Cambodia Going Out
Food and Drink
National specialities:
• Prahok (fermented fish paste) is used to flavour most dishes.
• Succulent fruits include banana, coconut, the durian fruit (known for its distinctive odour), jackfruit, longan fruit, lychee, pineapple and rambutan fruit (which has translucent white flesh).
• Crispy fried spiders are a snack for the adventurous in Northern Cambodia.
• Amok trey (fish in a thick coconut curry sauce, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed).
• Rice noodles proliferate and can be bought covered in curry sauce from street vendors.
National drinks:
• Fresh coconut juice.
• Green tea.
• Rice wine.
• The local beer is called Angkor.
• The most popular, and refreshing, Khmer drink is soda water with a squeeze of lemon.
Legal drinking age: There are no age restrictions.
Tipping: Tips are appreciated in hotels and restaurants where no service charge has been added, and by tour guides.
Nightlife
Major hotels offer entertainment, and weekly Apsara (traditional Khmer dance) performances are often held from November to March in hotel gardens, mainly in Siem Reap. Gambling is a major past time in Cambodia and there are several casinos in Sihanoukville and on the border with Thailand.
Shopping
Silver is another great buy in Cambodia. Khmer silversmiths craft delicate anklets and necklaces, which make fantastic souvenirs. You can also buy silver cutlery and dining-ware.
The markets in Cambodia are always a great source of souvenirs. Try the Central Market, in Phnom Penh, which is well worth a visit as it sells clothes, gifts and jewellery. Gems are a particularly good buy but only spend large amounts if you know a bit about what you are buying. The Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Poung) is crammed with stalls holding a vast selection of bargain souvenirs including clothing, silverware, jewellery, silk, bags, DVDs, CDs and ceramics, as is the Old Market in Siem Reap. Bargaining is expected in the markets, which are open daily from around 0700 to 1700 hours. Look out for shops selling handicrafts to raise money for disadvantaged Cambodians.
Shopping hours: Daily 0800-2000.
![TIC Logo Hrz [RGB]](/a/main/8f350f44-1a25-476a-9457-1c431cc20c8b/F9895E98-8E44-11DE-9A9B-E6BBE6EF97A6/544ADA9E-96F8-11DE-ABEB-D5B0F960B697.jpg)
Fresh ideas are just one click away...
Travel Deals
-
Finland Activity & adventure holidays Finnish Lapland has enormous areas of untouched wilderness and mile upon mile of wild rolling fells. This vast open countryside, sparkling in the winter sunshine, just begs to be explored by
-
Orlando Adrenaline Whether you’re enjoying the hair-raising delights of the world’s only flying rollercoaster called Manta at SeaWorld or racing through the Everglades on an airboat in search of alligators, one thing’s for
-
Cambodia Luxury holidays Today Cambodia is symbolised by awesome Angkor Wat, the largest man-made religious structure in the world. However, Cambodia is also home to some of the finest boutique hotels in the world
-
Laos Inspire Me When the French colonised Indochina they had a saying: "The Vietnamese grow the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice grow, and the Lao people listen to the rice grow." This is
-
Vietnam Cultural breaks Vietnam is a country with a rich and varied history that is now firmly focused on her bright future. This is why it has become one of the hottest destinations for
-
Dominican Republic Family holidays The Dominican Republic has soared in popularity as a tropical hotspot for families seeking sun, sand and an affordable holiday in the Caribbean. The island's main attraction is magnificent golden sand
