Leaving Phonom Penh 19 months ago, my parting thought was “Yeah, I’m done with Cambodia”. But a quick return visit has restored some of my faith in Thailand’s neighbor as a fun weekend away.
It was a quick hit – just 48 hours Tuesday through Thursday – and there were other things to do besides carouse. But each night there was time to see a bit of the city, enjoy Phnom Penh’s fine food, see a friend and poke heads into a few bars.
Phnom Penh Rapidly Gentrifying
Nineteen months, in the grand scheme of things, is not a long time to be away, but the changes on the riverfront since there were jarring. No fewer than five longtime businesses or locations have changed into something more upscale.
In the stretch between Streets 130 and 136 on the river, a decades-old mom-and-pop restaurant (that admittedly had closed a while ago) was leveled and the luxury, high-rise Soma Hotel opened in October. It’s owned by former prime minister, now Senate President Hun Sen’s daughter.
Directly on the corner of Street 136, there’s now an outdoor food court, instead of a bar. Opposite the Soma on the corner of Street 130, a famous corner bar where beers were 50 cents is now a Domino’s Pizza. And, a few doors down, a gourmet chocolatier has opened. And an Irish pub – called The Dubliner, of course – has opened on Street 136 itself.
Oh, and there’s a brand-new, big, beautiful airport; one that’s mostly empty.
All of this is less than two years.
Red Light Bars Same-Same But Slightly Better
As for the naughty nightlife, Phnom Penh’s bar scene never again will reach the heights of the 20-aughts or mid-teens, let alone with level of Thailand. But, in 2025, it was not the total write-off it was in March 2024. And that’s at least saying something.
Granted, a two-night, in-bed-before 1 a.m. visit didn’t result in a thorough survey of the scene, but quick stops into hostess bars on the streets between 104 and 136 found a few spots among the has-beens and never-weres.
Ponytails and 69 Bar, the only things positive in the 2024 trip, were both dead on Tuesday and Wednesday One drink and out. And Secrets Cambodia, the spinoff of the long-defunct Pattaya Secrets, also is no more, replaced by Charlie Chan’s, a nod to the many Chinese now flowing through the bars.
Chinese and especially Japanese were the biggest groups of bar-hoppers about. And, to some’s chagrin, Indians.
No More Secrets
Secrets (and now Charlie Chan’s) are as close Phonom Penh comes to a go-go bar with a central stage and up to a half-dozen coyote dancers. But, outside of the name change, reupholstered sofas, and some new LED lights and signage, there’s no difference between Secrets and Charlie Chan’s. Except the lineup is worse than Secrets was in 2024.
Elsewhere, names blur with most experiences unmemorable. But Butterfly – the former Golden Frog now owned by the former French owner of The Factory – Alaska, New York and Diamond were good enough to get their names remembered.
And what is it with bars in Cambodia (and Angeles City for that matter) copying names of Thailand go-gos and clubs? There’s now Levels, Lucifer and Baccara in Phnom Penh.
None of this is a rousing endorsement of Phnom Penh’s nightlife, but it was better than before to the point where a return visit this high season isn’t a dumb idea.
Supersized, Upscale The Factory Impresses
The return visit would be most worth it to hit the bar that left the biggest impression: The Factory, a supersized version of the popular Street 104 bar.
Under new ownership, The Factory has taken over the spaces that housed the Babylone and Orange bars and gone upscale.
The bar now features multiple areas on various floor levels, including five VIP areas, one with a jacuzzi, a pool table, and four bar counters, as well as one with a balcony overlooking the street.
Nineteen months ago, I pronounced 104 dead, likely never to be resurrected. It was dark and morbid, Air Force and Rose bars unable to generate any buzz. The fact Orange and Babylone are gone and replaced with owners with money, commitment and vision hopefully will bode well for 104.
The bar boasted a large, strong lineup of lookers. On the other hand, this posh hostess club is also the riverfront’s most expensive with draft beers at $3 (99 baht), 50% or more than other bars. Lady drinks reportedly are $5 and barfines $20.
One other note? Phnom Penh bars have caught the LED frontage wave.
Hostess Bar Snobbery
The Dave Rave social channels this week hosted a couple videos of slim, pretty and 18-21-year-old ladies dancing in one of the Street 136 bars, so there are still plenty of options, even if one commenter moaned that bars are “paying girls by the pound”.
There’s also lots of interest, with more than 110,000 views on one video already.
Many frequent Phnom Penh visitors and Cambodia expats look down their noses at the riverfront hostess bars the way their counterparts in Pattaya do with Walking Street. There are better, cheaper options, they’ll tell you, at the Pontoon disco and other places.
That’s all true, but the girly bars are convenient and easy and their sheer number means they’ll always draw crowds.
They need to be thought of the way you think of Pattaya Soi 6. There’s a ton of bars and a ton of fuglies, but there also are diamonds in the rough if you’ll willing to sift through the chaff.
