kids friendly Archives - Dine With The Locals

Join Dary and Hum Choeurn for a cooking class in their home in Siem Reap

Two new food adventures in Siem Reap

Written by André Ruys on 05/27/2022. Posted in cooking class, Food adventure, kids friendly, Siem Reap.

While slowly coming back, we already found two new host families to take part in the Dine With The Locals network of food adventures. An we can assure you great food and unforgettable experiences. Both families live in Siem Reap, both build new house, yet they look quite different. So are the experiences we always add to the adventure.

Food adventure and a fishing net

Learn how to throw a Cambodian fishing net

Mr. Chantry is a driver we know for quite a while. His wife Sokvy usually stays at home, cooks and takes care of the kids. She is ideal to join us, since out goal is to empower women and help them to get an additional income. Part of the food adventures is to cook Tek Kreung, made from cooked fish and roasted vegetables. A delight for mouth and eyes. After your meal Chantry will show you how to use the tradional Cambodian fishing net. Chantry will also pick you up and bring you back to your hotel in his rickshaw – a three wheeler replacing tuktuks in Cambodia now.

Lots of herbs and lovely gifts

Ms. Dary lives in the southern part of Siem Reap with her husband and two boys. She worked in a hotel before, and has a good eye for decoration as well as food. Her house is a more modern style, yet you will cook local food and eat – part of the food adventure – on the floor in a mat. But before you have to pick some ivy leaves and lemon form the tree. The food highlight is Nam Ban Chok, fresh rice noodles, eat with chicken and lots of herbs.

Our first full vegetarian option food adventures

Since Ms. Dary is very experienced, she can offer all three dishes suitable for vegetarians. We will replace meat with tofu and mushrooms, and if you want, even don‘t use fish sauce (although its an important ingredient).

After your meal you will learn how to make gifts like bracelets or coasters from palm leaves – which you have to cut yourself just form the garden opposite the house.

You can book your food adventures with a local family on our website or send us a whats app message. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Stay longer: Things to do in Siem Reap

Written by André Ruys on 01/27/2020. Posted in child friendly, childsafe, cooking class, kids friendly, Siem Reap.

Even though Siem Reap is best known for Angkor Wat, as a tourist you can do more than just look at the temples. The city and the surrounding area have a lot to offer and we once wrote down a few things to do in Siem Reap. We want to help you stay longer in Siem Reap and see more than just the – indeed breathtaking – temple complex.

Art and galleries in Siem Reap

We have a lot of artists and galleries in Siem Reap that you can visit. It starts with the Tribe Gallery on Market Street, just behind the provincial hospital. The two owners exhibit works by Cambodian as well as international artists. By the way, on the same street is our host Ms. Hong Ginlai, where you can learn how to cook street food in the morning.

Another gallery is Theams House , a house that is both a studio and a gallery. It was founded by Lim Muy Theam, a well-known Cambodian artist who also offers workshops here.

The Batia Sarem Gallery is still quite new in Siem Reap, but has made a name for itself with modern Cambodian artists who show their works here. Opposite is the Bamboo Stage, which shows shadow plays in the evening, but also Cambodian folklore music.

One of the easiest things to do in Siem Reap: Sports

Cycling is on of the things to do in Siem Reap

If you like cycling, Siem Reap is perfect for you. You can rent bikes from many hotels and small shops. It’s best to take a mountain bike. Opposite the Park Hyatt Hotel there is also a shop that has electric bicycles. You can book bike tours with Siemreaper, for example, but you can also set out on your own. An easy and interesting route is: Drive south along Wat Damnak and find Angkor Wat Put. You can also play mini golf here. From here drive west to the river and then north along the river. You can drive into the Angkor forest, but at some point you will need to have a ticket.
We have some host families that are also accessible by bike. Mrs. Vannarith lives with her family in the Angkor forest in a simple house. Ms. Sareth lives on the river and even has a crocodile farm.

Entertainment: Dance and Circus

Siem Reap has a great dance group the New Cambodian Artists. They have a small studio and offer performances on Saturdays, sometimes there are special performances. In Pub Street you will find many restaurants and bars as well as night clubs, some of them also offer live music. What kind of things to do in Siem Reap you like?

Trips and excursions around

The Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake are well known. Unfortunately there are now too many tourists and we recommend going to Kompong Khleang where it is a bit quieter. Another alternative is bird watching. Around the lake and its foothills there are many native and sometimes rare birds to see. If you want to drive a little further, log into the community project in Banteay Chhmar. The village takes care of the temple there, offers guided tours and overnight stays. Another alternative is to visit the Landmine Museum. The story of the bombings and landmines is told here, and you can see many exhibits, the project is led by a former mine clearer. Apopo rats also work in the mine clearance service, and you can even visit them.

Eat with locals in Siem Reap

The best way to still get to know a country is to get in touch with locals. That’s why we launched Dine With The Locals. You will have a wonderful time with a Cambodian family and learn how to cook like a local. And there is also something delicious to eat. We have a wide range of hosts in Siem Reap.

Cooking class for children in Cambodia

Written by André Ruys on 01/18/2020. Posted in child friendly, childsafe, eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, kids friendly.

If you are traveling with children to more exotic countries like Cambodia or Laos, you will surely consider whether it is safe and interesting. We have had some families with children as guests at Dine With The Locals. The kids had a lot of fun, and our hosts were also happy. We don’t just do a cooking class for children in Cambodia, we bring travelers and locals together.

You get to know the hosts together with the children. Some also have children themselves and they like to play with new friends. The child friendly hosts will lead you and your family through the house and the garden, if available. There is already a lot to discover here and many questions will probably be asked. After all, different plants grow in Cambodia than in your home.

Learn new skill at our cooking class for children in Cambodia

Then it’s time to cook. Depending on their age, the boys and girls are happy to help prepare the dishes. You can wash and cut vegetables, or help make the Cambodian spice paste Kreung. The various ingredients must be pounded in a mortar. Our cooking class for children in Cambodia should be a change from watching and that’s why we want you and your fellow travelers to actively participate.

We have hosts who are a little tighter, and then someone from our team comes and tinkers with the children, for example. You will learn how to make funny glasses from a coconut palm leaf. You can bake a Cambodian waffle with Ms. Laum. With Mrs. Dary you can braid a collar made of pal leaves. In Phnom Penh you can learn how to spin a spinning wheel for silk. In Battambang you can even paint with Ms. Mony.

Waffles are made at the cooking class for children

If you want to do a cooking class with children in Cambodia we can make you various offers in several cities. We also respond to your individual wishes. If the children don’t want to eat local dishes, we can of course cook something else. Some of our hosts can also change the menu to vegetarian and if desired we can replace chicken, pork and beef or fish with tofu.

Advantages of our cooking class for children in Cambodia:
Have fun and entertainment
Age-appropriate offer
Children under the age of 10 only pay half
Host and team offer additional entertainment
Individual adaptation of the experience to your wishes
Different food options
Find new friends
Learn about life in Cambodia
Play with peers

You can find all of our hosts here. When booking, you can simply enter your wishes or send us a message if you have any questions. We can best be reached via email and Whatsapp as well as Facebook Messenger (between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.)