Pack Up: Experiencing “Phenom” Penh, Cambodia

PERTH journalist Sonia Kohlbacher moved to Cambodia to pursue her career. In Phnom Penh she has discovered a city full of surprises.

WA expat Sonia Kohlbacher in Cambodia.

Q. If Phnom Penh were a person, how would you describe its personality?

A. They would be animated, loud and worldly.

Q. Why did you move to Phnom Penh?

A. I had always wanted to live overseas but it seemed like such a faraway dream. I visited Cambodia last year on a business trip and vowed to return. The timing worked out, I got a great job and decided nothing was going to hold me back. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.

Q. Where do you always take Aussie visitors?

A. My boyfriend and I rent a Khmer-style apartment in the city’s south and haven’t yet had many Australian visitors. However, definitely on the list is Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the former S-21 prison where thousands of men, women, children and infants were detained and tortured by the Khmer  Rouge.

Q. Top three eating experiences?

A. There is a little Japanese place not far from our house called Spring Vale that we visit for lunch most weekends. The fried tofu with ginger soy and plain rice is delicious. Around the corner is the always-buzzing Brooklyn Bistro, which sells the best pizza in town. They also experiment with home-brewed beer. Sher e Punjab is a poky little Indian restaurant near the riverside, but don’t judge a book by its cover because the food is lovely.

Q. What’s Phnom Penh’s best-kept secret?

A. I’m not sure if it is much of a secret, but the Taste of the Middle East restaurant definitely deserves a visit. It’s run by a family who fled government bombs and Islamic State violence in Fallujah, Iraq, a couple of years ago before setting up shop in the city’s Daun Penh district. Their food is a real favourite at my office.

One of the markets in Phnom Penh.

Q. How does Phnom Penh differ to what people might expect?

A. I treasure the city for its diversity and ability to constantly surprise. It has something for everyone from luxurious hotels for afternoons spent by the pool, an ice-skating rink, high-end dining and street vendors selling noodles for less than $1.

Q. What’s your favourite drinking spot?

A. Patio Hotel has a rooftop bar complete with an infinity pool and ample cocktail menu that is great for an evening drink before dinner or a lazy Sunday afternoon. Sweeping views of the city and decadent furnishings make it a great place to hang out and take a break.

Q. What’s your favourite hard-to-find haunt?

A. Raqia Republic is the perfect place to start your night. Run by a couple of Eastern Europeans serving its throat-burning, tummy-warming namesake, raqia, this is the perfect place to go if you aren’t keen on a pub crawl and crave a casual night. It’s hard to find, but that works in their favour.

Q. For kicking your heels after dark you go to …?

A. Cafe by day and wine bar by night, Tini is a neat little venue tucked away in one of the many streets running off Russian Market. It’s intimate, low-key and has a great drinks list.

Q. How do you get around?

A. Not long after arriving we bought an automatic scooter. It costs peanuts to run, allows for more flexibility than tuk tuks or moto taxis and makes weekend adventures beyond the city super easy.

Q. What is the one must-see or do experience in Phnom Penh?

A. I highly recommend visiting the Killing Fields, where thousands of people were killed by the Khmer Rouge after being detained at S-21 prison and buried in mass graves. An audio tour gives visitors an in-depth explanation of what happened there and includes stories told by  survivors.

Where to stay

The 252 Boutique Hotel is a laid-back choice with a nice pool for those on a mid-range budget. If you want to be in the thick of it, book into the grand old Foreign Correspondents’ Club in the centre of town.

Originally published as Pack Up: Experiencing “Phenom” Penh, Cambodia