It has been a tradition since the earliest days of tourism in the 19th century to treat visitors to Siem Reap with an ‘Apsara dance performance’ – a taste of classical Khmer culture. No visit to Cambodia is complete without attending at least one performance. Dinner performances are now the most popular venue – most places offering buffet or set menus combined with a one-hour dance performance. Dinner ordinarily begins at 6:00 or 7:00PM and dance performances at 7:30PM or 8:00PM, consisting of 4 or 5 dances (classical and folk). Most dinner performances run $10-$35 including the meal and admission. Some venues do not charge admission for the performance, but you are expected to order dinner.
Performance Venues in Siem Reap
There are occasional dance performances at the temples but most visitors attend one of the nightly dinner performances at a local restaurant. Dinner ordinarily begins at 6:00 or 7:00PM and dance performances at 7:30PM or 8:00PM, consisting of 4 or 5 dances, lasting about 45 minutes to an hour in all. (Contact the performance venue for specifics.) Many places offer a buffet featuring Khmer and international food. Some offer a set menu Khmer dinner. Price and venue style vary considerably. Most restaurants with buffets and set menus run between $10 and $29 including the buffet and performance. Some restaurants do not charge admission for the performance, but you are expected to order dinner. For the best seats, call for reservations, especially during the high season.
Alliance Alizé Boutique Villa & Art Cafe
Exclusive shadow theater and Khmer dance with traditional music. Set menu and a la carte. Dinner from 7PM. Performance 8:30PM-9:30PM. Reservation recommended.
Tel: 017-809010 063-964940
www.alliancealize.com
Wat Damnak area, Siem Reap
Crystal Angkor Restaurant
Fine dining, a la carte and set menu, Cambodian and international fare. Traditional dance performance every night at 7:00PM.
Tel: 012-786786
www.crystalangkor.com
Krous Village, Siem Reap
The Khmer Barbe Q
Traditional dance performances with set menu Cambodian dinner. Six different dances. Dinner begins at 7:30PM. Performance from 8:00PM – 9:00PM.
Tel: 063-6304512
www.restaurant-siemreap.com
Road to Angkor Wat near Angkor National Museum, Siem Reap
Kulen II Restaurant
Buffet dinner with traditional music and dance performance. Admission inclusive of dinner and show. Cambodian and international food. Buffet begins at 6:00PM.
Tel: 092-630090
www.koulenrestaurant.com
Sivutha Blvd, opposite Lucky Mall, Siem Reap
Phare Cambodian Circus
“Siem Reap’s Incredible Phare Circus” – CNN Travel. A unique, top-rated (TripAdvisor) evening entertainment experience. More than just a circus, Phare performers use theater, music, dance and modern circus arts to tell uniquely Cambodian stories; historical, folk and modern. The young circus artists will astonish you with their energy, emotion, enthusiasm and talent. Phare artists are graduates of the NGO school Phare Ponleu Selpak in Battambang. Highly recommended. Nightly performances at 8:00PM-9PM daily.
5:00PM – 6PM on Monday, Thursday and Saturday (November – March).
Located at Sok San Rd/Ring Rd, behind Happy Ranch Horse Farm.
Tel: 015-499480, 092-225320
www.pharecircus.org
Located behind the Angkor National Museum, Siem Reap
