Exploring Pub Street and Night Market, Siem Reap

Last Updated on February 12, 2021

Once the sun is down and the Angkor temples close for the day, the Siem Reap town gets ready to welcome the templed out tourists. The streets come to life with neon lights, music, and food. And tourists head for the markets, the restaurants and the pubs at Pub Street and Night Market, Siem Reap.

Pub street, Siem Reap

Although we were not the pub-hopping type, we refused to stay cooped up in our hotel. We wanted to experience night-time Siem Reap. Experiencing Pub Street was on our list since this area is one of the most iconic places in Siem Reap…… that is not a temple!!

This is the place where you can put up your feet up and relax over endless pitchers of beer. This is also the place where you can put your feet down – in a fish tank. Fish massage parlours are found in every nook and corner where the Angkor raiders can be found dipping their feet.

And if you’re hungry – whether you’re looking for an authentic Khmer dish, Italian food, or French cuisine, this street has restaurants, cafes and bars catering to it all. You’ll find something suitable for everyone including vegetarian and vegan options.

Street food

If street food is what you’re looking for, this happening place is also filled with food and drink carts. From the popular banana pancakes to fresh fruit slices to barbeque skewers to pickled fruits to a few of the exotic delicacies like crispy insects, spiders, and scorpions, you get to sample whatever you like.

The neon lights that can be seen along the street and in front of the facades of the joints add to the colour.  There are war veterans, street performers and live music bands filling every corner of the street with music.

Angkor What?

Angkor What Bar is the oldest bar in Pub Street. Opened in 1998, the tag line
claims that the bar is promoting irresponsible drinking since 1998!! It is also one of the bars that remain open until the wee hours. The walls of the bar are covered with graffiti messages from visiting tourists. 

No vehicle zone

After 5 pm, no vehicles are allowed on Pub street; this means you need not dodge traffic as you sample local Khmer cuisine from street vendors or stroll around looking for souvenirs.  

Night market, Siem Reap

We also walked around the Night Market which is located a stone’s throw away from Pub Street. There are a lot of small lanes to explore where there are shops that cater to souvenirs, trinkets, cosmetics, dresses, spices, housewares, jewellery, fruits, vegetables….you name it and they have it.

A cleaner Pub Street?

In July 2017, guidelines were issued to clean up Pub Street and make it more tourist friendly. Businesses were asked to remove illegal signs and electrical wires, cease operation of illegal parking spots and encroach the street.

Where is Pub street and Night market located?

Pub street, officially known as Street 08 on street maps, is located in the southern end of central Siem Reap. The night market is a 2-minute walk from Street 08.