A Phnom Penh insider's hot tips for the best places to eat, drink, shop and get pampered
Cambodia, sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam, is often overlooked for its better-off neighbours when it comes to tourism, instead known for its grim past under the Khmer Rouge, the radical communist group that killed millions in the country from 1975 to 1979.
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In the decades since the genocide, the Southeast Asian country has worked hard to rebuild, and its future looks bright.
Members of Gen Z – people born from the late 1990s to the early 2000s – make up more than 65 per cent of Cambodia's population, and they have helped transform the country into a hip tourist destination blending the ancient with the modern.
There is a lot to see, from laid-back beach towns to archaeological wonders such as the Angkor temples in Siem Reap.
Cin Cin, a new Italian restaurant specialising in pizza, is one of many contemporary establishments that have made the Cambodian capital a hip place to be. Photo: Kylie Knott
Phnom Penh should also be on tourists' radars. Rich in culture and with some striking architecture, the Cambodian capital has cultivated a thriving food and arts scene.
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Getting there from Hong Kong is relatively quick and easy, with flights between the two cities taking two-and-a-half hours.
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