You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
62<br />
PHNOM PENH<br />
5<br />
ORIENTATION<br />
have a stand <strong>of</strong> affiliated drivers. If you find one you like, take his phone number and<br />
hire him again. Most residents <strong>of</strong> Phnom Penh will have their own recommendation for<br />
good drivers or motodups, as they are called in Khmer. <strong>The</strong> dups are even thought to be<br />
mystically “all knowing” by Phnom Penh residents. Most trips around town will cost less<br />
than a dollar during the day. At night you normally double the fee. Most people don’t<br />
wear a helmet, but they should, given the dubious quality <strong>of</strong> both the motorcycles and<br />
the driving.<br />
BY CYCLO A gentler but slower way to see the sights is by cyclo (p. 36). <strong>The</strong>y operate<br />
under the same rules and pretty much the same rates as the motorcycle taxis. Cyclos take<br />
a lot <strong>of</strong> the stress out <strong>of</strong> getting from point A to point B. <strong>The</strong>y are also good when it<br />
rains, since the cyclo driver will bring out plastic sheeting to shelter you from the elements.<br />
You will always find lots <strong>of</strong> cyclos around Psah Thmei (the Central Market), as<br />
people use them to transport bulky or heavy goods. As the traffic chaos <strong>of</strong> Phnom Penh’s<br />
streets increases, the experience <strong>of</strong> touring the city by cyclo becomes harder as these<br />
gentle vehicles are forced out by land cruisers and trucks. At the moment, however, it<br />
remains feasible.<br />
BY TUK-TUK Tuk-tuks are a fairly new development in Phnom Penh and are readily<br />
available. <strong>The</strong> name is taken from the Thais, but these tuk-tuks have little in common<br />
with the noisy, Bangkok two-stroke three-wheeler. <strong>Cambodia</strong>’s tuk-tuks are a twowheeled<br />
cart pulled by a standard motorbike, attached through a fairly ingenious coupling<br />
device. <strong>The</strong>y are shaded, and the padded seat seats two (or three if you are thin).<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is <strong>of</strong>ten a small shelf at the front <strong>of</strong> the cart, usually with laminated maps and<br />
advertisements, and, in a pinch, you can seat two more, but it’s not very comfy. It costs<br />
between $2 and $3 for trips around town, while a ride farther out to places like the Killing<br />
Fields will set you back $15.<br />
BY TAXI Metered cabs have now made an appearance on the streets <strong>of</strong> Phnom Penh,<br />
though they are limited. Global Taxi (& 011/311-888) is generally reserved only by<br />
phone, though occasionally you might’s see one waiting for a fare near a tourist spot late<br />
at night. <strong>The</strong> flag fall is 4,000 riel for the first 2km and then 400 riel per kilometer. Taxi<br />
Vantha (& 012/855-000) is unmetered and reached by phone only. Expect to pay<br />
around $4 to $5 for a short journey.<br />
Enterprising taxi driver Yinn Vannak (& 016/639-852; www.cambodiadriver.com)<br />
has his own website for bookings and is available for hire on a long- or short-term basis.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are many un<strong>of</strong>ficial cabs. All guesthouses and hotels will be able to get you are<br />
a car within half an hour. A ride to the airport costs between $5 and $7.<br />
BY MOTORCYCLE Driving in Phnom Penh is not for the fainthearted. In fact, unless<br />
absolutely necessary, it is best avoided. If you don’t heed this call, you can hire motorcycles<br />
at a number <strong>of</strong> places including Lucky! Lucky!, at 413 Monivong Blvd. (& 023/<br />
212-788), which has been in the business a long time. You can get a step-through type<br />
100cc-to-125cc scooter for $5 a day. Some <strong>of</strong> them are good, but some <strong>of</strong> them are<br />
unsound in the extreme and you should examine them and refuse them if you have<br />
doubts. <strong>The</strong>y also rent bigger 250cc bikes for touring at $9 as well as jeeps and even<br />
luxury cars. Driving a motorcycle in Phnom Penh requires experience. It is a chaotic,<br />
aggressive, and <strong>of</strong>ten nerve-racking experience with traffic going in all directions, <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
straight at you. Keep space around you, drive slowly, and wear a helmet (if not available<br />
when renting, you can buy one for $10–$20 from a shop at Monivong or Kampuchea<br />
Krom).