Vanna Sann is the founder of ethical clothing brand based in Phnom Penh. She says, “I think Phnom Penh’s voice has become much more confident.” Dorsu. “A few year ago, the retail scene and lifestyle was dominated either by expats or NGO-adjacent businesses. It’s clear that creative businesses led by Cambodians are now designing for a local audience. Insiders in the industry attribute this to a new generation of entrepreneurs that are more cosmopolitan and have no memory of war.[They] Sann says that the designers are “bringing a sharper sense of design and a better understanding of global standards, while rooted in Khmer identity”.
The capital’s creative freedom is also a result of the Cambodian regulatory framework, which is still in flux. Jan van Dyk said that, as a developing country it’s easier to implement changes. Rosewood Phnom PenhDirector of Culinary at, who has built a network of local suppliers that is now being used by other businesses. “If you were, say, in Hong Kong You can also find out more about SingaporeIt would be much harder.”
All of this has catapulted Phnom Penh into the limelight as a modern travel destination—even as traffic lights remain a rarity in this compact city of 2.5 million, tai chi-performing aunties rule the parks, and tuk-tuks are the most common mode of transport.
Here’s what to pay attention to in this emerging—and hugely captivating—creative capital.
Phnom Penh’s best places to drink
Phnom Penh is one of Asia’s most rapidly-growing cocktail hubs. The cocktail scene in Phnom Penh is a mix of old and new industry players. Kravat BarFrom a craft gin distillery themed on the Mekong to a speakeasy hidden in an alley with motorbikes and laundry racks SeekersThere is a relaxed bar atmosphere in a shed that occasionally transforms into underground raves. Tania Unsworth says, “When we first arrived, there wasn’t a cocktail scene at all.” Now the city has a lot of locally-owned cocktail bars. “Everything has sort of risen to the level.”
Talking about up SoraThe rooftop bar at Rosewood, which in 2025 will be the first rooftop bar in Cambodia to become a member of Asia’s Best BarsThis is a must-see. This sophisticated display of local talent and bounty features drinks that draw inspiration from local dishes, herbs from a garden on site, and spirits made with local partners including Seekers, the country’s very first rum producer. Samai. The best view of the city skyline is from this perch. From here, I counted six new skyscrapers which had sprouted up in the past year.
