Central Market - Psar Thmei
Located in the heart of Phnom Penh, the Khmer name of this market is Phsar Thmey which means as "New Market". Built in 1937 with the French designer Louis Chauchon, this is the most outstanding market with an unique colonial architecture, a marvelous building both technically and in art. Designed by Art Deco style, Central Market is the largest building in this style in the whole Asia.
The market has a pale yellow color and a large central dome with 4 huge corridors as 4 wings radiating around, each corridor contains many shopping stalls with thousand variety items. The plus point for this bustling market is that the building is completely closed but still very well-ventilated, making buyers and sellers feel comfortable inside, avoiding rain or the hot temperature outside.
Phnom Penh Central Market
At the market, you can find some silver, gold jewelry, archaic coin, old watches; clothes or silk products,...In particular, when passing the market gate is many stalls selling oil, water-oil from Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia,...and along the two side are export clothes stalls. Go deeper, visitors can also easily but genuine goods bearing Cambodia's cultural identity as gifts for relatives and friends. One of them is bandanna with all favorite colors like red, white or black and white with stripes. And you should strongly bargain, pay down half or 1/3 of the price offered by the seller because shopping in Phnom Penh is cheaper than Siem Reap.
Inside The Central Market In Phnom Penh.
After a shopping tour, you can stop at the food court to save energy. The food court is located on the west side of the Central Market. There are lots of Cambodian specialties and desserts such as the most popular dishes are Amok Trey, fish fillets marinated in spices and wrapped in banana leaves.
Phsar Thmey is open daily from 7:00 to 18:00 and with this spacious market, you can discover not only the goods selling here but also the lifestyle of Cambodian vendor. But visitors have to pay attention to pickpockets because of the crowded and bustling market.
