Phnom Penh Night Market: A Must-Visit Destination for Food, Shopping, and Entertainment
Posted By : Threeland Travel / Cambodia Travel Guide
Are you looking for a market to discover local culture, enjoy regional food in Cambodia? Finding a market in Cambodia is not difficult but it is not easy to find a local and typical one to have the best experience. Phnom Penh night market, one of the most hustle and bustle markets in Cambodia, is the most appropriate place. See where the true night market is, what makes it attract a lot of tourists and some tips to make the most of your wandering at Phnom Penh night market.
Phnom Penh Night Market
Where is the Phnom Penh night market?
Phnom Penh night market (also called Phsa Reatrey) locates at 106 - 108, Preah Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh, Campuchia. It is near the Tone Sap River so that the atmosphere is fresh and cool. Moreover, before or after your visit to Phsa Reatrey, strolling along the bank of this river with your family or friends will help you feel more relaxed.
It opens from 17.00 to 00.00, from Friday to Sunday. This time gathers the largest quantity, modals of goods and products so that you can see and enjoy more interesting things here.
This market is just over 2 km from the city center, it takes you a few minutes to go there by tuk-tuk, taxi or bicycle. Or when your cruise stops here, you can walk through this interesting market.
Remember to connect with the local to arrange the Phnom Penh night market on your Cambodia Tours.
What are the best things to do at the Phnom Penh night market?
Fashion objects
Trading clothes area displays and sells a lot of styles for both children and adults. You can find the most famous brands all over the world printed on their products, some of them have some different characters or forms. These clothes are modern types such as shirts, T-shirts, skirts, pants, dresses, etc. Besides, you can see many kinds of accessories: watches, glasses, shoes even jewelry.
If you like local products, you can choose hand-made products. People embroider animal shapes with flower images on woven fabric to make bags, fabric, scarf, hats or traditional Khmer clothes. These symbols are familiar to the normal life of Cambodians like elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, tiger, chicken, cat, fish, snake, bird, butterfly, rumdum flower, etc.
Consider carrying them during your Cambodia holidays because they are light-weight and small.
Lots of good priced clothes and souvenirs for sale
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Souvenirs
Reach souvenir stalls at the Phnom Penh night market during holidays to Cambodia, you will be surprised with a variety of products. Some are made from farming products, some are made from wood or glass, some are wood objects and other materials.
Souvenirs shops are often favorite places for tourists to have a look and buy some gifts for their relatives and friends.
One of the most special souvenirs is coconut bowls. With only a half of dried coconut, artisans have formed a full of artistry charm for them by using symbols, colors, and lines. Moreover, the bowls can be used to store confectionery, jams, melons, pumpkins and other household items.
Insects collections also make travelers curious. The samples of butterflies, bats or cockchafer are gathered into stored boxes. These will become highlight decorations in your rooms.
You can buy souvenir with a good bargain
Art and Music
Phsa Reatrey has live music performances at the weekend. They sing, dance and play instruments of the Khmer community, which livens the ambiance and attracts a lot of spectators.
This singer was keeping the visitors entertained
The stage is surrounded by a lot of food and fashion stalls so that you can enjoy the music while sipping some typical drinks or watching the eye-catching items.
Cuisine
Right after getting in the gate of the Phnom Penh night market, the aroma of food will immediately stimulate your sense of smell. You can’t wait to try some barbecue made from fish, shrimp, meat, vegetables or others. You just come, order dishes you want, wait some minutes for cooked items, deep them into the sources then taste them. If you feel tired of the grease, fruit and vegetable shops are always ready to serve you.
If you prefer local cuisine, you can easily find and enjoy these dishes in the market. Amok trey, a traditional specialty, is a must-taste dish. It is elaborately processed: cooking fresh fish with coconut milk and curry sauce then adding turmeric, garlic, shallot, ginger or lemongrass to have a better savor. Cambodian curry is also considered a specialty dish because the ingredients are very picky and unique, less sour and spicy than Thailand and Laos. It is made from beef, chicken or fish, cooked with tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, coconut milk, lemongrass, kroeun and served with bread.
Variety of food on a stick
It is also worth to try Nom Banh Chok, the most popular street food in Phnom Penh. Going around the markets, you will find many vendors selling this dish at comfortable prices. A bowl of Banh Chok includes: rice vermicelli rice noodles with coconut curry broth, served with herbs, bean sprouts.
Besides, there are abundant delicious drinks you should not skip. Sugarcane juice is one of these choices. Sugarcane’s stalks are shaved, peeled into the machine to squeeze water, then added sugar and some other fruit flavors. It will be cheery when drinking fresh sugarcane kumquat juice or sugarcane durian juice and enjoying barbecue. Jaggery juice, made of fruit of palm tree, the typical tree in Cambodia is another worth a try drink here. Moreover, you can choose yourself and your family juices, smoothies made of tropical fruits such as mango, pineapple, watermelon, etc.
To be more refreshed, using a small spoon to eat icecream stored in coconut husks with copra aromatic remained.
Tips: Phnom Penh night market food is really tasty and worth to try, but don’t eat too many kinds of food. Keep your stomach and try other dishes in your Cambodia itinerary.
Let's enjoy some Cambodian Street Food
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Some tips when visiting Phnom Penh night market
1. Remember to ask price and bargain when you intend to buy some objects here.
Like most markets in Asia, traders often inform higher prices than reality. This is a traditional custom so that you just need to deal ingeniously but not too low. This helps both you and sellers feel happy.
2. Take care of your wallet carefully
Put your wallet, bag in front of your chest or always make sure that your money safe from street robbers.
3. Currency exchange into local currency - Riel
1 USD is around 4000 Rigel.
The market uses Rigel to purchase and it is cheaper when using local currency.
4. Choose clean food stalls to eat and drink
Don’t forget this important advice, it can keep you healthy during your holidays to Cambodia.
See more travel tips on “ Backpack on Amazing Trip with an Affordable Cambodia Package”
You are choosing a place to fill your Cambodia itinerary, Phnom Penh night market is a wise option for you. Its unique features of cuisine, customs, art will make you have leave an unforgettable experience. Contact Cambodian locals at Threeland Travel to design your tailor-made holidays to Cambodia or get a Cambodia tour package via email: [email protected] or What's App: +84342620068 or call +842439262056.
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