SHOPPING IN CAMBODIA
Cambodia is fast becoming a shopper’s paradise with expensive, upscale boutiques and malls sharing space with noisy markets and street stalls. Over the last ten years, successful jewelry designers and
painters, who grew up overseas, have returned, adding to the country’s burgeoning growth of arts
and crafts. Atmospheric markets offer a wide variety of ceramics, silk kramas (scarves), curios, silverware, statuary and carvings, brass rub bings, and paintings. Cambodian silk is
prized the world over and
shoppers can strike some great bargains in markets where prices are flexible and friendly haggling the norm. Those looking for more exclusive purchases will not be disappointed in the stylish shops
that proliferate the shopping districts of major cities.
OPENING HOURS
Most shops in the cities open at 7:30am and usually close by 6pm. They also close for a couple of hours for lunch from 11am. Markets in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap operate from sunrise to sunset and are best visited after the morning rush. Some markets also shut for public holidays. All shops
and markets are open through the week and on weekends.
HOW TO PAY
Cash is the most readily accepted means of payment with most upscale stores also accepting credit cards. The US dollar is accepted throughout the country, and many premium shops often quote prices in dollars rather than the local riel. Areas along the eastern border, close to Thailand, also
accept the baht. Haggling is part of Khmer culture and happens everywhere – with vendors, tuk-tuk
and moto drivers, in local markets, hotels, and shops – but it is unlikely to be the norm
in high-end establishments. If bargaining is done in the right manner – with a friendly and calm disposition – you can catch yourself a real steal.
Remember that prices are inflated to begin with and the vendor expects you to bargain.
RIGHTS AND REFUNDS
As a general rule, once sold, goods are not taken back. In malls, however, where certain items come with a warranty, exchange or refund is possible. Similarly, boutiques owned by foreigners may be more willing to take back damaged goods.
DEPARTMENT STORES
AND MALLS Increasingly popular in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, department stores and malls offer stiff competition to traditional markets. The capital has three malls, the newest of them being the City Mall. Sovanna, a department store, and Sorya, the oldest and most Western-style mall are located south of the Central Market. Siem Reap’s plush Museum Mall and Angkor Trade Shopping Mall are home to stylish boutiques, electronic shops, and eateries.
SHOPPING STREETS
AND DISTRICTS Phnom Penh’s Street 178, running parallel to the road near the National Museum, is
known for its sculpture shops and art galleries. There are also a number of handicraft artisans
here as well as silk boutiques.
Nearby, Sisowath Quay has a rich selection of boutiques, galleries, and bookshops. The charming Boeung Keng Kang area, long considered the foreigner’s quarter, has many shops, massage spas, and
posh silk boutiques. Quality boutiques have also blossomed all over Siem Reap, particularly in the old French Quarter, with a wide range of jewelers, tailors, picture galleries, artisans, and shops
specializing in luxury home decor. While these shops are not cheap, they reflect the excellence of their artists, many of whom are widely respected outside the country.
MARKETS AND
STREET VENDORS The best places to shop and experience an authentic slice of Cambodian life is in one of its markets. The bustling bazaars of Phnom Penh include the Russian Market,
Central Market, and Psar Russei. Siem Reap’s well-known markets include Psar
Chaa, next to the old French Quarter, and the Angkor Night Market, which is replete with jewelry stalls, food vendors, and handicrafts, as well as a thatched bar.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
Produced all over the country, Cambodia’s arts and crafts include a wide variety of finely wrought silver, gems, kramas, wood carvings, stone sculptures, and antiques. Apsara
Art Gallery has a range of contemporary Southeast Asian art, while Asasax Art Gallery celebrates the unique paintings of its contemporary artist Asasax. Silk products can be bought at CYK Handicrafts, an NGO, or Couleurs d’Asie. Artisans d’Angkor make wood and stone carvings worth buying.
Visitors can also head to Mekong Quilts, for quilts made by rural women.
CLOTHING
Apart from traditional clothes, Cambodia also offers a wide variety of designer garments in outlets such as Bliss, which also tailor clothes. Visitors can avail of similar services at Cherry Blossom Boutique and Tom and Alice Tailor. Attractive T-shirts, sold at Mulberry Boutique and Bambou Company Indochine, make for memorable souvenirs. Yet another great place to pick up stylish
clothes is Pich Reamker Shop.
CERAMICS AND LACQUERWARE
Traditional Khmer lacquerware continues to flourish today through organizations such as Artisans d’Angkor where visitors can not only observe the process of making lacquerware, but also buy the
finished product.
The National Centre for Khmer Ceramics Revival is another organization from where visitors can
pick up some beautiful souvenirs.
COUNTERFEIT GOODS
Cambodians selling silverware or other silver artifacts in markets are more often than not hawking poor quality products or fakes. If a silver product, for instance, does not weigh much in your hand, it is likely to have a low silver content and should not be priced very high. Visitors should be wary
of traders claiming to sell original artifacts from Angkor.
This is not only illegal, as it robs the country of its heritage, but also likely to be fake.
