AsiaLIFE

The riverfront north of Street 108 has two different faces. During the day, it caters to travellers entering and leaving Phnom Penh, while at night there’s clubbing, pubbing and classy drinking to be had in some of the capital’s most unique venues. Words by Nora Lindstrom.

Before Sunset

Mekong Express bus terminal (corner of Street 102) and the passenger port located almost opposite set the tone for the strip immediately north of Street 108. Most of the bars, restaurants and cafés here open early to provide breakfast and lunches to travellers heading up to Siem Reap or catching the boat to Chau Doc.

Newly-opened restaurant Jaan, meaning ‘plate’ in Khmer, serves western-style breakfasts (US$3-US$6) from 7am at the corner of Street 106. A bit further up, little Chao Jome beats Jaan by an hour, opening at 6am with western and Khmer breakfasts as well as other food in the US$4 range. If you find yourself without reading material for your long bus trip, Chao Jome also has a decent selection of used books (US$4-US$5), as well as a random assortment of toiletries and such.

A few doors up, the Green Vespa does not start serving until 8am, but has easily the most impressive fare. Try a Full Monty (US$9) – all you can wish for from an English breakfast – or the signature brunch (US$8), featuring smoked Norwegian salmon and Bloody Mary. These are worth coming for even if you aren’t travelling out of town. The Woolly Rhino bar and guesthouse is located just past the bus terminal. The bar serves drinks only, but there are 13 decently priced rooms (US$7-US$20) if you are making a quick splash and dash in town.

Mekong Express operates ’limousine’ buses to Siem Reap four times daily from 7.30am. Tickets cost US$11 one-way and can be purchased at the terminal, as well as travel agencies around town. There are several agencies in the immediate vicinity of the station that can sort out tickets for onward travel as well as visas to neighbouring countries. Boats from the Passenger Boat Port go to Siem Reap and Chau Doc. Compared to the bus they are expensive – the four-hour journey to Chau Doc costs US$22 one-way, while the five-and-a-half-hour journey to Siem Reap is a steep US$35 for a single journey (three and half times the bus) – but for many first-time traveller, the river views are worth it. Boats for Chau Doc leave at noon daily, while boats for Siem Reap leave at 7.30am, also daily.

Before Sunrise

During the weekend, Phnom Penh’s one and only Night Market kicks off between streets 108 and 106. Open Fridays to Sundays from 4pm to midnight, the market attracts many local shoppers, although it features a surprisingly boring selection of clothing, souvenirs and general tack. More exciting are the food stands at the back, where there are also mats for enjoying a sit-down dinner in true Khmer style.

Opposite the market is Phnom Penh party-goers’ favourite floating bar, Pontoon Lounge. With added buoyancy since sinking last year, this place has seen a real face-lift in recent months. Visiting international DJs and MCs, as well as themed nights, including ladies’ night on Wednesdays and gay night on Thursdays, all draw crowds to this unique venue on the Tonle Sap. The sofas on the main float are great for general chilling, while the boat offers some breezy respite from loud music during big nights. Open 6pm to 2am (Friday and Saturday to 4am).

Further along the river, there are a few Khmer restaurants overlooking the water. The flashiest of these is Bopha Phnom Penh. This massive restaurant is slightly over-the-top in its Khmer-style decor, but by seating yourself on the balcony you can focus on looking at the river and leaving all the glitz behind. The menu is large and varied, with most plates costing US$7 and up. Apsara dances are performed every night between 7.30pm and 9pm.

Across the street Jaan’s menu features a mix of western and Khmer food at reasonable prices around US$4-US$5. The owners, whose other venues include Flavours and Liquid on Street 278, have made sure Jaan offers good happy hour deals, such as Angkor draught at US$0.75 and cocktails for US$2.50 daily between 4.30pm and 7.30pm.

The Green Vespa also offers grub beyond the morning. Check out the specials menu at this Irish/British pub, or simply pull up a pew at the bar and let Alan keep your glass filled. The Vespa also runs themed nights – on Malt Mondays, customers can try four single malts for US$15, on Tuesdays any bottle of wine comes with complimentary cheese, while Curry Fridays offer curry and two local beers for US$8.80. Open 8am to around midnight.

Further north, as the port ruins the view of the river, there is a Fairground with a small selection of children’s rides as well as games. Rides cost between 1,000 to 5,000 riel, while games such as throwing darts at balloons costing 1,000 riel for seven darts. As staff speak very limited English there is no knowing how many balloons you need to hit to win. But with amazing prices including household cleaning items, notebooks, and the more traditional teddy bears, you might as well keep trying. Open from around 4pm to 9/10pm.

The very last worthwhile stop on this stretch is newly-opened Chinese House. This beautifully restored colonial building hosts exhibitions on the ground floor, while the delectable lounge and bar on the first floor serves drinks and nibbles. The exposed wooden and tiled floors, demure colours, big sofas and the bar’s high ceiling make the Chinese House a fantastic venue. Add to that a buy-one-get-one-free happy hour between 6pm-8pm, and you might never want to leave. Open 6pm to around midnight, it’s closed Tuesdays.