3 Best Places to Shop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Psar Thmei, popularly known as Central Market, is a 1930s art-deco-style market hall in the center of the city that sells foodstuffs, household goods, handicrafts, souvenirs, and silver and gold jewelry. You're expected to bargain—start off by offering half the named price and you'll probably end up paying about 70%. Take your time to find what you want, as the vendors can sometimes be a little pushy. It's busiest in the morning. There are excellent street food stalls on the edge of the market where you can take a break between bargaining.

This lively little night market opposite the riverside promenade attracts locals and tourists alike for traditional crafts, souvenirs, clothes, and accessories, and gets busy until midnight, especially when a band is performing on the main stage. A dozen or so stalls at the back of the market sell delicious street food dishes as well as drinks like sugarcane juice and tropical fruit smoothies. There is also a large sitting area covered in rattan mats, where Cambodians enjoy sharing meals in the evenings.

You'll discover some of the best bargains in town at the Psar Tuol Tom Pong, or Russian Market (named after the Russian diplomats who used to shop here in the 1980s). Expect a huge variety of Cambodian handicrafts, souvenirs such as local checked cotton krama scarves, Khmer wood carvings, handwoven baskets, and much more. Located in a hip neighborhood that's popular with expats, there are plenty of options for lunch, drinks, and dinner when you need to refuel.