AsiaLIFE Cambodia May 2018

052018 ISSUE137

052018 ISSUE137 front

note from the editor

08 Events 10 Openings 11 Trending 12 News 14 AsiaLIFE's Picks 17 Cambodia Profiles 18 Photo Essay 22 Q&A: Georgia Murphy

Marissa Carruthers

24 On The Road To Wellness

storyboard

32 Plogging Hits Phnom Penh 34 Young Leaders Tackle Gender 36 The Golden Geomestries Of Kampong Khleang

getaway

38 Travel In Sabah:

food & drinks

40 Bay Area Tacos

Borneo And Clyde

41 Java Creative Café 42 Amigo Sky Bar & Restaurant

style & design

44 Check In

back

60 Appchat

46 Fashion

61 Box Office

AsiaLIFE Media Vol. 122

|MAY 2018

Wellness, mindfulness, well-being – these are all terms that are increasingly being bandied about globally. Regardless of whether wellness is a trend that is here to stay or not, the fact remains that keeping a healthy mind is equally as important as a fit body.

For this month’s cover feature, we take a look at the wellness movement and what it means, how Cambodia is embracing the industry and the country’s potential to become a leading wellness destination in Southeast Asia.

In line with the health theme, I speak to Georgia Murphy, who founded Tangy Turtle a year ago, producing probiotic drink kombucha. Elsewhere I find out more about the fitness fad that is landing in Cambodia this month in the form of plogging - an activity that combines jogging with collecting waste from the streets.

Danielle Keeton-Olson visit Liger Institute to find out how some of its students are leading the way when it comes to female empowerment, and Miguel Jeronimo explores the community at Kampong Khleang floating village and the surrounding area, in Siem Reap.

If you’re looking for a way to spend the three days of public holiday this month to mark the King’s birthday, then Mark Bibby Jackson suggests taking a trip to the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo, or if you fancy a staycation, then read our review of Rosewood Phnom Penh.

With all the usual food reviews, fashion, news and openings packed inside, enjoy reading this month’s issue of AsiaLIFE, and don’t forget you can now read it on-the-go online at issuu.com.

on the cover

SENSATIONAL SAIGON ART BOOK

www.asialifemagazine.com

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FOR SALES ENQUIRIES: Hannah Morris hannah.asialife@gmail.com 011 955 464

THE STORY OF VIETNAM’S HOA PEOPLE IN DENFENCE OF VINH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHING HOUSE

Next time you're in Vietnam, check out the latest issue of AsiaLIFE or download it from www.asialifemagazine.com

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 5

t h e p l a c e t o e at

OYSTERS

oyster lovers be tempted one dollar each everyday 6 to 8 First Floor, maline apartment building, street 214, between norodom & street 51 tel: 092 776 552

rooftop.lounge w i n e c o c k t a i l b e e r e a t e r y

HOT STUFF A man was hospitalised after taking on the challenge of eating the world's hottest chilli pepper in an eating contest. The 34-year-old’s symptoms started with dry heaves immediately after he ate a Carolina reaper chilli during the contest in New York State.

He then developed intense neck and head pains along with "thunderclap" headaches, according to the medical journal BMJ Case Reports. Doctors later diagnosed the man with a temporary brain condition called reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, which is identified by the temporary narrowing of blood vessels to the brain. This is the first time the condition has been diagnosed after a patient has eaten a chilli.

LONGEVITY SECRETS

r i ve r s i de & s t re et 1 5 4 087 600 768 | 087 600 856 fb.com/lemoonphnompenh lemoon@amanjaya-pancam-hotel.com

Masazo Nonaka has been named the world’s oldest man at 112-years-old.

Born on July 25, 1905, he lives with his family, who run a hot springs inn on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

He says the secret to long life is eating sweets and taking hot baths.

Nonaka, who wed in 1931 and has five children, was handed the Guinness World Records title as the oldest man on Earth after Spaniard Francisco Nunez Olivera died in February aged 113. His granddaughter Yuko Nonaka said: "He loves eating any kinds of sweets – Japanese or western style. He reads newspapers every day and often soaks in the hot springs."

SPACE HOTEL The ultimate travelling experience has been unveiled with the launch of the first luxury hotel in space.

Announced during last month’s Space 2.0 summit in San Jose, California, the ambitious Aurora Station project plans to allow six people – including two crew members – the opportunity to enjoy first-class accommodation above Earth as part of a 12-day odyssey among the stars. Guests can experience the exhilaration of zero gravity and look out at stunning views of the planet below, with the added bonus of witnessing an average of 16 sunrises and sunsets a day – all for the sum of $9.5 million.

JOB RUSH About 28 million people have applied for a job with Indian Railways after it launched its latest recruitment drive. The world's 10th largest employer is offering 90,000 positions across the country to prospective engine drivers and other workers.

An extension to the deadline for applications resulted in a surge of applications for the positions worth between $280 and $300 a month. Candidates must be between the age of 18 and 31, according to the 57-page application form, and must undertake a written or online exam.

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EVENTS Ballet Preljocaj - Fragments @Chenla Theatre

5 APR 30 JUN

This unique dance performance, created by the choreographer Angelin Preljocaj, brings together six dancers from the Ballet Preljocaj with six Cambodian dancers. They will perform a series of excerpts from the most famous creations of the internationally renowned French choreographer. In addition, two screenings of the film Polina, directed by Angelin Preljocaj and Valérie Müller-Preljocaj, will take place in the IFC cinema on May 4 at 7.30pm and May 5 & 6 at 2.30pm.

4-6 MAY

Art in the Park @ French Institute Created for an exhibition that took place in the park of the French Embassy several weeks ago, the works of seven Cambodian artists are now accessible to all at the French Institute’s garden. These seven artists from a variety of genres are all exploring the notion of identity. Their works inextricably mix themes from cultural traditions, contemporary reality and recollection of their own personal mythologies. Opening May 4 at 6.30pm.

Cooking Class with Jean-Yves Guého @Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra Hosted by Auskhmer Import & Export, a gourmet cooking class takes place with Michelin Star chef Jean-Yves Guého followed by lunch. Join the class at Do Forni and discover Chef Guého’s creative recipes, which blend the experiences and inspirations of his culinary journey with the flavours of Asia. His authentic and adventurous French menu promises to be a real palate pleaser. From 10am to 1.30pm, $75 per person. Book at 023 999 200. A dinner also takes place with him on May 9 and 10.

10 MAY

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19 MAY

4 Peace Band @French Institute Formed in 2016, the 4 Peace Band, a well-loved Cambodian band, invite welcome guests to dance the night away to their rendering of tunes and melodies from international pop music. An evening dedicated to relaxation in the garden of the French Institute, which will be transformed into a dancefloor for one night only.

With Kim Tip (drums), Peter Luy (guitar), Soun Vannthen (bass) and Bun Sambath (keyboard).

The event starts at 7.30pm.

Sister Photo and Video Exhibition @Azahar Foundation Center for Peace Yoga and Arts Sister is a photo and video project, portraying young Khmer women who are bending traditional gender norms, and shaping new opportunities for their fellow sisters in Cambodia.

In a very tradition-bound society with strict gender roles especially for women, being a woman in Cambodia is a difficult balance. Project Sister investigates just who this young generation of women are that are challenging the situation is.

19-20 MAY

20 MAY

Cool Down Pool Party @Rambutan Resort & Arthur and Paul Revel in Pride week at the annual Cool Down Pool Party @ 71, part of Cambodia Pride celebrations.

Swim, drink, and cool off as the festivities heat up.

Hosted by I Am What I Am, this promises to be an afternoon of fun and laughter. From 3pm to 7pm.

SATURDAY SUSHI BUFFET 11.30AM TO 2.30PM ON THE BLACK GRANITE SUSHI BAR, JAPANESE CHEF KATAYAMA PREPARES UNLIMITED SUSHI AND SASHIMI WITH FISH IMPORTED DAILY FROM JAPAN.

JOIN US ON SATURDAYS AT HACHI 11:30AM-2:30PM $35++ PER PERSON, UNLIMITED BUFFET

SOFITEL PHNOM PENH PHOKEETHRA 26 OLD AUGUST SITE SOTHEAROS BLVD 12301 PHNOM PENH TEL. +855 (0) 23 999 200 - H6526@SOFITEL.COM WWW.SOFITEL-PHNOMPENH-PHOKEETHRA.COM

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OUT & ABOUT This month AsiaLIFE looks at how a home-grown fashion label is heading to Europe and the launch of a video aimed at putting a stop to female trafficking.

VIDEO AIMS TO EDUCATE CAMBODIAN WOMEN ON FORCED MARRIAGE

A VIDEO has been launched in a bid to educate young women from rural areas about being trafficked for forced marriage in China.

IOM X has released the video aimed at raising awareness of the practice and encouraging young Cambodian women to seek out information before committing to an arranged marriage abroad.

IOM X is the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID)

joint campaign to prevent human trafficking and exploitation.

IOM X says Arranged marriages in Cambodia are a socially accepted practice, especially in rural areas, therefore migrating to China with the help of a marriage broker is not seen as unusual.

Many of these women voluntarily go to China as they are persuaded it is as opportunity to make money to send back to their families.

Often these women are under the impression they can select a husband and can refuse a marriage if they feel uncomfortable. Brokers also commonly tell women they will be able to send money home as they can marry a rich man or find employment in China.

Although many women migrate to China for marriage and are content with their lives there, some women are being forced to marry men they do not wish to marry. Many women are also not told that they have to legally register their marriage and live in China with proper documentation for as long five years before they can legally work in China.

The reality is usually much different from what these women have been promised.

They often have no choice in who to marry and are essentially sold off. Despite the continuing efforts of Chinese law enforcement to crack down on these practices, there have been many reports of marriage migrants facing sexual exploitation, abuse, being forced to work, having their identification papers taken from them and being denied their basic human rights.

IOM X partnered with the Women’s Media Centre to produce Successful Migration, which has been screened throughout various rural communities, and formed the centre of four live radio call-in shows.

Visit youtu.be/P7C7fBGmk_Q.

GOOD KRAMA CLOTHING TAKES ON BERLIN’S ECO FASHION WEEK

A CAMBODIAN born ethical fashion label has launched a fund-raising drive to help it showcase its products in Europe.

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Good Krama was born of the desire to have a positive impact on the planet by disrupting the status quo of garment manufacture and reducing the waste it produces.

In a country where the garment industry dominates, Good Krama follows a slow fashion model, designing, creating and producing garments for quality and longevity.

Encouraging slower production schedules, fair wages and lower carbon footprint, its materials are either upcycled from local garment factory remnants or hand woven to order in the traditional Cambodian way.

Preferring quality to quantity, the brand follows the reduce, reuse, recycle ethos.

Good Krama will be attending Berlin’s Eco Fashion Week in July and participating in the

Greenshowroom. This event is a first, placing sustainability and social responsibility at its core.

The company is launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise $6,000 that will directly help with transport from Phnom Penh to Berlin, event participation fees and preparation for the Spring Summer 2019 collection to be showcased exclusively at the event.

Believing their philosophy should be the industry norm, Good Krama is an ethically conscious and sustainably responsible fashion label that, two years after inception, is keen to scale the brand and take on the European market – from Cambodia with love.

For information, visit goodkrama.com.

OPenings

inspiring arts

THE NAIL BAR STYLISH NAILS While there’s no shortage in the capital of nail salons, quality is definitely one factor that is lacking. And this is the gap that Sambath Lao aims to fill with The Nail Bar. The cosy, bright and breezy salon stocks non-toxic nail polish, organic spa products and focuses on quality and hygiene in all treatments. All staff have also received professional international training. Both men and women are catered for, as well as a special menu for kids and teens, making it a family-friendly affair. Nail extensions and nail art are also available, as is waxing and eyelash extension packages.

And true to its name, glasses of wine are served, making this the perfect spot for a girly weekend pampering session.

55 Street 310 (inside DMS Building), Phnom Penh.

Tel. 069 744 544. Open daily, from 9am to 7pm.

FB BAKERY PORTUGUESE FLAVOURS The first Portuguese bakery has landed in the capital in the form of FB Bakery. Opened by the owners of Phnom Penh-based Portuguese restaurant Tasca Do Antonio, FB Bakery aims to offer capital dwellers more Mediterranean-inspired options, with the menu spanning baked goods and mouth-watering Portuguese-inspired dishes that are served through the day and night. These include chicken gizzards stew in tomato and red wine sauce ($3.50), pica-pau – a mix of meats in tomato and red wine sauce – ($4.50) and prego em prato – tenderloin steak served with a fried egg atop – ($7.50). Beer is also served, along with a range of fruit juices, coffees, teas and soft drinks. Lunch specials also run throughout the day.

153 Street 63, Phnom Penh. Tel. 016 779 828.

Open daily, from 7am to 10.30pm.

A story from the arts: CHHIT Chanphireak Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) believes that arts and cultural expression are essential to a thriving future for Cambodia. This month, we tell the story of Chhit Chanphireak, a lakhaon niyeay (modern spoken theatre) artist from Battambang, who was recently awarded a Dam Dos Grant by CLA. Chhit Chanphireak started studying spoken theatre in 2003 at Phare Ponleu Selpak organisation in Battambang, finishing in 2016. He is now an independent artist and leader of his own theatre troupe called Battambang Modern Spoken Theater Troupe, working as both an actor and a script writer.

Phireak told us that he started his career by chance. “I just followed my friend to take the spoken theatre class when I was in grade 10 in high school,” he says. “I didn’t even know myself that I would like it.”

However, after many classes Phireak realised he wanted to make a career out of it and studied the art form until he graduated in 2016.

Later, he started to work independently and founded his own theatre troupe.

In early 2018, Phireak was awarded a Dam Dos Grant

by CLA to research and

write a play based on the story of Okhna Chaktorung Yous (Excellency Chaktorung Yous), which comes from a historical novel written by Kuy Lout. This is the story of a revolution that took place in Cambodia between 1884 and 1886, while the country was a French protectorate.

“Because this is an old historical story, not so many people know about it. That’s why I want people to look back to our history”, Phireak says. He carried out research at the location of the historical events in Kampong Cham province, found the relatives of Okhna Chaktorung Yous, as well as the relatives of the original writer, Lout.

He expressed his excitement about receiving this small grant. “I would like to say thank you to CLA for this opportunity. This has been very helpful for writing and researching this project. I have now finished my writing and some researching, and I’m looking forward to bringing this story to the stage.”

Phireak continues with hope, “I want more people to get interested in modern spoken theatre, to help make this art form stronger and to raise its quality. I hope that my work can help to attract more interest in and support to this art form.”

To learn more about Cambodian Living Arts, find CLA on Facebook, @CamboLivingArts on Twitter, CambodianLivingArts on Instagram, or visit cambodianlivingarts.org.

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news

MAY BY KATE 2018 BURBIDGE

JAVA’S CREATIVE GENERATION V2.1 LAUNCHES IN TOUL KORK

THE next generation of budding artists have been unveiled as Java Creative Café announces the winners of the second annual Creative Generation exhibition series.

The second edition of the competitionbased project received 19 hopeful applications, ranging from photography and painting to fashion.

The competition was so tough that judges decided to add an extra exhibition to the programme, meaning there is now seven exhibitions extending the show schedule into February.

During their respective exhibitions, each artist will be invited to develop a presentation of their work for a public talk.

The first in this second series of Creative Generation is Light at The End Of The Tunnel, a multimedia solo exhibition by Sosoth Sovankong.

A civil engineering student and intern at Sa Sa Art Projects (SSAP), the 20-year-old

is inspired by graffiti. Sosoth is a self-taught artist with passion, commitment and love for the work, he enjoys, and cares more about, the process than the result itself.

“It’s about my feeling and working on these artworks. And I see it as meditation instead of a job. When I get the feeling that the works are enough… it’s the finish point,” he says.

For this exhibition, Sosoth has re-created the spirit of street art inside the gallery space. He will spray paint one wall and install corrugated iron pieces t¬hat he has worked on.

Such works are specifically inspired by Sanskrit script and European graffiti artists.

The artist also presents a series of paintings inspired by the Buddhist philosophical concept of nature and humanisation, the Four Noble Truths: Birth, Aging, Sickness and Death.

Consistent across all the works in this

exhibition are the artist’s reflections on the universe, nature, time, and space.

Exploring various artistic practices, hus technique is drawn from graffiti, contemporary and abstract art.

He is constantly experimenting, driven by an artistic curiosity and inquiry into material, space and surfaces. The street is where he often works, and it is where he finds his materials.

He gathers discarded items that he uses to create his paintings and installations.

When working on canvas, he uses a thin cotton donated from his artist friends, and leftover paints and brushes that he received from other people who were throwing them away.

The exhibition runs until June 3 at Java Creative Café Toul Kork. A walkthrough lead by the artist and an artist talk takes place on May 19 at 2.30pm.

ANGKOR PONDS EXCAVATION THE Apsara Authority has announced plans to excavate the northern and southern ponds of Angkor Wat soon to review the ponds’ structure before repairs are conducted later in the year.

Ly Vanna, Apsara Authority’s director of conservation of monuments, said the excavation is in line with suggestions made

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by the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor.

The excavation will allow experts to better understand the ponds’ structure and the quality of the stone, with a view to repairing and restoring of the ponds and their banks to encourage greater visitor numbers.

In December 2015, the ponds dried up after a drought during the rainy season. The Apsara Authority currently pumps water into the ponds every ten days.

The work is expected to start within the next two months, with authorities calling on visitors to be understanding about any disruption.

TOP-RATED SIEM REAP FOOD TOURS ARRIVES IN PHNOM PENH

FOODIES are in for a tasty treat as top-rated Siem Reap Food Tours launches alternative trips across the capital.

Starting this month, Phnom Penh Food Tours is offering morning and evening adventures exploring the flavours of

Cambodia's vibrant capital city. Phnom Penh Food Tours and its Siem Reap sister offer guests a deeper understanding of Cambodia’s culture through its cuisine.

Following successful test runs, the official opening follows in mid-May. Phnom Penh

Food Tours takes visitors to neighbourhoods where Cambodians live and eat but where tourists rarely venture.

“The tours are by foodies, for foodies,” says Steven Halcrow, the company’s cofounder. “Phnom Penh’s food culture is different from Siem Reap’s and we’re looking forward to introducing more people to both.”

Tours take small groups around the city in tuk tuks on a chef-planned route that includes vibrant markets, street-side stands and hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

Guests enjoy traditional specialties and street-food treats such as breakfast noodles, smoky-sweet grilled meats, savory soups with local foraged herbs, and deep-fried fish swimming in coconut curry.

Halcrow, a Scottish chef, and Lina Goldberg, an American food writer and author of Move to Cambodia, first launched their boutique food tour business in 2014.

Since then their tours have featured in the New York Times, Vogue and Lonely Planet, and have received consistent raves on TripAdvisor and other sites.

The tours costs $75, including food, transport and beer (evenings only), and last 3.5 hours. A 20 percent off promotion runs through June. Email hello@ilovekhmerfood. com for details.

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In line with this month’s cover feature on wellness, we’ve picked some top apps to download to help readers hit their health goals.

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Nike+ Run Club As a leader in the global sportswear market, it comes as no surprise that Nike has created a series of apps to help athletes reach their full potential. With the tagline: “The perfect running partner”, this app tracks runs using GPS, audio-guided running workouts from coaches and athletes that help improve strength, speed and endurance, weekly and monthly distance challenges to keep users motivated and customised coaching plans tailored to help runners hit specified goals. And if users are looking for a bit of a motivation boost, then the community aspect provides just that.

The app is free – with in-app purchases – on iOS and Android.

HiFit - 7 Minute Workout For those who claim not to have enough time in their packed schedules to fit in exercise, then HiFit – 7 Minute Workout is the app for you. Packed full of seven-minute quick-hit workouts, this app is great for people who are pushed for time but want to partake in daily exercise. A range of workout programmes is available, including the Classic Full Body, which claims to have cardiovascular benefits and help with weight loss. The 7 Min Morning Wake Up will give users a refreshing start to the day, while the 7 Min Before-Sleep Stretch aims to calm insomniacs ahead of a good night’s rest.

A compact way to inject some daily fitness into your routine.

The app is free – with in-app purchases – on iOS and Android.

Lose It! Calorie Counter For those looking to shed a few pounds, count the calories or keep an eye on their nutrition, get the Lose It! app on download as it’s ideal for those getting started with meal tracking. It boasts a huge database of foods and breaks down meals by breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Food can me logged manually or there is a barcode scanner and “Snap It” feature, where users can photograph food items. The latest feature sees personalised DNA-based insights that guide users towards which foods, drinks and activities to avoid and welcome. Annual subscriptions provide users with more enhanced services.

The app is free – with in-app purchases – on iOS and Android.

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Sleep Cycle Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to wellness, and Sleep Cycle is one way to monitor and improve sleep. It tracks sleep patterns throughout the night, as well as analysing any movements. And it miraculously manages to wake users up on the right side of the bed by setting off an alarm when users are in their lightest sleep cycle, eliminating grogginess and the likelihood to keep slapping the snooze button. Users need to select a “wake up phase” – usually about 30 minutes – around the time the alarm should go off to ensure that important morning meeting isn’t missed if you remain in a deep sleep.

The app is free – with in-app purchases – on iOS and Android.

Calm Voted Apple’s best app of 2017, there has been a global buzz around the Calm app, which has amassed more than 14 million downloads since its release in 2012, attracting 40,000 new users daily. The mindfulness and meditation app aims to inject some health into the mind and help users destress, unwind and relax. It is packed full of guided meditation sessions that tackle a range of issues including anxiety, stress, concentration, relationships and self-esteem, breathing programmes, relaxing music and Sleep Stories – a series of adult bedtime stories to help users drift into slumber.

The app is free – with in-app purchases – on iOS and Android.

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ARTIST

RENA CHHEANG Words by Marissa Carruthers.

Photo by Enric Català.

“A

rt is an expression of how I feel; how I look at society.

I just love painting,” says self-trained artist Rena Chheang, whose hobby is rapidly gaining her recognition across Cambodia.

The 27-year-old has always harboured a passion for painting, enjoying the mandatory art classes she studied in high school.

During college, Chheang painted in her spare time for fun with a few fans of her work snapping up her colourful creations.

“I sold some because people liked them, but I didn’t make a big deal out of it,” she recalls. “I didn’t pursue it further.”

Then three years ago a friend told her that ARTillery café in Phnom Penh was looking for new artists to exhibit there.

After introductions, Chheang was invited to showcase her work, leading to her first public exhibition.

“I’d never done anything like this before, but I thought I’d give it a try,” she says. “It was successful, and I sold half my paintings so that encouraged me to do more.”

Since then, she has worked again with

ARTillery in Siem Reap, some private businesses and had her work displayed at MetaHouse. In March, her solo exhibit Thrive took over the walls of the gallery at The Great Duke Phnom Penh – formerly InterContinental – and in April, some of her work featured in Identity: A Visual Dialogue About Life in the Urban Habitat, a multidisciplinary exhibition at MetaHouse.

“I try to find inspiration from other artists,” she says, adding she trawls Pinterest for ideas, discovering different artistic techniques and styles along the way. “I try to produce original work that’s realistic abstract; a combination of the two.”

Chheang, who teaches English full-time and runs a photography business, uses her work as a way to tackle issues close to heart while celebrating the world’s beauty. For her first exhibit, she was inspired by John Milton’s epic 17th century poem Paradise Lost. “I like poetry a lot and studied this at college, it is very deep,” she says.

Portraits of street kids and urban landscapes were her way of approaching economic and social changes in Cambodia

for her show at ARTillery in Siem Reap. While Thrive was inspired by nature and features a striking collection of plants and flowers, interspersed with semi-portraits of women.

“I do a lot of travelling and visited Bali, Penang, Hanoi and Hoi An last year,” says Chheang. “I also spent a lot of time travelling in Cambodia and I’m inspired by my own country. So much needs to be improved but there is so much to enjoy as well.”

Vegetation and flowers commonly found in Cambodia, such as the lotus flower and banana leaf, feature heavily in her work and are used as a tool to tackle social issues.

“Nature is beautiful, but it also struggles to survive,” she says. “In the piece with the lotus flowers and the half portrait of a girl, the girl represents what she’s surrounded by; nature shows her inner struggle. Then there is the cactus, which I chose because it’s survives the cold nights and the harshness of the sun. It’s one of toughest plants and I use it to show there is still hope.”

To see more of Chheang’s work, visit bigeyesfotography.com.

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PHOTO ESSAY

BY HANNAH HARRIS

A

mateur photographer Hannah Harris took this series of photographs during an intriguing three-hour photo tour in Calcutta, India.

The tour focuses on the stunning idols seen during Bengali festivals, such as Durga Puja and Kali Puja, and takes guests to the traditional potters’ quarter in the north of the city, where these craftsmen were forced to move when the British East India Company decided to build the new settlement and separate districts were allotted to the company’s workmen.

With the Pujas becoming grander every year, these potters have moved from dubious existence to a sought-after profession. Not only does this neighbourhood supply gods and goddess to the city but many of their creations are exported. It has been termed as one of the seven wonders of Calcutta and going behind the scenes is an incredible opportunity.

For information, visit calcuttaphototours.com/stour1.php.

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Q&A

TANGY TURTLE FOUNDER

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Craving the probiotic drink kombucha that she brewed in her home in Melbourne, Georgia Murphy started dabbling with creating the drink in her Phnom Penh kitchen. A year ago, she launched Tangy Turtle. Words by Marissa Carruthers; photography

by Enric Català.

What is kombucha?

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea, where friendly bacteria and yeasts are combined with the tea to produce a low-sugar drink that is loaded with probiotics and natural acids that are great for gut health and improving immunity.

What are the health benefits?

It helps improve the gut by adding good bacteria and contains anti-oxidants and vitamins. I started making it here because I was worried about my gut health. In Cambodia, you are exposed to different types of pathogens and bad bacteria so it’s good to supplement that with good bacteria.

It’s also high in polyphenols and antioxidants that help prevent cellular damage and reduce liver toxicity. Other fermented foods are good for this as well.

When did you start making it?

It was about five years ago when I lived in Melbourne. My housemate at the time came back from a fermentation workshop and brought back the SCOBY. We started making it in the kitchen there. In Cambodia, I bought SCOBY from an American guy who was making it here just to make for myself.

I ended up making so much because the culture grows and grows every time you make a new batch. I give the extra to my friends and they said it was really good and suggested I sell it. I thought why not? It would be fun to start a business.

In Cambodia, you are exposed to different types of pathogens and bad bacteria so it’s good to supplement that with good bacteria.

We have raspberry lime, lemongrass ginger and cinnamon. I originally started using cinnamon and lemongrass because I had them at home and really liked them, so experimented with those flavours. I was doing some research online and came across raspberry and lime and thought it sounded nice, kind of like a twist on the raspberry lemonade soft drink we all liked as a kid.

How often should it be drunk?

It’s really a long-term thing and I’d recommend drinking a glass a day. The benefit really comes from drinking it regularly rather than every now and again. We offer free home delivery, so people can buy three large bottles ($12) weekly or fortnightly. The smaller bottles are available in Phnom Penh at Lot 369, Eleven One Kitchen, Natural Garden, Phnom Climb, Crumbs, Backyard Café, The Flix and Vibe. In Siem Reap, it is stocked in Vibe and Moringa.

For sure. Most Cambodians haven’t heard of it before. It might be bit sour for locals’ tastes initially but once they get used to it they seem to like it. Cambodia has a lot of fermented food so it’s not a completely foreign concept, it’s just in this particular form they haven’t come across before.

Why Tangy Turtle?

It took a long time to come up with a name. I decided I wanted to have an animal logo and was researching the symbolism for different animals. It turns out the turtle is a symbol for health and longevity in both ancient Chinese and native American culture. The ‘tangy’ represents the taste.

What are your plans for the future?

How long does a batch take to make?

We brew in two phases, with a first and second fermentation stage. The initial phase, which is where the SCOBY is added, takes seven to eight days.

The second phase involves the flavouring, which takes about one day. After this, the ingredients are removed and the drink is left to ferment and carbonate over a couple of days until the sweet and sour taste is well balanced.

What flavours do you make?

Is this a new concept for Cambodia?

How is it made?

You start with black or green tea, boil it and add sugar, which is essential to the fermentation process. We source our green tea from Mondulkiri and black tea from Sri Lanka as it’s not grown here. Next, the SCOBY [symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast], or culture, is added, which is full of yeast and bacteria. The SCOBY then eats the sugar and ferments the tea, which creates probiotics and the natural acids that transform the tea from sweet to sour. The next stage is to bottle the tea in an airtight jar and add the flavour. This is when it becomes fizzy and ready to drink.

fulltime staff – two Cambodian men and one woman. I can’t do it by myself any more.

How is it being a business owner?

I never imagined I’d start my own business here but wanted to try something different.

I wasn’t afraid to fail, I just wanted to see what would happen. We started in April 2017 and now I have a small production facility in Toul Tom Poung and employ three

I’d love to keep expanding to more venues in Phnom Penh and around Cambodia.

Maybe one day I can export but let’s see.

From April, I officially started to sponsor Animal Mama, with 10 percent of all sales going to their rescue, rehabilitation and adoption programmes, so I’m excited to be supporting them into the future.

Visit www.tangyturtle.com.

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Fitness fads come and go but all feature the same goal – to keep your body healthy, but what about your mind? With the term wellness increasingly being bandied about, editor Marissa Carruthers looks at what it means and how to achieve a holistic lifestyle in Cambodia. Photography by Enric Català .

24 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

L

ight spills into the lofty white room where Vat Kimly teaches yoga to a growing number of Cambodians daily. “Yoga has helped my spirit and mind-set, reduced my stress and given me joy, hope and love,” he says. “When I started yoga, I went from feeling helpless to hopeful; I went from the darkness to the light.”

For Vat, who has been practising yoga since 2011, yoga and meditation have provided him with the tool to attaining the perfect equilibrium between the mind, body and soul that wellness embodies. For others,

it may be a rigorous exercise regime, taking a daily stroll, making time to read a book or enjoying a massage.

“Wellness is extremely personal,” says Sarah Moya, general manager of Navutu Dreams Resort and Wellness Retreat in Siem Reap. “It’s an individual’s felt state of being, where one perceives that he or she is of healthy mind, body and even spirit.

It’s also when an individual feels a sense of contentment for who they are, and it radiates outwardly as they exude confidence and a joy for living.”

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26 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

What is Wellness?

In the last few decades, the importance of keeping fit and eating healthily is a philosophy that has spread across the globe. And in recent years, the world has started to wake up to the role having a healthy state of mind plays in perfecting the package.

The result is a rise in wellness centres and retreats, yoga studios, meditation classes and coaches to guide individuals towards that ultimate goal of sublime well-being. And in Cambodia, the wellness industry is mushrooming as awareness spreads throughout the country.

Defined by the World Health Organisation as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity", wellness can encompass a swathe of elements.

“It’s more a state of mind,” says JeanClaude Dhuez, founder of SAMATA Health and Wellness Studio in Phnom Penh. “It’s a lifestyle. Sometimes going for a regular massage is enough, other times it may be combined with acupuncture, walking, a change in diet or working less.”

In 2012, Dhuez opened SAMATA. Having opened the first international physiotherapy clinic in the capital in 1997 and launched spa and aromatherapy product brand AMATA in 2000, his aim was to deliver the whole healing package and operate a one-stop-shop where a range of therapies are offered under one roof.

“I wanted to offer a holistic approach,” he says, adding the studio’s services range from physiotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, massage and aromatherapy, to yoga, Pilates and reiki, with a personal trainer set to join the team soon. A wellness coach is also on hand to help steer clients in the right direction.

“Wellness is a personal thing and varies a lot, which is why we have coaches,” he says. “They aren’t therapists, but if people are feeling a bit depressed they will discuss what's wrong, ask questions and offer advice. Sometimes, they will say eat properly, drink more water and work less.

That’s all they need. Others may need to do yoga, massage and exercise.”

Lorenzo Lanzafame, founder of LL Fitness, says having a healthy mind-set is integral to achieving a healthy body. “The two go together,” he says. “Wellness is a lifestyle consisting of eating well, exercise, sleeping well, taking care of yourself and enjoying life.”

Having moved here four years ago after seeing the potential to tap into the country’s health and fitness market while visiting Cambodia, Lanzafame launched LL

Fitness, offering personal training, nutrition advice and physiotherapy services.

“It was pretty tough,” he says. “A lot of people didn’t know anything about personal training, health and fitness.

There was very little education on what is wellness or personal training and a lot of Cambodians weren’t taking care of themselves.” However, he has noted a major shift in attitude in recent years as the wellness industry grows and education becomes more readily available. He is also playing his part in pushing the importance of maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Lanzafame is working with the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia to develop health and fitness workshops and his next step is to tap into the senior market as a tribute to his grandfather, Sebastiano Lanzafame.

“Especially in Cambodia, once you pass a certain age people give up. They say, ‘I’m old, I can’t do that now’. That’s not true,” he says. “You don’t have to go to the gym and lift heavy weights; it can be fun activities, walking in water, any physical motion. This is a genre that is often forgotten, and you can still see the energy in the eyes.”

Finding Zen

Common practises often associated with the wellness landscape are yoga and meditation, with their popularity growing exponentially across the globe, and in Cambodia it is no different.

“Yoga is starting to be popular with Cambodians, especially in the last three years,” says Vat, who has been practising since 2011. The former monk was introduced to yoga after meeting the founder of NGO Krama Yoga, which works with disadvantaged and traumatised children and young people.

Starting out working in human resources, Vat also taught Buddhist philosophy to the NGO’s yoga teachers and learned the practise himself. He went on to scoop a 200-hour yoga scholarship on the Thai island of Koh Samui, and returned to cofound Angkor Yoga in Toul Kork, aimed at providing affordable classes for locals.

But he says there is much more to yoga than the asanas – or positions – that are often only taught in classes. “There is a whole philosophy behind yoga that’s very similar to the Buddhist philosophy,” he says. “There are eight steps, that include breathing, the disciplines and the good things we have to do. The asanas are only one step.”

Expat Nathan Thompson, who has been meditating for seven years and practising yoga for six, agrees that modern-day

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28 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

yoga simply incorporates breathing and stretching techniques, forgetting its traditional roots.

“Yoga and meditation are about enlightenment,” he says. “From a marketing point of view, it means being a skinny white woman with amazing abs, eating a salad. This has nothing to do with enlightenment. It’s fine to be well and there’s nothing wrong with being healthy.

And if you want to do some breathing and stretching that’s fine, but don’t think it’s yoga or meditation in the traditional sense.”

He argues that meditation in its pure form does not fit into the “wellness paradigm”. He describes many of the monks he has met during meditation sessions in the forests of Thailand, who have been practising for more than two decades, as some of the “nuttiest, grouchiest” people he has met.

“Wellness is more narcissism and has nothing to do with yoga and meditation,” he says. “It is a word that was invented when capitalists decided to package and sell yoga. In the traditional context, the aim of the techniques is to liberate from attachment. This means you are not attached to your sense of self any more.

This has got nothing to do with wellness.”

Vat incorporates yoga’s philosophy into his classes, with students who have been victims of violence and abuse claiming the practise has calmed them and helped improve their personal lives. “Yoga isn’t only about stretching,” he says. “It’s about how to live your life, how to treat others, it teaches us not to be violent within ourselves and towards others. These are very important philosophies.”

However, he says the main problem with the industry is the lack of training schools and spa academies in Cambodia. “In many spas here, the owner or manager doesn’t really know so much about spas. They open a spa like they would open a gas station. They will learn step by step but when they buy products, they go for price rather than quality. It’s often because they don’t have the knowledge and training.”

But this looks set to change with Dhuez and other industry leaders working on setting up a spa association, and Cambodia taking the lead on developing a set of competency standards for spa professionals to be adopted across ASEAN. Minister of Tourism Dr Thong Khon has appointed Dhuez to be a technical advisor on the project, with the second draft presented at an ASEAN meeting in June.

The standards set the expected minimum level of service carried out in all roles, from therapists and managers, to receptionists.

Once these have been finalised, the next step will see a curriculum written for the industry and rolled out across ASEAN, with the third step being to open a spa academy in Cambodia. In the meantime, the working group is looking at how to upgrade the country’s spa industry.

“Many massage therapists in Cambodia have been working for a long time and have never been trained properly,” says Dhuez. “We’re now trying to work on upgrading and refreshing training to reach the standard that we want to implement.

It’s a long process but we hope this will change the quality of massage in Cambodia and, most importantly, the perception of massage in Cambodia.”

The Spa Scene

Wellness Destination

Another common element associated with wellness is massage and spa treatments, and there is no shortage of options in Cambodia. The country is dotted with massage parlours and spas, ranging vastly in quality and price. However, this presents its own set of challenges.

“If you go for a $5 massage, you will get a $5 massage and you can’t expect anything more,” warns Dhuez. “They will also use very bad products that are full of chemicals that will be absorbed into your body. If you want that inside you, then that’s up to you.”

He adds that often masseuses are not properly trained and cautions against allowing them to twist or crack the neck.

“That’s where you can get problems,” he says.

While Cambodia may have missed the boat on becoming a spa destination, with Thailand and Indonesia claiming the crown as well-established market leaders, it has potential to become a wellness destination.

Having opened its doors as an upscale resort in 2012, a year later Navutu Dreams expanded its services to offer yoga minibreaks, Traditional Chinese Medicine and detox programmes. As a pioneer in the country’s burgeoning wellness tourism movement, today it embodies the wellness ethos, offering an a la carte menu of activities catered to each guest’s needs.

Nature-based fitness coaches are on hand for those seeking an adrenaline rush, alternative healing comes in the form of reiki, chakra balancing, sound healing and yoga bliss therapy, and the team of

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30 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

I

f you fancy injecting a bit of zen into your life, finding your way to fitness or simply want to wander down the path towards wellness, then here are some places that can help you on your journey.

Angkor Yoga 5C2 and 6C2, Street 289-516, Toul Kork, Phnom Penh Tel. 012 584 930 Offers a range of yoga and meditation classes aimed at Cambodians but foreigners are welcome.

Angkor Zen Gardens and Retreat Centre Bruno's Lane, Siem Reap Tel. 012 699 210 Holds daily yoga and meditation classes surrounded by paddies. The range of retreats take in meditation, yoga, massage, reiki and vegetarian food.

Azahar Foundation Center for Peace Yoga and Arts Cambodia 39 Street 21, Phnom Penh Tel. 012 739 419 Huap Guan Street, Siem Reap Tel. 081 732 001 Both centre’s offer a variety of yoga and meditation classes, as well as creative arts, such as circus and bokator.

Bodia Spa 178 Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh New Street A, Siem Reap Tel. 092 671 937 Top class spa that delivers a range of

professionals are on hand to deliver a range of carefully curated destinationinspired activities that take in sunrise at sacred temple grounds and the practice of shinrin-yoku – or forest bathing, a Japanese therapy that was developed in the 1980s – along jungle tracks within the archaeological park.

The philosophy filters through to the food, with wellness cuisine integrated into the farm-to-table menu, plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available and cooking classes offered.

“Clients come for a real holiday, combining a moment to visit Angkor Wat while at the same time having time for themselves to de-stress, de-compress, or to be at a venue that adheres to their chosen lifestyle of living more mindfully,” says Moya.

She adds that Cambodia has huge untapped potential when it comes to wellness tourism, with interest in the country starting to grow.

“Three years ago, when we started contacting the acclaimed global authorities on wellness, we were always told, “Sorry, it’s not about you but it’s just that Cambodia is not in our radar”. About a year later they were coming to us saying we are ready to feature you. So, Cambodia has potential to be a wellness destination.”

Vat agrees, saying the country’s swathe of coastline and untouched islands, as well as the bounty of rural landscapes provide the perfect location to hold retreats, relax and meditate. “There is real opportunity here,” he says, adding Angkor Yoga is currently looking for partners in the provinces to hold retreats.

For Dhuez, however, the pollution and waste that scars the country’s landscapes represents a major challenge.

“Cambodia is really dirty, everywhere you go is full of garbage,” he says. “If it wants to become a wellness destination, then people really need to do something about that. This is a good opportunity for Cambodia, but a few things have to be done first to be sure, for example, that the yoga studio is up to standard, the Pilates instructors are proper, spa staff are well trained and the environment is clean.”

Despite this, he believes Cambodia’s raw beauty and natural charm make the perfect formula for a wellness destination.

“It’s not completely developed and not completely spoiled by modernisation.

Then there is Angkor Wat and the temples.

A lot of people associate wellness with spirituality so with Siem Reap that could really work. There is a huge amount of potential for Cambodia to become the wellness destination of the region.”

massages, body wraps, facials and other treatments.

As a social business for Krama Yoga, this studio runs a range of yoga and meditation classes.

Hariharalaya Yoga & Meditation Retreat Prasat Bakong, National Road 6, Siem Reap Tel. 031 222 6570 Offers a range of meditation and yoga retreats, healing sessions and vegan cuisine.

Krama Yoga 52 Street 302, Phnom Penh.

Tel. 012 250 817 This is an NGO that uses works with disadvantaged and traumatised children and young people using yoga and meditation. It also runs yoga and meditation events and retreats that are open to the public.

Navutu Dreams Resort & Wellness Retreat Navutu Road, Siem Reap Tel. 063 964 864 An eco-chic resort that offers a range of wellness retreats and programmes to relax, rebalance and rejuvenate.

SAMATA Health & Wellness Centre 54 Street 306, Phnom Penh.

Tel. 010 274 208 Brings together holistic therapies and treatments under one roof, including physiotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, podiatry, child birth preparation, massage, aromatherapy, yoga, Pilates and reiki.

Kundalini Yoga Cambodia 42 Street 123, Phnom Penh Tel. 092 429 835 Offers yoga and healing meditation sessions, as well as special events, including meditation weekends, full moon meditation and workshops.

Vagabond Temple Road 33, Pepper Street 3, Kep Tel. 088 349 8196 This yoga and meditation retreat offers yoga and meditation retreats, from five days to two months. Other services include detox programmes and reiki.

LL Fitness Tel. 070 780 902 Personal training services, nutrition advice and physiotherapy services.

The Vine Retreat Chamcar Bei Village, Pongteuk Commune, Kep Tel. 011 706 231 Located in the heart of rural Kep, this tranquil getaway boasts a yoga studio and meditation circle.

Nataraj Yoga Studio 52 Street 302, Phnom Penh Tel. 012 250 817

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The latest fitness craze to sweep across the globe has landed in Cambodia, and from this month people can keep fit while keeping the city clean. Editor Marissa Carruthers finds out more about plogging.

Photography by Enric Català.

T

he world is full of fitness fads: spinning, high-intensity interval training, crawling classes. Now plogging is the latest craze to jump on board the health train, and it has captured the imaginations of all those health- and environmentally-conscious minds out there.

It all started in 2016, when Erik Ahlström moved from ski resort town Are in central Sweden to Stockholm. His first impression? “It looks like a dump”. As an avid environmentalist, he pledged to take the matter into his own hands and set about organising a group of joggers to hit the city armed with rubbish bags and gloves and pick up litter as they exercised.

So plogging – a play on the word “jogging” and the Swedish “plocka upp”,

32 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

which means pick up – was born, and in an age where conserving the environment is becoming increasingly important it very quickly caught on. This month, plogging is set to make its debut in Phnom Penh as the fight against the waste that plagues the city and beyond steps up a gear.

“The idea came from one of my clients,” says Lorenzo Lanzafame, founder and CEO of LL Fitness and the brainchild behind the event. “I was very excited straight away because in Cambodia there is a huge problem with plastic and trash in general, and this seemed a great way to help out.”

He immediately contacted environmental group Go Green Cambodia and they set about organising Phnom Penh’s first plogging event this month.

“We all know that fitness and health is important in our lives, and the dangers surrounding pollution and waste on the environment,” says Lanzafame. “Being surrounded by all this trash isn’t the best for your health so it’s all connected.”

On May 12, three rounds of plogging will be held at various locations across the capital. Each of the three routes covers about 6km and takes about 45 minutes to complete, with the first covering Toul Tom Poung, the second BKK1 and the last route taking in Riverside.

Lanzafame stresses the event is fun and open to all – including families and those who want to take their dogs for an energetic walk – but adds plogging has its health benefits. According to fitness app Lifesum, which can track plogging

activities, 30-minutes of jogging combined with collecting rubbish from the floor burns on average 288 calories, compared with 235 shedded by jogging alone.

Co-organiser Grace Smith, of Go Green Cambodia, says, “We wanted to hold the first event in the city centre because these are the places where a lot of people already go running, it’s easy for more people to join in and it’s good for visibility, so people can see what we’re doing. We want this to be the first of many.”

In true community spirit, a host of local businesses have jumped on board to offer prizes as there will be a weighin of garbage at the end, with the top waste collectors being rewarded for their efforts. Places have also offered to be water-fill and respite stations along the

plogging routes. And participants are being encouraged to download the recently released Go Green Cambodia app, which allows users to flag up spots across the city that are dirty or need bins installing, as well as locations that are impressively clean. The app uses GPS to trace users in real time, with an unhappy face pinned on the map for untidy locations and a happy face for tidy spots. A rubbish bin can also be plotted for places where there is nowhere to throw waste.

Smith says the event has been approved by the local municipality, who will remove collected waste when it has finished. She adds, “We really encourage everyone to download the app and use it while they’re plogging. We will then collect all of this data of where bins are needed and places

that need cleaning up and send it to the municipality at the end of the month. We want to drive citizen engagement and positive change.”

And in a further bid to instigate “positive change”, plogging organisers are hoping to partner with schools to help spread the message about keeping Cambodia clean and maintaining a healthy mind and body.

“We hold a lot of fitness classes outdoors now and it’s not nice to work out next to a pile of trash, families want a clean park to take their children at weekends, this is something that will benefit us all,” says Lanzafame.

More information on the routes and sponsors will be released on The Green Race Facebook page.

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The students at Liger Leadership Academy are extending their conversations from their gender curriculum, to engage other curious students outside their campus. Writer Danielle Keeton-Olsen finds out more. Photography by Enric Català.

S

ouyeth* sees a lot of limitations on the way gender and sexuality are discussed in Cambodia. She points out that Khmer language doesn’t even have words to discuss gender identity.

But rather than snicker or go silent, as most 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds tend to do, she and her classmates at Liger Leadership Academy are showing their peers the importance of exploring gender in society.

“The only way to pass that barrier is to do it and see what it’s like,” Souyeth says.

When teachers at Liger Leadership Academy infused gender and equity into class discussions, the young people showed they were eager to talk about how perceptions of gender impact their lives.

Now the driven students are trying to open up the conversation in Cambodian society.

Creating “Change Agents”

Cara Shelton – the learning facilitator who helped lead the gender unit – was nervous on the day they introduced the gender and equity curriculum to the students.

“The things you say about gender are going to last,” she adds.

Samantha Cody, another learning facilitator on the unit, says she wouldn’t have been asking these questions at the age of 15, but wasn’t surprised to see the unique class embrace these discussions.

The students at Liger are recruited to the boarding school outside Phnom Penh for their creativity, drive and intellectual maturity, Shelton says. Liger’s recruitment team evaluates students from across Cambodia, funnelling 8,000 candidates through an extensive seven-round application period. The 110 extraordinary young thinkers selected live on the forested campus tuition-free.

The curriculum is customised far beyond a standard Cambodian or international education programme. The campus hosts one junior and one senior cohort, around the ages of middle and high school respectively, but that’s where the structured grade levels stop.

34 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

Students don’t take the national exam, instead fulfilling 30 required credits and creating a portfolio of work. Every element of the curriculum aims to shape young people into leaders, or “change agents”, Shelton explains.

Learning facilitators design core classes, such as English and history, to prepare students for the calibre of US and other international universities, while taking class interests into account. Other courses emphasise experiences, for example, a geography course that sent students to explore Cambodia’s 25 provinces.

Difficult Discussions

Once Liger’s lead staff decided to centre the literacy unit on gender, Shelton and Cody found reading materials and lead discussions on the subjects students wanted to explore and discuss, ranging from identity and wage equality, to domestic violence.

Sometimes they struggled to find the words to describe their feelings or observations, and at first some unmeasured words or descriptions offended or hurt other students, Cody recalls.

The students reflected back on these discussions through essays and articles, which culminated into a successful blog, Change for Equity.

In his post, Venghour defines himself as an “effeminate Khmer boy” and analyses his relationship with his peers. Another writer, Sreynith ruminates how an equitable education system “can allow ourselves to explore and chase our own dream without needing a shell like a hermit crab because of our gender”.

Their conversations revealed few simple solutions to complex gender-related issues.

When the discussion turned to domestic violence, students brought forward painful stories, and they ended the conversation with no clear answer to end the abuse.

Continuing the Conversation

As a group, the students decided to draw

more students into the conversation through a gender and equity summit.

During two days in January, Liger students invited other high school students from throughout the country to participate in workshops and activities that subverted traditional ideas of gender.

“It was just awesome,” Shelton recalls over the clangs of trays and chatter in Liger’s canteen. “It was messy sometimes and that was even a really cool part of it because 14-, 15-, 16-year-olds were conducting workshops on gender and power dynamics. They did it all.”

Moving forward, the students want to adapt the summit into a toolkit for other schools in Cambodia. A small team will continue writing about gender for the blog.

Liger students are rarely shaken by a challenge but taking these conversations home during holiday breaks has shown them how difficult it can be to change their families’ ingrained assumptions.

As the course progressed, 16-yearold Theara shifted from believing homosexuality was unnatural to accepting individuals across the LGBTQ spectrum.

But when he asked his mother in Kandal province whether she’d accept a gay son, she replied that she would not let him in the house.

Most of the students explained similar dilemmas with their parents, and the young women in particular said their parents expect them to get married by a certain age. But at least for 15-year-old Sopheak, she’s determined to continue the conversation and serve as a leader for her younger sisters.

“I have two younger sisters, and I don’t want my parents to put these limits on them,” Sopheak says. “I want to do something, but I really don’t know how to approach them yet, but I’m still thinking.”

To read the blog, visit changeforequity. ligeracademyblog.org.

*on the request of Liger, we have used first names only for students.

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“W

Miguel Jerónimo wanders through the intricate landscape of houses on stilts in this village on the Tonlé Sap lake, a short ride from Siem Reap, to see one of the best sunsets in Cambodia.

36 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

hen the water rises the fish eats the ant, when the water recedes the ant eats the fish.”

This is one of the most well-known Khmer proverbs, somehow related to the Buddhist concept of karma and, perhaps more importantly, intimately connected with the Tonlé Sap lake.

This enormous body of water, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, has a seminal influence not only in Cambodia’s annual cycle in terms of agricultural or fishing industries, but also a huge impact on the country’s culture. From spiritual festivities to livelihoods, the Khmer lifestyle follows the water’s unique annual cycle.

Each year the direction of the Tonlé Sap reverses towards the end of the monsoon rains which cause the lake to swell.

The lake’s low water level marks the Cambodian dry season, the perfect time to visit one of the most iconic villages on Tonlé Sap: Kampong Khleang.

In contrast to the more touristic Chong Kneas and Kampong Phluk, which are well on their way to becoming tourist traps, Kampong Khleang still maintains its original charm. Here it is possible to observe the authentic daily life of residents and their close relationship with the lake and the rise and fall of the water.

Waking up early at 3.30am is rewarded with a long-tail boat ride through the main canal towards the lake. At 4am, it’s time to start fishing in order to transport the hauls to the market by 7am.

It is also possible observe the dak lob – a traditional fish trap in form of arrow – being put to use as the boat snakes

along the waterways. On both sides rise high wooden pillars that prop up the houses made in line with the traditional architecture in this area: strong geometries that can survive the radical changes in the water level.

Indeed, by the beginning of June the whole ecological system reaches a perfect equilibrium and the Tonlé Sap river stops flowing. From mid-June to October, the water flows in reverse coming from the confluence with the Mekong in Phnom Penh, starting to fill the lake again with the region’s monsoons, raising the water by almost ten metres and offering the perfect conditions for the mating and reproduction of fish.

Declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1997, the lake hosts about 150 different species of fish. However, many risk extinction due to over-fishing, environmental issues and the threats posed by the construction of dams along the Mekong.

Fish is the main source of protein in the country’s diet, even Cambodian currency is called riel to pay homage to the small carp so often caught in this lake and populating the dishes in so many households.

In Kampong Khleang, the fish caught feed markets as far away as Siem Reap, with a large percentage also allocated to the production of prahok, the fermented fish paste ubiquitous in Khmer cuisine.

Nothing gets wasted and the fish fat is burnt to create soap, while the heads are often used for making fertilizer.

It’s pleasurable to appreciate local life throughout day, with countless women seated in the shade on side of the roads

during dry season, causally chatting while fixing their husbands’ fishing nets. While this quotidian might be in danger, many are pinning their hopes on tourism as a way to help these communities out of poverty.

Numbers are growing and the current fad of travellers in search of more authentic experiences will continue to improve the numbers of tourists arriving in the village.

Meng Hieng, an entrepreneur living in Phnom Penh where he manages a popular restaurant, was the first one to setup a homestay in the village as a way to provide a livelihood for his parents.

“I see the positive impact of tourism, everybody trying to clean the environment if they can get some income from tourism,”

he says. “Now kids want to go to school, they want to make a business in the future or get a job related to tourism. They want to find something more.”

Three years ago, he refurbished a traditional house on stilts in a stylish manner, with two swing double beds and a balcony overlooking the canal, where his family also serve local food. Now there are almost 10 homestays in the village. Meng believes this new source of income can help the community, while still maintaining a good atmosphere and not overcharging visitors for boat rides and other activities.

He adds the most popular attraction is travelling from Siem Reap for a day trip and renting a boat, rounding off the day watching sunset from the middle of the lake. The golden colours and dusty landscape create a mysterious atmosphere that invites a special kind of pleasant languor and dolce far niente so often needed in a weekend getaway.

Situated about 50km from Siem Reap (roughly one hour by road), Kampong Khleang is the largest community on the lake, being about 10 times larger than Kampong Phluk. During dry season, the beautiful labyrinth of houses on stilts can be explored, as well as the floating houses that sit at the entrance of the lake, with schools, homes and tiny fish farms sitting on the water.

The market in the mainland area of the village is also an interesting sight, and a match of petanque – the traditional French game – at the local café will be welcomed.

There is also a large temple where friendly monks and locals greet guests with the charming Cambodian smile.

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TRAVELS IN SABAH:

On a visit to the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo, Mark Bibby Jackson encounters a wealth of wildlife in its natural environment and reacquaints himself with an orange friend.

38 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

I

rise to see the most majestic view of Mount Kinabalu. The early morning Sabah sun shimmers off the metallic roofs of base camp, a small trail of slurry distantly indicating where the 2015 earthquake had its most tragic impact, claiming 18 lives.

It is the second time I have awoken to the highest point in Malaysia, and like 17

years previously, again I will not ascend its summit.

Back then I was exhausted after climbing the Pinnacles in neighbouring Sarawak. A pointless exercise that had taken five hours to climb and even longer to descend, a feat that my ex and myself had completed on our own as our guide had complained of a stomach complaint. As we reached the summit, we discovered that dramatic as the limestone needles look from the air, when you are surrounded by them they are far less impressive and distinctly lacking in any vista. On the way down, we bumped into our guide, who had risen like Lazarus afraid that his charges had become lost in the mists of the rainforest and wandered off track. Fortunately, we had not. So, by the time we reached Mount Kinabalu a few days later we were weary of another fruitless trek and decided instead to feast ourselves upon the spectacular views.

Others are less timid, taking two days to ascend to the 4,095-metre peak, resting the night at the base camp some 2.5 kilometres from the summit, and then setting off at 2am to time their final push for sunrise.

Since the earthquake the numbers have been restricted to 135 per day, so it’s advisable to ensure all your permissions are in order before setting off. Naturally, I would have joined them, but this time I am travelling with my brother and sister-in-law on their first trip to Asia, and it would be rude to leave them behind while I took on Malaysia’s Everest.

We are three days into our trip around Sabah, the smallest of Malaysia’s two states on the island of Borneo. Our first night we had spent at Shangri-La’s glorious Rasa Ria Resort on the outskirts of the state capital of Kota Kinabalu. Arriving late and tired we went straight to bed, but the next day we took the canopy walk and short trail through the resort’s preserved forest to Pekan Nebalu, where we had beclouded views of Mount Kinabalu.

Rasa Ria used to be known for its small sanctuary for orphaned orangutans.

However, the last remaining primates were transferred to the rehabilitation centre at Sepilok in 2016. Instead of seeing this as a challenge, Lori-Jean Collins, its director

of sales and marketing, relishes the opportunity to diversify the resort’s appeal.

With 400 acres of land and three kilometres of virtually private beach, it isn’t difficult to get her point. Plans to open a Discovery Centre along with the longest twin zip-line in Sabah later this year will only help strengthen its appeal.

We spend the next day exploring Kinabalu National Park, where we see Borneo black-banded squirrels, a Bornean forktail, white-throated fantails and Temminck’s sunbird – all identified by our expert guide Roy, who unlike his Sarawak counterpart demonstrated a robust stomach throughout our trip.

In the afternoon we manage to make it to Poring Springs and walk along the high canopy walkway to view the virgin forest from up high – a bit too high for my vertiginous brother – and then return to the foothills of the mountain where we stayed at the Alpine-like Kinabalu Pine Resort, from where we experienced our glorious sunrise the following day.

All this was just a precursor to the main event. I have always had a soft spot for orangutans ever since watching Clint Eastwood strolling down the street with Clyde. And Borneo is one of the two islands – the other being Sumatra in Indonesia – where orangutans are found naturally in the wild. The rehabilitation centre at Sepilok was founded in 1964 by art historian and conservationist Barbara Harrisson to rehabilitate the endangered apes.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a century ago there were about 230,000 orangutans in total. Now it’s estimated that numbers have dwindled to some 104,700 Bornean orangutans, which is considered endangered. However, their plight is not as perilous as the Sumatran orangutan, which is critically endangered, with only 7,500 still alive. In November 2017, a third species the Tapanuli orangutan was announced, and this is the most endangered of all the great apes with only 800 recorded.

Sepilok supports some 60 to 80 orangutans – as well as some sun bears – in 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve, with the aim of returning them to the wild. Although, the centre is open from 8.45am to 4pm, most people coincide their visit for either the 10am or 3.30pm feeding time. We opted for the latter.

This was my third visit to the centre, which has greatly expanded since my initial trip. In the wild, baby orangutan are reared and trained by their mothers for six years.

Sepilok replaces this with a buddy system pairing a younger ape with an older one to foster the skills they will need to survive in Borneo’s rainforest.

Eventually, we leave and return to our rooms at Forest Edge, Sepilok. I reflect as I watch deer munching in the undergrowth in the setting sun from my balcony while mosquitoes take it in turn to draw my blood. But it is one peculiar and sadly endangered orange primate that is the main draw. Let’s hope it remains that way.

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BAY AREA TACOS 4D Street 450, Phnom Penh. Tel: 090 595 500. Open daily, from 10am to 10pm.

A new Mexican restaurant serving up dishes you might find in California’s Bay Area opened in February.

Matt Surrusco and photographer Enric Català sample the simple, satisfying, spicy menu of tacos, nachos, burritos and quesadillas.

Growing up in California’s Bay Area, Long Chean says Mexican cuisine is a taste he came to know well. He used to eat at the same Mexican spot about four times a week throughout school. “I always got tacos and the all-beef burrito,” he says of the restaurant.

The 41-year-old was born in Battambang province, moved to the US when he was fouryears-old and returned to Cambodia in 2005. But he says he couldn’t find anything in his homeland like the simple, handheld Mexican food he was raised on in San Jose.

So, after owning a cafe from 2006 to 2008, he opened Bay Area Tacos in Phnom Penh in mid-February to cook the kind of Mexican food he likes.

We tasted a number of 40 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

Mexican classics that were fresh, flavourful and filling.

To start, the nachos ($3) were top-notch, thanks to the handmade, toasted tortilla chips made in Cambodia, which Long warms on the grill before coating each layer with nacho cheese, homemade pico de gallo and slices of jalapenos. For three or four people to share, order the nachos grande ($10), which includes more of the same, plus your choice of beef or pork.

My favourite dish was the breakfast burrito ($5), comprising three scrambled eggs, seasoned breakfast sausage and streaky bacon wrapped tightly in a tortilla and served all day with homemade salsa and pico de gallo on the side.

A basket of hot sauces, including Sriracha, Tapatio,

Tabasco and locally made Battambang Blaze, leaves options to spice up your food.

The breakfast burrito pairs well with Battambang Blaze, a spicy ketchup-like sauce made with locally sourced chilies and somewhere between Sriracha and the milder Tapatio on the spiciness scale.

Next, the beef quesadilla ($6) employs ground Australian flank steak and a mix of mozzarella and cheddar cheese and pico de gallo.

Some bites of the beef were a bit chewy, but the cheese and tortilla toasted on the grill and addition of the delicious salsa made the quesadilla tasty overall.

You can also substitute beef for pork or stick with cheese for $4.

Last but certainly not least, diners can choose from pork or

carne asada tacos ($2), which were pleasantly not overloaded with either marinated pork belly or flank steak. Each taco is topped with a bit of coriander and diced onions and served with a lime wedge in classic Mexican street food fashion.

For a light meal, I would recommend at least one of each, especially if you go on Friday when you can close out the workweek with $1 tacos. Every other day, the restaurant offers a $5 lunch special of three tacos and a drink from 11am to 2pm.

The only downside of Bay Area Tacos is its minimal space, with just 10 seats.

But the tasty comfort food, homemade salsa and pico de gallo, and $3 frozen margaritas makes up for the fact you may have to wait for a table.

JAVA CREATIVE CAFÉ 53 Street 468, Phnom Penh. Tel. 077 873 929. Open daily, from 7am to 10pm.

A long-time supporter of the arts, Java has opened its third Phnom Penh café, which features a black box theatre that will soon host regular performances. Matt Surrusco and photographer Enric Català taste a few veggie-filled breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes.

Opened in March, popular Phnom Penh café Java’s third installation offers the same wide-ranging menu, plus seating on two airy floors soaked with natural light, and a black box theatre inside.

The restaurant and arts space expects to hold a debut performance by their resident dance company, Prumsodun Ok and Natyarasa, this month.

Eventually, the black box, which seats 54 people, will host music, comedy and theatre performances as well as discussions and film screenings.

The open-concept cafe includes a ground floor, airconditioned dining area, back patio lounge with wall-length benches and a retractable awning, expansive first floor loft area, and a private meeting room.

And the food, with an identical menu to the Java locations in Toul Kork and near Independence Monument, is still fresh, tasty and full of flavour.

To start, we tried the Greek omelette ($5), comprising two eggs and a mix of feta cheese, basil and tomatoes, with kalamata olives and romaine lettuce, and three crispy strips of honey-mustard pork bacon and a thick slice of toast.

To perk up, the cappuccino ($2.75) is a strong, organic, Arabica blend of beans from Laos, Vietnam and Thailand roasted by local favourite Feel Good Coffee.

Also, from the all-day breakfast menu, the smoked salmon and vegetable tartine ($6) is a great option for breakfast or brunch, with a hefty helping of pink

salmon and poached egg atop a bed of roasted courgette slices and beet straws, laid over a thick piece of Farmer's bread toast.

It’s served with a side of Java’s delicious homemade pickles and kettle-cooked crisps.

The vegetarian burger ($6.75) includes a mushroom-tofu patty, with garlic, onion and pine nuts too, as thick as any beef patty minus the grease.

It sits atop a fluffy brioche bun made in-house, and includes lettuce, tomato, red peppers and cheddar cheese. The thick-cut potato wedges also hit the spot.

The lime-herb grilled salmon ($8.50) is a tangy piece of seasoned salmon, crispy on the outside, soft and flaky on the inside.

It comes with a side of classic mashed potatoes

and a mix of butter-sautéed broccoli, carrots, green beans and whole cloves of garlic.

Fresh juices can be ordered off the menu or you can choose your own concoction, selecting three fruit ingredients, with no ice or sugar added.

The raspberry mojito ($4), with rum, homemade raspberry syrup, lime, sugar, soda and plenty of mint, is a sweet, refreshing twist on a classic cocktail. The raspberry syrup’s sweetness did not outdo the minty flavour, ensuring you won’t forget you’re drinking a mojito.

Two-for-one happy hour specials are daily from 5pm to 7pm.

With cosy seating, great food and drinks served all day, and a venue for live entertainment on-site, the newest Java cafe is sure to be another hit.

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8

Amigo Sky Bar & Restaurant 15th Floor of Feliz Urban Hotel, 3 Street 288, Phnom Penh. Tel. 023 212 555. Open daily, from 6.30am to 11pm.

As sky bars climb higher throughout Phnom Penh, both in elevation and price, Amigo Sky Bar and Restaurant aims to offer some of that same luxury at a reasonable cost. Words by Danielle Keeton-Olsen; photography by Enric Català.

With its sweeping view of the city’s blooming business district, Amigo Sky Bar and Restaurant serves guests with friendliness and care in a location that could easily favour posh and privilege.

After the successful launch of Feliz Hostel and Cafe in 2016, general manager Raing Arun said the company opened Amigo and Feliz Urban Hotel next door to provide a luxury option for travellers at an affordable price.

The restaurant and bar fit the urban design style, with modern modular design flourished with tropical ferns and trees. As the city ups its luxury offerings, the design itself is not unique within Phnom Penh. But Arun and his staff make a major effort to go beyond the basics to ensure customers are comfortable and cared for, in line with the venue’s mantra: Come as strangers, leave as family.

That motto rings true to Arun, who has worked in hospitality for 18 years. He attributes his success to working with visitors from around the world, and he aims to help his staff gain the knowledge he has through hospitality.

Like the restaurant’s dinner menu, Amigo Sky Bar’s signature cocktails incorporate local fruit, without getting too experimental in flavour.

The bartenders prepare a wide range of classic cocktails for $4.50, but often mix modified drinks to 42 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

add to the signature menu.

The Feliz Margarita shakes up the classic recipe by muddling pineapple and green apple along with the traditional ingredients.

The result is refreshing, without being overpowered by the pineapple or tequila, served in a salt-and-sugar-rimmed glass.

The Passion Top, meanwhile, offers the sweet and tart flavours of Cambodian passion fruit, with white and dark rum hidden behind the bright flavour of the fruit. The bartenders lightly singe the top, so with each sip you get a slight hint of warmth.

Amigo’s Cherry Martini showcases its alcohol a little stronger, with notes of vodka and vermouth coming out from under the cherry juice that distinguishes the martini. The signature cocktails are priced affordably at $5.50 and can also be ordered by the pitcher.

Climb the stairs from the restaurant on the 15th floor, and you enter the tiered sky lounge with an excellent 360-degree view of the city. With few other skyscrapers in site for the moment, visitors are treated to a prime view of the capital, with Independence Monument, the Royal Palace and Mekong River all within sight.

Since the venue only crowds up after the sky darkens, the sky bar is an excellent place for a relaxing sunset view of the city.

imbibe

The Vineyard Whisperers Darren Gall Believe it or not there was a time when being ‘traditional’ was levelled at many wineries as a criticism and not a compliment. Making rustic, bucolic wines was fine but, making fault ridden wines from poor quality fruit was another thing entirely.

Towards the end of last century, as modern science and computer technology gave us a broader understanding of what was happening in our vineyards and wineries and greater control over the processes, the winemaker and in turn the board of directors had more ability to plan and control the outcomes of a vintage than ever before.

Then came the rise of the flying winemakers, who could manage a winery’s winemaking programme remotely and fly in when necessary, soon the superstars of this new form of winemaking were working for hundreds of wineries around the globe, often bringing new technology and industry specialised software with them.

The impact was a lift in the quality of the grapes being harvested and wines they produced. In the areas where this technology and its crusaders practiced widely, we saw the virtual elimination of some faults due to canopy or disease issues or poor practices in the winery.

In time, what emerged

was a sameness, a sort of homogenisation of the wines available, a sameness.

This has seen the emergence of a new form of flying winemaker, consultants who work hard on the vineyard and frown upon intervention in the winery, whose goal is expressing the true terroir of the site in their wines instead of winning medals and getting high scores.

In Bordeaux, these are winemakers such as Stephen Derenoncourt, who works with some of the most famous vineyards in Bordeaux’s Right Bank, like Clos Fortet and across the Atlantic in California.

Then there is Thibault Despagne, who works with some of Bordeaux’s less prestigious sub-regions and has fast gained a reputation for divining new levels of fruit and wine quality.

In something of a ‘Hegelian Dialectic’ we had the, (thesis) traditional regional practices that sprang when the world was much more isolated, the, (antithesis) globalisation and a rapid overcorrection to modern technology and techniques being universally adopted and finally the, (synthesis) a consensus where sustainable viticulture and a more natural approach to winemaking is producing wines that express both high quality and a sense of place.

Darren Gall has spent a quarter of a century involved in virtually every aspect of the wine industry and the passionate pursuit of the next great bottle continues. gall.darren@yahoo.com.

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CheckIn

ROSEWOOD PHNOM PENH Words by Mark Bibby Jackson.

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I

t is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single hotel in possession of a good budget, must be in want of a spectacular view. And in Phnom Penh no view is comparable with that from atop the Vattanac Capital Tower.

When I first arrived in the Cambodian capital more than a decade ago, it was the InterContinental that stood proudly as the tallest building in town.

Now no longer, the building in which it once stood is so dwarfed by the 38-storey bastion to financial acumen that its frail figure lurks indistinguishable in the inevitable urban mist.

Instead, it is the newly opened Rosewood Phnom Penh that has assumed its lofty perch by offering the highest rooms in town.

There are hotels with views, and views with hotels; Rosewood Phnom Penh most definitely falls into the latter category.

From their lofty vantage point, guests can choose from a view of the majestic Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, or a more urban environment including a bird’s eye sighting of the Art Deco Central Market or colonial classic Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Those with a more historical outlook can feast on Wat Phnom, where legend has it that Daun Penh placed four bronze statues of Buddha to found the city later dubbed the Pearl of Asia, in the 14th Century. Or there is the solar-paneled roof of the American Embassy, the rooms overlooking which are much sought after by Russian and North Korean visitors – allegedly. Unlike the citizens of the latter democracy, at the Rosewood Phnom Penh you are literally spoilt for choice.

Mere visitors have to content themselves with the deck on Level 37 – colloquially referred to as Angry

Bird Beak, such is the striking similarity between the colossal building and the popular animated character – where Sora bar offers spectacular sunset views as the resident DJ mixes his tunes with skills to match those demonstrated by the bartenders. The spot has proved so popular with Phnom Penh parvenus that management has imposed a smart-casual dress code to deter riff-raff, although quite why anyone would want to visit here in thongs and wife beaters, is beyond me.

As a long-term expat friend observed, “We appreciate the opportunity to dress up, there isn’t much call for it in Phnom Penh.”

Those looking for a seamless stay rather than wishing to be seen, can repose in their rooms, each one of which has been appointed with an eye for detail sadly lacking elsewhere in town.

However, why linger in your room? After a cocktail on the Beak, what better way to spend the evening than by sampling the fare on offer at Iza, the hotel’s signature restaurant, with its izakaya-style dining and robata-yaki and irori charcoal grill open kitchen. Then, slide over to the whisky bar for what must be the widest range of malts in town.

For several years, there has been talk of a five-star take off in the Cambodian capital that has signally failed to materialise. Now, following the opening of the Rosewood Phnom Penh, and with the Shangri-La, Courtyard by Marriott and Hyatt Regency in the offing, Phnom Penh’s luxury hotel accommodation might just be looking up.

Vattanac Capital Tower, 66 Monivong Boulevard, Phnom Penh. Tel. 023 936 888.

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Photography: Malidate Van Model: Vibol Hair and Makeup: Bora at The Dollhouse Styling: Ryan Drewe Taylor Thanks to locations: Rambutan Urban Resort & Spa, Long After Dark, Muscle Fitness Centre and D.Wilkins

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Shorts: Don Protasio Sunglasses: Paperdolls Necklace: Christine Gauthier

Track top and shorts: BKK Market

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Jacket, shirt and pants: Ambre Men Bowtie: Stylist’s own

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Jacket: Don Protasio T-shirt: Ambre Men Ikat scarf: A.N.D. Leather bag: D.Wilkins

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HOTEL & RESORT

Chow Restaurant with WiFi.

Phnom Penh

Raffles Hotel Le Royal Street 92 Tel: 023 981 888 www.raffles.com/phnom-penh/ Emanates the same class as its more famous namesake in Singapore. The Elephant Bar is a popular expat haunt during the 4pm to 8pm happy hour.

Almond Hotel 128f Sothearos Bld. Tel: 023 220 822 Owned by Cambodia’s top chef, Luu Meng, this hotel boasts 70 guest rooms, and is aimed at the visiting business community. Tasty dim sun is served from the ground floor restaurant, YiSang.

The Great Duke 296 Mao Tse Toung Blvd.

Tel: 023 424 888 www.thegreatdukehotels.com.kh Previously the InterContinental, this is one of Phnom Penh’s most luxurious five-star hotels, the 346 air-con rooms have all the expected facilities including in-room safes and king size beds. Also has a large swimming pool, a fitness centre and spa.

The Quay Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 224 894 www.thequayhotel.com Five-storey, 16-room riverside boutique hotel has beautiful contemporary rooms designed by Gary Fell. The stand-out features are the roof-top Jacuzzi and the very contemporary ground-floor bar and

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Rambutan Resort 29 Street 71 Tel: 017 992 240 www.rambutanresort.com Urban modern oasis located in a quiet residential area only 5 minutes from all major sights in Phnom Penh. Deluxe pool view and garden rooms with outdoor bathtubs. Salt water pool and private spa room for some unwinding treatments.

Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Set on the riverside amongst landscaped gardens this 12-storey, five-star colonial style hotel is close to key attractions, embassies and the central business district.

TEAV Boutique Hotel

14 Street 310 Tel: 023 981 818 / 017 989 191 Email: stay@teavgroup.com www.teavboutiquehotel.com Located in a quiet, peaceful setting in the prestigious central heart of Phnom Penh near the Independence Monument, the uniquely designed art deco style TEAV Boutique Hotel provides single travellers, couples, families, leisure and business with a relaxing and highly personalised stay.

Siem Reap Belmond La Residence DÁngkor River Road Tel: 0845 0772 222 Having undergone a revamp, the all-suite hotel boasts newly-designed interiors, lush landscaped gardens surrounding a salt water pool, a deluxe poolside suite, 20 poolside junior suites, 12 garden junior suites, eight deluxe studio suites and 18 junior suites.

Lynnaya Urban River Resort & Spa Tel: 063 967 755 www.lynnaya.com A luxury resort equipped with swimming pool, spa and restaurant.

Prince D’Angkor Hotel & Spa Sivatha Blvd.

Tel: 063 763 888 Email: info@princedangkor.com www.princedangkor.com Experience ultimate luxury and bask in the splendour of elegance at the Prince D’ Angkor Hotel & Spa, the perfect base from which to explore the legendary Angkor temples.

Rambutan Hotels & Resorts Phum Wat Damnak, Kum Sala Komreuk, Krom 10 Tel: 012 654 638 Email: bookings@rambutansr.com www.rambutans.info The former Golden Banana resort contains the same deluxe suites and villas in modern Asian style build around a salt-water pool. Private balcony or terrace with outdoor bathtub/splash shower. LBGT-friendly.

Sokkhak Boutique Resort Kok Chork village, Wat Thmey Tel: 063 765 697/ 063 765 698 www.sokkhak-boutiqueresort.com Stay in either one of the two suites, four junior suites or five uniquely deluxe rooms and one classic standard room, decorated in a homely style.

Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort Vithei Charles de Gaulle

Tel: 063 964 600/ 063 964 610 www.sofitel.com Ultimate in comfort and refinement, combining the traditional architecture of Cambodia with elegant French colonial style. Five-star accommodation, swimming pool, spa and international standard 18-hole 72-par golf course.

Accommodation established by the former manager of Bokor Mountain Lodge set in the French Quarter. Six rooms have AC, hot water, DVD and TV. The large garden has a patio pizzeria and bar.

Rikitikitavi Riverfront Tel: 012 274 820/ 012 235 102 www.rikitikitavi-kampot.com Western food served in large portions in this river-facing restaurant, bar and three-room guesthouse. A more upmarket venue for Kampot, the upstairs seating affords great sunset views.

Restaurant and bar open daily.

Templation Route du Petit Pont Tel: 063 969 345 From the masterminds behind The Plantation and Pavilion in Phnom Penh, Templation offers a slice of serenity from the madding temple crowds. Boasting a secret lake, swimming pool reflecting majestic palm trees, a vast expanse of tropical flora and 33 living spaces, most with their own private pool.

FOOD & DRINKS

Kep

Phnom Penh

Knai Bang Chatt Tel: 078 888 557 www.knaibangchatt.com An exclusive resort offering personal service in private grounds housing a collection of remodelled 1960’s style colonial villas. Offering 18 rooms, infinity pool, spa and media centre. All rooms refurbished to international standards.

Choice of two dining options – upscale The Strand or the adjoining Sailing Club.

Blue Pumpkin 245 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 998 153 At multiple locations in Phnom Penh, serving breakfast sets, Asian and Western entrées and an array of ice cream flavours in air-conditioned comfort. Open daily from 6am-11pm.

Le Bout du Monde Tel: 011 964 181 www.leboutdumondekep.com Individual and separate bungalows in traditional Khmer architecture located on a hill-top with good views and nice gardens.

Serves French and Khmer cuisine.

Rooms have hot water, mini-bar, fan and safe.

Spring Valley Resort Tel: 036 666 6673 www.springvalley-resort.com Spring Valley Resort, at the base of Kep National Park, is just a short walk to the beach. The rooms are scattered throughout vibrant green gardens, connected by walkways that wind through vines, trees and flowering plants.

Villa S’aat Tel: 017 383 185 www.villa-kep.com Elegant and spacious villa for rent in Kep during holidays and weekends. Located around 2km from the crab market, with spacious rooms, fully equipped kitchen, swimming pool, large terrace, garden and household staff.

Kampot Mea Culpa 44 Sovansokar Tel: 012 504 769 Email: meaculpakampot@gmail.com

endorsed

Brown Coffee & Bakery 17 Street 214 and other locations throughout the city.

Tel: 023 217 262 Stylish, locally owned café with bakery on the premises serves a variety of coffees and pastries, with the green tea latte a house speciality. Open 7.30am8pm.

The Chinese House 45 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh.

Tel: 092 553 330 Under new management and having undergone a radical revamp, Chinese House has a fine dining restaurant upstairs serving fusion food, and a bar space downstairs, serving tapas. Still has the uber-cool vibe created by the previous management.

Do Forni Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 Sophisticated Italian diner set in the grounds of the Sofitel hotel, dishes up much more than your basic pizza and pasta. Excellent range of wines, dimmed lighting and plush surroundings make this an excellent romantic meal for two option. Open daily 6.30pm-10pm.

FCC Phnom Penh 363 Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 724 014 The first stop for newcomers and it’s easy to see why. Set in a beautiful colonial house with sumptuous views across

Fitness Trackers Kate Burbidge Western New Year’s resolutions have been left way behind, the path leading from them littered with good intentions and broken promises.

New Years – both Chinese and Khmer – have been and gone without so much as a pricking of conscience or an embryonic thought being cast to all those abandoned promises about health and well-being.

Are you really going to the gym or have you just taken your work-out stuff to the office and left it there?

What is really needed is a conscience-needling device, a pocket nag, something that will let you know exactly how indolent you have been and record it for posterity.

Fortunately, evil genii working for assorted global tech firms have come up with just that.

A range of just that, in fact, to suit every pocket, or wrist.

It can be set up to prod you to move at regular intervals.

Regardless of whether you are actually moving or not. It’s a clever little imp too; it knows what you’re doing, mostly. It can tell whether you’re just mooching around the supermarket or actually giving your cardio vascular system the work-out it desperately needs.

It can detect any number of activities, including the weird elliptical machine that no one really knows the proper name for (no one except the little fitness fascist on your wrist).

However, it is helpless in the face of dancing or bongo playing, for example, and will

just chalk them up to random aerobic exercise. This makes your daily and weekly stats look great.

Apart from the tell-tale time stamp, blabbing that your vigorous aerobic exercise session took place between 11pm and 1am on Saturday night/Sunday morning… Isn’t that when everyone hits step class?!

It begs to know what you’re eating and drinking. Mostly, one suspects, to give it even more ammo to guilt trip you with and weigh (literally) against your daily calorie burn.

It even judges, sorry, monitors your sleep quality.

This function is a fascinating dip into the realms of the unconscious; tracking your deep and rem sleep, seeing how many times you get up for a pee, wondering if you actually sleepwalk and are just discovering this, fearing that some outside influence is taking over your body when you sleep and using it for nefarious purposes.

It’s a great tool to help you keep fit and healthy when it’s all too easy to backslide, just don’t let it slip into sanctimonious judgement. Much like Santa, it knows when you’ve been sleeping, it knows when you’re awake; it knows if you’ve been bad or good, so you’d better be good for goodness’ sake; or at least for wellness sake.

And peace and quiet.

Because, unlike you, your little silicone conscience does not sleep, it’s watching you.

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the river on one side and the National Museum to the other, it’s best to come at sunset when the streets below are most crowded and enjoy the happy hour.

Open daily from 7am-midnight.

Fu Lu Zu Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd Tel: 023 999 200 x 6613 Elegant Chinese restaurant specialising in contemporary Cantonese delicacies and dim sum with private rooms for intimate ambience. Lunch & Dim Sum Buffet: Monday to Friday, from 11.30am to 2.30 pm/ weekends, from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

Hachi Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd Tel: 023 999 200 On the black granite sushi bar, the Japanese chef prepares guests’ favourite selection of sushi and sashimi, with fish imported daily from Japan.

Il Forno Restaurant Phnom Penh 11 Street 302 Tel: 081 660 515 Traditional imported ingredients from Italy to keep all of recipes 100 percent Italian. Wine bar for nice aperitivo, lunch special menus.

Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: 023 987 420 Great coffees, salads, mix-and-match sandwiches and juices served in an elegant setting. The upstairs terrace, overlooking the Independence Monument, is a good place to watch the chaos below, while the downstairs space is a great place for coffee and catching up on your emails. Has exhibitions both upstairs and down. Open 7am-10pm.

K West 1 Street 154, cnr. Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 214 747

rambutan hotel&resorts

cambodia

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Stylish aircon bar and restaurant below the Amanjaya with an excellent steak menu and good value happy hour from 6pm-8pm Fridays. Now has a brasserie menu with daily specials. Also has free WiFi. Open 6.30am until midnight. Daily happy hour from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

Khéma Pasteur 163 Street 51 Khéma La Poste Street 13 with cnr Street 98 Tel: 015 823 888 A sophisticated international boutique restaurant featuring an on-site gourmet café, bakery and delicatessen with a wide range of specially imported and house-made delights, Khéma offers a unique concept on Cambodia’s dining scene scene.

La Coupole Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra 26 Old August Site, Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 999 200 www.sofitel.com Casual and authentic Indochinese and French cuisine with live cooking by chefs in an open kitchen concept. Offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and the Sunday brunch, all set in a stunning restaurant with high ceilings and natural light.

Metro Cnr Sisowath Quay & Street 148 Tel: 023 222 275 Cool east-meets-west decor and a chic menu offering tapas, starters and mains, comprehensive cocktail menu, favourite among which is the Espresso Martini, Metro also offers a range of classic breakfasts and an elegant lunch spot with free wifi in an air-con and smokefree (until 10pm) atmosphere. Open daily 9.30am-1am.

Sher e Punjab 16 Street 130, Phnom Penh.

Tel: 092 992 901 Phnom Penh is blessed with a vast array of Indian kitchens, but many expats put this small place at the top of their list. Top Indian food, with an authentic

Tandoori oven producing fine breads and grilled meats, also excellent for veggies.

Open daily, 10am-10pm.

The Shop 39 Street 240, Tel: 092 955 963023 986 964 Stylish café, with a wide range of fresh bread, tempting patisseries and juices, excellent salads and sandwiches.

Crowded at lunchtime, but the small, cool courtyard at the back creates a perfect haven from the sun. Has a Chocolate Shop three doors along, and a second outlet in Tuol Kork. Open 7am-7pm Topaz 182 Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 012 346 555 / 023 221 622 Sophisticated, air-con restaurant with outside dining, upstairs bar, wine shop, cigar room and private rooms. One of Phnom Penh’s finest restaurants. Has a popular piano bar, night club upstairs.

Open 11am-2pm, 6pm-11pm.

Van’s Restaurant 5 Street 102 Tel: 023 722 067 French fine-dining in a grand setting awaits at Van’s, located on the second floor of a well preserved colonial-era building near the Post Office. Has an excellent value set lunch. Open daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-10.30pm.

from the provinces to contemporary creative Cambodian cuisine. It is set in a beautiful colonial building featuring wooden carvings, tables, chairs and unique lights all hand-made in Cambodia. Open daily from 11am-10.30pm (kitchen closes at 9.30pm).

Siem Reap Armand’s The Bistro 584-586 Tep Vong, Sangkat Svay Dangkom Tel: 092 305 401 A true bistro experience in a cosy woodpanelled space, despite the informal and relaxed ambience it has the menu to even satisfy high-rollers.

Chanrey Tree Pokombo Ave. Tel: 063 767 997 www.chanreytree.com Traditional Khmer food in a beautiful contemporary setting. Alongside the river, 50m before Preah Phrum Rath Pagoda. Open daily. Lunch 11am-2.30pm, dinner 6pm-10.30pm.

Il Forno Restaurant Siem Reap Paris Alley, off Pub Street Tel: 063 763 380 Come and try our wood fire pizza and our traditional homemade pastas. New air con room to cool off with a nice Italian wine and a charcuterie.

Malis 136 Norodom Bvd Tel: 023 221 022 www.malis-restaurant.com Beautiful modern Khmer restaurant with a courtyard set around narrow water channels and decorated with terracotta floor tiles. Has air-con rooms inside for those who find the midday sun too much. The cuisine is modern Khmer, with no MSG. Open 6am-10pm.

Hot Stone Café Old Market area, next to Angkor trade center Tel: 012 926 562 063 966 966 Email: info@hotstonecafe.asia www.hotstonecafé.asia The hottest culinary concept in town, with two dining options, cook yourself BBQ selection and Khmer dining.

Romdeng 74 Street 174 Tel: 092 219 565 Romdeng serves Cambodian food that ranges from almost forgotten recipes

King’s Road Angkor 7 Makara Road, Achar Sva Street Tel: 093 811 800 www.kingsroadangkor.com A unique dining and shopping village in

Siem Reap, comprising of 15 restaurants and cafés and 12 boutiques.

CULTURE Cinemas The Flicks Movie Theater 39b Street 95 (BKK3) www.theflicks.asia Local expat oriented movie houses with revolving schedule of international films and art house, screened in comfy air conditioned movie rooms. Also offers possibility for movie parties, with option to hire the movie room for a private session (max 30 people). Minimum two screenings per day. Check the website for the weekly schedule. Reservations advised. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day Major Cineplex Aeon Mall Tel: 023 90 1111 Major Cineplex is located on the second floor of the Aeon Mall Phnom Penh and is the biggest cinema complex in Cambodia with multiple screens, 3D and 4D theatres, showing the latest blockbusters from Asia and Hollywood. Open daily, from 9am to midnight.

Meta House 37 Sothearos Blvd (opp. Phnom Penh centre) Tel: 012 607 465 Movie shorts and documentaries from Cambodia and the rest of Asia. Screenings normally start at 7pm. Closed Mondays.

Platinum Cineplex 5th Floor Sorya Shopping Centre Tel: 081 666 210 International-standard three-screen Cineplex featuring the latest Digital 3D technology and the most recent Hollywood and international releases, located in the heart of downtown with ample parking, shopping and eating options.

Open 9am-11pm.

Tarantino Movie Theater & Restaurant 8 Street 258 (Chaktomuk) Formerly The Flicks 3 location. Screening the hit classics from the previous century on the big screen. Includes full restaurant with international kitchen.

Dinner and movie deals available. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day.

The 11 Happy Movie House 89-90 Street 136 Formerly The Flicks 2 location, located inside the 11 Happy Backpacker. Daily screenings of mostly Cambodian orientated movies. Cover charge $ 3.50 per day.

Galleries

Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center 64 Street 200 Tel: 023 992 174 Preserving much of Cambodia’s audiovisual material. Hosts regular exhibitions.

Open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm and Saturday, from 2pmto 6pm.

Din Art Gallery 79 Street 136 Tel: 017 931 900 Located above Feel Good Cafe, Cambodian artist Din Borin showcases his abstract art, with apsara dancers featuring heavily. Browse his work or buy some unique pieces from the collection.

French Institute 218 Street 184 Tel: 023 213 124 Offers cultural activities including exhibitions, festivals, and film screenings to promote French and Khmer culture.

Onsite shop Carnets d’Asie offers a selection of French books.

Java Café & Gallery 56 Sihanouk Blvd Tel: 023 987 420 www.javaarts.org Contemporary art gallery with exhibitions of Cambodian and international artists, as well as performing artists.

Has second gallery on the ground floor.

Website has details about Cambodia’s contemporary art scene.

National Museum of Cambodia Street 13 Tel: 023 211 753 The museum houses one of the largest collections of Khmer artefacts in the world, including sculpture, ceramic and ethnographic objects. Spending a couple of hours here is a good introduction to Cambodia’s long tradition of art and creativity, and a brief insight into the spirit of the Kingdom.

Romeet Contemporary Art Space 34E1 Street 178 Tel: 023 650 9392 Founded by Phare Ponleu Selpak in 2011 as a Phnom Penh platform for emerging and established alumni of the PPS’s Visual Art School in Battambang.

Romeet is a dynamic space for contemporary art exhibitions, talks, workshops, local collaborations and international exchange.

Sa Sa Bassac 18 Sothearos Boulevard An expansion of the Sa Sa Art Gallery and a merger with Bassac Art Projects, Sa Sa Bassac is an artist-run gallery for contemporary art. Includes a library, reading and workshop room, and a 60-metre gallery space. Ongoing visual literacy programmes.

Performing Arts

LEISURE & WELLNESS

Amrita Performing Arts 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 220 424 www.amritaperformingarts.org Performance art company that puts on contemporary and classical music and theatre.

Amusement

Apsara Arts Association 71 Street 598 Tel: 011 550 302 Organisation that promotes Cambodian arts and culture. Open from 7.30am to 10.30am.

Cambodian Living Arts 128-G9 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 986 032 www.cambodianlivingarts.org A non-profit arts organisation devoted to the revival and transmission of traditional Khmer performing arts that puts on performances and provides tours.

Chaktomuk Conference Hall Sisowath Quay Tel: 023 725 119 Designed by master Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann, this under-utilised building is worth a visit. Open Monday to Friday, from 7am to 11.30am and 2pm to 5pm.

Cambodian Country Club Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 012 231 755 A peaceful heaven providing tennis, swimming, badminton, fitness centre and horse riding, 15 minutes away from the city. Open from 6.30am to late.

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park Phnom Tamao, 44 kilometres out of the capital along Highway 2.

Cambodia’s top wildlife centre. All animals are either rescued from traders or bred at the centre. Many of the animals are critically endangered. Open daily, from 8am to 4pm.

Classes Equestrian Centre CCC, Street 2004, Group 6 Toeuk Thla Tel: 015 231 755 With 31 ponies and horses, an international sized arena and spacious stables.

Open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9amto 11am and 2pm to 5.30pm.

Music Arts School 14 Street 360 AsiaLIFE Cambodia 53

54 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

money matters

Time flies…. will you be retirement ready?

Paul Dodd

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May is my birthday - 29 again.

As is the case for many people, each time I get another year older I reflect on my life: where I am, what I have achieved and what the future holds.

This year also happens to be the 10th anniversary of my arrival in Cambodia.

When I first landed in Phnom Penh, I only intended to stay three months but that became three years and now here I am, a decade on.

As time goes on, the decades seem to pass more and more quickly. I’ll let you into a secret – I was lying when I said I was 29. I’m actually nearer to 50 than I am 30 and, as tends to happen to most people in their 40s, retirement starts looming. It is strange how it seems such a distant concept and then suddenly it’s around the corner. In 10 years, retirement will be within spitting distance, and that fact has made me acutely aware of how my retirement preparation is going.

Perhaps you too are in your 40s and find time is racing by. Have you faced up to the sobering thought of how you will finance your retirement yet? Perhaps you are younger, and it seems too far away to worry about? It isn’t.

Whatever age, if you aren’t already saving for your retirement,

now is the time to start. If you’re an expat, the likelihood is you won’t be covered by any kind of state pension scheme, not that those are worth a lot these days even for those who are eligible.

The reality of the 21st century is that every single one of us needs to take control of our own retirement saving to give us the freedom to choose how we spend our golden years. If you fail to save, invest and build a nest egg, you will find your latter years a financial challenge.

What’s the solution? It really is simple – regular saving.

Even if you can’t afford to put away much each month, a little is better than nothing. When your nest egg starts to build, you need to find investment products that will offer you a better rate of return than bank deposits but tailored to your own unique circumstances and taking into account your attitude to risk.

I have helped many clients get retirement ready - not only in Phnom Penh but on every continent on the planet - and it is extremely satisfying to know that I have helped them gain the peace of mind that they are preparing for the future.

Now I’m off to celebrate the last ten fabulous years safe in the knowledge that I, for one, will be retirement ready.

Paul Dodd is Country Director at Infinity Financial Solutions Cambodia, living and working in PP for the past 10 years.

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 55

siem reap

Battambang Mini-break Sarah Brown As much as we all love Siem Reap, everyone needs a change of scenery from time to time, and luckily there are endless interesting places – Bangkok, Hoi An and Singapore, to name a few – just a stone’s throw from Temple Town. While it’s certainly possible to hop on a short flight to somewhere new – one of the many blessings of living in Southeast Asia – the hassle, expense, and environmental impact of cross-border adventures aren’t always what you’re after in a short weekend break.

In such times friends living in Phnom Penh head off for a weekend in Kampot, but for us Siem Reap residents I think Battambang is by far the best option.

Reaching Battambang takes around three hours by road, and it’s possible to take a bus, minivan or private taxi. In my experience, the minivan isn’t much slower than a taxi, so if you’re happy to go along with their departure times this would be my recommendation. For the more intrepid, it’s also possible to take boat but be warned, in rainy season it can be a fairly smooth journey, but if water levels are low getting stuck in the reeds is a very real possibility, and a fun jaunt along the river can quickly become a 10-hour trial.

Sarah Brown is a Siem Reap stalwart who comes with an abundance of knowledge about Temple Town.

EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY

Phnom Penh 023 986 350

AsiaLIFE Cambodia Siem56 Reap Sihanoukville 063 964 409

034 934 155

Battambang is actually a bigger city than Siem Reap, though visitors would be forgiven for thinking it’s a smaller due to its somewhat sleepy appearance. Don’t be fooled though, there is plenty going on in this charming corner of north west Cambodia to keep you entertained for a weekend.

One of my favourite ways to start the day in Battambang is with a breakfast of bai sach moarn (chicken and rice) at Psar Nat (Battambang’s central market), which will set you back a couple of dollars and is the best incarnation of this dish the Kingdom has to offer. Then mosey around the corner to Kinyei for a caffeine fix (trust me, you need to order the street latte), before wandering the streets following Khmer Architecture Tours’ free-todownload self-guided tour (www.ka-tours.org). For the athletically inclined, a day’s cycling with Soksabike is also highly recommended.

As the sun sets, the bamboo train or bat caves are obvious attractions for first-time visitors, and both certainly have their own appeal. These days my preference, however, would be a relaxed drink at Bambu or Bric-a-Brac, before dinner at social enterprise restaurant Jaan Bai.

Kep & Kampot 033 930 000

Battambang 053 953 855

Mineral Water from France

Asia Life(BB).pdf

specialised training programmes, two squash courts and four tennis courts.

Open daily from 6am to 10pm.

FAMILY

Spas

Arey Ksat Equestrian Trail Arey Ksat, Phnom Penh.

Tel: 077 357 774 Join experienced instructor Guillaume Larivain on a series of pony trails through the Cambodian countryside.

Bodia Spa 26-28 Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 226 199 www.amaraspa.hotelcara.com Using natural, own-brand products Bodia spa offers body wraps, floral baths, scrubs, facials, aromatherapy, massages and manipedis, alongside Jacuzzi and steam. The peaceful atmosphere is enhanced by scented oils and soft music. Open daily, from 9am to 9pm.

Derma-Care Skin Clinic 161B Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 720 042 / 012 415 552 Two qualified dermatologists, this professional skin clinic offers a range of beauty treatments using American Derma-Rx products, minor dermatologic surgery, antioxidant boosters, chemical peeling, and lipolysis. Open 9am to 9pm.

So Spa Sofitel Phnom Penh Tel: 081 222 037 Worldwide ancient traditions meet the refinement and skill of the latest in French cosmetology to create So Spa.

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Entertainment

BluO Bowling C AEON Mall, Sothearos Blvd.

Tel: 023 901 000 M The country’s latest bowling alley with Y private lanes available for parties. Open daily, from 9am to midnight.

CM MY Kids City 162A Sihanouk Blvd.

CY www.kidscityasia.com CMY Indoor entertainment centre with climbing walls, ice skating, laser tag. toddler K town and other attractions.

International Schools Canadian International School of Phnom Penh Bassac Garden, Norodom Blvd.

Tel: 023 727 788/ 077 503 778 www.cisp.edu.kh Offers a Canadian curriculum in English, certified through the Canadian province of Alberta.

Sun Heang

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A unique art deco buidling, serving an eclectic selection of creative sharing plates and main courses.

4:24 PM

This month, we take a look at Apple’s top-rated and best-performing apps of the year.

$19.99 IOS ANDROID

FREE IOS

AFFINITY PHOTO

EKIBO

Voted App of the Year for the iPad, Affinity Photo has made a name for itself as the first fully-featured professional photo editing tool for the iPad and tablet.

While it may seem a bit complicated to get your head around at first, it’s well worth the effort – and cost.

Image processing features include adjusting exposure, blackpoint, clarity, vibrance, white balance, shadows and highlights and the ability to recover detail thought to be lost by editing in an unbounded linear colour space.

Stealing the crown of Apple’s best app for the iPhone, Ekibo is an addictive trend that started in Japan before sweeping across the globe. Users are allocated an Ekibo – a pet Al – that is given characteristics based on users’ everyday experiences, from eating, travelling and carrying out everyday tasks. Each time users engage in an experience, their Ekibo and its world will grow. With time, the Ekibo will head out on journeys of self-discovery, bringing back souvenirs and tips.

$0.99 IOS ANDROID

$3.99 IOS ANDROID

HIDDEN FOLKS

ARTWALK

If you enjoyed Where’s Wally – or Waldo, if you’re Australian or American – when you were younger, then this will keep you entertained. Crowned Game of the Year, this addictive download will waste hours of your day. Search for hidden folk amongst hand-drawn, interactive miniature landscapes, unfurl tent flaps, cut through bushes, slam doors and poke some crocodiles. A strip of targets shows users what to hunt for, with more than 190 targets to find, 280 unique interactions and 20 hand-drawn areas.

This location-based generative art app has proved popular with users since launching in 2016. Users record their journey on the app – whether it be a run, cycle or even your commute to work – and then have it rendered into a unique piece of art. If you are already a keen sports person and use Strava, then you can render one of your latest activities into unique art instantly. A great way to inject a bit of fun into your daily exercise. All artworks can be downloaded onto devices.

60 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

boxoffice

DEADPOOL 2

LOVE, SIMON

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

BOONIE BEARS: THE BIG SHRINK

After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfil his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship and flavour.

Everyone deserves a great love story, but for 17-year-old highschool student Simon Spier (Nick Robinson), it’s a little more complicated than that. He hasn’t told his family or friends that he’s gay, a blackmailer is threatening to out him to the entire school and he doesn’t know the identity of the anonymous classmate that he’s fallen for online.

Resolving all of these issues proves hilarious, terrifying and life-changing for Simon.

Prepare for the latest Star Wars frenzy to descend with the latest outing, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Following a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and his adventures with his Wookie partner Chewbacca, including meeting Landro Calrissian, Solo is the second Star Wars anthology film, following the 2016 Rogue One. It is a standalone instalment set prior to the events that take place in Rogue One and A New Hope.

This Chinese animation with English dub has been hailed a hit since bursting onto the big screen in China in February. It has smashed records, earning a franchise-best $96.5 million in China alone. Boonie bears and bald Qiang were accidentally zoomed out by the shrink flashlight invented by himself.

They had to start an adventure to zoom themselves in and smash pollution to rescue the ecosystem.

COMING SOON MOVIE RELEASES Major Cineplex See majorcineplex.com.kh for screening schedule Joking Jazz 5G May. 04 Love, Simon May. 11 Deadpool 2 May. 17 Solo: A Star Wars Story May. 24 Boonie Bears: The Big Shrink May. 24

Legend Cinemas See legend-cinemas.com for screening schedule Joking Jazz 5G May. 04 Love, Simon May. 11 Deadpool 2 May. 17 Solo: A Star Wars Story May. 24 Boonie Bears: The Big Shrink May. 24

AsiaLIFE Cambodia 61

AsiaLIFE Group

1. What is the world’s largest land mammal?

Group Editor-in-Chief / Director Cambodia: Mark Bibby Jackson bibbyjackson@icloud.com

Group Director Sales & Marketing / Director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia

Managing Editor Cambodia: Marissa Carruthers marissa.asialife@gmail.com

Director Thailand: Nattamon Limthanachai (Oh) oh@asialife.asia

4. With which sport is Silverstone most associated?

Contributing Writers: Matt Surrusco

5. Nostradamus was famous for making what?

Siem Reap: Sarah Brown

Art Director Cambodia: Thang Pham L.C. leo@asialifemagazine.com

6. In mythology, Romulus and Remus were brought up by which animal?

Accountants / Distribution: Seang Seiha 012 887 118

7. What is the main source of vitamin C?

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Advertising Sales: Hannah Morris hannah.asialife@gmail.com 011 955 464

8. Insulin is commonly used to treat which condition?

Printing: Sun Heang Printing House

Accountant: Sorn Rathana

2. Rio de Janeiro is a city in which South American country?

3. Which Middle Eastern city is also the name of a type of artichoke?

9. The first atom bomb was dropped on which Japanese city?

10. What is dermatophobia the fear of?

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1. Elephant 2. Brazil 3. Jerusalem 4. Motor Racing 5. Predictions 6.

Wolf 7. Fruits 8. Diabetes 9. Hiroshima 10. The fear of skin disease.

Pub Quiz Answers

62 AsiaLIFE Cambodia

Special thanks to: Darren Gall, Paul Dodd, Pet Grooming Cambodia, Ryan Drewe Taylor and Cambodian Living Arts for their contribution.

052018 ISSUE137

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Photographers: Enric Català Lim Sokchanlina

On the Cover Design & Art Direction: Thang Pham L.C.

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