Romdeng restaurant in Phnom Pehn is a perfect spot to try the Cambodian famous deep,fried tarantulas and dipping sauce.
The spicy peppery sauce is wonderful and the spiders are crispy and tasty.
The legs are not tough reminded me of well cooked pork crackling.
The body is soft and creamy and reminded me of smoked tinned oysters.
The Foreign Correspondents Club is a must do in Phnom Penh.
Go for two for one drinks at happy hour $3.40US for two gin and tonics, $4.95 US for two cocktails and watch the sun set over the Mekong while nibbling the complimentary hot roasted peanuts.
The pizzas also looked good if you’d like a little more.
The history and heritage is wonderful to share and the furnishings and views worth a visit in themselves.
Service however, is exceptionally slow, so,it’s good to have plenty of time.
You can also stay here in a standard room for $US 84…
….or a nicer deluxe room with river view balcony for $100US.
Near to the Russian Market is Jars of Clay Restaurant which is only 1 1/2 blocks down from the main gate on…. Clearly marked on lonely planets maps, turn right as you come out on Street 155.
The Lok Lak is exceptional and has a great flavour $4.75 US.
The Kmer chicken and fish curries $4.25 Us, are also good, a little like Penang curry but with pepper.
The Khmer beef stew also good very good. The bakery desserts also looked very good.
Ginger and lime juice.
Spring rolls
Very lovely clean bathrooms and a large roomy space to eat upstairs.
Staff are helpful and offer good service. Connected with an NGO helping disadvantaged women, it’s a good spot for lunch.
The Russian market is a $4 US taxi ride from central hotels, but worth a visit for gifts to take home like inexpensive jewellery, scarves, lacquer wear, and also clothes.
However it’s very hot inside even in November and can easily be hard going for non-shoppers.
Mr Bounnareth at ‘The best iced coffee in Phnom Penh’ is lovely to meet. Larger than life, he enjoys a photo and having fun with customers. He is also honest and caring and advised us against having the ice when we checked. The iced coffee was great and the whole experience a lot of fun, but boy that coffee would have been great with ice.
The Pavilion must be the very best place to stay in Phnom Penh. The setting and staff are exceptional. Centrally located near the riverfront and royal palace and museum, the grounds and pool are gorgeous, breakfast is a poolside highlight……
….rooms are nicely decorated and it is amazing value.
And then there is the complimentary 25min massage!!
The pool rooms at $100US are good is you’d like to swim in privacy. The road facing 31 and 14 are sunnier, but the pool,facing 11 and 12 have more windows. (14)
However the standard room 24 at $60US is a nicer more spacious room and the main pool is lovely to swim in.
If you’d like a jacuzzi, in a private garden for $90US take room 20.
Room 24 at $110 is huge with a private outside area and can sleep 4.
The complimentary breakfast includes your selection of fruit, bakery items, muesli as well as cooked items like eggs and a porridge which is delicious and more like a soup delicately flavoured with fresh ginger, coriander and other fresh herbs and spices.
The coffee is Cambodian style an excellent.
The $22US vintage jaguar ride is smooth and seamless and a bit special, but a taxi pick up,is $10US and better value. ( Pre-paid taxi at the AirPrint is $12US).
Staff are very knowledgable , caring and helpful.
The offer excellent suggestions for places to eat and where to go. Nearby ‘Sugar Palm’ is a great spot and good for Khmer chicken and special lacy spring rolls.
Free wifi with good coverage.
Room safe, fridge and tea and coffee making facilities.
South East Asia has so many great places to visit and so many food opportunities to enjoy that it’s hard to choose some of the highlights. But here are some ideas of good places to stay, great places to eat, and interesting things to do, usually food themed, but not always.
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Book six nights
How to get there
Fly with Thai Airways via Bangkok, or Singapore Airlines via Singapore.
Visas are available on arrival, but so much easier and quicker to get an e-visa on-line before you leave for $US37.
Where to Stay
The Pavilion Hotel is a great pick. Go for the cheaper rooms as the central pool area is the loveliest place to spend time.
What to Do and Where to Eat
Day 1
Enjoy your included poolside breakfast and complimentary 25 min massage.
Then walk to the nearby Royal Palace and National Museum.
Head to Malis for dinner.
Day 2
Get a tuk tuk to the Russian Market early in the day while it’s cooler.
Lunch at nearby Jars of Clay, (the Lok Lak is excellent).
Enjoy the pool at the Pavilion in the warm afternoon, then dine at Romdeng Friends International Restaurant. Don’t miss the exquisite icecreams, wonderful cocktails and of course,…this is the best spot to try the famous Cambodian deep fried tarantulas with Romdeng’s amazing dipping sauce.
Take your swimmers and enjoy a dip in their pool if you’d like which is open for the use of guests.
Day 3
Enjoy the Central Market, especially the fresh produce section .
Wander the riverfront and enjoy happy hour 5-7pm (two for one drinks) at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.
Dine at the original Friends Restaurant.
Day 4 & 5
Join Intrepid’s Cambodian Real Food Adventure later in the day, or book an extra couple of nights at the Pavilion and copy Intrepid’s itinerary ideas:
Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Memorial (very sad and challenging but a necessary part of understanding life in Cambodia and paying respect to your hosts.)
Cyclo tour that includes the riverfront and Royal Palace at sunset, and the Independence Memorial after dark.
Visit the local food stop at Sisovath High School to try deepfried battered frog and ‘special’ duck eggs.
Try to include Sunday evening in Phnom Penh in your planning so that you can catch the picnicking families on the lawns of the Royal Palace.
Battambong (with Intrepid or copy their itinerary)
How to get there
Take a local bus or organize a hotel transfer
Stay one or two nights
What to do and where to eat.
Lunch at My Kitchen along the river near Sosabike.
Soksabike tour of local cottage food industries
followed by a Home cooked meal
Early morning or sunset bamboo train
Banteay Chhmar
One night
How to get there
Contact the Banteay Chhmar Community-Based Tourism, the local organization for a pick up
Where to stay
(Ask for
What to do
Kick back and enjoy local village life, close up.
Watch your meals being prepared in the co-op Kitchen.
Visit Banteay Chhmar temple and take a sunset drink and snack.
Siem Reap
Three nights
What to do and where to eat
Explore the temples (don’t miss Angkor Wat at sunrise).
Visit the Old Market (Psar Chhaa)
Check ou the Cambodian Circus, Phare
Stop at the night market
Eat at Marum Friends International Restaurant
And at Pub Street, full of good picks like Amok, Khmer Kitchen Restaurant or Cambodian BBQ, followed by icecream at Blue Pumpkin nearby
Book in for a rural setting cooking class with Beyond Unique Escapes
Northern Laos
Luang Prabang
How to get there
Lao airlines fly via Pakse in the afternoon, arriving in Luang Prabang in time for dinner.
Luang Prabang
Where to stay
Villa Santi is a heritage property that has an excellent location on Sisavongthong Street for sharing early mornings with passing monks, for restaurants, sunsets on the Mekong and the night market.
However, the Apsara is also a good choice and there are a range of lovely, well positioned guest houses that are more budget friendly like Pak Luk Villa, Villa Champa and Villa Saykam.
After checking in, have dinner at Tamnuk Lao across the road from Villa Santi (the chicken, eggplant and bean curry with sticky rice is sooo good.) Book ahead by email.
Rise early with the locals to see the monks walk from the northern Wat past Villa Santi and along Sisavangvong Street, gathering early morning alms. Check with staff for the best times.
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Then breakfast on Villa Santi’s balcony watching local life below.
After breakfast, walk along the Nam Khan River road down to the meeting point of the two rivers, enjoying the heritage architecture. Head back along the Mekong River road
to the Morning market before it winds up around 11am.
Stop for a traditional Lao coffee or mango/pineapple/papaya shake along the way
Head to Mt Phu Si, well worth the short climb to see the great view
Visit the TEAC Centre (closed Mondays) to learn a little about traditional Lao life and textiles.
Staff here speak very god English and love helping visitors in any way they can.
Lunch at Coconut Garden
(the laaps are especially good, and so is the soft serve icecream).
Buy your Hobo map here for 30,000 kip, a great resource for finding your way in Luang Prabang.
After lunch organize a trip to Kuang Si falls trip for day 2. Travel agents along Sisavangvong Street sell tickets for a minibus (seats 11) 4 hour round trip for 50,000 kip per person. However, this can be quite a hot, cramped and uncomfortable trip. Consider going by boat (see the boat captains behind the palace) for 40,000 kip per person. The boat trip is one hour longer and includes a10 min tuk tuk ride at each end. Both options need you to purchase a separate entry ticket for 20,000 kip per person when you get to the falls.
Also possibly:
Enjoy a Lao massage ($8 per hour)
Dip in pool at Villa Santi
Visit the Ock Tok Pop shop
Or check out the palace.
Get a great photo from the platform behind the Palace and watch the sunset over a Beerlao and Mekong riverweed.
Dinner at the nearby Riverside BBQ Restaurant (book ahead) then head to the night market for chocolate crepes or coconut cakes for dessert and some open air, friendly market bargaining.
After enjoying breakfast explore the rest of the peninsula in the cool air and possibly have a longer look at the morning market, help out with conversational English lessons at Big Brother Mouse, wander the temples or just enjoy the French cafes and lovely mix of colonial and traditional buildings.
Late morning head to the Kuang Si falls for lunch with a great view at the café and a swim in the gorgeous pools.
Take the pool path both ways (not the road) to the long drop at the top.
Go for another sunset drink along the Mekong.
Then head for dinner across the bamboo bridge over the Nam Khan River (or by boat if the bridge is missing) at Dyen Sabai. Do book ahead by email, get there in time for two for one cocktails (12noon-7pm) and be sure to order the whole fish (amazing).
Stop at the night market stop on the way home
Nong Kiaw
How to get there
Mandala Ou Resort or Nong Kiaw Riverside can organize a 3 ½ hr private air conditioned mini van pickup ($US120 up, $US100 back). It is also possible to travel by local bus or by boat for part of the way (but not all, due to the dams being built).
After lunch (either at your accommodation or in one of the recommended Indian or Lao restaurants near the bridge (Deen’s, Chennai or Vongmijay) (a 15 min walk from Mandala Ou, but very close to Riverside).
Explore Nong Kiaw by bike or foot.
Watch the sunset from the bridge and try another recommended restaurant for dinner.
Next day:
Take a day boat trip to Muang Ngoi further up the Nam Ou gorge and Sop Jam (a smaller weaving village) for 550,000 kip (staff at your accommodation can organize this, but worth emailing them to give them a heads up).
Lunch in Muang Ngoi on the way back from Sop Jam at the Riverside Restaurant which has a great view. Choose the chicken laap which is their standout dish. Their coffee and mango lassi is also very good. (Or try ‘Ning Ning’ guesthouse, that is also recommended for having a nice restaurant with a great view!)
Next day:
Take the private minivan back to Luang Prabang
Enjoy another lovely sunset drink on Mekong.
Dine at Tamarind and try their tasting platters
Last day in lovely Luang Prang
Catch up on things you haven’t yet had a chance to see/do/eat or take a trip to the PakOu caves or visit the Santi Resort and Spa via complimentary shuttle from the Villa Santi
Possibly a cooking lesson at Tamarind, Bamboo Kitchen or Tamnak Lao
Take sunset boat ride (30,000 kip per person) and see the sunset go down over the Mekong, (take your own drinks and snacks)
After a last Mekong sunset, dine at Café Toui (perhaps the best meals in Luang Prabang)
Next day
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Fly to Chiang Mai in the afternoon with Lao airlines.
Stay three nights
Where to stay
Rimping Village is great value, has a lovely pool, complimentary transfers, a location that is convenient to the night market, Riverside restaurants and the amazing Rimping Supermarket.
What to do and Where to eat
Dine at one of the Riverside restaurants and try Chiang Mai’s famous Kow Choy curried chicken noodle soup then enjoy shopping at the night market or the Saturday or Sunday Walking Streets.
(There are plenty of attractive restaurants at the Sunday Walking Street, but not so many at the Saturday walking Street. There is also plenty or interesting street food at both but stick with freshly cooked foods from busy stalls).
Rimping supermarket is close by and great for supplies like Gin and Tonic for a drink on the balcony, snadwiches and ice creams.
Enjoy a cooking lesson with Cooking@Home or Asia Scenic
Hire a taxi and drive up the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai to the Buddist temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
It is particularly beautiful as the sunsets when the lights come on.
Love Travel Guides truly are beautiful and it is like being shown around by a good friend who introduces you to all the best spots.
However, while all inclusions are high quality experiences, some can be quite expensive, so it’s good for the travel toolkit, but best used in conjunction with other guides and tips.
Sharrell Cook does a good job of describing and appreciating the Love Travel guides. In fact her GoIndia website is very useful in lots of ways.
Intrepid are running a one off, comfort (top) level Real food adventure to Burma next February 2015.
Approximately $3000 for 11 days, includes breakfast and around half the lunches and dinners.
A good opportunity to explore the food of Burma (but not necessarily the best), even the promotional material makes interesting reading.
Some foodie travel experiences are more obvious – restaurants, cooking lessons and food tours.
But don’t miss other windows of opportunity that can be equally rewarding and easy if you are looking out for them.
They can come at any time and are often free and flexible. A great idea for a break in the itinerary or for a rainy day.
You often come across more opportunistic experiences if you know a bit about what you’re looking for. A resource like The Penguin Food Guide to India is a great tool for developing a ‘short list’ of regional dishes and foods that you can highlight and flag in the handy electronic version, great for your phone.
Then just keep an eye out for those more surprising opportunities to ‘taste’ through the list including…..
Breakfasts…often include regional dishes and buffets mean you can try a little of many different flavours. Don’t be limited…. if there’s sweets to try, or chaat snacks…why not!
Thalis….lots of small dishes and accompaniments
Watching your guesthouse meal being prepared
Supermarkets…especially good for learning more about the ingredients in a food or to buy some to try (terrific for gifts to take home too)
Chattting to locals about their meal…(everyone loves talking about food)
Local food markets
Local food magazines
Popular snack bars on the street or in stations (look for busy spots where the food is quickly prepared and sold)
On the train
Food shops….
Best of the West – Highlights of West India Foodie Itinerary Ideas
Mumbai
Why Go?
Workers from across India, seeking to make it ‘big’ in the bright lights, bring authentic regional food to Mumbai including India’s best range of creative street food (like Vada Pav, Behl Puri and Pao Bhaji).
Try Parsi cuisine, originally from Persia…most fun at Britannia and Co.
Don’t miss the dabbawallah unwritten delivery system that takes thousands of home cooked lunches to workers every day.
Visit local food markets and Sassoon Dock fish market.
All set against stunning colonial architecture…and surprisingly innovative and creative high density living in Mumbai’s many ‘slums’.
Check out:
Reality Tours and Travel – Excellent, great value tours around Mumbai that include the famous Mumbai street food, the dabbawallah delivery system and a socially responsible, sensitive Dharavi slum tour.
Where to Stay?
Colaba is the best area to stay, and a night in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel (while quite expensive) is a once in a life time experience.
Another good spot in Colaba is the Ascot Hotel – more budget friendly prices, but still an excellent location.
How to get there?
Mumbai is a major airport in India and good airlines often have specials. Check out Singapore Airlines for regular specials.
Jodhpur
Why Go?
Dine with fantastic rood top views of the mighty Mehrangarh Fort and beautiful ‘Blue City’.
Head to the clock tower to try regional snack food favourites including the famous rich lassi, have lunch with a local village family and experience a delicious Rajasthani thali at Gypsy Dining Rooms.
Where to Stay?
But also consider Castle View Home Stay for an amazing view, very thoughtful and kind host and great prices.
How to get there?
Mumbai to Jodhpur return $186 Jet Airways (online booking).
Jaisalmer
Why Go?
Dine roof top on the massive, sandcastle-like fort that rises out of the desert, above this ‘Golden City’ and enjoy regional Rajasthani dishes in between visiting gorgeous havelis and perhaps enjoying a camel safari.
Where to Stay?
Gorgeous, well priced rooms with window seats, each a different colour and lovely roof top spot for drinks and breakfast.
How to get there?
Hire a good sized car (e.g. Toyata Innova) from one of the many car and diver businesses.
(About 4.5 hours from Jodhpur. Stop for a snack or lunch at Manvar Resort and Desert Safari Camp or Samsara Resort long the way).
Goa
Why Go?
A distinct Portuguese influenced cuisine in a setting of post colonial architecture featuring whitewashed churches and colourful villas as well as beautiful beaches.
Lunch at a spice plantation, visit local Mapusa market on a Friday and marvel at the lush greenery of rice paddies and coconut palms.
Where to Stay?
Anjuna
(home to the famous Wednesday Flea Market)
or Marbella Guest House (Candolim)
How to get there?
Mumbai to Goa return $152 Jet Airways (online booking).
Fine Eating 