Back in I wrote a post about the lost bars of Phnom Penh that seemed to elicit a lot of recollections. Since that post was made several more well known bars closed there doors. Another post on those bars is now due. Cambodia like Thailand is filled with massage parlors of all kinds. There is no possible way for one person to keep track of the comings and goings of every single massage parlor in the country. Panda Massage which is not to be confused with Panda Mart was a longtime favorite of many Westerners who either lived in or visited Phnom Penh.
Located on Street not far from the infamous Golden Sorya Mall the place had a staff made up of several Khmer and Vietnamese women who offered full body massages and more. Panda Massage looked a lot like a house. There were always some small dogs in the Panda Massage lobby. Usually they were off to the left of the entrance where they were either tied up with a leash or penned up in a cage.
They barked at nearly everyone who came in and out of the place. That may be because they wanted attention. Massages at Panda took place in converted rooms with high ceilings. Things were relatively clean even if the lobby was not. Each room had a solid massage table and some of the women were actually quite good at doing body rubs. Most of the women at Panda offered handjobs but a few offered more than that. Panda offered legitimate services too. Panda Massage was open until at least and possibly later than that.
The building is still there but the massage parlor is not. The parts of the building that used to have Panda Massage signs have been painted over and the front remains locked up except when a security guard goes in or out. I reported on Paradis a few months ago. When that report was published Paradis was already on its last legs.
Once a thriving karaoke and massage establishment on Street , Paradis ended up as a half-assed attempt at a mainstream massage shop. At the moment there are several for sale signs hanging out front of Paradis. Another coffee shop or perhaps even a guest house is probably more likely. Located in an old dingy building with the door set back from the street 53 Massage was a busy little shop on Street There was a parking area under the awning in the front so that customers could pull their motorbikes in away from prying eyes.
