Pub street and Angkor night Market, Siem Reap, Cambodia

I did not want to leave the club yet. I was at the bar, alone, having my fifth mug of beer, just waiting for all the alcohol to sink in. then I could join the mob, start dancing, vanish in between the phosphorescent lights, and lose myself in the beat of the pumping music that practically made the building explode. It was close to midnight, and I had not spoken to anybody at the club except one waitress who had been serving me my pints of beer. The night did not start out this way and would not end like this, either.

Angkor night Market

Earlier that evening, I was with my pal Bebs, a Filipino now based in Bangkok but joined me on this trip to Siem Reap. We just finished dinner and chose to walk around Angkor night Market to check out anything that we might be interested in buying.

Angkor night Market

Angkor night Market, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor night Market in Siem Reap opened just five years ago, in 2007. It is said to be the first night market in Cambodia. What sets it aside from the other night markets I have seen in other Asian cities like Hong Kong, Malacca, and Bangkok, the Angkor night Market features and highlights not just the goods being offered but also the place itself — a series of trendy conventional huts developed Khmer style. This fosters a very Cambodian atmosphere, adding to a really delightful experience walking around the labyrinth of over 240 shops. many of the items available are paintings, wood carvings, silk, and local delicacies. There are also a few massage and medspa bars for those who need a little much more pampering after a day of exploring the city.

After fifteen minutes of squeezing our way through the narrow alleys sandwiched by conventional souvenir shops and massage corners, we emerged from the night market empty-handed. It’s not that we could not find anything terrific — there was a lot actually — but I just thought it was too early to purchase souvenirs from this trip. It was only Day 3 of my month-long Southeast Asian trip and I wouldn’t want to worry about overspending in the future.

Pub Street

Just a couple of blocks from Angkor night Market lies Pub Street. The name alone excites tourists, myself included. As the name suggests, Pub street is a short alley flanked by clubs, bars, and restaurants, providing a broad variety of culinary treats from Khmer specialties to Western favorites. All these under the glowing neon signs of the establishments that have redefined the tourism culture in the city while offering what travelers look for — a pleased hour after an exhausting day of touring.

Most of the customers here are backpackers ready for a drink or two (or twenty). two of the most popular are Angkor What? and temple Club, both seem to be on a neck-and-neck race for the award for who’s got the louder speakers. but the amped up music filling the air sets the party mood, with some tourists even dancing in the street. I had a pleasure of viewing one female traveler showcase her best Gangnam style moves.

Tucked in one adjacent alleyway is a bar called Linga. One night, on the way to the Pub Street, we passed by this establishment and we were drawn by the growing crowd. Apparently, the bar stages shows featuring their best gay performers. I also discovered that many of the patrons were gay men. Seeing cities embrace diversity always paints a smile on my face.

Pub Street, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodian beer.

Linga Bar, Pub Street, Siem Reap

The clock was about to strike midnight when I chose I wanted to dance. I asked my pal Bebs to relocation to a club nearby, but he chose to stay at Linga to finish the show so I went alone. While the club was crowded, I was alone in the first thirty minutes, ordering beer one pint after another. It wasn’t long until I was able to start conversations with other tourists.

A British man, traveling alone, seated beside me at the bar shared how he concerned just get lost in the music while drinking. I also met a Cambodian man my age who kept on dancing with female tourists all night long. I met and danced with a gay couple, a number of straight couples, and a lot of groups of pals who were all dancing together, in some cases pulling me to join their circle as they moved to the beat of the most recent international clubbangers under the black light. They moved at a dizzying pace as their clothes glowed, a burst of hypnotic bluish white gleam in the deep dark.

Under the black light

My pal Bebs found me in the middle of the crowd and required me to purchase him a drink, which I did. He danced with other tourists for a short while and then, all of a sudden, chose to call it a night. I would have gone with him because I was frightened to walk to the hostel alone, but I did not want to leave the club yet. I was having so much fun here.

Just before he left, I met an Australian backpacker, who then introduced me to another friend. We had a terrific conversation desΠιέστε την πολύ δυνατή μουσική, η οποία μας ώθησε να φωνάξουμε κάθε λέξη που ρίξαμε ο ένας στον άλλο. Η συζήτηση πήγε πολύ μακριά και σκέφτηκα ότι ήρθε η ώρα να πάει.

Ενώ εκείνη τη νύχτα τελείωσε αρκετά απότομα για μένα, ήταν απελευθερωτικό να αφήσω χαλαρά σε ένα μέρος όπου κανείς δεν ήξερε ποιος ήμουν και κανείς δεν θα νοιαζόταν για το τι κάνω. Τα φώτα νέον πάνω από το κεφάλι λάμπουν καθώς περνούσα κάτω σαν να μπερδεύονταν, με πείθει να επιστρέψω αμέσως. «Μέχρι να συναντηθούμε ξανά, Pub Street.

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Καμπότζη

Προορισμοί: Διεθνής

Δρόμοι + γέφυρες

Θερμάστρα

Καμπότζη νυχτερινής αγοράς Angkor

Angkor Night Market Siem Reap

Τα καλύτερα πράγματα που πρέπει να κάνετε στην Καμπότζη

Τα καλύτερα πράγματα που πρέπει να κάνετε στο Siem Reap

Τα καλύτερα σημεία απόδρασης στην Καμπότζη

Τα καλύτερα σημεία απόδρασης στο Siem Reap

Ταξίδια προϋπολογισμού της Καμπότζης

Νυχτερινή ζωή της Καμπότζης

Κόμμα σε πάρτι στο Siem Reap

Pub Street Siem Reap Καμπότζη

Ταξίδι προϋπολογισμού Siem Reap

Siem Reap Καμπότζη

Clubs Siem Reap

Η νυχτερινή ζωή

Siem Reap Restaurants