There is great shopping you can do here in Phnom Penh, be forewarned though that argain shopping here can be done not in the comforts of airconditioned malls like in other countries but in traditional Cambodian markets. The main rule of the shopping game here is: BARGAIN!

Markets in Phnom Penh are usually open from 6:00 am till 5:00 pm. For tourists here, I’d really advice shopping in some shops selling handicrafts and textiles as some of these are raising funds for poor Cambodians.

Here’s a little overview of where to go shopping and what are the best finds in these markets:

Central Market or Psar Thmei

At the time of writing this post, this market is under renovation so vendors are temporarily located on makeshift stalls along the streets surrounding the market. Since these stalls are temporary, it can get unbearably hot because its a little crowded. Anyway, once the market is done being renovated things will get a little easier.

The main Art Deco building is really prominent , dome shaped with four wings. I’m not sure how it’ll look like once the work is finished. These market has plenty of stalls selling gold and silver jewelry, antique coins, clothing and other accessories. You can also find stalls selling Cambodian krama or scarves, household items, clothes for sarong, and also second-hand clothes. The market also has a fresh food section. One side of the market also has stalls selling fresh flowers and potted plants.

The Central Market is really a must visit for avid shoppers as it has a wide range of products you can choose from. Be wary though about being overcharged so bargain until you can get the best price.

Psar Tuol Tom Poung or Russian Market

During the 1980′s Russians living here frequented this market that is why it has earned this nick name. Located on corner of St. 440 and 163, near Mao Tse Toung Blvd. (I’m so lucky I live so near this place ). This market is really crowded and it could get unbearably hot. Best time to go is after lunch, less crowds but its hot..The pathways inside can be so narrow so be forewarned, if you go at busy hours, be prepared to squeeze your way in.

This is the most popular market among tourists as it the best place to buy souvenirs. It has a wide variety of real and fake antiques, wooed carvings, silk, silver jewelry. Another reason why foreigners love this market – brand name clothing made from garment factories here in Phnom Penh can be bought here at less than 15% of its original price. Brands like Gap, Columbia, Levis, Calvin Klein, Dockers, Quicksilver and more are all here. There are also several stalls selling pirated DVD’s, CD’s and computer programs.

I love books! It’s one passion I share with my husband and now my daughter… I guess this is infectious. When we were in the Philippines, we’d regularly have book shopping trips. We’ve accumulated a lot of books, so when we moved here it took a lot of space of our luggage plus there are still several more boxes left in Manila for shipping here.

The first week we got here, we drove around looking for bookstores to fill our book addiction. There are a lot of new school supplies/bookstores in town but they don’t really have much in terms of books. I think the bookshop with the best stocks of books is Monument Books located along Norodom Blvd., plus they have a good collection of Cambodia-related books.

There are also a number of second-hand bookshops around Phnom Penh. D’s Books  has a good number of second-hand books for sale. Near the riverfront there are also some second-hand bookstores. Boston Book Company also sells second hand books and they have fairly good stocks of science, education, children’s books but less on fiction. They are located in St. 240 and they regularly hold book sales in malls like Sovanna Shopping Center and schools.

Books are a great way to unwind, relax and for me its also a good way to ward off homesickness. I suppose we’d be needing another bookshelf soon..

(Photo Credit: D’s Bookshop website..)

This week has been a flurry of acitivities for us. My brother in law is getting married early next month so preparations are underway. Weddings are a really festive occassion here in Cambodia. I’ve attended several weddings (I have a post in draft about marriage and customs here in Cambodia, hope I could get around to posting it soon..) here and people even guest really make the effort to dress formally for the occassion.

I’m more used to wearing semi-formal or cocktail dresses to parties but since its a family affair I decided to have a tailored made traditional Cambodian dress made for the wedding. I spent the day shopping yesterday for the clothes. I really miss shopping in the Philippines, and waiting for the sale season to get the best prices.