Phare, The Cambodian Circus guide
Siem Reap: Phare, the Cambodian Circus Show
What is Phare, The Cambodian Circus?
Phare is a contemporary circus performance in Siem Reap combining acrobatics, dance, live music, and theater to tell original Cambodian stories — no animals, unlike a traditional circus. Tickets run roughly $18-38 depending on seating, shows run nightly at a dedicated big-top venue near the Angkor Night Market, and proceeds support Phare Ponleu Selpak, an arts school in Battambang for at-risk and disadvantaged youth.
What Phare actually is
Phare, The Cambodian Circus is not a circus in the animal-acts-and-ringmaster sense — there are no animals at all. It’s a contemporary circus performance blending acrobatics, live music, dance, and theater to tell original stories drawn from Cambodian folklore, history, and everyday life, performed by young Cambodian artists trained through Phare Ponleu Selpak, an arts school founded in Battambang in 1994.
The name means “the brightness of the arts” in Khmer. Shows run 60-90 minutes, rotate on a schedule (so the show you see may differ night to night if you’re in town more than once), and consistently rank among the highest-reviewed evening activities in Siem Reap — a rare case where the marketing claim (“unmissable”) and the actual experience largely line up.
Where Phare came from
Phare Ponleu Selpak was founded by a group of young Cambodian artists who had grown up in a refugee camp on the Thai border in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge period, using art as a way to process trauma and build a future. What started as informal art classes in Battambang grew into a full performing arts school offering free education — academic subjects alongside circus, music, dance, theater, and visual arts training — to Cambodian children and young adults, many from difficult economic or family circumstances.
The Siem Reap venue, opened in 2013, exists specifically to fund the Battambang school: ticket revenue from every Siem Reap show goes toward tuition, teacher salaries, and facilities in Battambang, not toward a separate for-profit operation. If you visit Battambang (see our Battambang day trip guide), the school itself sometimes offers a look at where the performers actually train.
What the show is like
Each production tells a specific story rather than presenting a variety-act sequence — recent long-running shows have covered themes like post-war trauma and resilience, rural-to-city migration, and Cambodian folktales, told almost entirely through physical performance and live music rather than dialogue, which means the language barrier is a non-issue.
Expect genuinely impressive acrobatics — human towers, aerial silks, tightrope, juggling — woven into a narrative arc rather than performed as isolated tricks, plus a live band playing an original score. The tone varies by production: some shows lean comedic, others carry real emotional weight given the subject matter and the performers’ backgrounds, so it’s worth reading the current show’s one-line description when booking if tone matters to you.
Tickets and pricing
Standard tickets run roughly $18 for general seating up to $38 for premium front-row seats, with the difference mainly about proximity to the stage rather than sightline quality — the venue is small enough that even the cheaper seats have a clear view. Some ticket options bundle a tuk-tuk transfer or a light meal; check exactly what’s included before comparing prices between operators. Buying ahead online is worth doing in peak season (November-March) since the venue is genuinely small and popular shows do sell out, particularly for the front rows.
Book Phare, the Cambodian Circus show ticketsShowtimes and venue
Shows run nightly (check the current schedule, as start times have varied historically between roughly 7:15pm and 8pm) at the Phare big-top venue near the Angkor Night Market, a short walk or quick tuk-tuk ride from the Old Market and Pub Street area. The venue itself is a proper covered tent with tiered bench-style seating, air-conditioned in the more expensive sections at some point configurations — confirm current seating details when booking. Arrive 20-30 minutes early to find parking or tuk-tuk drop-off, use the bathroom, and settle in before the show starts, since latecomers may not be seated until a break in the performance.
Book Phare, the Cambodian Circus with tuk-tuk transfersCombining Phare with dinner
Several operators sell a combined street-food-and-Phare package, picking you up, taking you through a food tasting route, and dropping you at the venue in time for the show — a reasonable way to handle a full evening without separately planning transport twice.
Join a Phare Cambodian Circus and dinner experience with tuk-tuk transfers Book Phare, the Cambodian Circus with pickup and drop-offWhat to bring and wear
The venue is air-conditioned in the premium seating sections and covered throughout, so there’s no need to plan for rain or sun the way you would for an outdoor activity — smart-casual clothing is fine, and there’s no dress code beyond ordinary evening wear. Photography without flash is typically permitted during the show, though flash and video recording are usually restricted to protect the performers’ focus and the lighting design; check the venue’s specific policy on arrival, since it’s occasionally adjusted by production. Cameras and phones are welcome for photos before and after the show and during any curtain-call moment when performers often specifically invite photos.
Accessibility
The venue has bench-style tiered seating, which can be a consideration for visitors with mobility issues — contact the box office or your ticket provider ahead of time if you need step-free access or an aisle seat, as accommodations exist but aren’t automatically assigned. Restrooms and the entrance are at ground level.
Circus arts and Cambodia’s broader post-conflict recovery
Phare Ponleu Selpak’s model — arts education as a route out of poverty and trauma for young Cambodians — has since been echoed by other Cambodian arts and social enterprises, but it remains the most established and internationally recognized.
Cambodia lost the vast majority of its trained artists, musicians, and performers during the Khmer Rouge period (1975-1979), when performing artists were specifically targeted; the rebuilding of Cambodian performing arts since the 1990s, of which both Phare and Apsara dance preservation are part, is itself a notable cultural story, not just a backdrop to a night out. Watching Phare with that context in mind changes how the show reads — the acrobatics aren’t just impressive, they represent a specific, deliberate act of cultural rebuilding.
Is Phare suitable for kids?
Yes, broadly — there’s no explicit content, and the physical performance style holds children’s attention even without following every narrative thread. That said, some productions deal with heavier themes (loss, hardship, post-conflict memory) presented abstractly rather than graphically; if you’re bringing young children, it’s worth a quick look at the current show’s description, though most families report it works well across a wide age range. See our Siem Reap with kids guide for how it fits into a family itinerary.
Fitting Phare into your itinerary
Phare works well as an evening activity after a full day of temples, since it’s indoors, seated, and doesn’t require any additional walking beyond getting to the venue — a good way to close out an Angkor Wat sunrise-to-sunset day (see our Angkor in one day guide) without needing more energy than sitting down requires.
It also works as a standalone evening on a rest day in town, paired with dinner beforehand at one of the restaurants covered in our restaurant guide, or combined directly via one of the dinner-inclusive ticket options above. Most visitors build it into their second or third night in Siem Reap once they’ve settled in, rather than their first night — though there’s no real reason it couldn’t be a first-night activity if your arrival timing allows it.
What reviewers consistently say
Phare shows up consistently near the top of Siem Reap’s evening activities on review platforms, and the pattern in the reviews is fairly consistent regardless of which specific production is running: visitors are surprised by the production quality relative to the ticket price, by how physically demanding the performances clearly are, and by the emotional weight some shows carry despite having no spoken dialogue. The most common piece of advice from repeat visitors is to check which specific show is running that night (schedules rotate) and to sit reasonably close, since some of the detail in facial expression and physical storytelling is harder to catch from the back rows.
Phare vs. an Apsara dance dinner show
These are genuinely different experiences and not really substitutes for each other. Apsara dance (see our Apsara dance guide) is a traditional, classical performance form tied to royal court dance history, usually paired with a buffet dinner, more contemplative and slower-paced. Phare is contemporary, physically intense, narrative-driven, and doesn’t typically include a meal. If you only have one evening for a cultural show, the honest answer depends on what you want: Apsara for traditional Khmer performing arts with dinner included, Phare for something closer to modern circus-theater with a genuine social mission attached. Many visitors who have two evenings free do both.
Why this isn’t like an orphanage visit
It’s worth being explicit about a distinction this site takes seriously: Phare is a professional performance by trained adult and near-adult artists who chose circus arts as a career path, buying a ticket like any other paid show — not a visit to observe vulnerable children, which is the “orphanage tourism” model this site actively recommends against (see our honest-planner content on avoiding voluntourism). The performers are paid professionals; your ticket funds a school, not a spectacle built around watching children in a difficult situation. That distinction is the whole reason Phare is recommended here without reservation while orphanage visits are not.
Frequently asked questions about Phare, The Cambodian Circus
Does Phare have animals?
No — despite the name “circus,” there are no animal acts. It’s entirely acrobatics, dance, live music, and theater performed by human artists.
How much are Phare tickets?
Roughly $18 for general seating up to $38 for premium front-row seats, depending on the operator and any bundled extras like transfers or a meal.
How long is the Phare show?
Most productions run 60-90 minutes, without an intermission in most current formats — confirm with your ticket provider, as this can vary by show.
Is Phare appropriate for children?
Generally yes — no explicit content, and the physical performance style engages children even without following the full narrative. Some shows touch on heavier post-conflict themes presented abstractly; check the current production’s description if you’re unsure.
Where does the ticket money go?
Toward Phare Ponleu Selpak, the arts school in Battambang that trains the performers, covering tuition, teacher salaries, and facilities for Cambodian students, many from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Should I book Phare tickets in advance?
Yes, particularly in peak season (November-March) — the venue is relatively small and front-row seats especially can sell out.
Is Phare better than an Apsara dance show?
They’re different experiences rather than directly comparable — Apsara is traditional and dinner-inclusive, Phare is contemporary circus-theater without a meal. See our Apsara dance guide for the comparison in more depth.
Where is the Phare venue located?
Near the Angkor Night Market, a short walk or quick tuk-tuk ride from the Old Market and Pub Street area — central enough to combine easily with dinner beforehand.
Can I take photos during the show?
Photography without flash is generally allowed; flash and video recording are typically restricted during the performance itself to avoid disrupting the performers. Photos before, after, and at the curtain call are welcome.
Does the show change from night to night?
Yes — Phare rotates between several original productions, so the specific story, tone, and cast you see can differ depending on which night you attend. Check the current show description when booking if the theme matters to your decision.
Is there an intermission?
Most current productions run straight through without a break, typically 60-90 minutes total — confirm with your ticket provider for the specific show, since format details are occasionally adjusted.
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