Cambodia

Getting a dog on a flight out of Cambodia

31 May 2015 by Nathalie Abejero 14 Comments

Want to take your pet out of Cambodia with you? Airline rules are changing in Phnom Penh. Small pets (<5kg) can still be stowed in the cabin with you. Pets over 5kg must go in the cargo, but several carriers have recently announced that aircraft flying out of Phnom Penh are too small for them to safely transport live animals in the cargo.

The expat community was incredibly helpful when I posted a query on several forums for any experience in getting pets out of Phnom Penh, and compiled here the options (as of 2015):

I. Go overland Phnom Penh to Bangkok. Bus companies like Virak-Buntham does trips Phnom Penh-to-Bangkok via Koh Kong, without making passengers transfer to another bus at the Thai side of the border. They’re about $28/seat on a limousine bus for 11 people max, with AC. They’d require that you book a seat for your dog, but you have to gather your pet’s documents to get into Thailand – either do it yourself via the instructions below (III), or ask a vet or pet shop to facilitate (II). You can book seats on this bus from Bright Lotus Guesthouse, which is located on the corner of St 178 and Sothearos Blvd. They leave at 7am, and the trip is 10-12 hours.

II. Enlist the help of a Khmer vet or pet shop. I imagine other pet shops or kennels might also do this if asked..? I initially requested suggestions from Agrovet, but Arnaud there didn’t indicate that his staff can help with this, and I didn’t pursue beyond that.

Happy Dog on Kampuchea Krom can facilitate with all aspects of getting a dog to your connecting flight in other cities. Sok Chhay Ngov (manager) has taken many dogs abroad since the airlines’ tighter regulations took effect. Here are examples of things he’s done for some friends, or quoted for me, below. Sok Chhay 017321123 / 012321333

Including the costs for Sok Chhay to take the dog personally including securing all documentations, eg the medical and health clearance for your home country and animal control paperwork, the quote to take a dog overland to Bangkok is around $350. Once in Bangkok he will check the dog in to your connecting flight (a larger aircraft will take the dog in the hold).
If my whole family travels overland in a private van to Bangkok (with the dog), so that we all catch the Korea Air flight to NY together, then the quote is around $380.
To take the dog to Manila by air (and board him on a connecting flight onwards to NY), the quote is around $1000.

III. Fly via Bangkok Air or Thai Airways out of Phnom Penh. As of this writing, all carriers will still take pets <5kg in the cabin. But only Bangkok Air and Thai Airways will now take pets up to <60kg (including the kennel) in the cargo. (Over 60kg and you’re out of luck). If these carriers are code share partners with your connecting flight home, no problem – there is just one fee for the pet to travel and no additional paperwork on your connecting flight. If these carriers are not, then you can’t just connect in Bangkok. You have to go through customs and check in again, plus:

You pay twice to have your dog fly in the hold (for example, $7 per kg of combined dog and kennel via Bangkok Air from Phnom Penh to Bangkok, plus $200 for Korean Air for the connecting flights to NYC)
Transit papers will be required for the dog in Bangkok before the onward flight. They are fairly easy to get and only cost 50baht (~$1.75). Email qsap_bkk@dld.go.th for a transit permit through Bangkok and they will send you the form to fill out. You also need (quoting them directly):
- A copy of passport or a copy of identification card an importer
- Address in your country
- Detail of your animal (such as type of breed, sex, etc.)
- History of vaccination ( A copy of Vaccination record)
- Picture of your animal
- Description of your flightName of port of exit from your country
- Email these directly to Suvarnabhumi Airport Animal Quarantine Station within 10 days prior transit to Thailand. An officer at the airport will issue the transit permit for your animal about a few days after document approved, to your by email. (Office open on Mon-Fri 08.30 am.-04.30 pm. my local time Tel: + 66 2 1340731)

Things to keep in mind:

Book your dog with your ticket, either with an airline agent or through a booking agent
Airlines limit the number of pets they carry on any given flight
You pay for your pet at check-in as they’re handled as oversized extra luggage
Try to arrive 3-4 hours before the scheduled departure of your flight
In some countries eg the US, you can’t just connect as you want to anywhere else with a dog Most/all US airlines have restrictions on times (often not at all in the summer) and weather conditions under which they will/will not transport pets in the hold. If you need to connect in the US with an American carrier, check their pet policies before you book your international flight
Kennel specifications: Agrovet and Happy Dog are two places that sell airline-approved or airline-specific crates, though you can get them in any shop for cheaper still if you’re sure of what you’re looking for
Vets that can provide documentation required to bring pets abroad: Dr. Lim Pak (Khmer vet on street 174 by Walkabout bar) and Arnaud at Agrovet are the only two who can sign off on all the paperwork you need. But double check all info you get from them because there are many changes; some people have reported stranded pets due to incorrect or outdated info regarding vaccinations and bloodwork clearances.

Tips for prepping your pet for air travel:

Crate train your pet so that the crate is his safe place.
Put in a familiar blanket (with his and your smells on it) in the crate (which will also help with spilled water).
Don’t feed him 24 hours before departure.
Give him plenty of time to run and poo on the day of the departure.
Freeze ice in the crate bowls so it doesn’t immediately spill when they move him in his crate.
When you refill in Bangkok, use ice cubes which any of the restaurants will give you for free.
Don’t give him sedatives – if he reacts adversely to them, nobody will notice since he will be alone. Pets will take their cues from you: act calm and it will reassure them.
An expat in Cambodia also posted his tips on the website PPAWS (Phnom Penh Animal Welfare Society). Just bear in mind as of this year, Korean Air no longer accepts pets larger than 5kg on flights originating in Pochentong (PNH).

Khmer cuisine: Koh saek chrook k’nao (Pork stew with jackfruit)

10 May 2015 by Nathalie Abejero Leave a Comment

Koh saek chrook is usually a plain beef stew (of garlic, onions, soy sauce, fish sauce and small amounts of tubers) when our nanny Sopheap makes it for us. This variation below is with jackfruit, which lends a sweetness so that there’s no need to add sugar. (With growing affluence and its associated sweet tooth, sugar is increasingly added to Khmer dishes like this one.)

Tender shreds of meat are what’s left after the yellow fruit is taken out and the tougher rind and tendrils discarded. The seeds of jackfruit are edible when boiled. It has a hard shell that’s easily cracked and removed. They can be tossed into the dish as well. Sopheap leaves this shell on, but if I were to cook it myself I’d take them off.

First, garlic is stir fried in oil (Sopheap didn’t add onion this time). When it starts to brown, she added the pork. After about five minutes of medium heat, she tossed in the jackfruit. After about five minutes more she added some water, and let it stew. (Unfortunately there’s no recipe as she cooks by memory not units).

This dish needs serious food photography effort because of its drab color – the first image is the one I took in the kitchen with my camera phone, and the other is taken under natural light with a Canon 7D. It’s almost not that much better! :-( But the dish is really good (the kids love it), so don’t let the lack of professional photos put you off it!

Insect cuisine: Ongkrong saek koo (Beef stir fry with red tree ant larvae)

22 April 2015 by Nathalie Abejero Leave a Comment

The first time I had this dish was in Kampot, at a small stall by the side of a building away from the busy center of town. I loved it! Then one night I sat underneath a particularly bright light source and saw all the ants in my meal. After my initial shock, I managed to have a civil conversation with my Khmer colleagues about the food they had me eating. These ants lend a tangy taste to dishes, especially when paired with meats in a stir fry. I did end up finishing my meal that night, getting over it very quickly. All manner of insects make it onto the menu in Cambodia, so psychologically-speaking it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever eaten, and besides it was rather good.

There are several names for this ant — Fire ants, Red tree ants, Weaver ants. They’re large, red, have huge pincers and are unbelievably aggressive. They weave their nests into leaves up in the trees which become monstrous in size. If you find a line of them, carry out an experiment. Take a stick and wave it at a part of their regiment. The ones closest to the stick being waved at the group will rear up and attack. Reinforcements will be called via chemical alarm, and soon you’ll have a swarm of angry little buggers trying to get at you.

It and its larvae are a prized culinary ingredient for the delicate sour flavor it lends to the meat, but it isn’t easy to find in Phnom Penh restaurants. So we normally ask Khmer friends to make it for us. Unfortunately, it seems like the ants in Phnom Penh are also quite large. I have no problem eating this dish, but the bigger ants (up to 3cm!) aren’t pleasant visually to someone who hasn’t grown up with these dishes. Here it is stir-fried with ginger, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, cuts of morning glory and thinly sliced beef. As with other stir fried dishes, it isn’t complete without lots of chilies.

Desperately seeking peace and quiet in Kampot

26 January 2015 by Nathalie Abejero Leave a Comment

It was a long-overdue trip to escape the ambient noise of Phnom Penh rapidly industrializing. Check out this house!

Our friends moved back to Kampot from the US and built this house. It’s a modernized version of the traditional house, complete with the stilts and architectural elements that make this country so unique (even to the very closely related Thai constructions). [Read more…] about Desperately seeking peace and quiet in Kampot

Things to do with kids in Phnom Penh

9 December 2014 by Nathalie Abejero 2 Comments

On this last stretch of our time here in Cambodia, we’ve met a lot of new families with questions on what to do with their kids in the city. “Good luck” pops initially to mind. Activity generally means access to some space and fresh air for a bit of exercise. But to be fair, there are plenty of day trip options:

Cambodia Country Club – They have a pool, play tennis and other sports, ride horses etc.
Soun Soben Resort, where they have stocked fish ponds, a pool for the kids, caged animals and lots of running space
Phnom Tahmao Wildlife Rescue Center – This place is fantastic and I can’t recommend a day trip here enough. In the time I’ve been here the guys there have done incredible work rehabilitating trafficked or injured animals and working with some endangered species eg siamese crocodile. You need a car to get from one exhibit to the next. And make sure to stick around the food stalls, to catch one or more elephants taken out for a walk.
Or check out any one of the many resorts located on the national roads straight out of the city.

Closer by for outdoor fun is Koh Pich (Diamond Island). At night there’s a popular amusement park for small children, and the wedding halls are overflowing. Families take kids biking there on Sunday mornings when it’s relatively quiet, to ride laps around the island.

Phnom Penh has a fantastic length of grassy, open boulevards stretching from the Independence Monument to the river then up towards Wat Phnom. Unfortunately this route was completed in tandem to rising congestion. Nevertheless, there are endless activities for kids:

Chasing pigeons before they roost
Flying kites (the season seems to peak in November)
Watching a hackeysack circle, or a game of badminton or takraw (futbol/soccer with a rattan ball)
Dancing to modern hits with the myriad aerobics classes, complete with speakers cranked to volume capacity (~2000Riel/US$0.50 per adult)

Having a picnic – Food hawkers are plenty, especially towards evening when families come in droves to chow on steamed corn, noodles, fertilized duck egg, fried insects, and many more Khmer delicacies on offer
Beautiful outdoor playgrounds have been built throughout the city with great equipment (though unfortunately with poor upkeep). The two main ones near the city center are on the corner of Sothearos and St 240, and on the south side of Wat Phnom.

Private lessons for different musical instruments seem to be plenty, on top of the formal classes at Simphony and the Music Arts School. Lots of instructors can also be found for private lessons in ballet, dance, sports and of course, tutoring. I just learned how to make soap with a great bunch of ladies, from a Korean soapmaker who sells at the Russian Market.

There is also VIP, Phnom Penh Sports Club and the major hotels (eg Cambodiana, Himawari, Intercontinental, Phnom Penh Hotel, Raffles etc) that have the grounds, that provide lessons for sports, especially for tennis. The biggest schools open some of their school activities to the public, and certainly have summer programs and camps that are open to all – Canadian International School, Northbridge International School, International School of Phnom Penh.

Embassies often work with local NGOs that organize events and holidays to promote cultural exchange. The most active ones are below but there are many more. If a holiday is coming up, check that embassy or consulate’s site to find out if events are scheduled. For example, for Purim there is an event at the Chabad Jewish Center. The Indonesian community works with the restaurants and their embassy to host a big party for Eid-al-Fitr (end of Ramadan).

Japanese-Cambodian Friendship Center – They have regular concerts and events. Check their Facebook page and website for these. Currently running is the Kizuna Festival 2015, where they introduce Japanese culture. There is a cuisine show; classes for origami, ikibana and calligraphy; introductory Japanese (language lesson); movies and documentaries.
French Cultural Center – They have a big children’s section in the library. There are events every week for everyone in the family (readings, movies, etc), so make sure you get on their email list. The courtyard is a great place for the kids to run around in, especially during happy hour :-) The restaurant food and bar cocktails seem decent.
Art exhibits, movie and documentary screenings, workshops and festivals can also be found at the Meta House, or the German-Cambodian Cultural Center.

Guesthouses springing up all over the city all seem to have swimming pools. Most of these establishments will allow non-guests to use the pool for the cost of a meal or drink purchase. But ask first. Sometimes there is a $5 charge for pool use, even with purchase. The ones we like to bring our 4- and 2-year-olds to are:

Splash Inn (#5 St 244, South of the Royal Palace between Sothearos and St 19) – non-guests can access the pool with $10 purchase
Eureka Villas (#24 St 184, behind the Royal Palace) – non-guests can access the pool with purchase
Lyla Center (36, St. 508, corner of St. 103. Go south on Monivong, past Mao Tse Tung and The Rock, and it’s a right turn a couple of streets down) – it’s got a huge jungle gym with slides and mushroom with “rain”, in the middle of a large shallow pool. Fantastic place space. Avoid during the busy times of evenings and weekends starting at lunch time.

Movies

Flicks Movie House (#39b St 95, which is the next street west of Monivong) – They have a kids’ feature every Sunday at 10am.

The Empire Movie House (No.34, St. 130 ‘Khemarak Phnom’, near corner St. 5, 1 block from Riverside Blvd – They have a kids’ club every Saturday at 4pm ($1.50 for kids under 12).

For the international releases there are now a plethora of choices: Platinum Cineplex at Sorya Mall, Major Cineplex at Aeon Mall, Legend Cinema at City Mall.

Indoor Playgrounds

Kids City (162A Sihanouk Blvd, near Monivong) – Go-cart, ice skating, climbing wall, jungle gym for toddlers and older kids

Monkey Business (House 16, Street 370 in Boeng Keng Kang 1) – Jungle gym and shallow swimming pool – free up to 6 months, $2 up to 2, $4 for over 2.

Aeon Mall –

Blu-O Bowling Alley (3rd floor) – $5 per person to play in the regular lanes or $100/hr to rent the VIP room with two lanes and a karaoke space

Ice Park (4th floor) – Ice Skating Rink $10/person and they even have cute penguin walkers for beginners!

Kids Park (1st floor) – Mon-Fri $6/kid Weekends $8/kid

Playground (3rd floor inside the Department Store by the kids’ department) – $3/kid during weekdays; $4 on weekends. This place has fantastic pretend play areas, a huge inflated rolling cylinder, and a big ball pit.

Dream Games (3rd floor) – pin ball machines, video games, rides for kids, etc. Our experience compared to similar ones back home is that these machines don’t let you get far enough to be satisfied, that you’d keep putting coins in.

Restaurants with green spaces are popular and growing. The Shop Too in Toul Kork is fantastic for the grassy area and healthy menu. Farm to Table just opened for the conscious consumer, where the tractor and rustic yard literally keeps kids entertained for hours. Riverside drinks and meals of Himawari and Cambodiana are great places for small kids to bring their bikes and a ball or two.

There are lots of great activities for kids, with many not well advertised. For example, there are playgroups by language (I see occasional postings for Mandarin playgroups for kids to learn the language), a breastfeeding support group that meets at Sambo’s Tots (it has a play area for older siblings), Halloween parties at Gecko and Garden and Giving Tree, and last weekend there was a jazz brunch with storytelling for kids at Cabaret Restaurant (reminds me of being in New Orleans!).

Make sure you join the Cambodia Parent Network on Yahoo!groups to get updates on these or other events and services. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, post a question and you’ll likely find someone who can help.

Phnom Penh for kids and families

23 April 2014 by Nathalie Abejero Leave a Comment

It seems like most cultures outside the West are kid-friendly. It’s easy to go out or travel with kids in Asia. You won’t be met with glares and attitude as soon as you enter an establishment with a toddler in tow, or signs banning kids from restaurants. When ours were babies, restaurant staff would even take and entertain them so we can enjoy our meal together, then give the baby back with the bill! Same with getting a massage, manicure or pedicure.

So on top of other things that make Cambodia attractive for an expatriate post, in the past eight years the options for families with young kids have improved significantly. My favorite things to do where I can take the kids with me:

For a great manicure/pedicure with a glass of wine, and where the staff are awesome with the kids:
- Chanails #46 St 352
- July Salon #67 Sothearos Blvd, almost across from Almond Hotel
Khmer Desserts:
- Shaved ice desserts
- Coconut ice cream
Restaurants:
- Java Cafe, with a special kids’ room #56 Sihanouk Blvd
- Romdeng – they won’t normally take the kids, but they have a great kids’ room #74 St 174
- La Cita Urban Mex Restaurant (they serve Peruvian and other Latin American fare) #12 St 282

Here is a list of more kid-friendly activities in Phnom Penh. Don’t forget to check the various listings around town for kid-friendly events during the various holidays, like Easter egg hunts, Purim parties, Eid Al-fitr feasts, the myriad new years (International, Chinese, Khmer, Hindu), etc.

(If another Phnom Penh resident sees this and has others to add, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll include it!)

Activities for the family –

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center – see my previous posts on visiting and having a birthday party there.
Soun Soben and the other stocked fish ponds for a day of fishing and picnicking.
Cambodia Country Club – horseback riding, swimming and other activities.
Lyla Center – a sport and family recreational center – sports a kid’s lagoon in a swimming pool, an indoor playground, a separate adult’s swimming pool, Zoomba and other fitness classes, a spa, and restaurant.
Cambodia Country Club – swimming, tennis and badminton courts, horseback riding, futbol/soccer field, volleyball courts St 2004 Group 6 Toeuk Thla Contact 023 885 591/023 885 592/ 023 883 861/ 023 883 862
Sovanna Phum Khmer Shadow Puppet Theater – #166 Street 99. Performances every Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm. Contact 099 211 168.
Sorya Shopping Mall – roller skating, arcade, cinema (includes western films), karaoke at the top floor #11-13 St 63 (near Central Market)
Kambol Go-Karts – Kambol Village, Kandal (past the airport) Contact: 012 804 620
Super Bowl – Parkway Square Centre N° 113, Mao Tse Tung Blvd (St. 245)
National Museum Nightly light show

Playgrounds and Playgroups –

Lyla Center – (see above)
Kids City – science center, ice skating, climbing walls, play gyms (has Gloria Jeans’ Coffee and a Kids’ Closet), go karts, laser tag
Monkey Business – swimming pool and indoor playground for kids up to 8 years old(?) – #16 St 370 Open daily 9am-7pm. Contact: 016 818 283
Hun Sen Park across from Naga Casino – carnival atmosphere with street food, games, rides for children under 12
Sambo’s Club House – Breastfeeding Support Group Saturday mornings and Tot play area -#14 St 398 Contact: 023 211 044
Social playgroups – every Tuesday 3-5pm at Gasolina
outdoor playgrounds – veal hong (off Sothearos Blvd and St 240), by Wat Phnom
chase pigeons in front of the Royal Palace
at the supermarkets (Lucky on Sikhanouk, Lucky at City Mall, Bayon, and other malls) there are small playgrounds for toddlers

Kid-friendly swimming pools –

Lyla Center – (see above)
Himawari Hotel Apartments – #313 Sisowath Quay Contact 023 214 555
Raffles Hotel Le Royal – Contact: 023 981 888
Cambodia Country Club – (see above)
Dragon Water Park – Koh Pich (Diamond Island) next to Elite Golf Club entrance. Open daily 10:30am-8pm. Contact 023 45 54 023
Monkey Business – (see above)
Eureka Villa – #24 St 184 Contact: 023 699 9020 (on one of the streets behind the Royal Palace)
Splash Inn – #5 St 244 Contact: 023 986 174 (next to Wat Bottum)

Books, Movies –

Flicks – weekend kids sessions every Saturday and Sunday morning 10am
French Cultural Center – Cartoons and Children’s library every Saturday
Open Book (library for kids st 240 by an NGO looking to promote a love of reading) #41 Street 240. Open daily 10-5pm. Contact 012 876 623

Instruction – Private and group classes are plenty, just hearing from other parents, seeing the posts online or the signs around town. But most are by word-of-mouth through friends, because there are lots of informal groups in the city among both Khmers and foreigners. Many are happy to provide instruction in an expertise area, and even go to a client’s house. For more formal classes, a simple google search might pull up some options, as will a search through the Cambodia Parent Network and Expat Advisory archives.

Music Schools – Srornos, Simphony, or private lessons in voice, piano, violin, etc
Dance Arts – Central School of Ballet, other dance schools
Martial Arts – tae kwon do, bokator
Sports – Tennis, Swimming (Australian Standard Swim School and many private instructors)
Language – Khmer, French, English, Mandarin are the most popular languages here, but other major languages are available for instruction. Again, do a search on the forums for a recommendation.
after-school classes for elementary grades and up – ISPP, Northbridge, Hope International, East-West School
after-school classes for the toddler through kindergarten ages – The Giving Tree, Gecko and Garden, DK Schoolhouse, iCAN

Other sources of info –