*Please note this photo is not my own.
"Ladies who lunch, rarely need therapy"
Whilst I was living and volunteering at the orphanage in Cambodia I traveled up to Phnom Penh on weekends for a break, to see the sights and enjoy some comfort away from the very basic living conditions in Treng Trayeung. There were two hostels that I personally found to be the best: Base Villa and Eighty8 Backpackers.
Base Villa
Both hostels were booked online via Hostelworld. (A site I love!) Base Villa was clean, modern and practical. We booked an 8 bed mixed dorm room which was cheap but very comfortable. The room had air con. and ceiling fans as well as big lockers for securely storing backpacks and a toilet, sink and shower separate to each other.
Base Villa had a pool, bar/restaurant and a pool table area. I found Base Villa overall very good (when we were there some building work was taking place next door making it noisy, but apart from this our stay was good)
Eighty8 Backpackers
Eighty 8 Backpackers was my favourite hostel - it had everything we needed and the atmosphere was friendly and chilled out, but with plenty potential to party too, if you like. Eighty8 also had a pool and bar/restaurant area; however what I liked best about Eighty8 was the seating area around the pool and bar - there were tables by the pool, or cane 'egg' chairs to curl up in or they had a lounging area where you could take your shoes off and lie down. It is the perfect space to chill out with a good book after a long, hot day sightseeing or there's plenty social spaces to hang out and have a drink or grab something to eat.
The hostel was super clean and what I really liked was the steel framed bunks and mattresses with protective covers all to deter and prevent bed bugs which can be a problem when travelling from hostel to hostel.
The staff here were also really friendly and helpful - the man who runs the hostel is always happy to help and it was no problem for him to help with my laptop when it wouldn't connect to the Wi-Fi.
Entrance to Eighty8:
Tuk tuks always ready to take you anywhere from Eighty8:
The Reception:
6 Bed Female Dorm:
Pool Area:
Watching monkeys from the balcony!:
Chillin' By the Pool:
The 240
The 240 was a really unique and quirky cafe that we stumbled across whilst wandering in Phnom Penh and I'm so glad we did! It was connected to The 240 boutique hotel, but is now connected to The 240 boutique store (See the Facebook link below.) and it was such a good little find! It's focus is on natural and healthy produce whilst still being super tasty. The tables are covered in glass with lush green grass underneath and inside is a dreamy cool interior - it is a true oasis amongst the bustling dusty city of Phnom Penh. Well worth a visit!
My Friends' Cafe and Bakery
I found this gem of a cafe after browsing the internet for any gluten free options in Phnom Penh. My Friends' is a fantastic option for any gluten free travelers, but also for anyone looking for a tasty breakfast or lunch away from the hubbub of Phnom Penh's chaotic streets. I visited here on a couple of occasions and I wasn't disappointed. I tried the gluten free pancakes with syrup for breakfast and the 'Meat Feast' gluten free pizza for lunch. Their shakes are also well worth a mention too! (See the pic. below for the chocolate one!) The cafe is quite small inside, but always seemed to have a steady flow of customers (a lot of whom were expats) popping in and out for freshly baked goods. Whilst I was there I bought a gluten free loaf to take away with me - it was a little crumbly, but quite tasty and good toasted. It was a welcome change from banana and honey or yogurt for breakfast!
So gluten free or not, I recommend a visit to this cafe if you're spending time in Phnom Penh!
Backyard Cafe
This was without doubt my favourite cafe I discovered in Phnom Penh; an original concept, an airy minimalist interior, with friendly staff and A-MAZ-ING food, there's nothing to dislike and everything to love about this cafe!
It's a:
*Live and raw food restaurant
*Vegetarian and vegan restaurant and
*Health food restaurant
This really just translates to healthy, fresh and simply delicious food. The menu is clearly labelled for allergies including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free; making it super easy for the gluten free and vegan traveler. I went for lunch and had the power bowl which was so good I simply had to follow it up with the mango and vanilla bean raw cheesecake.
Everything just seems super fresh, super clean, super healthy and super super tasty! I fell in love with this restaurant and it's concept. While there you can also purchase Coco Khmer natural products from cold-pressed coconut oil.
I wish I had discovered this cafe earlier so I could have tried more on the menu! I have definitely been inspired by their gluten free dishes though and will be attempting some of them when I return home!
The Super Bowl:
The Raw Cheesecake:
Eclipse Sky Bar
I found Eclipse Sky Bar through reading a Cambodian nightlife guide book (which were in every hostel). They're not lying when they say Sky Bar, Eclipse is on the 22nd floor via the elevator and then up another 2 flights of stairs! It is a little out of the centre of the main city area, but only a cheap and short tuk tuk ride away. Once you reach the top, it's a really special setting - a cool, circular bar in the middle with tables set nicely between lush palms and strings of fairy lighting and lanterns. Low key jazzy music played softly in the background and there was the dim hum of voices chatting over dinner. Of course the real reason to visit Eclipse Sky Bar is for the stunning view across the city. We went for drinks and dinner and Phnom Penh's skyline was lit up against the black night sky. The Vattanic Capital Tower really sets the backdrop lit up in a rainbow of colours from the bottom all the way up.
Compared to Cambodia's normally cheap prices, Eclipse Sky Bars prices are slightly elevated, but I reckon it's worth paying a little extra for beautiful views across the city and a magical setting, that quite frankly would be proposal worthy!
The cocktails (as you can see from the pictures) were pretty amazing too and there were plenty to choose from! We went here to celebrate the end of our time volunteering at the orphanage and to cheer ourselves up after saying all our goodbyes so we even splashed out on dessert!
So there's just a few of the places I loved to eat, drink and stay at when I was in Phnom Penh. Of course I still loved the street food at the night market, but it was nice to experience these places too. In terms of food, it seems a true reflection of Cambodia overall: the traditional and poverty stricken side and the new, ultra modern up and coming Cambodia that's popular with expats.
