Exploring Phnom Penh
Feb 19th, 2012 by Jinja
A brief response to the frequent assertion that there isn’t much choice in places to go, things to do or people to meet in Phnom Penh.
I began blogging about things Cambodian in 2002, initially from Siem Reap.
I wrote about nearly everything that took my interest because if I didn’t get it on the web, few else would at the time.* I noticed something after a while: my blog was getting clogged with art and event announcements.
In 2005 I started a simple ‘What’s On’ blog* where I could zap the info directly from email-to-blog. I add tidbits to it as I see fit to this day. As of 2012 there are heaps of gig guides competing for your eyeballs and advertising dollars.
So off the top of my head, here is a list of things you can do besides hanging out in dive bars with ‘crispy’ expats.
Arty Things:
Java Gallery
http://javaarts.org/
SaSaBassac Exhibitions
http://sasabassac.com/
Cambodian Living Arts (check out their ‘Children of the Bassac’ performances)
http://www.facebook.com/Cambodianlivingarts
Sovanna Phum
http://shadow-puppets.org/
Romeet Gallery
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Romeet-Gallery/234387659945905
Tiny Toones
http://www.tinytoones.org/
Bophana Center
http://bophana.org
Meta-House
http://www.meta-house.com/
French Cultural Centre
http://www.meta-house.com/
Smarty Things:
Human Sciences Happy Hours in Phnom Penh
http://hshhpp.pbworks.com/w/page/19665521/Home
TedxPhnomPenh
http://tedxphnompenh.com
BarCamp Phnom Penh
http://2011.barcampphnompenh.org
Nerd Night Phnom Penh
http://www.facebook.com/nerdnightphnompenh
Meetups:
Digital Drinks
http://www.facebook.com/DigitalDrinksPP
Drinks by Design
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Drinks-By-Design/256108197769622
Green Drinks
http://www.greendrinks.org/–/Phnom%20Penh
Phnom Penh Swings (Dance, not partner swapping.)
http://www.pppswings.com
Hash House Harriers
http://www.p2h3.com
Gig Guides
AsiaLife
http://www.asialifeguide.com/
Pocket Guide
http://www.cambodiapocketguide.com/
Expat-Advisory
http://Expat-Advisory.com
Lady Penh
http://ladypenh.com
Leng Pleng
http://www.lengpleng.com
What’s On
http://www.sangsalapak.org.kh/whatson
A very old list of Cambodia-centric sites
http://www.delicious.com/slugdog/forum
As said before, this is a very rough list, there’s a gajillion more. Please to explore and enjoy.
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*This ‘web up everything’ role has been largely taken by friend Andy Brouwer. http://blog.andybrouwer.co.uk/ It’s made me feel more free to be less of a generalist. (For example, last year made a commitment to draw one comic a day at QuickDraw.Me. I highly recommend checking out his blog for a much more accurate view of the cultural landscape.
*Quite possibly the first in-Cambodia ‘What’s On’ blog. Glad to see other folks taking on the challenge.
