The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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SIEM REAP
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NIGHTLIFE
help villagers in Takeo, south of Phnom Penh, grow their own businesses. There is also a
brand-new branch of Wanderlust in Phnom Penh (on No. 21 St. 240). Open Mon-Sat
11am-10pm; Sun 2-10pm. Alley West. & 063/965-980. www.wanderlustcambodia.com.
MARKETS
Angkor Night Market Entering this market, you may think that you’ve arrived in
Thailand. Neat thatched roofs cover stalls selling an array of silks, statuary, souvenirs,
clothing, jewelry, and art. You won’t find any bargains here, but it is a relaxed place to
shop with little of the hassle one finds elsewhere. You can check it out beforehand by
looking at their website. Daily 3pm to midnight. Off Sivatha Rd. & 092/654-315. www.
angkornightmarket.com.
New Market Recently rebuilt, the New Market is distinct from the old in that it
caters more to local tastes, which makes it good for a wander and for taking some photos.
Open daily from dawn to dusk. On the north end of Sivatha St.
Psar Chas, the Old Market The very heart of tourist Siem Reap, this is the best
place to find Buddhist trinkets and souvenirs such as T-shirts, as well as good books on
the temples. The market is a fun wander and friendly folks here are used to foreign visitors
so you can easily haggle in English (or by passing a calculator back and forth to
display your offer on an item). The many food stalls on the north end of the market are
a good way to sample local cuisine for next to nothing. Most businesses in town give their
address in relation to the Old Market address, so it’s a good place to know for orientation
purposes. Open daily from dawn to dusk. Riverside in the south end of town.
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Siem Reap is a town where most visitors are up with the sun and out visiting the temple
sites, but there are an increasing number of good evening options.
BARS & CLUBS
Pub Street is now beginning to resemble the party towns of Thailand with throbbing
music, wandering crowds, boisterous backpackers, hawkers, prostitutes, and touts. It is
amazing how quickly these developments have taken place. There are now quite a number
of bars open into the small hours.
The Angkor What? (Pub St., 1 block west of the Old Market; & 012/490-755) was
the first—and still the most popular—one here, more or less where it’s at in Siem Reap.
Sign your name on the wall and say hi to all those you met that day at the temples or on
highways elsewhere. Easy Speaking Café and Pub, just next to the busy Angkor What?
(above), handles the spillover. A similar crowd stays late. World Lounge (& 012/865-
332), in the same area, also rocks late and has a free pool table.
At Miss Wong (The Lane behind Pub St.; 855/92-428-332) you’ll leave Cambodia
behind and time-travel to Old Shanghai. This bar, with deep red walls, leather booths,
and excellent cocktails, adds some welcome class to Siem Reap’s after-dark scene.
Dead Fish Tower (& 063/963-060), on the main road heading toward the temples,
is set up like the rigging of a tall ship, with precarious perches, funky nooks, and unique
drinks.
Laundry (& 016/962-026) is the funky side of Siem Reap. When the temple town
gets psychedelic and stays up really late, this is where it happens. On a side street to the