Khmer Food and Apsara Dance in Siem Reap

At 7:30 PM, the dance show started.

It is said that Apsara is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. They are beautiful and supernatural female beings dancing to the music of Gandharvas which usually takes place in the palaces of the gods, entertain and sometimes seduce gods and men.

In Cambodia, Apsara represent an important motif in the stone bas-reliefs of the Angkorian temples in Cambodia. It is said that Khmer female figures that are dancing or are poised to dance are considered apsaras.

Indeed, the indigenous ballet-like performance art of Cambodia is called “Apsara Dance”. To know more about this, you may visit this link.

Oh, did I mention that the costumes of those female performers are very elegant and classy?!


The dance show is a must try when visiting this country as you will be able to witness a classical show rich in culture; as each movement and steps tell a story. 

Angkor Night Market

After watching the classical Apsara Dance show, we rode a tuktuk going to the Angkor Night Market. Fare is about US $ 1.00 per person but it’s cheaper if you pay in Riel. It took us about 3 to 5 minutes to get to the area.

The Angkor Night Market is located at Khum Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap and open from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM. You might be confused if the tuktuk driver dropped you off the main road which has a lot of night markets around; the place most likely be the old market, the real Angkor Night Market is still located inside as you passed by a street, you may ask around anyway. 

Here you’ll find cheap items; souvenir items, shirts and bags to name a few. I bought a shirt and a ref magnet to include in my travel collections. All of them for only about US $ 4.00.

You can also splurge yourselves for some relaxation treat as there are stalls that offer massages and spa (i.e. fish spa).

Me and my friend planned to spend our time for a little bit of drinking session afterwards at the Pub street just to wrap up our visit  in Cambodia but we’ve decided not to anymore as we were only left with few dollars or should I say none at all. Well, from being a millionaire in Vietnam we suddenly became a pauper in Cambodia. Anyway, that maybe a reason for me to get back to this place. Anyone? Needless to say, we were still able to enjoy Siem Reap the most out of it despite of our diminishing budget.