Phnom Penh concentrates Cambodia's most developed nightlife infrastructure along Riverside (Sisowath Quay) and Street 51 (also called Street Wine). Riverside bars operate from approximately 5 PM until midnight or 1 AM, with establishments like Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) occupying a 1920s colonial building at 363 Sisowath Quay. Street 51 contains approximately thirty bars in a two-block radius, most operating until 2 AM on weekends. Bassac Lane, a pedestrian alley connecting Streets 308 and 51, opened in 2015 and houses ten bars and restaurants in renovated shophouses, attracting expatriate and younger Cambodian clientele. Live music venues include The Box Office at 271 Sisowath Quay, which presents Khmer rock bands Thursday through Saturday, and Sharky Bar at 126 Street 130, which hosts DJ nights and live performances in a venue capacity of approximately two hundred. Phnom Penh's remaining nightclubs operate primarily on Street 51 and Street 136, with venues like Pontoon and Heart of Darkness (opened 1995) maintaining dance floors until 3 AM on weekends. The Cambodian government enforces closing times inconsistently, with periodic crackdowns resulting in strict midnight closures.
Siem Reap's Pub Street has operated as a tourist nightlife zone since the late 1990s, pedestrianized in 2012. Approximately forty bars and restaurants line the 150-meter street, most serving two-for-one drink promotions from 5 PM to 8 PM. Angkor What? Bar at the Pub Street intersection operates the longest hours, typically until 2 AM. The adjacent Old Market (Psar Chas) area contains additional bars catering to budget travelers. Siem Reap night markets operate along Sivatha Boulevard, opening at 5 PM and closing at midnight, with approximately one hundred sixty stalls selling handicrafts, clothing, and street food. Beatnik at 7 Makara Street opened in 2018 offering craft cocktails in a quieter setting than Pub Street. Cambodian Land Mine Museum and Relief Center founder Aki Ra's bar on Pub Street closed in 2017. Phare Ponleu Selpak, a circus arts organization based in Battambang, operates Phare the Cambodian Circus in Siem Reap with performances Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8 PM. The ninety-minute shows incorporate acrobatics, theater, and live music performed by students from the Battambang training program.
Sihanoukville nightlife concentrated historically on Weather Station Hill and Serendipity Beach Road, but Chinese casino development from 2016 onward transformed the urban landscape. Otres Beach, seven kilometers south of the town center, maintains lower-density beach bars operating until approximately 11 PM. Sky Bar at Independence Hotel on Sopheakmongkol Street occupies a seventh-floor location with views of Kampong Som Bay, opening at 5 PM daily. The Cloud nightclub operates on Victory Hill, though the area's character shifted substantially with casino construction. Koh Rong island, accessible by ferry in forty-five minutes from Sihanoukville, hosts beach parties at Koh Touch, the main arrival pier village, with electronic music events occurring irregularly during high season (November through March). Sok San Beach on Koh Rong's opposite side maintains quieter beach bars.
Battambang nightlife centers on Street 2.5 (Steng Sangke Riverside) where approximately fifteen bars operate, most closing by midnight. Circus Bar at Street 2.5 shows Phare Ponleu Selpak promotional videos and supports the arts organization. La Villa at 185 Street 2.5 occupies a renovated 1930s colonial house offering French wine in a garden setting. Madison Corner at Street 2 and Street 2.5 operates as the primary late-night venue, staying open until 1 AM on weekends. Battambang's nightlife serves primarily NGO workers, teachers, and domestic tourists rather than international backpackers.
Kampot maintains limited nightlife focused on the riverside area where approximately ten bars operate. Epic Arts Cafe at Kampot Riverfront employs deaf staff and closes at 9 PM. Banananananah at 4 Riverfront Street operates until midnight serving craft beer. The Columns at Old Market Street occupies a 1920s building with pool tables and stays open until 11 PM most nights. Kep contains minimal nightlife infrastructure, with most visitors returning to guesthouses by 9 PM after sunset viewing at Kep Beach.
Cambodian law prohibits nightclub operation past designated closing times established by provincial governors, typically 2 AM in Phnom Penh and midnight in provinces. Police enforce these regulations with intermittent intensity. Karaoke establishments (KTV) operate throughout Cambodia and serve primarily Cambodian clientele, often functioning as hostess bars. These venues are distinct from tourist-oriented nightlife and typically close by midnight.
Phnom Penh's Central Market (Psar Thmei) opened in 1937, designed by French architect Jean Desbois in art deco style with a distinctive yellow dome. The market contains four wings radiating from the central dome, with approximately 1,500 stalls selling jewelry, watches, electronics, clothing, and household goods. Gold and jewelry vendors concentrate in the central dome section. The market operates from 5 AM to 5 PM daily. Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Poung) acquired its name during the 1980s when Russian expatriates shopped there. The market specializes in textiles, handicrafts, antiques, and souvenirs, operating from 7 AM to 5 PM. Approximately two thousand vendors occupy the market's interior sections, which lack air conditioning. Authentic Khmer silk from Takeo and Kampong Cham provinces sells alongside imported Chinese silk, requiring examination of weave tightness and price comparison for verification. Silver-plated and brass items marketed as antiques are frequently modern reproductions, as genuine Khmer antiques rarely appear in markets due to export restrictions and prior looting.
Night markets in Phnom Penh operate near the riverfront on weekends, with the primary location at Phnom Penh Night Market on Sisowath Quay near Street 106, open Friday through Sunday from 5 PM to midnight. Approximately two hundred stalls sell clothing, accessories, and street food. Aeon Malls, a Japanese retail chain, operates three locations in Phnom Penh (opened 2014, 2018, and 2019), each containing approximately two hundred shops including international brands and supermarkets. These air-conditioned malls attract middle-class Cambodian families and operate from 9 AM to 10 PM daily.
Siem Reap's Old Market (Psar Chas) operates from 6 AM to 6 PM selling produce, meat, fish, and souvenirs in a covered structure near Pub Street. The market expanded tourist-oriented sections during the 2000s but maintains local food stalls on the northern side. Angkor Night Market at Sivatha Boulevard and Night Market Street operates from 4 PM to midnight with approximately 240 stalls selling handicrafts, clothing, silk items, and wood carvings. King's Road Angkor, a shopping complex opened in 2016, contains international brands and a supermarket, operating 10 AM to 10 PM. Artisans Angkor at 16 Stung Thmey Street operates as a social enterprise training artisans in silk weaving, stone carving, and lacquerware production. The attached showroom sells products at fixed prices, with silk scarves ranging from fifteen to forty dollars depending on size and weave complexity. Wood carvings and stone reproductions of Angkorian temple art are available but require permits for export if classified as antiques (items over one hundred years old).