Cambodia - Russian Market in Phnom Penh

During the 80s, this market in Phnom Penh was very popular to Russian expats in Cambodia hence it was called as Russian market. Actually this market is like any typical South East Asian Flea market where both dry and wet goods are being sold. More so, tourists will either love or hate this place. I will tell you why.

SOUVENIR ITEMS

Like any flea market, you'll find local foods/handicrafts/souvenirs/pirated CDs and DVDs side by side with cheap imitations and the usual Chinese knick-knacks. There are some eateries inside as well while haggling is considered as a norm. In addition, jewelry and silk shops offer competitive price.

EATERIES

If you are into bargain and thrill hunting and you don't have this kind of market in your home country then this place would be very interesting. Otherwise you might find this place dinky and humid. There are some areas that are crowded and dark while some areas are not that very interesting to explore such as wet goods, hardware and motorcycle parts shops.

JEWELRY SHOPS

After more than an hour of exploring, I found something better than those gems being sold by the jewelry shops. I found "The Best Iced Coffee in Phnom Penh." Due to humidity, my tongue was longing for an ice cold drink and a place where I can have a short rest. It was by accident I have discovered this "gem" in the midst of Russian market. You may refer to my post:  The Best Iced Coffee in Phnom Penh

I went to this place by tuk-tuk and paid 2 USD. After several hours of exploration I decided to take my lunch at nearby KFC where I met 4 fellow Filipinos taking their lunch also.

"Palengke"

This market is somewhat similar to our "Palengke" in Philippines.

As I mentioned earlier, either you'll love this place or hate it. In my case, if not for "The Best Iced Coffee" I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone unless you have some extra time to spend in Phnom Penh. Surprisingly, I didn't find any interesting place nearby hence I went back to my hotel after exploring this market.

I found the Central Market more conducive for shopping and sightseeing since I can always drop by at nearby Sorya Mall after a tiring walk at Central Market.