Tourist Information - The Russian Market

The Russian Market

Name in English	Name in Khmer	Rating:
The Russian Market	p'sâ too-uhl tum poong

City:	Phnom Penh
Price:	free
Open time:	7:00am to 5:00pm
How to get there:	From the Independence Monument head south along Norodom Blvd. Turn right at the first set of lights (Moa Tse Tung Blvd.). Go straight east (away from the river) through one set of lights (Monivong Blvd.) and then turn left at the next set of traffic lights (about 1km further down the road). Go straight for about 300m. You will see the market on the left.

The Russian Market is popular among tourists, local expatriates and Cambodians alike. Located in the southern portion of Phnom Penh it is so called because of its popularity among Russian expatriates during the 1980s.
	The market is has many things of interest to many people. Inside you can find, all manner of hardware goods, drinks and cooked food, antique furniture, traditional carvings and handicraft, hand-woven silk, music, movie and computer CDs, silverware, gems, books and maps, backpacks and bags and shoes and clothing. Some shoes and clothing originate as out-takes from various garment factories. Hence some top labels can be found at very reasonable prices.
Many local artisans use the market as an outlet to the tourist market. You can find the new traditional handicrafts interspersed with older genuine antique carvings. You can often see provincial artisans carrying their goods which they have brought with them, sometimes as far away as Mondol Kiri and Rottana Kiri, to sell to the Russian Market retailers. This is especially true just prior to the 'Water Festival' (or 'Boat Races') which usually occurs around mid-November every year. The newer wooden carvings may tend to split once they are taken to a less humid climate. Most retailers will repair these items in the first year after purchase if you have made an agreement during bargaining.