Series 🇰🇭 Cambodia Today: Insights from Vietnam's Neighbor
Vol.7: More Than Badminton — New Sports and Weekend Trends in Phnom Penh
Starting March 5, 2026, KBC-LINK continues its series, 'Cambodia Today,' designed for our readers in Vietnam.
Written by the head of a Japanese Desk at a local bank with six years of residency, this series offers authentic, on-the-ground perspectives—from professional financial insights to the realities of daily life.
"What do you do on your days off in Cambodia?" — that's a question I often get from visitors from Japan. When I first arrived six years ago, a typical weekend meant heading to a café, going shopping, or grabbing drinks. If you wanted to play a sport, golf or badminton were the go-to options. Badminton in particular can be played both outdoors and indoors, making it a familiar sport here in Cambodia. In my own impression, it's often the sport that comes to mind for well-off Cambodians looking to enjoy a day off.
Lately, though, more and more places have opened up for sports that weren't nearly as accessible just a few years ago. I've jumped on that trend myself—these days I do Pilates twice a week and pickleball twice a week. My schedule outside of work has gotten busier than I expected, but watching new things keep popping up like this is one of the things I find most fun about living in Phnom Penh.
Small Classes, Close Attention: Pilates Studios Are Growing in Phnom Penh
Pilates is popular in Japan too, but I've noticed the number of studios growing quickly here in Phnom Penh as well. Search "Pilates" on Google Maps and you'll find studios scattered across the city. Like the one I go to, many run small classes of two to six people, with hour-long sessions costing around $15 per person at some studios.
Since there aren't that many instructors yet, it's common to find the same teacher running a class at one studio in the morning and another in the afternoon—or moving between studios altogether. "Wait, didn't this instructor used to teach somewhere else?" is a conversation that comes up more often than you'd think in Phnom Penh. As new studios open, the pool of instructors will likely keep growing too.
Right Now, I'm Completely Hooked on Pickleball
My current favorite, by far, is pickleball. It's probably still unfamiliar to a lot of people in Japan, but it's a racket sport that blends elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton. The rules are simple enough that beginners can pick it up quickly.
Pickleball courts here tend to be semi-outdoor, semi-indoor rather than fully enclosed, so you can still play on rainy days. Courts have been popping up all over Phnom Penh recently—search on Google Maps and you'll see far more listings than there used to be.
Prices are reasonable too: renting a court runs about $12–15 an hour. If you don't have a racket, some places rent them out for $1–3, so you can show up empty-handed the first time.
"Social" and "Walk-in" Sessions Are Great Even If You're Alone
What I personally find most interesting is the "social" or "walk-in" system. Show up at a designated time, and you'll be randomly matched with whoever else is there for a game. Some places even let you play unlimited games for a flat rate of around $5.
Courts vary in how they handle balls, too—some will only lend you a single ball, while others let you use as many as you like, which is great if you just want to practice solo. These little differences give each venue its own personality, which I find fun.
Pickleball: From Hobby to Competitive Sport?
I used to think this was just something popular among my friends, but it turns out pickleball has spread much further than that. This month, an international tournament was held in Phnom Penh with players from more than 20 countries.
What started as me and my friends casually saying "pickleball's really taking off lately" somehow turned into an international tournament, with new facilities appearing practically overnight.
More Options for How to Spend a Day Off
Neither Pilates nor pickleball were nearly as accessible when I first arrived in Cambodia. Now I can choose: "pickleball today" after work, or "let's go to Pilates" another day. That's not to say the sports and pastimes that have long existed here have gone anywhere—they haven't.
Living here, Cambodia feels less like a country that's simply "developing" and more like one where "new things keep getting added." A new café opens, then a new restaurant, then a new service launches, and now it's a new sport catching on.
I never expected to have this many plans outside of work, but beyond building an exercise habit, I've also enjoyed meeting new people and discovering new corners of Phnom Penh I didn't know existed.
There are definitely more options now for how to spend a day off in Cambodia than there were six years ago, when I first moved here. If you ever visit Phnom Penh, I'd recommend building in some time to get active—not just cafés and sightseeing.
Iida-san's Local Cambodia Tips:
■ Where Are the Pilates Studios Concentrated?
New studios are clustering in two areas: BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1), home to many foreign expats, and Toul Kork, an area undergoing rapid development. If you've just arrived in Phnom Penh and want to try a class, these two neighborhoods are a good place to start.
■ Pickleball's Surprisingly Recent Origins
Pickleball first arrived in Cambodia in August 2024, debuting at the Cambodian Country Club. By December of that year, the country held its first official tournament—and just over a year later, it's already hosting international competitions. As Iida-san's article notes, it's a genuine "hobby to competitive sport" story, and arguably the fastest-growing sport in Cambodia right now.
KBC-LINK Featured News: Reading Cambodia's Economy Today, with Iida-san of ABA Bank's Japanese Desk
■ Sports Tourism Heats Up: Cambodia's Market Keeps Evolving
Cambodia's first international pickleball tournament drew players from around 20 countries. Pickleball was only introduced to the country in August 2024—the speed at which it went from a new arrival to hosting an international tournament in under two years says a lot about the momentum in Cambodia's sports market.
A similar trend is showing up in other sporting events. The Phnom Penh International Half Marathon held earlier this year drew 5,241 participants, including 680 international runners from 43 countries—a 4.6% increase from the previous year. As government and private investment continues to flow into multi-sport facilities, "sports tourism"—drawing people across borders through sporting events—is emerging as a new growth engine for Cambodia's economy, alongside the broader expansion of the health and leisure industry.
■ Da Nang to Host Asia’s First Pickleball World Cup
Da Nang, Vietnam, hosts the Heineken Pickleball World Cup 2026 from August 30 to September 6, marking the first time the global tournament is held in Asia. The event is expected to welcome over 5,000 athletes from 81 countries and territories, offering a total prize pool of $500,000. Featuring side events like a world market, Da Nang aims to leverage the tournament to strengthen its status as an international sports hub and boost local tourism, economic, and cultural exchange.
Author Profile
Asami Iida
Based in Cambodia for 6 years
Japanese Desk, ABA Bank
Supporting Japanese individuals and companies expanding into Cambodia. From financial operations to everyday life, she shares insights into Cambodia’s evolving landscape from both professional and personal perspectives.
Contact
ABA Bank Japanese Desk
Next Episode (Vol.6)
Next month, Iida-san brings us "What's Happening in a Country with an Average Age of 27." Stay tuned!
Editor’s Note
This article is a contributed piece.
For detailed procedures and financial inquiries, please refer to official channels of the respective institutions.
