You have been wanting to visit the mythical Angkor for such a long time but now, after a few hours visit, you could do with a break from the temples… maybe it’s time to enjoy the Siem Reap shopping scene. The town has changed a lot over the last few years and you can now find a lot of decent places to shop. Here is my selection!
The classic: the old market or Psaar Chas for cheap souvenirs.
The main thing you need to be aware of is the need to NEGOTIATE – this is the way it works here. Be careful silk is often not actually silk, and most of the products come from Thailand or China.
My buy at the market: for me it’s all about a new scarf for my collection.
The tourist hotspot: Artisan d’Angkor is quite a celebrity in Angkor, EVERYBODY goes there to visit the workshop to buy a souvenir. Its not a bad option: your money will go towards helping Cambodian people and the quality is pretty good …but the prices are high and the shop looks like a tourist mall.
My buy: a silk cushion cover (don’t forget to measure your cushions before coming)
Bloom Bags
The Socially Responsible Choice: Bloom is a social entreprise that makes bags from recycled rice and fish feed bags. You can find similar ones at the market but at Bloom there is more choice and you are doing a little something for charity. I also found them much better quality products for only a few dollars more. Their shop is located close to the Warehouse Pub, not far from Psaar Chas.
My buy: the yoga map bag
Little Soho Siem Reap: Alley West is a pedestrian area where you can experience shopping at Siem Reap’s trendy shops (Wild Poppy, Waterlily, Tendance Khmere, Smateria, Garden of Desire….) My favorite shops are Tendance Khmere and Smateria. Tendance Khmere is an interior design shop (that has a shop in Paris now!) and Smateria is making classy bags out of recycled materials
My buy: the beach bag at Smateria and the bean bags of Tendance Kkmere
Eric Raisina Scarf
The Haute Couture Stop: Eric Raisina’s work can be discovered at his own workshop (ask the tuk tuk driver for Veal Village) or in some shops of Siem Reap. If you decide to come to the showroom, call in advance to let them know. His work is amazing and the prices are not bad for the quality you get.
My buy: light silky scarfs. I love mine and I wear it all the time
Jayav Art Statue
The Quality Souvenir Option: Jayav Art and their chewed paper statues – original, convenient (as they are very light), relatively cheap and really beautiful. You can find them at their workshop as well as in a few hotels and shops in town. We bought ours at the restaurant “La Cabane d’Antonin” where they were the cheapest around at the time. I love bringing back statues from my trips and this one is definitely a favorite
My buy: the aspara statue
What about you? What did you buy in Siem Reap? Any recommendations to share with us?
VOYAGISTA 
Leave a Reply