Phnom Penh evolution
By Rory Friedman
A sign outside one of Phnom Penh 's riverfront bars reads: "No knives, guns or hand-grenades allowed inside." It is not a joke.
While the Cambodian capital might no longer be the lawless cesspit described so graphically by Bangkok-based author Amit Gilboa in his book "Off the rails in Phnom Penh", it still has enough of a Third World edge to satisfy most adventurers.
That book examined the anarchic underbelly of Cambodia in the 1990s as it attempted to recover from Pol Pot's murderous regime. Hedonists and misfits from all over the world smoked ganja in cheap guesthouses and had sex with under-age girls for $2 in wooden shacks. United Nations personnel sent to help Cambodia 's recovery were so keen to join in the fun that they were instructed not to leave UN vehicles parked outside brothels.
Despite still being regarded as a paedophiles' haven, Cambodia is cleaning up its act. Severe penalties for foreigners engaging in under-age sex have led to the closure of many unlicensed bordellos. Every hotel room has a sign warning guests that they will be reported to police if they invite back girls under 18. The paedophiles have been driven underground.
I had made only one previous visit to Phnom Penh - a brief trip three years earlier - and soon noticed a difference in atmosphere. It didn't seem quite so dangerous, even though I was happy to have the company of Big Mike, a 300-pound American who looks like Bill Clinton's big brother.
Despite the obvious poverty, the Cambodians are friendly, hospitable people who seem genuinely grateful for the millions of tourist dollars fuelling their country's regeneration. Hordes of motorcyle, rickshaw and tuk-tuk drivers wait patiently outside every bar and hotel. As soon as you leave, there are shouts of "Sir!" and "Where you go?" as they surround you. It is done with a smile and it is hard to be annoyed.
Besides, they offer good value. The greenback still rules in Cambodia and $1 (4,000 Cambodian riel) will generally be enough to take you to most places within central Phnom Penh . Short motorbike journeys are only 2,000 riel.
Budget airline Air Asia has also made Phnom Penh a very affordable short-break destination from Bangkok . We paid 3,300 baht ($88) each for a return flight - about the same amount you would spend on a decent night out in Soi Cowboy in the Big Mango - and there are even cheaper deals available.
Despite not having go-go bars - perhaps a good thing - the Cambodian capital has a vibrant nightlife scene, with a great variety of bars and restaurants scattered around its compact centre.
We headed for the heart of the action by checking into the Walkabout Hotel on Street 51, which has a busy strip of about 10 bars. This mid-range Australian-owned establishment has rooms ranging from $10 singles to $30 jacuzzi rooms. Its downstairs bar and restaurant has a Wild West feel. It operates 24/7 and attracts a large number of attentive freelance hostesses, some of Vietnamese origin.
Upstairs is a bar called the Whale 'N' Hoe. It took me a while to work out what the name referred to until one evening when I heard the sounds of a cross-cultural exchange coming from a room near mine. It really depends on which side of the pond you are from - a hoe is a gardening tool in proper English but a girlfriend to American rap artists.
We started our first bar crawl at the nearby Chilli's Bar and Restaurant. Happily, it was Saturday barbecue night and a German chef was grilling preposterous portions of meat outside the entrance. Among the selection was what appeared to be real Cumberland sausage, the best of all English varieties. I asked the chef for its origin.
"Yes, it is Cumberland sausage," he confirmed. "I got the recipe from the British Embassy. I would be interested to know what you think of it."
We each paid $7.50 for a ticket that allowed us unlimited quantities of meat and draft beer until 9pm. The Cumberland sausage was passable but not as sensational as that produced by Cumbrian Alan Johnston at his Red Fox Bar in Lamai on Koh Samui. The German beef and pork sausages were fantastic, while the beef tenderloin and chicken and prawn kebabs will live long in the memory.
With our bodies bloated by food and beer, our planned crawl also ended at Chilli's in the early hours as we danced in its disco with two lovely ladies. Our bill came to $62, roughly the amount an average Cambodian family spends in one month. Drunkenness had led to the purchase of far too many lady drinks.
The next night, we set off at nearby Hooters Bar. It was early and we were practically the only customers. I read a few of the girls' palms and informed them of their forthcoming marriages to Vietnamese men. They looked suitably horrified.
Then it was on to the Shanghai Bar, which soon became a favourite. It has a great line-up of attractive, friendly hostesses who are not constantly demanding drinks ( Bangkok bars please note), a nice atmosphere, good food and a large-screen TV ideal for watching football.
A quick stumble away is The Heart of Darkness, a very trendy club popular with locals and tourists that does not really get going until after midnight. We had a quick beer there, but it was not really a place for two middle-aged drunks. We left the seething masses to enjoy their dancing.
The following evening, a five-minute taxi ride took us to Street 150 and Sharky Bar. I sat at the bar and felt as though I gone back in time. Sitting a few feet away was the same deaf-and-dumb girl who had given me an unsolicited massage on my last visit three years earlier. Sharky's is a rock pub with a great ambience. If you are hungry, check out its great Tex-Mex food, burgers and steaks.
The alcohol consumption was taking its toll, so the next morning Big Mike and I took a boat trip on the river. Very enjoyable, but don't accept the first price you are offered. Our skipper came down from $50 to $10 as soon as we started to walk away.
Big Mike was not getting along with the stairs at the Walkabout Hotel and so decided to move to the nearby Flamingos Hotel. This was a real find - a new hotel with nice rooms at $20 including breakfast, free internet, an atmospheric lobby bar and a lovely rooftop lounge offering great views of Phnom Penh.
Mr Kim, the friendly owner, invited us to a small birthday party on the rooftop. The excellent Beer Lao (available in cans for $1 at all bars) helped the conversation to flow as we tucked into prawn fried rice and roast chicken.
Boeung Kak Lake is the backpackers' area. We took a tuk-tuk there for a few drinks and lunch. As I got out, a man in a baseball cap asked if I would like some "super skunk". I could not see what was super about a smelly mammal or why anyone would want to sell me one. Sensing my confusion, Big Mike explained that the man was trying to sell me drugs.
The drug dealer had clearly had some success with the people staying in the huts surrounding the lake. Most seemed to be in a trance as they lolled about in hammocks and read their Lonely Planets. Backpackers are too pious for my taste, so we decamped to a little Indian restaurant that served us a decent fish curry with a beer for $2.50 each.
Later we headed to Martini Pub, launched in 1992 during the UN days and the most famous of all Phnom Penh 's bars. Although it has a relatively new location on Street 95, it still lives up to its advertising slogan: "Bored, lonely, hungry? We have everything you need."
Indeed it does. A large open area with several bars also offers a wide range of food. There is also an air-conditioned disco. And everywhere there are freelance hostesses without a hint of reserve. Even though Big Mike was with a girlfriend, it did not deter six girls from hanging off him as he walked to the bar. Clearly, they think big is beautiful.
As I chatted to a Vietnamese girl and told her I lived in Bangkok , she announced that she was planning to become a go-go dancer in the Thai capital. "I can stay with you while I look for a flat," she said. "You can have boom-boom for free." Now there's an offer worth considering.
LINKS
The Walkabout Hotel
www.walkabouthotel.com
Flamingos Hotel
www.flamingos.com.kh
Chilli's Bar
www.chillisbar.com
Sharky Bar
www.sharkysofcambodia.com
Martini Pub
www.martini-cambodia.com
Air Asia
www.airasia.com
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