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District · Siem Reap

Wat Damnak & the river

A calmer strip of guesthouses and cafés south-east of the market, ten minutes on foot from Pub Street.

sleepsee

Key facts

Suits
Quieter stays and a slower pace
Room prices
$$$
price band of 5
Sights here
1
Eats here
3

What it's like

Feels:
Busy, cheap and loud after dark; quiet and shaded in the morning
Suits:
Quieter stays and a slower pace
Best time:
Early morning and 18:00–24:00
Watch out for:
The market at midday in the heat.
In short:
A calmer strip of guesthouses and cafés south-east of the market, ten minutes on foot from Pub Street.

About these names

Tell the driver the temple and the gate, not just "Angkor": the park has several entrances and dozens of temples.

The town is a grid around the Old Market (Psar Chas) and Pub Street on the west bank of the Siem Reap river, with Wat Damnak and quieter guesthouses to the south-east, the royal gardens and museums to the north, and the Angkor Archaeological Park 6–10 km further north. Everything in town is walkable in the cool hours; the temples are a tuk-tuk ride.

Where exactly

This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.

Wat Damnak & the river on the Siem Reap mapTap an area for what it is like and who it suits. Shapes follow this guide’s walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Old Market & Pub Street: First nights, food and evening walksWat Damnak & the river's east bank: Quieter stays and a slower pace

Wat Damnak & the river

sleepseePrice $$$

A calmer strip of guesthouses and cafés south-east of the market, ten minutes on foot from Pub Street.

Suits: Quieter stays and a slower pace

On the map: Wat Damnak

District guideWalk: Old Market & Pub StreetSleep: Wat Damnak & the river's east bankIn the districts table

Off the map: Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport (SAI) (50–75 min by the usual route).

Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Sivutha Boulevard & the night market, Airport road & big resorts, Tonlé Sap villages. See the table above.

Where’s what, as a list:

  • Old Market & Pub Street: The busiest lanes: market stalls by day, bars and restaurants at night. Choose a hotel on a side lane, not on Pub Street. Suits: First nights, food and evening walks. Price band $$.
  • Wat Damnak & the river: A calmer strip of guesthouses and cafés south-east of the market, ten minutes on foot from Pub Street. Suits: Quieter stays and a slower pace. Price band $$$.
  • Royal Gardens & museum: The Angkor National Museum, the small shrine of Preah Ang Chek and shaded gardens on the north side of town. Suits: A heat break or rain plan.
  • Angkor Wat: The great temple, 6–7 km north of the centre; the first stop for most visitors. Suits: Sunrise, or late afternoon.
  • Angkor Thom & Bayon: The walled city with the Bayon and the Baphuon; Ta Prohm and Banteay Srei are separate drives beyond it. Suits: The next morning.
  • Sivutha Boulevard & the night market: Long strip of shops, cafés and the night markets; more spread out than Pub Street. Suits: Evening browsing.
  • Airport road & big resorts: Large hotels far from the lanes and the market; every meal or outing is a car ride. Suits: Pool-and-transfer stays.
  • Tonlé Sap villages: Floating and stilt villages on the lake, 30–50 km away; a trip, not a base. Suits: A half-day boat trip.
  • Sleep area Old Market & Pub Street: suits First nights, food and evening walks, price band $$.
  • Sleep area Wat Damnak & the river's east bank: suits Quieter stays and a slower pace, price band $$$.
  • Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport (SAI), 50–75 min by the usual route.

Stay here?

How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Siem Reap districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.

  • First visit

    best of 2

    Wat Damnak and the river are close; the temples are the same ride as from anywhere.

  • Families

    best of 2

    Quieter streets and pools help; take a hat and a stroller-free plan.

  • Light sleepers

    best of 2

    A calmer strip along the river; the market is a ten-minute walk.

  • Night owls

    2nd of 2

    Pub Street is a short walk or a cheap tuk-tuk ride away.

    Better for this: Old Market & Pub Street

  • On a budget

    2nd of 2

    Guesthouses and boutique hotels, often with a pool.

    Better for this: Old Market & Pub Street

See

Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.

  • Wat DamnakGo

    A working pagoda compound ten minutes from Pub Street: go in the cool early morning or the late afternoon for a quiet courtyard and monks.

    Hours:
    Open through the day; confirm locally.(check)
    Entry:
    Free

Eat

What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.

  • Khmer restaurant for fish amok (confirm locally)

    A sit-down Khmer dinner in the centre: fish amok, lok lak and a curry; book a table on a weekend and arrive by 19:00.

    Order: Amok (អាម៉ុក): Say "amok trei".

  • Night market street food

    Evening grazing among the stalls: go after 18:00 when it is cooler, eat where it is busy, and carry small notes.

    Order: Sach ang (សាច់អាំង): Say "sach ang".

  • Old Market food stalls

    Walk-in Khmer rice and noodle dishes at the market stalls: go before 11:30 or after 14:00 to avoid the heat and the tour groups.

    Order: Kuy teav (គុយទាវ): Point and say "kuy teav".

Sleep

  • Wat Damnak & the river's east bank$$$

    Quieter nights a 10-minute walk from Old Market: shade, small hotels and cafés, and a car ride for the temple mornings.

    Rooms: US$25–60 (check)

    Skip this if: Fewer restaurants at the door: 10 minutes to Old Market.

    8–12 min walk to Old Market & Pub Street · 22–30 min walk to Royal Gardens & Angkor National Museum

Drink and nightlife

Lines from the Siem Reap drinking guide that name this district.

  • Pub Street and Alley · Bars, restaurants and street stalls · until Late, especially Fri–SatLoud, cheap beer and cocktails, a lot of promotions; watch bags and drinks.
  • The Old Market lanes · Cafés and bars · until about 23:00A little quieter; good for a coffee or a fruit shake after dark.
  • Draught beer · Local lager, often on promotion · until Late · US$0.50–2Pub Street

Shopping

Markets and shopping streets from the Siem Reap buying guide that name this district.

  • Old Market (Psar Chas) · Silk scarves, spices, produce, souvenirs, food stalls · Early morning to evening · haggling: hardThe most visited market; first prices to visitors are high.
  • Silk, weaving and handicrafts from workshop-shops · Around the river and the centre (check the workshop) · Shop hoursSome workshops train and employ local artisans and are open for tours; ask to see the workshop, not only the shop.
  • Krama (checked cotton scarf) and cotton clothes · Old Market and the night markets · Shop hoursA krama is a useful, cheap souvenir that also works as a sun scarf at the temples.
  • Pepper, palm sugar and spice blends · Old Market spice stalls · Shop hoursVacuum-packed pepper and palm sugar travel well; check the origin on the pack.

Getting there and around

Where to get off

  • Walk from the Old Market, about 10–12 min · for Wat Damnak
  • Walk from the Old Market or Pub Street · 5 min walk to Khmer restaurant for fish amok (confirm locally)
  • Walk from the Old Market or Sivutha Boulevard · 8 min walk to Night market street food
  • Old Market, walk from the hotels in the centre · 5 min walk to Old Market food stalls

Walks inside the district

  • Wat Damnak → Old Market food stalls: 11–15 min on foot (Walk north-west to the market)

On to the next area

From other sleep areas

  • From Old Market & Pub Street: 3–6 min walk to Old Market & Pub Street

Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.

Walking loop

A loop that starts and ends at the same place, through this district's sights and eats. Pick a length; download it for Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google Earth.

About 64 min in all: 19 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 3 stops, back to where you started.

123
  1. Wat DamnakStart here · stop about 15 min
  2. Khmer restaurant for fish amok (confirm locally)6 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
  3. Old Market food stalls2 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
  4. Back to Wat Damnak: 11 min walk

Walking minutes come from this guide’s route graph where it has one; “estimate” means straight-line distance plus a quarter for street detours at an easy pace. Opening hours are not checked: look at “Open now” below before you set off.

Streets in this district

Street names that appear in the addresses of this district’s places and eats: useful to type into a map or show a driver.

  • Pub Street
  • Sivutha Boulevard

Safety at night and noise

  • Old Market & Pub Streetday: oknight: caution

    Bag snatching from passing motorbikes and tuk-tuks; watch your drink.

  • Wat Damnak & the riverday: oknight: caution

    Poorly lit lanes at night; take a tuk-tuk rather than walking.

  • Quiet nights

    A calmer strip along the river; the market is a ten-minute walk.

  • Nightlife

    Pub Street is a short walk or a cheap tuk-tuk ride away.

  • Late arrival

    Smaller hotels may have limited night staff; message your flight number.

Nearby districts

Built from this guide’s Siem Reap districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.