars and often I was the only one in them. I put over 300 miles on the bike, going to all the towns and villages that were within a 50 mile radius.
The strangest place was Bokor Mtn, which is about 8,000 ft and has a large casino and hotels that were built and used by the French. It was abandoned in the ’20’s and is the most mysterious and eerie place I’d seen, primarily due to the rain and the clouds that were blocking the light and covering the mountain. The 33km road up the mountain is terrible…you need a bike to do it. The towns of Kampot, Kep are worth exploring, but 20km of the road was dirt with water filled potholes large enough to hide a Toyota! Also the beaches at Kep and Sihanoukville are nice…and make great roads for the motorcycle. The diversity of Reap Park is a must see. Sporadic and sometimes heavy rains for the last two weeks stymied my plans to do some diving on the coral reefs at some of the area islands.
Now for the stuff you’re interested in. The red-light district is located on a single road, off of Hun Sen Beach Drive. It is north of the city, near the landing for the Ferry to Koh Kong. A dirt road with houses, businesses and places with the expected florescent pink lights. The area is properly called Pom Thmei village. I didn’t see any other red-light area anywhere in town. You bargain hard for s/t for as little as $3-5. Didn’t do l/t, but was quoted $15-$20.
One of the must see places is the Biba Night Club, which is on the right and about 500 meters from the start of the road. Most places are closed during the day, as is Biba. I went to Biba one evening on the Honda…and parked near the front door. Some Khmer in a long-sleeved white shirt rushes over and puts a slip of paper into the left brake lever, then stuck out his hand. I hadn’t a clue as to what he wanted…but soon learned that he was there for valet parking!! There were NO cars anywhere…in front of Biba or on the long road I’d just driven up; and there were three 100cc motos in the lot. But, I had to pay 1000Riel (about 25-cents) to park by the club. Bizarre!! And it is the norm for this club!! Inside, I was surprised to see a dance floor full of Khmers, speakers blaring the latest and more disco lights than I’d seen in years. I sat down, ordered a beer and read their short menu list….and whatta menu: Normal stuff like beer and whisky listed, then things like a ‘serving girld (their spellings) 1-hour for $1, ‘Massage girld’ 1-hour $3, ‘Sex 1-time $10’, ‘Sex 1-night $20′,’Bring girld to go with and sex Day&Night $25’ and lastly ‘Rent a motorcycle day&night $10’. A short, an all encompassing menu for drinks, companions and transportation……..what more could a guy ask for??
Next stop was Koh Kong, on the way back to Thailand. Ferry to Koh Kong costs 500B…but sometimes they claim it’s 600B. Total cost for those going all the way from PP back to Thailand and Bkk, via Sihanoukville, is about $25, which includes the bus, ferry, skiff and moto to Thai border and bus to BKK. This is cheap considering that it’ll cost you $20 for departure fee just to fly out of PP, plus the airfare and bus to Nana. The day I left the largest of the Ferry boats was making the trip. All okay until we finally were in open waters not sheltered by the outlying islands. Rough water and large swells…and one completely came over the bow where I’d been riding. It drenched me and more importantly wiped out my expensive camera. No more pix taken during the remainder of the trip
Took a quick detour from Thailand to Siem Rep for the cultural experience of Ankor Wat. Definitely 6th world. But on the street everything is quite cheap. I do mean everything. The American dollar rules do not change your money to reals as it is worthless. Many girls abound for 10USD short time 20USD all nighters (without any bargaining) less money for a little barter time. However, I found in general youth without experience here to be quite a pain. The girls never speak English, and the Kymer girls are beautiful but extremely shy and reluctant.
Important update to above
Svay Pak while not closed entirely, is watched very closely. 2 brothels operating when I was there last, and both with underage girls. Most moto drivers will just tell you to avoid the place now. I agree. Idiots ruined it for all of us. Discretion is the better part of valor’ and far too many indiscreet men made the pilgramage to Svay Pak and then did not follow good protocol.
The above information is well done. I have been traveling Cambodia since 1993 and am probably one of the foremost experts. Many things have changed since my first very dangerous trips. You can travel around the countryside with little fear of any robberies or other mishaps (well I was in a car stuck in a muddy road traffic jam for about four hours) those on the buses slept overnight. Still the girls in the smaller cities are much nicer both the Pros and the amateurs or regular girls etc.
Of course I have a great advantage since many Khmers speak some Thai (from their years in the refugee camps or learned from parents who spent time there) especially border towns and My Thai is pretty good. My Khmer is not so good about only 400 or 500 words in my vocabulary and only recently started putting phrases together. I HATE Phnom Penn now too many tourists and nosy NGOs. The outside towns are much more fun and plenty of action if you really want to look for it
it is no more difficult for me there than Phnom penn was 12 years ago and just as much fun.
PP (phnom penh) June, sisowath quay riverfront area was the place for lovely Khmer girls in the numerous easy to find go-go bars in the side streets from the main riverfront road, girls prices were from $20-$50 for an hr or $50-$100 for all nite session, definitely a large HIV presence here so use the rubber if u can, i found the Khmer gals absolutely adorable & recommend Cambodia to anyone who likes a not too overdeveloped scene like it is in Thailand, accom too is really cheap, an aircon room can be had for $10 per nite at indochine hotel#1, right in the middle of the action area, also there’s fun to be had elsewhere in Cambodia at sihanoukville, siem reap etc, basically Ive found the Khmer gals are like the Filipino, and are ‘all up for it’, Thai birds are not necessarily that keen, give me Philippines & Cambodia over Thailand anytime
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