March 25th, 2006 | The lowdown by Gordon Candelin

Olympic Stadium

Since the completion of controversial renovations, Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium is open for business, providing an almost hazard free excercise venue for the masses. Accesible from Monireth and Sihanouk Boulevards, entry to the grounds is free, or 500 riel to park your moto or bicycle in a safe area. If you bypass the regular moto entrance, you can pay a different gate guard 500 riel and he'll let you bring your moto in the grounds themselves, although it's a good idea to keep an eye on it, wherever you end up.

The Stadium has a proper soccer pitch surrounded by a track, which fills up in the afternoon and evenings as Cambodians swarm to run, play or chat with friends. Use of the field is a haphazard affair. At times there doesn't seem to be a problem with playing there, other times you may be chased off by a guard.

No matter - the huge area surrounding the stadium itself, presumably a parking lot, provides ample room for hundreds of young khmers to have chaotic bare-foot soccer matches.

There are also basketball courts, volleyball nets and places to play 'boules' - the ball throwing game leftover from French colonisation.

With so little space in Phnom Penh to do anything remotely like excercise (apart from the expensive hotels), it's exhilirating to be a part of so much activity.

Visit in the late afternoon and have a relaxing walk along the top of the bleachers, and then have a seat for an unspoiled view of a magnificent sunset.