Flying into the new airport of Phnom Penh (and getting the reasonably efficient airport bus), part-time pedestrian walk adds some much-needed public space, interesting skyscrapers (ie not boring blue boxes), and fake Paris update. I visited Phnom Penh in December 2025, which was a year since my last visit. My previous trip involved getting the […]
cambodia
Techo International Airport (KTI): The New Phnom Penh Airport
Techo International Airport is the new airport serving Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Techo International Airport opened on the 9th of September 2025, replacing Phnom Penh International Airport (formerly Pochentong International Airport). The airport was officially inaugurated on the 20th of October 2025. Techo International Airport is 24 km south of the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh […]
What Yogyakarta can learn from Siem Reap (and vice versa)
Yogyakarta Trip Report: Yogyakarta should look to Siem Reap’s street reconstruction project, and Siem Reap should have an airport rail link like Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Central Java. The city is 20 km away from the Borobudur temple complex, which is the largest Buddhist temple in the […]
How to fix Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville should be a booming beach resort comparable to coastal cities in Vietnam. Instead, it’s better known for its abandoned towers, scam compounds, and shady casinos. Here is how to fix it. Sihanoukville is a coastal city in Cambodia that is home to the largest port in the country. It also has some of the […]
Phnom Penh Metro: proposed urban rail transit system and airport railway
The Phnom Penh metro is a proposed urban rail transit system in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The term metro is used loosely here, as there have been various forms of rail systems proposed over the years. Proposals have included sky trains, subways (another word for metro), light rail, and monorails. Plans for an urban railway in […]
Cleaning up roadside rubbish in Cambodia
What Cambodia can learn from other countries about cleaning up plastic waste on national roads. In January 2025, Cambodia launched the ‘National Roads Without Plastic Waste’ campaign. The goal is for Cambodia’s national roads to be free of plastic waste by the end of 2025. It’s a lofty goal, but I salute their ambition. One […]
Kampot and Kep (Cambodia) construction and tourism development
Trip report from my visit in December 2024, including the two-tower apartment project in Kampot Town, the Tiktokification of tourism landmarks, and land reclamation in Kep. Kampot and Kep are the southernmost provinces in Cambodia. Kampot Province includes the charming colonial-era riverside city of Kampot, and Kep is reawakening as a coastal tourism destination. Kampot […]
Sihanoukville report: abandoned towers and seaside redevelopment
An update on one of the biggest mixed-use developments under construction in Cambodia, prominent abandoned projects, and the redevelopment of Ochheuteal and Otres Beach. Sihanoukville is the largest coastal city in Cambodia and home to its main port. It has great beaches and a train to Phnom Penh. Despite this beautiful natural setting, the city […]
Phnom Penh construction report (2024 edition)
Heritage buildings update, the temple-shaped National Bank building, the fake Paris on Diamond Island, bad urban planning on the Tonle Sap riverfront, a new urban area rises on a disappeared lake, the bird nest towers, and booming BKK1. Phnom Penh construction and infrastructure report (December 2024).
Poipet trip report: Construction and urban development in Cambodia’s wild-west casino city
Poipet has plans to transform this border town associated with casinos and scam compounds into an enthralling civilized city to attract national and international tourists. I spent a night in Poipet to see what it was like. Border cities in Southeast Asia have a reputation for being dodgy, and Poipet in Cambodia is no exception. […]
