Top 5 things to do in Phnom Penh when you aren't a tourist

1. Go to Olympic Stadium at sunset – there is an amazing view from there and it is a hive of activity with people doing aerobics all across the top of the stadium with big speakers at each station booming music. People walk/run around the circumference on the seating area and there are groups of guys playing volleyball, football and tennis. At the top there are plenty of refreshments including sugar cane juice, fried banana and fresh mango. Also, go swimming in the Olympic pool as well, it is lovely and you will make instant friends with Cambodian children. I often started spontaneous swimming lessons. There are also very high diving boards which are fun to jump off!

2. Make friends with your local noodle man/coffee man. It is easy to become a regular customer of the local noodle place near your work and you soon become part of the family regardless of the language barrier. They will even start getting shocked if you go somewhere else for lunch or if you don’t finish your food, suggesting that you don’t like it anymore. Our local is Lucky Family restaurant who do great noodles with Taro spring rolls which I think I am slightly addicted to. We became friends with their son, who speaks very good English and we took him swimming and on a night out with us.

3. Sit by the pool during your lunch break. Yes, you are in a tropical climate but you don’t often get to appreciate it in a big city. While most of your colleagues are having a nap, go to a nice pool to get a bit of a tan and relax. The Place gym is preferable as it has many sun loungers with constant sun and it’s the best gym in town!

4. Get your nails done at the market. There are plenty of nail parlours for tourists at a premium (well for residents) price. If you venture deep into your local market you find much cheaper places for a no nonsense mani-pedi. You can even get amazing nail art done for under a dollar. (Yes I have had penguins, Irish flags and pink sparkly nails to name a few). Whilst you are there, go down to the food area and grab a quick lunch. There are little noodle stalls with plastic chairs to perch on – just be careful of dried blood, heart and intestine floating in your soup – not for the faint hearted.

5. Go to the expat bars instead of the touristy ones – this way they are a lot cheaper and a lot more fun! You do get to know pretty much everyone in town so these are the places you will bump into them and get pretty drunk. You may not be lucky enough to get a Pontoon VIP card for free entry and reduced drinks prices but you can always hope. If you are out and about on street 51 make sure you get drunk and then go to Katy Perry’s Pizza before you stumble home – it is immense even when sober and I’ve been to a house party where they stationed themselves in the garden. Epic.