Not exactly Cambodia, but "Islands" magazine just published an article with their opinion on the 20 best islands to live on and one of them was Penang, Malaysia. Any comments?
I associate Malaysia with violence nowadays. I’d like to live on the island of Manhattan myself.
I was there for only two days and I loved it. I had this crazy idea of trying to find a freighter that would take passengers to Madras India. That didn't work out (but I maintain it's possible if one is determined enough). I've been meaning to go back for a visit but it hasn't happened yet.
It's got an old colonial feel in many parts of the cities Butterworth and George Town, but Penang also is quite modern, not Singapore but close. Not that I like Singapore that much, it's too modern. Penang (like Kuala Lumpu) mixes old and new in a more saisfying way.
What I most remember is the food. Absolutely the best steet food anywhere in variety, taste, selection, prep, everything. Rivaling if not bettering Bankok and Saigon. Lots of cheap and very tasty noodle dishes, and the opportunity for numbingly hot/spicey Penang dishes. Excellent curries, lamb and goat dishes, roast pig, seafood. Yowza. That's the main reason I want to go back.
Go if you can!