May 1st, 2005 | The lowdown by Gordon Candelin

Tribal Hotel and Guesthouse

The Tribal Hotel is one of the few cheap places to stay in Banlung that actually offer just a bit more than their more sterile neighbors (Sovann Kiri hotel comes to mind.)

They have recently finished building their new $5 a night guestrooms, which are fairly good value. Simple rooms with fans, no hot water and squat toilets. The $15 dollar rooms are air conditioned and have a bit more style - wooden floors, writing desks and small balconies.

The restaurant is a popular meeting place for expats and backpackers alike. The menu has a wide selection of food, inlcuding the mouth watering 'Fried internal part with mushroom'. Yum. The service is on the slow side, though, but most people visiting Cambodia's north east aren't in too much of a hurry anyway.

Directions to the hotel are posted on signs throughout Banlung, so it's easy to find. TMrs. Kim, the owner, can organize trekking trips through the jungle, along with visits to some of the more popular local destinations, such as the beautiful Yak Loam lake.