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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
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    The 9 best places to go out in Phnom Penh | Phnom Penh nightlife

    Nightlife in Phnom Penh?! The Best 9 Places to Party

    by Nick & Raychel May 6, 2019

    Nightlife in Phnom Penh

    Being the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh has a lot to offer. The best part about it? The Phnom Penh nightlife is relatively underrated. PP is constantly developing, which means great new bars and events popping up in different areas of the city.

    When we first moved to Phnom Penh, we thought all it really had to offer was the riverside. After one night out on the riverside, we quickly realized it wasn’t really for us. Luckily, we kept trying, and soon we found some really great spots around the city that we would return to again and again. Now, we’re sharing those finds with you.

    Let’s get into it.

    1. Bassac Lane 

    Tucked away into what seems to be a quiet residential neighbourhood is Bassac Lane, a small alley tightly packed with lively bars. Every micro-bar in this narrow alleyway is owned by the same pair of brothers, and believe us when we say they are pretty damn smart. Each bar has its own theme and some really great drinks.

    On Friday nights, you can expect live music which brings a whole new level of liveliness (yes – dancing) into the lane. Bassac Lane is a great alternative to the sometimes-questionable riverside and can offer some great (still inexpensive) cocktails and class any evening of the week.

    Address: St 308, Phnom Penh 12301, Cambodia

    2. Top Banana

    Backpackers, unite. Top Banana is the ultimate backpacker bar in Phnom Penh. Located on Street 278, Top Banana is open late and offers everything a backpacker bar should. Get there early to snag one of the big couches and grab one of their daily drink specials. The staff will be sure to entertain you and you may even make some new friends.

    However, just make sure to not drink too much, as you’ll have to climb down the steep staircase on the way home.

    Address: 9E, St 278, 12302, Cambodia

    3. Club Love

    Once you’re tired of lazing around on the couches at Top Banana, head directly across the street to Club Love for some dancing. Club Love is probably one of the most popular places in Phnom Penh for nightlife, so the cover charge and drink prices will reflect this. That said, if you’re looking for a club vibe in PP, this is certainly the best place to go.

    Address: Street 278 រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ, 12302, Cambodia

    4. Sundance Inn & Saloon

    Ok, we know we said we avoid partying on the riverside but we had to slide this one in there. Sundance has two locations and we much prefer the one on Street 172 – just saying. This bar has it all – for instance, $1 beers, cheap eats, good music, a decent pool table and a swimming pool. We love the vibe here and the pool table isn’t *completely* torn to pieces, therefore placing Sundance a level up from other bars in the area. The best part? Cam’s Burrito’s and Thai Me Up are two amazing street food carts, and they’re parked right outside 24/7.

    Address: 61 AB street 172, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

    5. Blue Dog

    Your typical dive bar without the sketchy people that come along with it. If you’re into a young, divey, unpretentious place to dance, smoke & drink, this is your spot. Between the cigarette smoke and the loud music, this bar isn’t exactly family-friendly. However, it sure is a rowdy time if you’re looking for one.

    Address: No. 13, Street 51 (Pasteur), Sangkat Boeung Keng Kang 1, Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh 12302, Cambodia

    6. Score Bar

    If you like to play pool and watch sports, this will be your favourite spot in Phnom Penh. Equipped with a giant projector-style screen (we’re talking HUGE) and theatre-style seats, you can catch almost any live game at Score Bar. In this super American bar, you can grab a beer tower, nachos and wings and play on some of the nicer pool tables in all of Cambodia.

    Address:  #5 street 282, Wat Lanka Phnom Penh, 12302, Cambodia

    7. Showbox

    Music lovers and art buffs gather at Showbox every Wednesday night for the weekly open mic night. This is a true open mic where you will hear everything from slow indie to Khmer pop to punk rock to slam poetry. In this spray painted, grungy, homey space – you can grab a beer for $1 and a glass of wine for $2. If you like music, dancing and mingling with other artists, look no further.

    Address: 11 St 330, Phnom Penh 12151, Cambodia

    8. Zeppelin Cafe

    Tucked at the back of this walk-up old school bar is Jun Rockwell with a quiet demeanour and a badass vinyl collection. We’re telling you – he has everything. This no-frills bar has only what you need. That means retro furniture, cheap cocktails, $1 dumplings, a pool table, and rock n’ roll. Every Sunday night, you can even rock up to this bar to hear it all live.

    Address:  7 St 278, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

     

    9. Jet’s Container

    If you’ve spent some time in southeast Asia, you’ve probably noticed how popular these containers have become in the recent years. Jet’s Container is no different. Our favourite part about this place? It is swimming with locals into the late hours of the evening. That means you can see what real Phnom Penh nightlife is actually about. Food, shopping, music, lots & lots of beer … in conclusion, you’ll surely have a good time at this lively container.

    Address: National Assembly Street, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

    —

     

    Not too hungover for a day trip the next day? Did you know Phnom Chisor is a sister of the Angkor Wat temples? Find our tips on taking a day trip to Phnom Chisor here.

     

    Haven’t booked your accommodation yet? Confused on where to stay? Find out what our favourite areas are here.

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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  • This summer has been filled with a lot of hard work so we can continue the adventure.

Working odd jobs and picking up work that we aren’t necessarily *passionate* about (sorry to break it to you, Santa, I didn’t love being a Christmas elf at the mall during the holidays) isn’t always easy.

Working hours at the office, doing data entry, reception, and cleaning out the fridge every Friday isn’t exactly my idea of fun. Nick doesn’t love driving a truck for 11 hours a day, or getting home at 1am. 

But we are committed to the cycle, we are passionate about alternative living, and we want to see the world.

We don’t work hard so that we can have a margarita at the beach (although that’s fun too), we work hard so that we can experience different cultures, try different cuisines, learn about different climates, connect, and grow as people.

Travel to us is more than bright blue waters and aesthetic IG photos, it’s about the experience, and we can’t wait to see more.

__

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • Yeah, the first ever “odd job” I took in order to afford travel was as a Christmas Elf at the mall.

I worked this job on top of my regular 9-5 so that I could afford to pay off my existing credit card debt and move to Cambodia. It was my first step away from the ‘big girl jobs’ I was used to working, but I had a dream to live abroad and a bank account that didn’t match, so I had to do something about it.

The next few jobs I’ve done either part or full time over the years.

💻 REV: I’ve worked as a transcriber on Rev for a few years now. The pay isn’t great, but I’m a super fast typist (80 wpm who!?) so I figured it could be a way to pass the time & earn extra income.

🐶 Rover: This summer, we’ve ventured into caring for dogs on Rover. While we can’t do this in our van, we are currently staying with my brother and between all of us, there’s always a dog here. If I had learned about Rover prior to moving out of our apartment, I would have definitely offered my services years ago.

👩‍🏫 Teaching English online: Many people know that we taught English overseas - but only long-time followers of the YouTube channel would know that teaching ESL was my job beyond that. Unfortunately there were major pay cuts within the company that I worked for (PalFish) so I quit, but I still teach on Cambly and Outschool (more on that in part 2).

We don’t have a lot of money but we have expensive dreams, so we’ll do anything to make it work. What odd jobs have you done to earn some extra cash?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • Anyone who knows our story knows that we have been working throughout our entire travels. Seasonal / temporary work has afforded us a lifestyle filled with travel and adventure. ✈️

We have explored temp agencies, Craigslist ads, used websites like Airtasker (Australia) and Kijiji to find our temporary/seasonal jobs. But in the US specifically, there are some websites designed specifically for this type of work. 🌲

Here are 3 websites designed for seasonal work (mostly U.S. based):
1. Vagajobs: a resource for seasonal & year-round work with a heavy focus on travel/adventure jobs. Some jobs posted on Vagajobs include staff housing.
2. CoolWorks: job opportunities in great places - from national parks to ski resorts, summer camps, to national parks. Some jobs posted on CoolWorks include staff housing.
3. Occupation Wild: job board for the outdoor / adventure and travel industry. Hiring all sorts of positions at ranches, camps, resorts, conservation areas and national parks. 

Outside of the U.S.? Same (kinda). Our main go-to in Canada is Indeed (search by job type & select contract / seasonal)

Do you have any seasonal job boards to add to the list?
Drop ‘em here. ⬇️

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • If you’re in Ontario, you don’t want to miss this next year ✨ 

This was our first time visit the Hamilton night market and it was so worth the visit. Come along with us! @hhnightmarket 

Have you tried stinky tofu? ⬇️ 

—

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  • Shoutout to anyone who does these tiny (or big) builds on your own 🤦🏼‍♀️

We all have different strengths, right?… 

What’s your most dreaded part of DIY? ⬇️ 
_

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  • Saying goodbye is the hardest part about travelling.

We have said dozens and dozens of goodbyes throughout our 20s. We have met countless new faces, made a ton of connections, and have shed a lot of goodbye tears.

Even a visit ‘home’ comes with the looming feeling of saying goodbye again.

We wish we could take everyone we love and put them in our pocket.
But we know that everybody has a different dream, a different life. 

When we take our next flight or fill up the gas tank to our next stop on the road, they go off on to see the world for themselves, to raise their families, to chase their career goals, love lives, or whatever else.

And we are so stoked to be able to stay in touch online.
But it’s definitely the hardest part of living nomadically.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 
__

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