Cambodia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 79

include breakfast , se rved in the excellent ground-floor
restaurant. Dorm $12
Capitol 1 14 St 182 T 023 548409, W capitolkh.com.
The Capitol empire is a backpacking institution in Phnom
Penh. Backpackers arrive here by the busload for the
cheap accommodation, food and tours. Indeed, it offers
the most comprehensive selection of inexpensive tours in
Phnom Penh, and can help arrange onward transport. If
minibusing all the central sights in one day is your bag,
sign up here. Ro om s are a bit cell-like, but are cheap and
plentiful. Double $5
Eighty8 Backpackers St 88 T 023 5002440. In a slightly
out-the-way location, but still within walking distance
of Wat Phnom and the riverside. Rooms and dorms are
sparse but clean an d f unctional . Th e big draw here is the
outdoor pool. Dorm $7 , double $20
Lone Star Saloon 30 St 23 T 012 577860, W lonestar
cambodia.com. Friendly, Texas-owned guesthouse with
four cavernous rooms (the largest sleeps four) above a
popular bar-restaurant serving supersized portions of
southern cuisi ne. A ll rooms have safes, TVs and DVD
players. Double $25
Me Mates Villa 21AB St 184 T 023 5003250,
W mematesplace.com. Its location a few minutes' walk
from the Royal Palace and National Museum is hard to
beat, and the a/c dorms (some, including the female-only,
don't have windows), although small, have wide bunks,
and are cleaned daily. There are big lockers and hot-water
showers, a nice c ommunal courtyard and a decent
restaurant. Dorm $6
Sunday Guesthouse 97 St 141 T 012 848858, W sunday
guesthouse.hostel.com. Friendly guesthouse with helpful
staff and a family atmosphere. There are nightly (7pm)
video screenings of The Killing Fields in the restaurant,
where internet i s also available, and clean fan or a/c
rooms. Double $8
TAT 52 St 125 T 012 921211, W tattooguesthouse.com.
The decently sized, bright rooms in this cheerful guest-
house mostly come with en-suite facilities. The lounge
has internet, communal TV and video, and the rooftop
restaur ant serves cheap Cambodian and Western food.
Double $8

BKK1
Golden Gate 9 St 278 T 023 427618, W goldengatehotels
.com. A variety of adequate rooms available in two
buildings, but the impressive lobby outclasses the rooms
themselves. Similar accommodation is available next
door at the smaller Golden Bridge and Golden Sun hotels.
Double $20
★

Mad Monkey 26 St 302 T 097/987091, W phnom
penhhostels.com. Run by three cheery English lads, and
situated in the swish BKK1 district, this European-standard
flashpacker hostel is gaining a big rep for its spacious
chill-out area, a/c dorms with extra-large bunk beds,
smart pr ivate roo ms, lively pub and super-slick restaurant.
Dorm $7 , double $14
Mini Banana 135 St 51 T 023 726854, W mini
.topbanana.biz. The quieter and much more chilled sister
to party HQ, Top Banana , this is the place to stay if you
want all the same friendly vibes but at a slightly lower
decibel. Rooms - wit h fan or a/ c - are clean, cosy and
comfortable. Dorm $4 , double $9
★

2

Top Banana 9E St 278 T 012 885572, W topbanana
.biz. Phnom Penh's premier party haunt, Top Banana is
the stuff of backpacking legend in this part of the world,
largely thanks to its raucous bar and the smiley, fun-loving
owner, Sovy. Newly upgraded rooms mean you can g ra b
a dece nt re st between the inevitable partying. Dorm $6 ,
double $10

EATING
Street stalls, where budget travellers can fill up on noodle
dishes or filled baguettes, spring up in different places
at various times of day: markets are a good place for a
daytime selection, as is the riverside in the early evening.
The more fashionable street-corner restaurants are
concentrated just south of the junction of Sihanouk and
Monivong boulevards. Phnom Penh is also filled with
innumerable reasonably priced restaurants aimed at
expats and tourists, with more opening up all the time;
expect to pay from $4-7 for a simple main course.

KHMER AND OTHER RESTAURANTS
Beirut 117 Sisowath Quay, nr the night market T 023
720111. Close to a handful of bus o ces, and near the
river, this popular Lebanese joint is the go-to place for
meshwiri kebabs, meaty shawarmas ($3) and mezze
platters (from $4). Daily 11am-11pm.
Boat Noodle 2 57 Sothearos Blvd T 012 774287. Smart
Khmer and Thai restaurant, serving a good red curry
with pork (16000 riel) as well as innumerable varieties of
fried rice and stir-fries. Daily 11am-11pm.
Chinese Noodle House 553 Monivong Blvd. Freshly
pulled noodles, sunk into soups or fried, are standouts at
this no-frills food joint, and the pork and chive dumplings
($1.50) are divine. Daily 7am-9pm.

TREAT YOURSELF
The 252 19 St 252 T 023 6331252,
W the-252.com. Chicly designed boutique
hotel with swimming pool, restaurant, bar
and super-friendly staff. Rooms are
contemporary, stylishly moulded from
polished cement, and feature beautiful
soft furnishings, all mod cons and lovely
bathrooms. For more s pac e, opt for one
with a private balcony. $50

★