New Year's in Phnom Penh (30Dec11)

Day 1
New boutique hotel that had started business only 1 week prior to our arrival. Named The Plantation, S found this through its higher end sister properties which were fully booked. The place was still in a raw state - unwrapped mattresses & furniture stored in unfurnished bedrooms, gym & spa rooms WIP, workers roaming around on the roof, and staff taking water readings from the pool! Nonetheless we really liked the cleanliness, the modern look, the quiet, and the amicable staff. Appreciate the Cabanas by the pool too. Given its price and location, we will not hesitate to return. It has lots of potential and I hope they get over their teething period soon. I absolutely recommend the Deluxe Pool View Double which is now going at a rate of US$80 a night. Occupancy filling up rather quickly I must say.

The taxi ride from airport took approx. 30mins and cost US$9. In the city itself, our main mode of transport is either by Tuk Tuk (aka auto rickshaw) or on foot. Btw, the common currency here is US dollars. You do not need to carry any Cambodian riels although it's good to note that the locals might return your change in riels even if you've paid in USD. Hence make sure you have enough 1-dollar notes with you at all times! This is especially important in the case of tuktuk drivers, taxi drivers and even stall vendors. Many of whom would insist that you forgo your change on the premise that they do not have change too. Anyway the tuk tuks cost, on average, US$2-3 per trip. Not the cheapest but we have better things to bargain for.

Went to the popular Friends Restaurant where you can eat for a good cause. Interesting place with very decent food and drinks. A must-go! Do shop at their handicraft center just next door. We also did a cheap foot massage there on the last day of our trip. =) Visit the Friends-International website here.

After lunch, we strolled along the streets towards the Mekong River. Beautiful weather. The building in red is the National Museum, which we've saved for our next visit. Then back to hotel to r&r. At night, we went to a small French Restaurant called Armand recommended by tripadvisor. Read the reviews here. Small & cozy, decent food and drinks. In the photo below, there's the owner cooking up some sauce for the meats. He hangs around to chat with his patrons, which makes for a friendly atmosphere. Reservations advised.

Name: Armand

Location: 33 Street 108, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Expenditure: ~US$80 for 3 (incl. 1 bot of house red)

Thereafter, we crossed the street to a nearby bustling night market. Happy to have spotted several stalls selling cheap dresses and other miscellaneous stuff. Worth a visit. Prices here are much better than at the Central Market. If you feel brave enough, try some barbequed squid!