Fifteen15

What's the yellow drinking water they serve at restaurants for free in Cambodia? I'm in Vietnam now and they serve it here too. It tastes like slightly flavoured water. I'm not sure as a tourist whether I should be drinking it but I've not gotten ill yet *touches wood*

I've been to all three places. Phnom Penh I loved because it wasn't that touristy. Siem Reap was good, but Sihanoukville seems to have just beaches and looks to be more touristy than Siem Reap.

Are there any other cities in Cambodia that I can visit for a few days before I move on to Vietnam?

Bump. Any help on this? Would like to get it done today if I can. Thanks

I got a bit carried away at Sorya Shopping Centre and now I'm struggling to fit all the clothes I bought into my small 40L backpack. I have a pair of trousers and a hoody which are taking too much room that I need to send back to the UK.

Is it just a case of buying some brown wrapping paper from the supermarket, taping it all up, writing the home address and take it to the post office?

And where is the nearest post office to Sorya Shopping Centre?

Thank you very much

Although it's not going to be for a few months and I'll probably change my mind before then, I'm gonna settle with a 5* costing about $100 but stay for 2 nights rather than somewhere asking for $500 a night. VIE Bangkok Hotel is high on the list. Only $115 a night and really good reviews on TripAdvisor.

I like Bangrak and enjoy the Oriental, everytime. It is consistent and if you know how to carry yourself as good as it gets. Not necessarily life changing but can improve one's focus. Enjoy your life. Bon Voyage.

What do you mean "if you know how to carry yourself as good as it gets" and "can improve one's focus"? Very interesting post even if I don't understand it

Edit: Double post

I'm slumming it in cheap $6 hostels and will be for the next 5 months or so. I do however want to stay at the best 5 star hotel in Thailand for one night just for the experience. I've always wanted to stay at Raffles Hotel in Singapore ever since I walked past there when I was 9 and my mum telling me all the celebrities hang out there. Unfortunately it's $600 US a night which I can't really justify. Im hoping Thailand, or even cheap neighbouring countries i.e. Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have cheaper 5 star hotels.

The guesthouse I'm staying in is right next to Sorya Shopping Centre in Phnom Penh. Down that road there's a restaurant called SN Restaurant and Music. It's all lit up but you can't see inside. I walked in thinking it was just a normal restaurant and in the lobby there were more than 20 women all dressed up sitting on the sofas. I thought, this is Thailand all over again and did a u-turn and walked back out.

Question - because I'm too scared to find out myself. Is this a legit restaurant? No funny business? Cuz there were a hell of a lot of bikes outside so it seems popular.

I understand it's good etiquette to put food in your mouth with your right hand instead of your left which is considered your 'toilet' hand. Today I was eating with chopsticks in my right hand and using a spoon to put food in my mouth with my left. Is this considered rude? I can't use chopsticks with my left hand because I'm right handed. Am I thinking too much into this?

I've been in Cambodia for 3 days now. I sat down at a restaurant in Phnom Penh and a child beggar came and stood next to me and kept saying repeatedly "sir, sir, sir". It was a bit of a shock to me, coming from the UK I've never seen a child beggar before. As bad as I felt, I said, "no" and shook my head, then ignored him. After 10 minutes he left.

I understand his parents probably put him up to this and I don't want to encourage his parents to keep sending him out so I didn't, and would never give to a child beggar. On the other hand, elderly and disabled beggars have no support system unlike more developed countries, so am I right in thinking it's OK to give to them?

It seems a lot of shops don't even like accepting $10 notes, they often ask if I have anything smaller. Where can I go to change the $50 notes into smaller change? Or can I just go into a supermarket, buy something small and say I don't have anything smaller then they would have to give me change?

Just an update, today was my first day in Phnom Penh city. I've fallen in love with the place. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I accidentally ended up in a coffee shop I thought was a restaurant. I ended up ordering the nicest coffee I've ever tried, and then my first ever iced coffee which was also impressive.

I then went to the Sorya shopping centre where I think I got a bit carried away. In England, personally, I really don't like the way fashion is going so for me it's quite hard to find stuff I like there. I can spend a whole day shopping and come away empty handed. Here, although it's only cheap Chinese stuff, it's really really cheap so even treating the clothes as semi disposable it still works out pretty well. I bought some jeans, a shirt, a belt, and a hoody. I now look - although not entirely on purpose - very Asian (I have 50% Singapore blood anyway) rather than a shorts and t-shirt tourist, ofc not that there's anything wrong with that.

I took a motorbike taxi from the airport to town today for 4 USD. He said 5, I said 4, he said OK.

Slightly OT, but these free sim cards, do they offer 3G (roaming internet)? And if so, what's the catch? I don't want to make calls, it would just be nice to have access to the Internet for looking at maps and doing quick online searches.

You won't have any problems at all. In Asia, it's generally respectful to wear long pants. But as a tourist, you're pretty much allowed to do what you want.

If attending an important ceremony, then long pants would be recommended. But for just cruising around, shorts are just fine.

Let's move this over to our brand new Cambodia sub forum.

Topic Moved.

Ah sorry, didn't know there was a Cambodia sub forum.

Think I'm going to buy some jeans anyway just to try and 'fit in' a bit more. I guess I'll be needing them for the temples anyway.

What's the deal with buying clothes from the local stalls? Am I right in thinking I can try a pair of jeans on just like I would back at home? I'm guessing there are no changing rooms though.

I arrived in Cambodia yesterday. After reading the numerous "do's and don'ts in Cambodia" websites, I'm surprised to read that in such a hot country, shorts are generally not worn by the locals.

Is it 'wrong' as a tourist to wear shorts? Baring in mind I would like to spend a lot of my time off the beaten track - away from the touristy areas. Would it be a good idea to buy a pair of jeans and wear them most of the time?