Shopping in Angkor - Siem Reap

Buying locally made products is always a good way to contribute to any country's growth and this is as true in Siem Reap as anywhere else. There are quite a few shops selling handicrafts, silks, silverware, jewelry, carvings and the like.

Shopping in Siem Reap, especially in the markets, is a truly unique & rewarding experience!

Our Siem Reap shopping guide below will provide you with information about shopping in Siem Reap, as well as some suggested places to shop. For more general Cambodian shopping information, check out our Cambodia shopping guide. After a long day of shopping, sit down to a nice meal at one of the many Siem Reap restaurants.

Siem Reap Shopping Guide

International visitors throng to see the Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srey and other ruins of the Khmer empire, and this influx has greatly helped the economy boom. A number of boutiques have come up, in addition to the local market and small shops that already existed.

While your hotel may have a souvenir shop, you may want to consider actually buying from the many vendors around the temple grounds - some of them children, many of them extremely persistent. Many of the children do actually attend school part time, but some of them are forced to work by their parents and relatives and do not get the chance to attend school, if this is a concern to you. They often sell guide books, postcards, musical instruments, puppets and ornamental knives.

Remember to buy only replica stone carvings from Angkor Wat so as not to encourage the plundering of the temples. Stone carvings that are said to be from the actual temples may or may not be real but will probably be confiscated by customs anyway and heavy fines have been imposed for people who participate in such trade. Like Phnom Penh, there are also a few shops that are run by NGO's or aid organisations and whose profits go toward a worthy cause. For something a little more interesting, you can visit shops where shadow puppets, wood and stone carvings are made using traditional techniques and a silk farm where silk is gathered from silk worms, dyed and woven.

You will find quite a few shops with elaborate ethnic temple decorations and a retinue of shop assistants to take you around exorbitantly priced items. Unless the shops themselves are of interest to you, try to bypass these, as you will get the same stuff easily and at a much cheaper price in local town shops. US$ is the most used currency, unless it is a very small purchase, followed by the local Khmer Riel and Thai Baht.

Having access to international cash machines is no longer a problem in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville which all have many ATMs and also bank facilities where you can get cash advances against your credit cards.

Markets

Siem Reap markets have a wide variety of shops and you could check them out for some good bargains. The Angkor Market in Sivatha Blvd. is a reasonably well-stocked supermarket, or convenience store to be more precise, where you can get most of the stuff you’ll need – western food, beers, wines, souvenir items etc – all at fixed but moderate prices.

The Old Market or Psar Chas to the south of Siem Reap, located conveniently in the town centre, is one of the best places to pick up T-shirts and other souvenirs. Do not buy anything that is claimed to be an antique, because in most cases it isn’t and in case it is, it is most likely stolen. The country has strict laws for the export of artefacts and antiques, so it’s best to avoid them. Make sure you bargain in any local market.

Another place that is good for clothes and trinkets is the Central Market on the corner of Achamean Street and Sivatha Blvd. Bargaining is definitely a good idea. A variety of goods are available here that you would not find in Thailand.

Also check out the new Angkor Trade Center if you want a bit of the air-conditioned supermarket feel, but still want to have access to many local specialities.