Understanding Khmer craft before you buy it
Artisans Angkor is a Siem Reap social enterprise, founded as a vocational school in 1992, that trains young rural Cambodians in traditional Khmer crafts such as stone and wood carving, lacquer, gilding and silk weaving. Visitors can take free guided tours of its craft centre on Stung Thmey Street in town, and of the Angkor Silk Farm in Puok, about 16 km away, where you see every stage from mulberry to loom.
September 2026
Photo: Bahnfrend, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Artisans Angkor is a Siem Reap social enterprise that trains young Cambodians in the traditional crafts of the Khmer Empire: stone and wood carving, lacquer, gilding and silk. Its craft centre in town and its silk farm in Puok are both open to visitors every day, with free guided tours through working studios.
Most people come to Siem Reap for the temples and leave with a carved Buddha or a silk scarf from a market stall. A visit here changes how you look at both. You see how long it takes to carve a single apsara, and how many steps lie between a mulberry leaf and a finished length of silk. After that, the difference between real craft and a cheap copy is obvious.
By 2013 the company employed more than 1,300 people, around 900 of them craftspeople in 48 workshops across Siem Reap province, most in villages close to the artisans’ homes. Training is free for young people from rural families, typically aged 18 to 25. The artisans themselves hold a share in the company, and profits go back into training and wages.
The main campus, known locally as the Chantiers-Écoles, is in a quiet garden compound on Stung Thmey Street, just off Sivatha Boulevard and a short walk from the Old Market. It is open daily, and English-speaking guides take you through the studios free of charge.
This is a working training centre, not a stage set. Apprentices sit alongside master craftsmen, masks against the dust, and the guides explain each stage as you watch. You can take photos, but ask before photographing anyone close up.
Sandstone blocks slowly become Buddhas, apsaras and temple lintels, carved by hand using the motifs and proportions of Angkor’s own sculpture.
Carvers work from paper templates copied onto the timber, then cut, chisel and sand by hand. Watch how long a single face takes to emerge.
Bowls, boxes and panels are built up in many thin layers of lacquer, each dried and polished before the next. It is patient, precise work.
Gold and silver leaf are laid over carved wood to create the shimmering statues and ornaments seen in Cambodian pagodas.
Artists paint on silk and canvas, often recreating Angkorian scenes and Siem Reap riverscapes in rich colour.
Potters shape and glaze Khmer-style ceramics, a craft with roots in the kilns that supplied Angkor itself.
Allow about an hour for the tour, plus time in the shop at the end.
The silk farm lies in Puok district on National Road 6, about 16 kilometres north-west of the town centre, and takes 20 to 30 minutes by road. It is the best place near Siem Reap to see the whole life of Cambodian silk, from leaf to loom, in one visit.
A guide walks you through each stage in turn:
The gardens are pleasant and shady, and a visit takes about an hour. The weavers you meet are paid artisans, and many come from villages nearby.
| Craft centre, Siem Reap | Stung Thmey Street. Daily guided tours from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Angkor Silk Farm, Puok | National Road 6. Open daily from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm |
| Entry | Free at both sites, including the guided tour |
| Free shuttle to the silk farm | From the town centre, usually at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm. Book ahead on +855 12 222 404 |
| Tuk-tuk to the silk farm | About $15 to $20 return with waiting time; confirm locally |
| Time needed | About an hour at each site; half a day for both |
| Languages | Tours in English and Khmer; ask about other languages |
Hours and shuttle times can change, especially in the low season, so confirm them the day before.
Each site has a shop, and prices are higher than in the markets. You are paying for pieces made by hand in Cambodia by artisans on fair wages, and it shows in the finish. There is no hard sell. Ask in the shop about delivery if you fall for something large.
Artisans Angkor also has boutiques at Siem Reap and Phnom Penh airports and in Phnom Penh. If you want a silk scarf or a small carving to take home, this is where to buy it with confidence.
The craft centre is in the middle of town, so it fits almost anywhere. Many guests visit it on the way to lunch, or on the afternoon they arrive. The silk farm works well as a morning trip on a rest day between temples, or on the way to or from the airport, as both lie west of town.
If you are travelling with children, the silk farm is the better choice. The silkworms and cocoons are a hit, and there is space to wander. For an evening in the same spirit, book Phare, The Cambodian Circus, another social enterprise training young Cambodians. And if you still want to browse, the night markets around Pub Street are a short walk from the craft centre. See more of our heritage experiences.
We include Artisans Angkor on many of our Siem Reap journeys, with a private guide who can take you through both the craft centre and the silk farm, and time to shop without hurry. It sits naturally in our Siem Reap Slow Travel and Siem Reap Green Journey itineraries. Tell us what you would like to see and we will shape the day around it.
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