Siem Reap wakes up around 7 p.m. near Pub Street. Phnom Penh is brasher, more local, more authentic. Dollar beers, honest cocktails, and a few spots worth hunting down.
Pub Street for the atmosphere, the adjacent streets for the best addresses, the night market for street food. Bars with live Khmer music, cocktails worth trying, and spots to avoid.
See the guide →BKK1 for trendy bars, Sisowath Quay for the Mekong vibe, Street 308 for locals. Rooftops, clubs after midnight, and the Kanika cruise at sunset before starting the night.
See the guide →Grab (the equivalent of Uber) operates in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap until late. Avoid hailing tuk-tuks on the street after midnight, especially if you have been drinking. Agree on the price before getting in.
Snatch-theft (theft from a moving motorcycle): do not take out your phone or handbag on the street at night. Keep documents and cash in limited amounts on you.
Drug use is severely punished in Cambodia, including for foreigners. Police checkpoints exist. Never accept substances from a stranger — fines and prison sentences are real.
The Kanika sunset cruise on the Mekong in Phnom Penh — the best appetizer before a night out in the city.
