Phsar Leu, or the upper market in English, is definitely the place to go in order to truly connect with the local culture. Due to the rarity of having tourists around, the vendors here speak little to no English.

Phsar Leu is said to be the biggest and the most authentic market in Siem Reap. If you are planning on visiting, ditch the idea of souvenir-hunting and focus solely on appreciating and immersing yourself in the daily Cambodian lifestyle instead.

After all, the market here is four times bigger than the old market in Siem Reap, so it will take plenty of time and effort to find what you want here.

How to get to Phsar Leu

Rent a tuk-tuk or ride a bicycle. Go onto Sivatha Road from the old market and then onto the national highway in the direction of Phnom Penh. The journey will take you about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once you arrive at your destination, politely ask any of the vendors if they will look after the bicycle for you because there isn’t any place to lock it to.

The highlight will definitely be the food

Foodies are encouraged to try as much local food as their tummies will allow. Keep in mind that the locals here cannot speak English, so make sure you bring along enough Riels, the Cambodian currency.

Unlike the old market, goods here are much cheaper and are sold in the local currency. Payment is made much easier when you let the vendors pick out the notes themselves, but do use your head and observe if you are being charged reasonably.

A brief stop at Phsar Leu is highly recommend for anyone travelling to Siem Reap. The atmosphere is notably different, and the locals are nice and friendly.

The genuine smiles, those endless beams from lit-up faces will turn your insides tender and warm.

It will be a loss to skip this great destination.

This article first appeared in rollinggrace.com

Grace Ng is a serial wanderluster, solo female traveler, award-winning recipe developer and travel writer.