Accommodation in Kampong Cham
Accommodation in Kampong Cham
Hi all,
Would love some advice from expats or locals around Kampong Cham (or Kompong Cham).
I am staying in Phnom Penh, but have accepted a position working Saturday and Sunday in KC. Can anybody recommend a cheap place to stay for weekends there? I don't need anything too fancy, just a safe place to sleep really.
Is there anyone else who travels between PP and KC each weekend that knows what is up and what is going on there?
Advice is hugely appreciated! Thanks
Would love some advice from expats or locals around Kampong Cham (or Kompong Cham).
I am staying in Phnom Penh, but have accepted a position working Saturday and Sunday in KC. Can anybody recommend a cheap place to stay for weekends there? I don't need anything too fancy, just a safe place to sleep really.
Is there anyone else who travels between PP and KC each weekend that knows what is up and what is going on there?
Advice is hugely appreciated! Thanks
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I went to Kampong Cham two weeks ago. I liked it, it's a pleasant town, virtually no traffic, nice enough riverside with at least a half dozen Western oriented bars and restaurants.
I stayed at the Daly Hotel, it was fine, it's nicer than I remember the Mekong Hotel being 6 years ago. Hot water, air con, nice cable TV, sort of a walk in shower stall, large room. They asked for $18, I didn't negotiate. The room was big but didn't have a window. Fortunately the room was at the back of the hotel, there was a wedding going on in front of the hotel Saturday and I think rooms in the front would have been quite loud.
Smile Cafe on the riverfront is absolutely excellent, I had the steak and chips, it may have been the best local beef steak I've ever had in Cambodia, perfectly seasoned with peppercorn sauce. The girl I was with had the omelet, it was also quite good, and they serve great coconut flavored baguettes.
Soriya bus company runs 8-10 buses a day in each direction, running from near Psar Thmei, I think the price is 19,000 riel for Khmers and 23,000 riel for foreigners. The road is in bad shape especially on the way there, it took almost 4.5 hours on the bus to KC (including 20 minute stop at Skun) but under 3.5 hours coming back.
You could also do the trip by share taxi, I think that's about 25,000 riel each way. Or maybe rent a whole taxi for $40-$45 or so.
The bus experience is not great. Cambodians tend to travel on buses as a family, and the bus company apparently lets ticket holders bring small children for no charge, so there are lots of screaming kids. Seats are assigned, but on the way back, my ticket said seat 22B. When I got on the bus, the lady with seat 22A was already sitting there with a four year old girl. And a three year old boy.
I made my best "what the fuck?" gesture to the bus staff lady, but she ignored me. Fortunately the bus was not full and I just sat across the aisle.
The daytime waitress at Mekong Crossing is very pretty and giggly.
That's all I know.
I stayed at the Daly Hotel, it was fine, it's nicer than I remember the Mekong Hotel being 6 years ago. Hot water, air con, nice cable TV, sort of a walk in shower stall, large room. They asked for $18, I didn't negotiate. The room was big but didn't have a window. Fortunately the room was at the back of the hotel, there was a wedding going on in front of the hotel Saturday and I think rooms in the front would have been quite loud.
Smile Cafe on the riverfront is absolutely excellent, I had the steak and chips, it may have been the best local beef steak I've ever had in Cambodia, perfectly seasoned with peppercorn sauce. The girl I was with had the omelet, it was also quite good, and they serve great coconut flavored baguettes.
Soriya bus company runs 8-10 buses a day in each direction, running from near Psar Thmei, I think the price is 19,000 riel for Khmers and 23,000 riel for foreigners. The road is in bad shape especially on the way there, it took almost 4.5 hours on the bus to KC (including 20 minute stop at Skun) but under 3.5 hours coming back.
You could also do the trip by share taxi, I think that's about 25,000 riel each way. Or maybe rent a whole taxi for $40-$45 or so.
The bus experience is not great. Cambodians tend to travel on buses as a family, and the bus company apparently lets ticket holders bring small children for no charge, so there are lots of screaming kids. Seats are assigned, but on the way back, my ticket said seat 22B. When I got on the bus, the lady with seat 22A was already sitting there with a four year old girl. And a three year old boy.
I made my best "what the fuck?" gesture to the bus staff lady, but she ignored me. Fortunately the bus was not full and I just sat across the aisle.
The daytime waitress at Mekong Crossing is very pretty and giggly.
That's all I know.
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If Smile Cafe is the NGO run one, they're in my shitlist for assisting in the closure of the restaurant next door which was superior, better value and run by a young Khmer couple. Smile is "overpriced" by Kampong Cham terms and, if it's the one I think it is, the owner is ruthless.
The better choice is Lazy Mekong Daze, which makes hands down the best pizzas I've ever had in Asia and a range of other great European food for sub $6. Huge portions, too. Chaplain's is good too, if less bang for your buck.
Depending on your needs, a decent room in Kampong Cham can be rented for about $50 a month. This is literally a room in someone's house though. The Mekong Hotel has hot water, no A/C rooms for $8... maybe less if you intend to be a regular.
The better choice is Lazy Mekong Daze, which makes hands down the best pizzas I've ever had in Asia and a range of other great European food for sub $6. Huge portions, too. Chaplain's is good too, if less bang for your buck.
Depending on your needs, a decent room in Kampong Cham can be rented for about $50 a month. This is literally a room in someone's house though. The Mekong Hotel has hot water, no A/C rooms for $8... maybe less if you intend to be a regular.
Last edited by penisjokeforaname on Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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How did they assist in closing the restaurant next door? Just by serving better food that people wanted?penisjokeforaname wrote:If Smile Cafe is the NGO run one, they're in my shitlist for assisting in the closure of the restaurant next door which was superior, better value and run by a young Khmer couple. Smile is "overpriced" by Kampong Cham terms and, if it's the one I think it is, the owner is ruthless.
The food at Smile is excellent. Look at their Facebook photos:
https://www.facebook.com/SmileRestauran ... tos_stream
It didn't seem overpriced to me -- again, perhaps the best local steak I've had, seasoned with peppercorn sauce, perfectly done English chips, $5.50. They charge $1.25 for a can of Anchor. Their menu is in their Facebook photos, nothing costs more than $5.50.
How is the owner ruthless? I did see a young white dude walking around wearing a green apron, he asked me how my food was, he didn't try to slice my throat or anything.
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Smile cafe is the NGO run place. I've eaten there. Food was ok. Can't remember it being great. Things must have changed. Lazy Mekong days did top did back with the original owner. Never ate there again after it was taken over.
A bit of nostalgia but Vladimir actually had a cafe there many moons ago. I think he was too early though as there just wasn't any tourists back then. I was last there in 2013 and there still weren't enough tourists to support the number of new places.
At least I got to have last drinks with Denis. RIP mate.
Some of the best Khmer cuisine I've had in that town.
A bit of nostalgia but Vladimir actually had a cafe there many moons ago. I think he was too early though as there just wasn't any tourists back then. I was last there in 2013 and there still weren't enough tourists to support the number of new places.
At least I got to have last drinks with Denis. RIP mate.
Some of the best Khmer cuisine I've had in that town.
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No I went about 6-8 years ago.
But the trip to Kampong Cham two weeks ago was my first trip in Cambodia outside Phnom Penh in a very long time, at least 5 years, maybe more.
But the trip to Kampong Cham two weeks ago was my first trip in Cambodia outside Phnom Penh in a very long time, at least 5 years, maybe more.
Follow my lame Twitter feed: @gavin_mac
Seriously?gavinmac wrote:I went to Kampong Cham two weeks ago. ...
I stayed at the Daly Hotel... Hot water, air con, nice cable TV, sort of a walk in shower stall, large room. They asked for $18, I didn't negotiate. The room was big but didn't have a window. Fortunately the room was at the back of the hotel...
$18 for a windowless room out back?
Fark.
The last place that tried that with me dropped to $7 for a front (opening) window room when I turned around without a word and began to leave.
"Can I see the rooms?"
"Sure."
"Hmm. How much?"
"$18."
"-"
"OK, $7."
"With a window?"
"Sure."
Finished.
Stung Treng.
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The one with the wide frontage is the one with poor value food and a not so great owner, pretty sure it's Smile. She owns a whole bunch of businesses in KC and IIRC ousted the young Khmer couple who were doing well in the old Smile location and now she operates a frozen yoghurt place there. She also owns Moon River.gavinmac wrote:How did they assist in closing the restaurant next door? Just by serving better food that people wanted?penisjokeforaname wrote:If Smile Cafe is the NGO run one, they're in my shitlist for assisting in the closure of the restaurant next door which was superior, better value and run by a young Khmer couple. Smile is "overpriced" by Kampong Cham terms and, if it's the one I think it is, the owner is ruthless.
The food at Smile is excellent. Look at their Facebook photos:
https://www.facebook.com/SmileRestauran ... tos_stream
It didn't seem overpriced to me -- again, perhaps the best local steak I've had, seasoned with peppercorn sauce, perfectly done English chips, $5.50. They charge $1.25 for a can of Anchor. Their menu is in their Facebook photos, nothing costs more than $5.50.
How is the owner ruthless? I did see a young white dude walking around wearing a green apron, he asked me how my food was, he didn't try to slice my throat or anything.
Samaki, the superior place, moved to the other side of the bridge.
Lazy Mekong Daze is better than all the rest though, definitely the go to place in KC.
Thanks everyone, your feedback is awesome!
What do you think the chance of finding a hotel that will give me a good deal if I plan to stay there every Friday and Saturday, and pay upfront (if necessary)? Ideally I wouldn't like to pay much more than $50 per month, but is there anywhere that you'd recommend that would be okay with that?
What do you think the chance of finding a hotel that will give me a good deal if I plan to stay there every Friday and Saturday, and pay upfront (if necessary)? Ideally I wouldn't like to pay much more than $50 per month, but is there anywhere that you'd recommend that would be okay with that?
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I don't recall the name of the hotel but the one on the corner nearby the English school and bank, facing the river seemed to be comfortable and family run enough to make deals like that. More corporate hotels are less inclined to do anything but demand the headline rate and then back stab you if you ever make a verbal agreement for a discount.sunnshine wrote:Thanks everyone, your feedback is awesome!
What do you think the chance of finding a hotel that will give me a good deal if I plan to stay there every Friday and Saturday, and pay upfront (if necessary)? Ideally I wouldn't like to pay much more than $50 per month, but is there anywhere that you'd recommend that would be okay with that?
You have to love Gav, he's been to some of the most obscure places in the world but hasn't been to the provinces for years!
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So in a for profit market, you're telling me the business world can be cut throat? Wooooahhhh..penisjokeforaname wrote:If Smile Cafe is the NGO run one, they're in my shitlist for assisting in the closure of the restaurant next door which was superior, better value and run by a young Khmer couple. Smile is "overpriced" by Kampong Cham terms and, if it's the one I think it is, the owner is ruthless.
The better choice is Lazy Mekong Daze, which makes hands down the best pizzas I've ever had in Asia and a range of other great European food for sub $6. Huge portions, too. Chaplain's is good too, if less bang for your buck.
Depending on your needs, a decent room in Kampong Cham can be rented for about $50 a month. This is literally a room in someone's house though. The Mekong Hotel has hot water, no A/C rooms for $8... maybe less if you intend to be a regular.
Anyone who doesn't like Capitalism is a pathetic loser. God bless the USA and no place else.
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