Exploring like a local in PHNOM PENH The REAL Cambodia?!
Phnom Penh, Cambodia's chaotic, captivating capital, full of surprises at every turn. But with just 24 hours, how much can we really see? From iconic landmarks to hidden local gems and food worth travelling for, we are diving straight in. Let's go. We're starting off with a visit to the city's most symbolic and unmissable attraction.
I am not exploring Phnom Penh alone. I have a guide. I want to introduce you to him but the thing you need to know about him is he walks so fast. Come back. Hello, this is Chomnab, but you can just call me Nap. Like take a nap. He's gonna be our guide for the next couple of days and I
think we're in for a good one because he's already an amazing guide. Welcome to Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. Before the 1990s we are not allowed to come and visit here. Yeah so it just opened and published in 1990s. Are you saying there's a chance the king could be in there? If you look at there, there was something you will notice. And that would tell us if the king was there? Yeah. The flag? Of course. Really? Yeah, you see the blue flag over there? That's a royal flag.
He's home? Yeah, he's home. Do you think he wants to be on the vlog? Unfortunately, I hope, but you see the fins over there that's prohibited us to get inside. I hate it. We've come into the museum area and they have these little outfits set up. Let me show you and
each different colors for a different day of the week. Today is Wednesday. I want you to feast your eye on Wednesday's outfit there and then feast your eye on my outfit for the day. I'm perfectly matched to Wednesday. Where is she? The greeny blue? That's me and it is a Wednesday.
So this is maybe the longest paintings in the world. It is more than 600 meters long. And the painting is tell the story of Ramayana, a Hinduism story. It was painted in 1906, so that's been more than 100 years ago. And the unique thing about this one is it used the natural color. Really? Yeah.
It is absolutely beautiful in here, like seriously stunning. All the buildings are absolutely gorgeous. You know, everything I'd kind of read and researched had said, this was an unmissable thing and I have to agree. It really is stunning. A couple of things. I definitely recommend doing this with a guide. I've gotten so much history and context thanks to Nap I think if I came here without the guide, I would have been missing out. And I definitely recommend coming either early in
the morning or late in the afternoon like I have because it is hot even now and I'm here in the cool season. But if you are coming to Phnom Penh, I definitely recommend doing this. It is an awesome experience and a great starting morning. Oh my god, it's so strange how we end up being here again. This is you get beat off my feet, I don't know what to say. This is not 5G, but it's faster than
5G. Faster than 5G? Yeah. So when you burn the incense stick and you pray, blah blah blah blah. Your word go to the smoke, the smoke blow up to the sky and God live in the sky. So that's how God... So we get a message? Yeah, that's why God said... What message are you sending to go? Okay, like God, it was really hot. Can you drop some rain? And then it's like... God, it was really hot! Can you drop some rain? Can you drop some rain? Yeah. When I see you crying too, so it beats unto you. If you got plans, so let me go. Please don't let me know. Wopanom is
the historical heart of this city. Now the temple pays tribute to the woman who found this place and the stupa behind me pays tribute to the king who moved the capital from Siem Reap. to here. So a visit here also feels kind of essential. Now interestingly, Nat was just telling me that
this place is also a ring road. And if you think about the distance between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, which is 300 odd kilometers, the zero point starts here, right in the center of this location. Pretty cool, huh? As you make your way around Phnom Penh you'll notice a striking blend of cultures. You have this
stunning Khmer heritage intertwined with French colonial charm. Now the French arrived in Cambodia in the late 19th century and if you come down here to the French quarter you'll see all the truly beautiful buildings still here. and they really are gorgeous. This whole area is actually reminding me of Hoyan and I would have been very happy to spend at least a couple of hours here. I'm already wishing I had more time in this city. I don't have long to explore it and I'm thinking
I'm going to have to make another trip and come back. Waiwan, when the neighbors yell down For this incredible adventure, I'm actually exploring with Realistic Asia and Tour Radar, and they have taken care of everything. From airport transfers to hand-picked hotels, amazing guides, food recommendations, tickets, timings and so much more, they're in charge, leaving me to relax and enjoy. And you guys, I'm loving it. Now you can book the same tour as me via the link in the video description or explore a wide range of tours here in Asia and the rest of the world on tour radar. I have honestly been using them to book tours for years and I love them. The whole process is so easy, especially their app. Now I'll have some links in the video description for you so you
can check them out and get your next adventure locked in too. I told our amazing guide nap after seeing the main tourist sites, I wanted to see the real life here in Pannon Pann and he said definitely I got you so that's what we're doing this place is already awesome hi little baby Hello, Auntie. Oh, you're so cute. Wow! This is an amazing experience. I'm so glad I asked to do this. It is so good to come in here and see how everybody lives. And everybody's so lovely and warm and welcoming. Hello babies! Everyone's so cute. Oh look at this dog! Wow! Oh come on! Did she want to say anything? Can you? Can you translate? What's her name? It's for Rottena. Beautiful. That's a beautiful name. It's a beautiful name. You're so beautiful, darling.
This area is incredible. Just out of nowhere, pops up this incredible hidden bar street. What's this area called? Bassac Lane. Wow. This is one of the city's best hidden gems, and I don't say that lightly. Hey baby. The kids here are so beautiful. They're so sweet. The kids here are so beautiful. You can't come to this area and not at least have one drink. So Naps having a local beer, the
Cambodia beer. The Cambodia beer. And I've got myself a tasty little moktail. Cheers. Thank you being the best guide ever. You know why we cheer? Why? You saw this is the beer, right? Your eye can see the beer. your nose can smell it yes your tongue can test it yes and only here that's
when your ear can hear it that's really funny to complete all the senses and we've made a friend the sweet girl she's got a half a bread roll and she's hanging out with us while we sit here look at us we're like a little family hey To get around here in Phnom Penh I have had a private driver and that includes a very lovely vehicle. Now that's all part of the tour package that I booked with Realistic Asia on the tour radar platform and I'll have that link to the video description for you. But right now we're going rogue and we've got ourselves a grabbed tricycle and this is so much fun. It's such a cool way. to see this city so if you're coming here and you want to get around make sure you do this at least once and if you decide you want to hail one on the side of the road that's fine too but just make sure you negotiate the price before you get in. The sun has set and we have come down to the Russian market. Now most people visit this place
during the daylight hours, that's when you can wander around inside. But here's the thing, if you come here in the afternoon, the evening, hello. If you come here in the evening, the inside closes and all of the vendors get pushed down to the street and that's when we get to explore all of this Chaos and market madness and I got to tell you it is awesome here. Let's have a wander around and navigate this intense maze of scooters Where is? There he is. I got to catch up Go go go go go go go Wow, that's awesome Yeah, you better go, go, go, go, go, go, go. Wow, oh, that's awesome. Nap has absolutely pulled it out of the bag. He's brought us to the most amazing viewpoint. Now this book is
called the Sundown Social Club. It's so cool up here. We have the best view over the Russian market and all the craziness of the streets down there. Now you can get drinks and food here. We've got a couple of drinks. Nap is unofficially doing a bar crawl. And you are doing a juice crawl? How do I say cheers in Khmer? Choul Mouy Oh goodness, okay. Choul Mouy Mui? Perfect. Yeah. Choul Mouy Ah! Ha ha ha ha ha! Bogo! So I can focus, I just need a cocoa It is time for dinner and I requested some authentic, local Cambodian food and Nap said yes. So he has brought us here to Mr. Crab. If you're a fan of SpongeBob SquarePants, you'll quite enjoy
that. I don't know what's been ordered here. I've just handed my faith over to nap. He has ordered us fried rice. Seafood fried rice. Squid? Yeah, sweet with Cambodian green pepper. Okay. and um we've got some fresh veggies that came out as an appetizer and the sauce yeah and then the cambodian sauce called kokkong sauce it's good with seafood okay let's start with a bite of fried rice it's amazing it's so flavor some is the thing it's easy to mess up a fried rice i love that let's try some of this squid oh squid time Oh my god, okay. The sauce packs a bunch and I'm here for it. It's delicious, the sauce is
incredible. It's spicy but it's the perfect amount of spicy is the thing. And there's garlic in there, it's kind of sweet, it's so well balanced. The squid is perfectly cooked, it's so tender and juicy. Not at all chewy. Whoa! It's so good! There's a less spicy version of that, skip it and go straight to the spicy version. That is absolutely incredible. I like that a lot. What did you say that it's called again? Dik Tricong or Kokong sauce? Kaukong sauce. Wait, it can't be called that. That sounds a bit. Burn that into your brain. That's amazing. Make sure you try
that. I'm saying enough for you with me. Somehow we've managed just to make me feel My name I'm on me Somehow we've managed to pack a huge amount of stuff Into a really short amount of time this afternoon And I am exhausted now my tour company booked the hotel for me And I cannot wait to get back there This place is really cool let me show you around Things ain't the same Hi! There's nobody here to play This is the Anik Palace Hotel and it has absolutely delivered. When you step inside, it feels like you're stepping back in time with grand chandeliers, rich wood interiors and a touch of old world luxury. I love my room, it is spacious, elegant and it has been the perfect place to
recharge. But the real highlight here is the rooftop pool. It is a gorgeous retreat high above the buzzing streets of Phnom Penh. I love staying here. It's in a great location. The staff are awesome. If you're looking for a good spot, this is the one. I'll have it linked in the video description for you so you can book your stay too. Good morning you guys. We are starting our day off here at the waterfront area just in front of the Royal Palace. Now what's really cool about coming down here is you get to see the intersection of
four different rivers. And one of them, Tunleasap, is really interesting. So it actually changes the direction in which it flows depending on the season. During the rainy season it flows towards Siem Reap and fills up a lake. and during the drier seasons it flows in the opposite direction. Now there are a lot of pigeons down here so if you want to feed a pigeon this is your spot to do it but it's really cool seeing the locals out and about this morning doing all their stuff and a great way to start off our second day here. I have to fall up up to get to see you see you again you
only have a home I really need a coffee and this looks like just a spot to get it. Wild is tucked off a really busy alleyway and it's one of these spots that if you didn't know it was here, you wouldn't know it was here. And after you step off that really busy street buzzing with traffic, you enter this gorgeous garden oasis. Now this place is a really cool bar, they have some great coffees and drinks like that. They've got some delicious breakfast and brunch items, but the thing they're famous for
is their spring rolls. How is it? So, so good. Really? I'll be the judge of that. I'll be the judge of that. I had a sweet tooth this morning. We'll get to that in a second, but Nab was like you can't come here without ordering the Cambodian spring rolls. They're famous for them, so let's try them. These are the veggie ones. Yeah. Why are they so good? I don't know either. They do fresh spring rolls, like a Vietnamese style kind of thing, if you're familiar with those. Or they do the fried ones. We went straight
fried. The outside is really crispy. I think they're homemaking the wrapper. Right? Yeah. The wrapper is delicious. Delicious, delicious, delicious goodness. Now, like I said, I have a sweet tooth this morning. So I've ordered... My favorite meal on this planet. Choc chip pancakes and a mango smoothie. Thank you so much. Okay, they're very cake-like. And let's just get
some extra chocolate on there. Yeah, really good. Despite how thick they are, they're surprisingly light inside. Maybe like a hint of cinnamon in there. They're almost like a little individual, little floppy little chock chip muffins. Mmm. Mm-hmm. Wow, this is a spot. Thank you. We visited the Russian market last night, well the outside of it anyway. Today we're checking out the
inside of it. Now this place is a labyrinth. They are selling everything and anything in here. There are so many different kinds of trinkets, gifts, clothes, bags, patches, bottle openers. I don't even know how to list everything they've got in here. There is so much to see and explore. Now I will be honest with you, it is a little junkie. I preferred the Made in Cambodia Market in Siem
Reap, if you watched my last episode. That was really my favorite. Everything was individual, unique, handmade by locals. This is kind of mass produced, but still, it's really cool to have her wander around here and check it out. It's a sweet I have my honeybee just how to see This has been a whirlwind 24 hour visit here to Phnom Penh and that's because the itinery of my Greater Tour only had a one-night stop here. Now that I've spent this time here, I would probably
say I would come back and I would do it again and I would stay longer. I'd love to have maybe three or four days in the city just to dig a little deeper and even get outside of the city area and see more of the local village life. But if you only have one day like I do, Trust me, you can pack a lot in and there is plenty to keep you entertained, informed and well fed here. Alright
you guys, I have to get my butt to the airport because I am off to a new city this afternoon and with that That brings this week's episode to a close. I really hope you've enjoyed it. Now if you don't already, be sure to subscribe right now so you never miss a single episode and say hello in the comments below. I hope you have a great weekend and I will see you with a brand new episode in a new city next week. Love ya!
2025-03-04 22:24
