The Central and Russian markets deserve an afternoon visit. With a vast array of goods from gold and silks to knick-knacks and locally grown food produce. Haggling is a must, but should always be done with a smile - a bit of very basic Khmer thrown in goes a long way.
Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Poung)
Central Market (Psah Thmei)
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They are both good but would suggest going in the morning before it gets too hot! You may get a bit of hassle in both from kids etc but as long as you smile and look like you have a purpose it never becomes too much, also as Benny says learning some basic Khmer goes a long way..."dey arkoon"- no thank you. "Kly pu man"- how much? "tea-lanna" too expensive. "Arkoon tran" - thank you very much. Carry rheil currency in small denominations as well as small $ notes $1/ $5. Not surprisingly many stalls don't have change! I live in Phnom Penh, and have done for around 3 years. The Russian and central markets are a must. Trainers to speakers to anything. Speaking a bit of Khmer is a good tip, and does go a long way. The basics aren't hard to pick up, less tonal than Thai and also spoken slower. Just a Khmer "hello" and "thank you" will knock dollars of a purchase, and remember to smile!
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