Phnom Penh & Siem Reap : Same-same, But Different
“Same-same, but different” is what you will mostly hear while bargaining in Indochina, but for me the quirky phrase is more suitable with Cambodia; Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in particular. Both of these two cities belong to a same fascinating country, but shaped based on two different extremes. One is proud with all of its majestic architectures and supreme history, while another, although booming, is ashamed of its sinister past. Four days were way too short to really get to know a country, and a bad beginning gave us the bad introduction. However we had our perception slightly changed merely to the kindness and hospitability of the people we met at the end of our trip, and a short jaunt to Angkor healed that wound fast. To be frank I don’t really like Cambodia – too commercialized and too many scams; but perhaps it’s a poor country and people will do anything in the name of survival. In the end I still hope it will not be the last time I step foot in the land of Khmer. Apart from revisiting Angkor, I wish to indulge again on the best meal I ever had there – one last time!
The Royal Palace throne hall in Phnom Penh. The ornate roof reminds me of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, an assimilation perhaps spawned by years of conflict history with Siam (now Thailand).
Phsar Thmei, widely known as the Central Market, the iconic landmark of Phnom Penh. Orange in color with four arms jutting out from each diagonal direction, makes it hard to miss.
I spotted the familiar, tiny sour fruits at the market, which I used to pick up fallen from a tree on my way to school during my childhood days. Gooseberries, or buah cermai in Malay which tree is now a rarity in Malaysia.
We went to the Pub street on our second day, the popular hang out place in Siem Reap and the name itself is self-explanatory.
We bought ourselves a postcard from a bookstore and headed to the Temple Pub for its cultural performance. To a cheapskate traveller like us, this is one of the place in Cambodia that we could enjoy the traditional culture without burning a hole in our pocket! All you need is just buying some drinks and you’ll get to watch the whole spectacle, for free.
The show starts at 7.00pm, but we simply arrived early and picked our spot. By 6.50pm, the musicians entered and took their position, and soon the lilting instrumental of traditional Khmer started to warm up the place. The once empty restaurant was then flocked with audiences and diners as the orchestra burst all-out into an overture. Lovely ladies clad in exquisite traditional Khmer costumes and golden headdress glided daintily into the stage, and began dancing to the rythm. I was utterly hypnotized by their ethereal appearances and graceful movements, only to be awaken from the spell when they tossed the flower petals from their fingers into the air. There are about 6 to 7 performances altogether; and apart from the ultimate Apsara, they also dance about the Cambodian legends and myth, and the peasants life.
A trip to Siem Reap is not complete without visiting the Old Market or Psar Chas as the local calls it. Psar Chas is the place to go if you are on a hunt for souvenirs and Cambodian handicrafts, as well as local spices and tidbits. Although based on my observation the price is a lot cheaper in Phnom Penh, but that is subject to your haggling skills. From the quiet lanes of colorful trinkets, we drifted to the another section of the market that’s more rich in character, where the locals were found busy with their day-to-day activities.
On our last night at Siem Reap we filled up the time strolling the night market for the last minute shopping. There are actually two night markets in Siem Reap, one is across the river in front of the old market, while another is behind it. These markets are just within minutes walking from our guesthouse.
Stall full with trinkets at the Siem Reap night market.
Kampong Stengmai, Siem Reap
Earlier we found ourselves at the muslim village not far from the town center, of which we have been frequented for our supply of halal food. Connected through a narrow and dusty path pass some houses, the village is totally hidden from the touristy world outside.
Muslim kids at Kampong Stengmai, Siem Reap
About 80 families reside in the village, whom all are the minority ethnic Champa. They look strikingly similar like Malaysian Malays, and some of them could even converse and understand malay words, although in thick Kelantanese dialect with the distinctive nasal tone. This is related to a fact that some of them had been to Kelantan to study religion. The Champs are actually remnants of ancient kingdom of Champa established circa 7th century, which border lies along the coast of Vietnam. They fled to Cambodia following its defeat to the Vietnamese, whose invasion extended the territory into present day Vietnam. As of today, only a few of the Champs left; the number has shrinked tremendously during the Khmer Rouge ethnic cleansing ordeal and they are scattered throughout the country. Kampong Cham, where we bypassed on our way from Phnom Penh is the largest muslim Champa settlement that could be found in Cambodia.
Mouth watering Kaw Leng Phnom
Most of the time we had our simple meal at the Cambodian Muslim Restaurant (their chicken rice is recommended!), if not our typical instant food. But on our last night in Siem Reap we simply want to taste something different – a special local dish known as Kaw Leng Phnom, directly translated to Malay as “Daging Lembu naik Bukit” (Beef up a hill - doesn’t it sounds odd?) This sumptous meal could be found at Muslim Family Restaurant next to the mosque, owned by the Siem Reap mufti Hj. Musa. Unfortunately he was out of town when we arrived. We were attended by his adopted brother instead (I forgot his name) who cooked us the meal and entertained us. It is simply sliced beef cooked in butter and some vegetables but the taste is awesome! The meat was tender and juicy with a hint of sweetness from the carrot and the richness of the melting butter. The spicy sauce that accompanying it was marvellous, and the combination went well with hot, steaming rice – in was a blast in our mouth! Not to mention the warm welcome that we received made us feel like we were actually related, instead of just being patrons. We are after all, brothers and sisters in Islam. To Hj. Musa and family, thank you so much for the splendid food and the hospitality.
Kids playing at a river in Siem Reap
From a disturbing affair at Khmer Rouge torture prison and killing filed, a scam in Tonle Sap, enjoying the breathtaking view of the Temples of Angkor to having a delicious meal and meeting wonderful people – all that sum up our 4-day trip in the land of Khmer. So, if you want to taste a “same-same, but different” experience, I would suggest visiting Cambodia. You would find the experience both intriguing and stressing at the same time.
so after a little study, i take it’s easier to get yourself a bicyle and go find some muslim villages in siem reap than in PP? (it was so opposite to what i had expected!). Will gonna search around for this Haji Musa restaurant, thanks for the tips! And yes, there’s Kampong Cham some few hours away from PP en route to siem reap, I’m thinking if we dont have anything much to see in PP (I’m not gonna see the Killing fields and genocide museum, that’s totally NOT what I call entertainment lol
) probably we’ll end up in Kampong Cham, although time might not us allow so (hmm, we’ll have only 3 days in Cambodia).
ehh i have to ask you regarding the currency, since it’s so confusing from all over internet, should I bring USD only or combine with Khmer riels too, and how much portion for each? in which currency did you pay for bus, tuk-tuk, food, hotels etc? coz planning to bring cukup2 only as we’re hopping to Thailand afterwards..
Hi Ilyani,
Muslim village (Kampong Stengmai) is near the Pasar Chas in SR. It is hidden from the main road, the entrance is via the alley to Artisan d’Angkor (a handicraft center). Just ask around for the Naek Mah mosque. Yes, it is easy to rent a bicyle in SR, however the village is quite near from where we stayed last time so we just walked there. After passing some houses you will arrive at the dirt road, the mosque will be on your left and Hj. Musa restaurant is next to it.
PP is a big city and I didn’t see any muslim settlement. But perhaps cause we were there for a short while and didn’t have the time to look around. My suggestion is to head for the PP mosque as they will usually stay nearby. Kampong Cham is quite a distance from PP actually, it sits in the middle of PP and SR. If you go to SR by bus, you could ask the driver to drop you along the way.
You can bring the USD to Cambodia, it is widely accepted even at the wet market. You don’t have to change the currency here, and I don’t think local MC has Cambodian Riels anyway. Even if they do I think it will be expensive. I only change to a few Riels at the PP airport last time, just enough to buy snacks or mineral water from the street vendors (it is better to use Riels in this case as USD smallest denomination is 1 dollar. Otherwise they will rip you off – you definitely don’t wan’t to pay a dollar for a can of coke!
) Anyway it is up to your good judgement; my suggestion to use Riels when bargaining (and bargain hard) as you will get a better price, otherwise they will convert it to USD and round up the amount. Hostels, TukTuk, entrance fees and such are mostly quoted in USD.
I hope the above clarifies, and feel free to ask me anything you need to know. I’ll try to help as much as I can. If you happen to meet Hj. Musa’s adopted brother, kindly send our regards to him. He might not remember us though.
hi Niza, it’s me again
this is weird but i’m starting to be worried about the trip (actually it’s in March 2013), coz i just recently/suddenly fell pregnant. so i guess you’re the best person to consult coz 1) you’ve been to Cambodia and 2) you’re a mother. by the trip comes i’ll easily be 5 months. do you think the places are suitable to visit at all at that condition ( i expect alot of walking and biking needed, but we could find a tuk tuk as alternative). Also the long distance bus from PP to SR, is it durable enough? It’s my first pregnancy so I really have no idea my condition at 5 months. but so far i dont hv those common symptoms like nausea and vomitting so i think i’m rather strong hehe.. but you’ll never know kan..
you know what the worst part is? i havent told my husband about the trip! =.= coz it’s meant to be secretly planned by myself as our anniversary gift on Feb (then only i will reveal), but now i’m stuck with my own plan (padan muka sbb x minta izin awal2.. haha).
Hi Ilyani, congrats to you and husband ^__^ ! Sorry for my late reply coz I just returned from my trip to Laos.
My very first advice would be to consult your doctor cause they know your condition the best. Sometimes those maternity sickness won’t kick-in until later stage.
Speaking of transportation, I wouldn’t worry much about the bus ride from PP to SR, they are ok and comfortable. On the cycling part, I would suggest keeping it simple. Based on my experience 5 months your tummy will be quite big and cycling could be difficult if not tiring. But of course this differ from one person to another. It is advisable to avoid doing the hard work no matter how fit you feel, since it will be just 5 months and this is your first pregnancy. I would not suggest cycling to the Angkor Park, the distance from one place to another is quite far e.g. from Angkor Watt to Bayon is roughly 2-3km apart. Tuktuk can be considered however the road in cambodia is mostly uneven and sometimes you need to pass along gravel and pockmark roads and they are a bit bumpy (you would want to inform the tuktuk driver to take it slow). March is also the beginning of hot season in Cambodia thus it may get dustier than they already are, and don’t forget to use mask (you could buy it in any pharmacy) to cover your mouth and nose from dust.
Oh, if it is me I would also avoid visiting all those killing fields and torture prisons – tak elok kata org tua-tua
. Maybe this time you could take it a little bit easy, just enjoy your trip and pregnancy. Hope all is well. Feel free to ask me anything, I’ll try to help as much as I can.
hi, thanks for all the tips. you’re right, actually it turned out that i started having those loya feeling, although not vomitting. And already told my husband the so-called surprise (with hopeless look) and the more I think about it, the more I feel I have to kiss the trip goodbye *sob*. Although my husband would support me (read: trying hard to cheer me up at this stage) I bet my parents will be the first to stop me from traveling coz now their unborn grandchild is WAY more important than my trip!!. Nice that you’ve been to Laos, and you know what? The March trip is actually Cambodia-Thailand-Laos 11 days border hopping – probably the reason why I’m getting skeptical that I can still be fit for such long/challenging travel as I used to be. I even put some posts on LP forum asking opinions and such, and while I like the part that they say “the child can brag to his/her school mates that he/she started straveling before he/she was born..”
I just have to consider those reminding about taking risks, too.
Sorry panjang pulak keluhan hati.. ahahaha.. you can tell that am so in dilemma
cheers.
No worries Ilyani, I quite understand your dillemma. I’m not sure about your itinerary cause I’ve never done it, but the overland Cambodia-Thai-Laos in 11 days do sound a bit aggressive especially in your condition. I spent 5 days just at Laos recently and tell you it was not enough! We only managed to get as far as Luang Phrabang and it was quite rush and tiring. And I couldn’t agree more with those reminders about taking the risks, not to mention you will be in the part of the world where medical support could be limited/late should anything happen. Maybe you could try make it more relax a bit, sort of second (or third? hehe) honeymoon kind of vacation before your baby is born. Perhaps with that your parents won’t worry so much. For consolation you could always visit those places again in the future, they aren’t going anywhere
By the way pregnancy is also a journey by itself, a journey that turns a woman into a mother – and you should enjoy every moment of it. 
Salam to you NIza,
My groups of friends and me would very much like to go to the mosque. Can you tell me if its is far and do we need guides to go on or we can go on our own? How long is the journey? We will be staying in perhaps Angkor Wat Hotel so I need to know the estimated time needed.
Your help is much appreciated.
thank you.
Wsalam.
I don’t know where Angkor Wat Hotel is, but the mosque is within walking distance from Psar Chas (Old Market) in Siem Reap. From the market you walk further to the nearby intersection/mini roundabout (landmark: Angkor Park Guesthouse) and turn right. There’s an alley to Angkor d’Artisan on your left (not far from the roundabout). Walk into the alley and ask around for the Naek Mah mosque (the path to the mosque is tucked in between houses). From the market to the mosque is simply 10 – 15 minutes walking on average.
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Hello Niza,. how many day will u suggest to have a nice holiday in Phnom Penh & Siem Reap? Which hotel do you recommend. Because im travelling with a muslim friend.
Hi Franklin. We covered both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in 4 days last time, and it was a bit rush. How many days is very subjective, however you may use this info as guidelines:
Phnom Penh (3 days) : The main attraction are the genocide museum and killing fields, and you can cover both in one day. You can spend another day for a tour around town i.e. museums and markets. Third day take a bus (6 hours) / fly to Siem Reap.
Siem Reap (3 days) : Need half a day to one day for the visit to floating village (subject to location). You can do Angkor Tour in 1 day, 3 days or a week (different fees) but mostly people do in 1 day. Another day spend for walking around town.
There are many hotels in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and they are mostly within walking distance to vegetarian/halal restaurants (mostly Indian cuisine).
Hope it helps.
wow, this is a really cool blog…thanks for sharing. in SR right now and in need for halal food… may Allah bless u..
Thanks Esti. Safe jouney and have fun
Salam,
Nice blog…kalau tukar ke bahasa melayu lg bgus.senang nk fham..hehehehe..
Wsalam Ina. Thanks for reading.
It’s meant for global audiences.