Cambodia time - Phnom Penh

Cambodia time!!!

After leaving Don Det in Laos, I made my way to Phnom Penh by bus - and honestly, it was way smoother than expected. Compared to the chaos of the Laos sleeper buses, this one was luxurious. Decent seats, AC that actually worked, and the company handled the Cambodia border crossingreally well. No sketchy extra fees, no stress - just in and done.

Not long after getting into the city, I met up with a friend from Don Det who introduced me to one of her mates living in Phnom Penh. He basically became our guide for the day, showing us around places I probably wouldn’t have found on my own. We ended the day the right way - beer tower during happy hour at some rooftop bar, watching the city wind down.

After a few days exploring the city by myself, I met up with a holiday romance I’d originally met back in Thailand. He flew in from Sri Lanka and since then, we’ve been exploring Cambodia together. He is from Sweden and we get on super well. Completely unexpected, but pretty great.

A Heavy Day

One of the more serious days was visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. It’s tough to put into words - intense, quiet, a bit numbing. There’s a lot to take in, and it leaves you with a different understanding of the country and its recent history. Not a fun day, but an important one.

Good Food & Random Nights Out

We spent a lot of time just eating at local spots around the city. One street food stall became a regular stop, and we ended up getting to know the owner - a woman who made great food, had a good laugh and taught me lots of Khmer. One night she invited us out, and we ended up going clubbing with her after she shut up shop. One of those totally random but fun nights. One thing I have noticed in Cambodia is that the people are so friendly which is leading us to have lots of experiences like this!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Phnom Penh, especially after hearing some mixed reviews from travel accounts online. The local experiences and the change of pace after spending so much time in the countryside made the city feel refreshing. I’d definitely return!