Old Market (Phsar Chas)
Business Overview
Downtown near the Siem Reap River, Cambodia.
Of the various traditional Cambodian markets in Siem Reap, the Old Market is themost visited by tourists, offering the deepest selection of souvenirs and curios of any of the traditional markets. There are souvenir vendors on all sides off the market and into the interior, especially on the south (river) side - offering silks, silverworks, carvings, statuary, art and handicrafts as well as t-shirts, post cards, boot-legged DVDs and books.
About Old Market (Phsar Chas) Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Old Market (Phsar Chas) and the nearby Pub Street, Pub Street alleys and Night Markets are 'must sees' when visiting Siem Reap. Very popular, the whole Old Market area stretching from the river across to the night markets on Sivutha Blvd has become the tourist center of town.
Of the various traditional Cambodian markets in Siem Reap, the Old Market is themost visited by tourists, offering the deepest selection of souvenirs and curios of any of the traditional markets. There are souvenir vendors on all sides off the market and into the interior, especially on the south (river) side - offering silks, silverworks, carvings, statuary, art and handicrafts as well as t-shirts, post cards, boot-legged DVDs and books.
The 2 Thnou Street side of the market is a mix of local and tourist vendors, some offering souvenirs, others specializing in clothing, shoes and hats aimed more at the local consumer. The opposite Street 11 side is also a mix, with many vendors offering handicrafts, puppets, musical instruments and basketry and local food and dried fish vendors toward the other end. The north side of the market along Street 9 caters more to the locals than tourists, vending fruit, vegetables, meats, clothes, hardware and such. There are several interesting local spice, tea and coffee vendors on this side and a number of inexpensive cafe stalls lining the street, serving Cambodian fare in an interesting, very local atmosphere. A good place for a budget meal and a taste of real Cambodian cuisine.
The Old Market closes at sunset, though many of the souvenir vendors stay open well past 8:00PM.
The streets in the area around the market, especially the now famous Pub Street and Pub Street Alleys, sports dozens of tourist oriented business including galleries and boutiques, restaurants, cafes, bars, massage and spas, travel agents, bookstores, a pharmacy and lots more.
