FAHTHAI
121
THEGUIDE
cambodia & laos
RESTAURANT OPENINGS; PHNOM PENH’S BEST FITNESS CENTRES
WHAT'S BREWIN'?
(Clockwise) Samai
Distillery; D22’s
stylish interior;
Khaiphaen’s
crispy pork belly
P H N O M P E N H
SAMAI DISTILLERY
Enjoy handcrafted Cambodian
rum, double-distilled with
local virgin sugarcane honey
in handmade 19th-century
copper stills, at this new distillery
close to the banks of the Tonle
Bassac. Samai offers tours and
on Thursdays opens a bar to the
public. Also, each week there’s
a rotation of art exhibitions,
acoustic sessions and DJs. Try
a negroni de cana, a mix of
Samai’s batch number one,
Campari, martini rosso, a splash
of soda and a wedge of orange.
samaidistillery.com
L U A N G P R A B A N G
KHAIPHAEN
The Friends International family
is well known for doing great
things across the region. This
new addition offers relaxed
dining both inside its airy building
and outside in the courtyard.
Everything is locally sourced and
a number of dishes are native
to Luang Prabang. Specialities
include
or lam
(a stew of pork,
eggplant, pepperwood and wild
forest greens) and crispy tofu
with
khaiphaen
(a snack made of
crispy Mekong River weed) salt
and kaffir chilli jam.
khaiphaen-restaurant.org
P H N O M P E N H
D22
Just shy of six months old, this
sky-high restaurant and bar is a
sleek addition to Phnom Penh’s
blossoming dining scene. Perched
on the 22nd level of Phnom Penh
Tower, one level below skybar
stalwart Eclipse, it’s part of Japanese
design hotel Tama. Decked out in a
quirky mish mash of chesterfields,
typewriters and vintage suitcases,
this place also offers sweeping
views of the city. Locals brunch
here on D22’s excellent eggs
benedict, but its desserts are worth
the trip, too. Try the panna cotta.
tamahomecambodia.jp
New in town
The latest restaurants and bars to open up shop
P H N O M P E N H
CROSSFIT AMATAK
Cambodia’s first CrossFit affiliate opened in August
in the Russian Market neighborhood.
Amatak
means
forever in Khmer and the gym occupies an old
Cambodian beer garden – owner Corbett Hix says
the goal was to create a different kind of “six-pack”. Its
crew of coaches runs classes in English from Monday
through Saturday. Amatak’s programme focuses
on high-intensity functional movement, drawing on
gymnastics, cardiovascular endurance and Olympic
weight lifting – the aim is to build strength and promote
general fitness. It also partners with local NGOs to offer
classes for at-risk youths.
crossfitamatak.com
RAFFLES LE ROYAL
Built in 1929, this hotel has endured as one of the
kingdom’s most opulent places to stay. Le Royal
reopened in 1997 after decades of war and the pool
became a showpiece – a 25m stretch fringed by
daybeds. The gym is located above the hotel’s breakfast
wing and comes fully equipped. A membership costs
$70-100 per month depending on time of day you wish
to visit but it includes use of the pool, sauna and Jacuzzi,
as well as discounts at the hotel’s bars and restaurants,
use of the laundry service and its award-winning spa.
A day pass is $20.
raffles.com/PhnomPenh
THE PLACE
This is the place to come if you’re after a wide variety
of coach-led classes. One month will set you back
$150 but the cost decreases if you sign up for longer
– and a day pass costs $15 . It’s a huge, multi-level
space with aerobics studios, more than 250 pieces
of Technogym cardio equipment, a spinning studio,
a relaxation lounge, saunas, steam rooms and a 25m
pool. The classes are the best part and include pilates,
body pump, zumba and Khmer dancing.
theplace-gym.com
Sweat
it out
Fitness culture inPhnomPenh is
evolving thanks tonewkickboxing
andBokator joints andyoga
centres.Here are three gyms in
town that comehighly rated
CAMBODIA COUNTRY CODE
+855
EXCHANGE RATE
KHR4,000 = US$1
SIEM REAP FREQUENCY
5 flights per day from Bangkok
