destinations

rss The Lowdown by Gordon Candelin.

Gordon Candelin Why not?

The Lowdown on Bangkok, Thailand

March 6th, 2005

Bangkok, Where to Stay

The Atlanta Hotel

I'd been trying for months to get a room at the Atlanta before I finally managed to snag one...

The Lowdown on Banlung, Cambodia

May 13th, 2005

Banlung, Secret Stuff

Yaklom Lake. Meteor vs Volcano

Actually, it doesn't matter how Yaklom was created. It only matters that you have a swim in its beautiful blue waters while you're visiting Banlung...

May 1st, 2005

Banlung, Where to Stay

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...

May 1st, 2005

Banlung, Traveling

Getting to Banlung

While route number 7 from Kratie to Stung Treng is thankfully being upgraded, in the meantime, what used to be a lovely graded dirt road from the junction of route numbers and 78 (east to the Vietname..

The Lowdown on Ko Lanta Yai, Thailand

February 21st, 2004

Ko Lanta Yai, Where to Stay

Come Chill with Me

If you have managed to survive the swiss-family-robinson-treehouse-on ectasy vibe of over-priced, over-developed Ko Phi Phi Island, or, if you are one of the lucky ones who managed to avoid it all tog..

The Lowdown on Phnom Penh, Cambodia

July 5th, 2006

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Tea and Coffee World. Cambodia's Starbucks.

Tea and Coffee World had its first incarnation in Cambodia as a franchise of the Vietnamese cafe chain Trung Nguyen, and is part of the BBWorld (rip off McDonalds) and CD World (rip off dvds and music..

April 9th, 2006

Phnom Penh, General Info, Getting Around

The Tuk Tuk is Your Friend.

Now, I'm all for cruising around Phnom Penh on my hoo-ride (100cc Honda Dailem), not only for the pleasure of the cruising, but also the sincere relief I feel at not having to bother with motodops 500..

March 27th, 2006

Phnom Penh, Health and Safety

Bag Snatching in Phnom Penh.

Petty crime does not seem to affect tourists to Phnom Penh the way it does in a lot of other capitals, except in one regard: bag snatching...

March 25th, 2006

Phnom Penh, General Info, Social Issues

Mith Samlahn/Friends Needs a New Home

Friends - the Restaurant is one of the most popular places to eat in Phnom Penh for a couple of reasons...

March 24th, 2006

Phnom Penh, General Info

The Culling Continues. Tree Cutting in Phnom Penh.

After a first round of rather severe tree 'trimming' which started last year on street 240 and continued with tree mauling along Mao Tse Toung, Monivong and a few other main roads, the boys are back...

March 23rd, 2006

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

The Deli Restaurant and Bakery

The Deli is a welcome addition to the cafe scene in Phnom Penh, especially now that they seem to sorted out their croissant issues (which are delicious, by the way...)...

February 27th, 2006

Phnom Penh, General Info, Getting Around

Tales of Asia

We're not above giving kudos to those who deserve it, and Tales of Asia definately does...

February 16th, 2006

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Indian Kitchen.

Good Indian food, great Samosas, and cheaper than many of the other Indian restaurants in town, Indian Kitchen is great for take away or delivery...

February 16th, 2006

Phnom Penh, Sports

Capoeira Kampuchea

Capoeira is alive and well in, of all places, Cambodia. A group of enthusiasts have been playing for more than 3 years now in the capital Phnom Penh...

February 16th, 2006

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Shiva Shakti Restaurant.

If you have some time and money to spend while in Phnom Penh, and even better, you've hooked up with someone on your travels and you're looking to impress them, bring them to Shiva Shakti...

January 15th, 2006

Phnom Penh, General Info

Slipping Into Phnom Penh.

Phnom Penh offers a welcome break for travelers who have enough of the frenetic free-for-all of other asian capitals...

November 28th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Tamarind Bar and Restaurant.

Tamarind is a classy Mediterranean restaurant on street 240, and one of my favorite places to eat in Phnom Penh.

Maybe it's because I'm married...

November 26th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Festivals and Eve, Music and Clubs, Secret Stuff

7th Annual Bokor Mountain New Year's Party 2005

It's that time of the year again. Preparations are already underway for the next New Year's Eve bash...

November 2nd, 2005

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Java Cafe and Bakery.

With a beautiful view of Hun Sen Park, Java is a poplar place to eat and is the de facto meeting point for many of Phnom Penh's expat consultants...

October 18th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Buying Stuff, General Info, Living Abroad

Getting Cash in Phnom Penh (ATM, Credit Cards and More)

One of the hottest topics regarding traveling in Phnom Penh seems to be where to get your cash...

June 29th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Health and Safety

Ly Srey Vyna Medical Clinic

When traveling in Cambodia you are bound to get sick, and hopefully when it happens, you'll be in the capital and not stuck out in the boondocks where what passes for medical service might consist of ..

June 27th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Buying Stuff

Get your Mac on - Uni Young Technologies

If, while tooling around Cambodia with your powerbook, you run into problems (excessive dust, computer-loving fire ants, theft, etc) visit Mr. Phay at Uni Young Technologies...

June 27th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Entertainment, Secret Stuff, Where to Stay

The Billabong Hotel.

Located on a small side street a few blocks south of Psar Tmei, the Billabong is an excellent spot to relax and beat the blistering hot summer days...

June 27th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Flavors of India

Ah, patience truly is a virtue. 'Flavors of India', (formerly Himalaya) is back in all its northern Indian glory...

June 27th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Rendez Vous Restaurant.

Rendez Vous is a meat lovers paradise, where the massive menu contains dishes like Chicken Cordon Bleu, Taco Salad, and Filet Mignon...

May 28th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Entertainment, Sports

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...

April 14th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Getting Around

Khmer New Year Blues.

Getting around during the long weekend of Khmer New Year requires some planning...

April 8th, 2005

Phnom Penh, General Info, Getting Around, Living Abroad

Surviving the streets of Phnom Penh. (A Traffic Primer)

I am alternately bemused and terrified when I see newcomers to Cambodia tooling around on their rented motos or dirt bikes...

April 8th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Asia Europe Bakery

I don't remember how exactly I became addicted to Asia Europe Bakery. Maybe it was the coffee. It's good. And cheap. 70 cents to be exact...

March 20th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Entertainment, Festivals and Eve

Capoeira in Cambodia

If you haven't heard of Capoeira, you may have seen it, and if you haven't seen it, here's your chance...

March 15th, 2005

Phnom Penh, Entertainment, Food and Drink

Veiyo Tonle Restaurant.

The Phnom Penh riverfront is packed with restaurants serving pizza and other 'Italian' food - some fairly good, most pretty bad...

February 2nd, 2005

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Nature and Sea Cafe

I've known Stephane for a couple of years now, and he still is as quiet, friendly and unassuming as when I first met him...

December 28th, 2004

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Teuki Bar - Chazillin' a la Francaise

My first night in Phnom Penh I went to the Teukei Bar for a quick dinner before heading back home to recover from my 22 hour trip from Los Angeles. That was the plan, anyway...

December 25th, 2004

Phnom Penh, Entertainment, Festivals and Eve

7th Annual Bokor Mountain New Year's Party 2005

It's that time of the year again. Preparations are already underway for the next New Year's Eve bash...

November 12th, 2004

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Pop Cafe da Giorgio. Italian Food Like Momma Make.

Giorgio's Place isn't actually called Giorgio's Place. The real name is Pop Cafe, but the name doesn't fit, so let's be done with it...

June 10th, 2004

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Mama Restaurant

There isn't much to distinguish Mama's from any of the other chinese-apartment / restaurant / shop / dental clinic / etc, but its anonymity is one of it's endearing qualities...

June 10th, 2004

Phnom Penh, Culture, Entertainment

Sovanna Phum Art Association.

Sovanna Phum is Khmer for "Magic Village", and the group - a collection of young Cambodians from the Royal School of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh - began giving regular performances of traditional Khmer cu..

October 22nd, 2003

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

The Shop Cafe and Bakery

The shop is nestled on Street 240 - a cozy tree lined street where the frenetic pace of Phnom Penh's roads can be left behind...

October 14th, 2003

Phnom Penh, Getting Around, Living Abroad

Need a Moto? Get Lucky! Lucky!

Lucky! Lucky! motos is one of many rental places along Monivong Boulevard that provides small scooters (100cc) for your daily commute in the city, as well as larger dirt bikes suitable for visiting th..

November 13th, 2002

Phnom Penh, Food and Drink

Friends - the Restaurant

Friends (Mith Samlang) is one of the most interesting places I have come across in Phnom Penh...

The Lowdown on Sihanoukville, Cambodia

March 24th, 2006

Sihanoukville, Food and Drink, General Info, Where to Stay

Ocheateul Beach.

Ocheateul Beach is the most popular beach in Sihanoukville, with a good mix of backpackers, expats and local Cambodian families sharing a long stretch of sandy coastline...

March 24th, 2006

Sihanoukville, Food and Drink, General Info

Independence Beach.

Independence beach, frequented primarily by local Cambodian families, is a long thin stretch of sand with not much of a shore to speak of at high tide...

March 24th, 2006

Sihanoukville, Food and Drink, Getting Around

Outres Beach.

Outres beach seems to have appeared out of nowhere - a seemingly endless stretch of sand with little restaurants/bars popping up almost overnight...

March 22nd, 2006

Sihanoukville, Food and Drink

Holy Cow Restaurant.

Holy Cow has been around for a few years, and after much consideration, I think it must be the best place to eat in Sihanoukville...

November 6th, 2005

Sihanoukville, Food and Drink, Where to Stay

Serenity Guest House and Restaurant.

Well, what used to be the most interesting place to eat on Ocheateul Beach has upped and moved across the bay to Bamboo Island...

June 27th, 2005

Sihanoukville, Where to Stay

The Golden Sands Hotel

The Golden Sands Hotel is a decent mid-range option if you want to stay close to Ocheteul beach in Sihanoukville. The hotel is modern and run very professionally...

June 27th, 2005

Sihanoukville, Where to Stay

Coaster's Bungalows, Ocehteaul Beach.

Coaster's is by far one of the best places to stay on Serendipity/Ocehteaul beach these days.

Let's hope it stays that way...

The Lowdown on Stung Treng, Cambodia

October 22nd, 2005

Stung Treng, General Info, Secret Stuff, Traveling

River Ride Up the Mekong.

Stung Treng is not particularly well known as a tourist destination in Cambodia, but surprisingly, there a number of things to do if you are based here for a couple of days...

May 6th, 2005

Stung Treng, Buying Stuff, Culture

Mekong Blue and the SWDC

If you're in Stung Treng a few days before heading up north into Laos, or east in the jungles of Rattanakiri, take a few hours and head over to Mekong Blue and the Stung Treng Women's Development Cent..

May 1st, 2005

Stung Treng, Entertainment

Ice Age Internet

The Hang Vannarith internet cafe is convenient - located just at the southeast corner of Stung Treng's central market. Convenient yes, but excruciatingly slow...

November 17th, 2004

Stung Treng, Getting Around, Traveling

The Road from Hell no longer - Route 7 Kratie to Stung Treng

I am very happy to report that the infamous National Route number 7 north from Kratie to Stung Treng is in the process of being renovated...

The Lowdown on Vienna, Austria

June 2nd, 2006

Vienna, Food and Drink, General Info

Noch Ein Bier, Please.

Who has time to waste these days? So why would you be drinking an Ottokringer when there's so much Wieselburger to be found?

I made that mistake too - sipping a pale, weak beer that I suspected was..

Hook it Up!

Travel goodies for your trip

Some Featured Cities

Urban Lowdown writers are there, now, writing about cities around the world with an insight printed guidebooks can't match.

  • Cairo, Egypt
  • Pattaya, Thailand
  • Lima, Peru
  • Salta, Argentina
  • Fuji, Japan
  • Sites We Like

    We give credit where it's due. Check out these cool sites for more travel information.

    delete