CLOSEUP
temple town
FAHTHAI
81
meandering through rice paddies
and over semi-dense terrain en
route to a hidden temple. The
company also offers overnight
trips.
indochineEX.com
Enjoy Khmer cuisine
Hidden away well off the tourist
track, Touich Restaurant Bar is
located in a renovated traditional
dwelling with a courtyard. The
focus is on home-style dishes
prepared using family recipes.
Stand-out offerings include the
banana flower salad with chicken
and fisk amok (a signature Khmer
curry). The newly opened Chanrey
Tree puts a contemporary spin
on traditional dishes, which are
served in a stunning al fresco
setting. Dishes are prepared in an
open kitchen and include edible
frangipani, beef salad with Khmer
dressing and stir-fried seafood with
Kampot pepper.
touich-restaurant.blogspot.com;
chanreytree.com
Drink in the social scene
Located just off Pub Street,
Beatles-themed gastro bar The
Yellow Sub is a multi-level
establishment with a rooftop
terrace. Open since March last
year, it has quickly developed a
following among locals drawn to
its pool tables and extensive range
of whiskies. For live music, DJs
and a chilled crowd, The Laundry
Bar (near the Old Market) is the
place to go. Elsewhere, the 1930s
Shanghai-inspired Miss Wong
attracts a hip and sophisticated
crowd on the strength of its
fantastic cocktails. If you’re more
the old-school type, the balcony
of the FCC Angkor by the Siem
Reap River is a great spot for a
tipple. Down a gin and tonic while
penning a postcard or just soaking
up the atmosphere.
theyellow-sub.com; misswong.net;
fcccambodia.com
Pamper yourself in style
Sokkhak Spa puts its focus on
nature, a fact that’s evident in
everything from the décor to the
products, many of which contain
organic ingredients. Considered to
be among the best facilities of its
kind in Siem Reap, it offers a range
of indulgent options, including
traditional Khmer massages and
spa packages. Award-winning,
internationally recognised Kong
SOMPEAH
Visitors to Cambodia
are quickly exposed to
the custom of offering a
sompeah
, a traditional
form of greeting in which
one holds the palms
together as in prayer
while bowing the head
slightly. In fact, there are
five styles of sompeah,
each of which conveys a
different level of respect.
For instance, palms
together at chest level
is for greeting friends/
people of the same age;
while doing so at mouth
level would be expected
when greeting those who
are older or of higher
rank. If you’re showing
respect to a monk, the tips
of your fingers should be
at eyebrow level.
The
traditional
Khmer
greeting
TRADITIONAL
DISHES
Western fare is
everywhere, but
you should really
try Khmer cuisine
E X P L O R E
