Hi,
I am planning on moving to Phnom Penh in October for a minimum of 6 months. Is it best to look for accommodation before I go or when I am over there?
I hope to find work teaching English however I plan to find a job when I am over there so I thought maybe I should do the same with living arrangements.
Any suggestions for the best / safest part of Phnom Penh to live in for a 31 Australian female?

Thanks.

stay in a gh TILL u find work
than go look for a place to live nearby

One reason why I would be very reluctant to commit to any Phnom Penh accommodation based on photos online is that 25% of all buildings in Phnom Penh are located right next door to a huge construction site.

Check out Vladimir's wise man's guide to renting...

https://cambodiaexpatsonline.com/housing ... 20property

I think it would be better if you manage to get a place to stay before the arrival. A far as i know, most of expats in Phnom Penh prefer living in BKK1 ( Beoung Keng Kang 1) and Toul Tompong or Russian Market. Those places are pretty safe.

Here are some useful facebook groups that might be able to help you to get a place.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PPhousing/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1434106530166536/

As you are a native speaker of English, it is really easy for you to get a job in Cambodia as a teacher of English. There are so many international schools in Cambodia with good pay. Below are some websites that post mostly decent jobs. There are a lot of teaching jobs are available.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/268506779953380/

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/jobs

http://bongthom.com/

https://www.cambodiadaily.com/jobs/

Here are two good schools that you should try to apply for. Not doubt, the pay must be really good

http://www.ispp.edu.kh/

http://www.idp.com/cambodia/ace

Samouth wrote:I think it would be better if you manage to get a place to stay before the arrival.

Sorry Samouth, but I have to disagree with that, especially for someone who has never been here before.

PSD-Kiwi wrote:

Samouth wrote:I think it would be better if you manage to get a place to stay before the arrival.

Sorry Samouth, but I have to disagree with that, especially for someone who has never been here before.

I agree, I thought Richard gave some sound advice

phuketrichard wrote:stay in a gh TILL u find work
than go look for a place to live nearby

PSD-Kiwi wrote:

Samouth wrote:I think it would be better if you manage to get a place to stay before the arrival.

Sorry Samouth, but I have to disagree with that, especially for someone who has never been here before.

hahaha no need to sorry. I guess she might had been to Cambodia before. However, if you didn't manage to find a shared apartment, she can stay at any boutiques in Phnom Penh. There are some of them providing long term lease.

Cam Nivag wrote:...25% of all buildings in Phnom Penh are located right next door to a huge construction site.

Or a Karaoke bar. If you don't like Khmer music and you end up next to a karaoke bar/restaurant, you'll likely not be so happy.

To avoid ending up with one, start looking for a place to stay after 6-7 PM at night to ensure it's a quiet neighborhood.

AE86 wrote:

Cam Nivag wrote:...25% of all buildings in Phnom Penh are located right next door to a huge construction site.

Or a Karaoke bar. If you don't like Khmer music and you end up next to a karaoke bar/restaurant, you'll likely not be so happy.

To avoid ending up with one, start looking for a place to stay after 6-7 PM at night to ensure it's a quiet neighborhood.

Or (in the case of Murray's) a chop-shop that powers up the air-tools at 6am, and a restaurant that plays "Hebby Barfday Extended Remix" at least 10 times a night, ending around 1am. If you're really lucky, your street will be the overnight parking bay for five or six of the big transport trucks that come in after dark and leave before dawn, with all the accompanying air-break noises, shouting, shifting of loads, etc.

Definitely do NOT sign a contract until you've eyeballed a place and if possible spent 24 hours there.