Phnom Penh has no shortage of olfactory stimulation. Most of which might most charitably be described as pungent. Fermented fish, durian, open sewage systems, and garbage sitting out in the tropical heat are smells that were uncomfortable when I first came. Of course there are also many delightful smells – the scent of rain in the air, the delicious aroma of street food, and the rich smells of Cambodian coffee. In general though Phnom Penh is much “smellier” than comparable cities in the United States.

My favorite smell in the city can sometimes found in the early morning just outside of our house. We have two flowering trees by the gate of our house.

One is a potted Frangipani with large, beautiful flowers that are scentless but look like they should smell incredible. I’ve read that some Frangipani have a scent but not ours.

The other is a small gangly tree with tiny white flowers that would be easy to overlook. These tiny easily missed flowers are Jasmine and, occasionally, in the early morning they flood the area around them with an amazing smell.

Occasionally, there’s a shower of Jasmine petals around our courtyard that reveals just how many tiny little flowers are actually on this small gangly tree. It’s really amazing, actually.

Tiny little Jasmine wreaths are popular in Cambodia. They don’t smell quite as nice as fresh Jasmine but they lovely to hang in a car as a natural air freshener or use as a welcoming gift for guests.