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An evening at 60 Road in Siem Reap is to experience a unique atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else in the city. You won’t see many tourists, but you’ll need a local to invite you. Here’s where to find it.
Every so often, my Khmer colleagues went to a place called 60 Road, an off-beat hangout accessed via a 15-minute ride outside of the centre of town’s thriving area of Pub Street and just around the corner from the main road that leads you to the Angkor Wat temple complex. This was local living in Siem Reap.
The Joy of Visiting 60 Road in Siem Reap, Cambodia
One of the best things about living and working in Siem Reap was that I got to experience the one thing I love most when travelling: immersion. Not only did I get to see the ‘other side of Cambodia’ during my time working at an NGO, but I also worked with a fantastic group of Khmer people who became excellent friends.
What is 60 Road?
An evening at 60 Road is like going for dinner, Cambodian style, and it’s buzzing every single night. It’s a long road lined with mats for hire, street food sellers, and a small funfair; it’s an evening picnic and barbecue haven – the perfect place to relax and spend quality time with friends.
Plus, you won’t find a hoard of ‘barangs’ (westerners) walking through it like it’s a tourist attraction; this is exclusively local, and any outsiders present haven’t had the pleasure of an invite from a Khmer friend.
The 60 Road Experience
Our social outing was a well-planned affair. Some colleagues went out to purchase all the meat, sauces, seasonings, fruit, and other food items in the morning. Another colleague and I later stocked up on the fizzy pop and fruit juices and crockery essentials in paper form.
Upon returning to work, the meat had been marinated and skewered, the fruit sliced, and the homemade ‘butter’ (made with egg yolk, oil, and sugar), prepared before our afternoon shift. The last thing to prepare was the rice before we arrived at 60 Road around 6:30 pm to start our mini feast.
The atmosphere there reminded me of the times at home in the UK when we get really excited about having a barbeque because the sun makes an appearance – fun, laughter, a girly gossip over a picnic, a competitive ride on the bumper cars at the fair. For us, it was a friendship that transcended social boundaries and differences. Together we are all the same, and it’s times like this that really make my time here really special.
However, with local life comes the harsh reality of the Cambodian social system. While local people are enjoying an evening out, we were constantly faced with the harsh juxtaposition of the extreme poverty that still exists here. Street kids regularly approached us to collect our empty cans and plastic bottles, and families living in poverty sat helplessly in the shadows.
We gave each of the street kids some bread when they came over, and when we were packing up, we distributed cups of rice and other leftover foods between them. For the family sitting across from us, we gave them everything else we had. They never once begged for anything, and for the first time in days, they had a meal. That’s the wonderful sense of giving you see all around you here.
60 Road is a regular fixture of life here; for a visitor, it is the chance to live locally and escape Pub Street.
Just be sure to ask your Khmer friends to take you there during your visit to Siem Reap.
More Local Experiences in Siem Reap
Spending some time in Siem Reap? Here are some other experiences in town you can experience.
Trying Cambodian Traditional Dress – Khmer Photoshoot in Siem Reap
Visit the Phare Circus in Siem Reap – Supporting Social Enterprise in Cambodia
Tiny says
Hi Becki…..I’m a huge fan of your site, your articles always provide interesting insights and useful information.
How I wish I could join you in that picnic….cool !!! My Khmer friends brought me to picnic along the riverside of the entrance of Angkor Wat in the evening; it was an amazing experience and great companionship. Although it was a bit dark as we couldn’t really see our faces clearly and with some “un-invited friends” – mosquitoes, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying our food and laughter. I totally agree with you that getting into the local activities is one of the most exciting things to do in Siem Reap. I hope I will have the chance to picnic at 60 Road someday…..of course, with a bunch of lovely Khmer friends.
Becki says
There is nothing better than having local friends to show you the sights and allow you to join in with traditions and customs. I have no doubt you will be taken to 60 Road one day soon!
Becki says
My only suggestion to you is to contact some local NGO’s which run health care centres or who can point you in the right direction. Hope that helps.
Dr.AKM Mamunur Rashid says
Thanks for your time and suggestion. But hardly I could find any NGO like that.Can I start my setup over there? Or if you have any connection to start dialogue, help etc.
A says
Hi Rashid,
you can consider contacting Fred Hollow Foundation (they provide eye care/surgery in Cambodia for free) or New Hope Cambodia.
Christine says
I was with other travelers and our guide took us there. We didn’t know what it was but walking through it, it felt so cool. I wish we were there longer to explore more because it was literally like a Cambodian picnic… and street fair… and market with random household items… and carnival. it was one thing after another and I’d not come across something that could compare itself to that home town vibe it had, amidst being all those things. cool that you got to hang out there.
Becki says
When you go back, just geta khmer friend to take you there. It’s awesome when you get to hang out there all evening 🙂
Tammy says
Places like that are the best to experience the real Cambodia. Having said that they are quite uncomfortable and my legs always fall asleep after 5 minutes. I am so inflexible, just can’t do this whole sitting cross legged thing. 🙂
Ryan says
So glad you are settling in and getting local Becki. I’m sure seeing the poverty first hand while everybody else is sitting enjoying food is hard. And I know how much you enjoy volunteer work. It’s beautiful that you and some of your friends would go through and pass out your leftovers too.