Things to Do in Old Market (Phsar Chas)
Old Market (Phsar Chas), Siem Reap: Chaotic and sensory at every hour, with the particular hum of a place that exists for locals first and tourists second. Mornings smell of spice and fish paste. Evenings smell of grilled corn and cold draught beer drifting in from Pub Street one block north.
Phsar Chas sits at the gravitational centre of Siem Reap, pulling together the organised chaos of a working Khmer market and the slow drift of travellers killing an afternoon. The covered iron-and-timber structure dates to the French colonial era, and the smell hits you before you first footstep, a layered fog of dried fish, lemongrass, sweet jackfruit, and the faintly smoky warmth of charcoal braziers tucked between stalls. By seven in the morning, it's already a local institution: grandmothers in krama scarves squeezing mangoes, monks collecting alms along the edges, motorbike-taxi drivers debating last night's football over plastic cups of iced coffee the colour of mahogany. For whatever reason, Old Market absorbs tourist traffic without surrendering. You'll find silk merchants who have worked the same stall for thirty years alongside newer shops selling Buddha statues and Angkor-motif trinkets, and the two coexist with a surprisingly functional indifference. The surrounding lanes, those threading south toward the river, hold most of Siem Reap's best street-food action, the kind where white plastic stools circle steaming pots and the menu is whatever's simmering. Pub Street begins just a block north, which means evenings here shift register entirely: the ambient soundtrack changes from market haggling to cover bands, and the air takes on the fried-spring-roll sweetness of a dozen competing stall kitchens. Old Market occupies a different category from the purpose-built night markets nearby. This one predates the tourism economy and still services it reluctantly, which gives it a grit and texture you won't find in more curated spaces. Whether you're after a kilo of Kampot pepper to take home, a bowl of kuy teav at six in the morning, or just the particular pleasure of being inside a loud, fragrant, functional market, Phsar Chas delivers on all counts.
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Top Attractions in Old Market (Phsar Chas)
Phsar Chas Covered Hall
The iron-roofed hall itself is worth a slow walk regardless of whether you intend to buy anything. Stalls are arranged loosely by category, silks and textiles on the north side, fresh produce and spices toward the centre, silver jewellery and stone carvings near the southern exits. The light inside is dim and golden, filtered through corrugated roofing, and the concrete floor stays cool underfoot even in the midday heat.
Spice and Kroeung Stalls
A cluster of stalls along the market's interior sells the aromatic paste bases, kroeung, that underpin most Khmer cooking: towers of galangal, bruised lemongrass stalks, dried kaffir lime leaves, and vivid turmeric roots piled in shallow baskets. The smell is intensely green and earthy, almost medicinal. Vendors will often let you taste-test dried kampot pepper, which has a floral heat quite unlike the black pepper you know.
Riverside Lane (Street 8)
The lane running east from Old Market toward the Siem Reap River is quieter than Pub Street and considerably more interesting at ground level. Colonial-era shophouses lean slightly toward each other above narrow footpaths, and the ground floors alternate between small Khmer restaurants, mechanics, and the occasional silver workshop. In the evenings, the riverside itself fills with local families and young couples, and the light over the water turns a dusty amber.
Pub Street at Dusk
The pedestrian block of Street 8, Pub Street to everyone, transitions from souvenir strip to full carnival between five and seven in the evening. The neon signs reflect on the wet pavement after rain, the bass from competing sound systems blurs into a general wall of noise, and the grilled-meat smell from half a dozen stalls on either side is difficult to walk past. Some find it touristy, it is, obviously, but it's touristy in the way that Times Square is touristy: the density of activity has its own energy worth experiencing at least once.
Artisans Angkor Showroom
A short walk from the market, this social enterprise trains young Cambodians in traditional silk weaving, stone carving, and lacquerwork, and the showroom doubles as a working studio. You can watch weavers working backstrap looms while silk threads catch the light in bands of amber and jade. The craftsmanship is verifiably different from the market stalls, tighter weaves, more considered designs, and every piece tagged with the artisan's name.
Kandal Village
A few blocks south of Old Market, Kandal Village is a cluster of restored colonial houses that now hold a mix of independent boutiques, tailors, and cafés. It gentrified quietly before anyone named it. The tree canopy keeps it cooler than the main market strip. The pace drops accordingly. Khmer ceramics studios and handmade paper shops are tucked along the main lane.
Where to Eat in Old Market (Phsar Chas)
Mahob Khmer Restaurant
Traditional Khmer
Kuy Teav Stalls (Market Edge)
Street food, Khmer noodle soup
The Little Red Fox Espresso
Specialty coffee, light bites
Genevieve's Restaurant
Khmer-French fusion
Khmer Kitchen
Khmer home-cooking style
Night Market Food Court
Multi-vendor street food
Old Market (Phsar Chas) After Dark
Miss Wong
A 1930s Shanghai-inspired cocktail bar hides in the lane just off Pub Street. It's small, deliberately dim, and built for conversation. No DJ set dominates.
Angkor What? Bar
One of Siem Reap's oldest bars claims it has promoted 'irresponsible drinking since 1998'. The open-air terrace spills onto Pub Street. Music leans 90s rock and early 2000s pop. The vibe is pure backpacker.
Temple Club
A multi-floor venue on Pub Street pairs a ground bar with an upper terrace that snags any breeze. Early evening Apsara shows switch to DJ nights by 10pm. The two halves draw different crowds.
Red Piano Bar
A restored colonial corner building with wraparound balcony overlooks the Pub Street intersection. Position is the draw. You can track the entire evening arc from happy hour to last call. Order the Angelina Jolie cocktail, a local nod to Tomb Raider filming nearby.
Getting Around Old Market (Phsar Chas)
Old Market sits near the centre of the tourist zone. Almost everything worth seeing in Siem Reap lies within tuk-tuk range. Tuk-tuks are the standard. Expect a short in-town fare for most district runs. A slightly higher one applies for early-morning Angkor Wat trips. Many drivers offer a full-day Angkor circuit for a fixed day rate. Negotiate the night before. You'll beat the 5am market scramble. Inside the Old Market neighbourhood, walk. Lanes are narrow. Traffic swerves. You'll miss shophouse detail at any speed faster than a stroll. Cycling is common. Rental shops sit near the market. The flat terrain is easy. Heat between 10am and 3pm demands planning. Heading north to the temples, hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day. A good one times gates and sunrise spots. That coordination matters.
Where to Stay in Old Market (Phsar Chas)
Shinta Mani Wild (in-town property)
Luxury, $$$$
Lane near Kandal Village
Boutique, $$
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