Have a Phare Circus Christmas and New Year Holiday
Here is a guide to selected events, culture, and things to do this festive season in Siem reap, Cambodia.
If you’re planning to spend the holidays exploring the ancient temples of Angkor, you’ll find that Siem Reap offers a truly memorable blend of Western festive cheer and unique Cambodian culture. The city transforms during December, with grand hotels hosting spectacular galas that often feature the best of Khmer artistry, including the legendary Phare, The Cambodian Circus. There are many ways and places you can join the Phare artists to ring in the new year. By all means, start the evening at Phare’s iconic red big top with shows nightly.
Amansara
This festive season, explore Cambodia’s royal past with Amansara’s enriching calendar of culinary and cultural experiences, designed to bring loved ones together.
Park Hyatt Siem Reap
Park Hyatt offers a variety of events and activities throughout the Festive Season, including a New Year’s Eve gala with Phare Circus performing into the New Year.
Sofitel Angkor
Make the end of the year sparkle with our delightful gourmet experiences! Celebrate the season by gathering your friends and family at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort.
Raffles Grand
Discover the magic of Christmas with heartwarming traditions, festive dishes, family activities and unforgettable celebrations.
The Cambodian Festive Season: What to Expect
If you are a traveler from the West, it’s important to know what the holiday season means in Cambodia:
Christmas is Not a National Holiday
Cambodia’s leading religion is Theravada Buddhism. The closest national celebration to Christmas in Cambodian culture is Vesak (Vesakha Puja), which celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha and is typically held during the full moon in May or June.
On December 25th, the vast majority of Cambodians will go about their normal, daily lives. However, thanks to a large number of Western expatriates and continuous tourism, you will still find plenty of cheer:
- Decorations: Major shopping areas, hotels, and tourist-focused restaurants will be adorned with tinsel, fairy lights, Christmas trees, and Santa decorations.
- Churches: A small Christian community exists, and churches will hold Christmas services and sometimes host holiday parties for local young Cambodians.
- Dining: If you are craving a traditional holiday meal—roast turkey, beef, ham, and Western desserts—the large, high-end hotels and many international restaurants will certainly provide it. Other restaurants in Siem Reap that focus on international travelers will also have holiday menus. Best source of information are the Siem Reap expats Facebook groups.
The “Real” Cambodian New Year
The national, cultural New Year in Cambodia is Khmer New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey), celebrated for three days in April, marking the end of the harvest season. This is the time when the entire country takes holiday and families gather.
Therefore, the December 31st New Year’s Eve celebration is entirely geared toward international travelers and the expatriate community. It is a time for sharing great food, dancing, and looking forward to the possibilities of the coming year.
How to Ring in the New Year (Western Style) in Angkor
New Year’s Eve in Siem Reap is primarily celebrated with extravagant parties hosted by the luxury hotels. These events are designed to be spectacles, combining world-class dining with the best of Cambodian performance arts.
- Gala Dinners: Expect lavish buffet dinners or multi-course set menus featuring French delicacies, lobster, premium meats, and free-flowing champagne at venues like Raffles, Sofitel, and Park Hyatt.
- Traditional Arts: The entertainment is a unique fusion, often including the mesmerizing Apsara dance (classical Khmer dance) and the ancient martial art of Bokator.
- Temple Dinners: Some exclusive, high-end resorts such as Amansara offer rare experiences like a New Year’s Eve dinner set amidst the 10th-century temple Prasat Kravan, providing a magical journey through Cambodian performing arts.
Phare Circus: The Centerpiece of the Siem Reap Celebration
If you are looking for an artistic and socially conscious way to celebrate, Phare, The Cambodian Circus is arguably the heart of the festive season in Siem Reap.
The artists of Phare, who train at the Phare Ponleu Selpak non-profit school, are an integral part of the city’s New Year’s Eve landscape:
- Headlining Hotel Galas: Phare artists are frequently hired by major hotels (such as Sofitel, Amansara, Raffles and Phum Baitang) to headline their New Year’s Eve poolside countdown parties, bringing their unique energy, acrobatics, dance, and music to the night.
- A Unique Show: You can also choose to start your evening at the iconic Phare Big Top for the 8:00 PM show on December 31st. It’s the perfect way to cap off the past year with a thrilling and inspiring performance that supports Cambodian youth education.
By celebrating with Phare or attending a hotel gala where they perform, you are directly experiencing and supporting Cambodia’s contemporary arts scene.
About the Author - Craig Dodge
Craig Dodge is the Director Emeritus of Sales and Marketing (retired) for Phare Performing Social Enterprise, parent company of Phare, The Cambodian Circus and Phare Creative Studio. Craig gets great satisfaction by applying his travel industry experience to Phare's missions of sustaining jobs in the arts and funding artistic and academic education at Phare Ponleu Selpak non-profit school. He is also driven to promote the unique experiences awaiting visitors to Cambodia. Since he's retired, you can most often find Craig cycling or hiking in Angkor park. Craig continues to serve as a Citizen Liaison Volunteer for the US Embassy Phnom Penh.
