Phare Circus or an Apsara Dinner Show: Which Evening Is Worth It
6 min read
The short answer: for most visitors, book Phare, the Cambodian Circus. It costs €16.04 per person, it has 4.8/5 from 2,305 reviews, and it is one tight hour of acrobatics, music and storytelling. If you want classical Apsara dance and a meal in a single evening, an Apsara dinner show does that from €19.60 with hotel pickup or €25.94 with tuk-tuk transfers. If you travel with children, the circus is the shorter evening; check the minimum age on the booking page before you book.
Siem Reap has two evening shows that nearly every visitor ends up weighing, and they are not versions of each other. One is a performance with a story, performed by artists connected to a non-profit school. The other is a dinner with a dance programme attached. Choose on what you want from the evening, not on the price.
The four side by side
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phare, the Cambodian Circus Show Tickets | about 1 hour | €16.04 | 4.8/5 from 2,305 reviews | most visitors; families once the minimum age is confirmed |
| Phare, Cambodian Circus with Tuk-Tuk Transfers | 1 hour | €24.06 | 4.9/5 from 57 reviews | those who want a lift there and back |
| Apsara Dance Show and Dinner with Hotel Pickup | 2 hours | €19.60 | 4.7/5 from 749 reviews | dinner and classical dance in one go |
| Apsara Dance Show and Dinner with Tuk-Tuk Transfers | 2.5 hours | €25.94 | 4.4/5 from 255 reviews | dinner and dance with tuk-tuk transfers |
Phare: the one to book
This is not an acrobatics-only circus. Phare describes its shows as stories drawn from Cambodian history, folklore and modern life, told through theatre, dance, live music and circus arts. The money goes to a non-profit school that trains Cambodian artists.
Practical points to confirm on the booking page before you go. According to Phare, the show starts at 8:00 pm and lasts about an hour. Doors open at 7:30 pm; check the late-arrival rule on the booking page rather than cutting it fine. It can be warm in the big top, so wear light clothes.
Check availability and prices for Phare, the Cambodian Circus
Phare with the tuk-tuk ride included
It is the same show with tuk-tuk transfers, as the title says; the booking page sets out the pickup area and where you can be dropped afterwards. It costs €24.06 against €16.04 for the plain ticket, which is fair if your hotel is far from the venue and you want the arrival time off your mind. With 57 reviews against 2,305 for the plain ticket, its 4.9 stars say less than the plain ticket’s 4.8.
Check availability and prices for Phare with tuk-tuk transfers
The Apsara dinner with a hotel pickup
The format is dinner with a costumed Apsara dance show, as the title says. What is on the menu, and whether drinks are included, is on the booking page. Hotel pickup is in the title; the booking page shows the pickup area and whether the transfer depends on the option you choose. If you need wheelchair access, confirm it with the operator before you book.
Apsaras are female spirits of Hindu and Buddhist myth, and in the dance the hand gestures carry meaning. If that interests you, this is the better evening. If you only want dinner, you do not need a show attached.
Check availability and prices for the Apsara dance show with dinner
The Apsara dinner with tuk-tuk transfers
This version adds tuk-tuk transfers to dinner and an Apsara show; the booking page gives the start time, the days it runs and the dinner format. Tuk-tuk pickup and drop-off are part of the price. It is rated 4.4/5 from 255 reviews. Plates and cutlery can be distracting, which is the risk of any dance show performed over a buffet or dinner.
Check availability and prices for the Apsara show with tuk-tuk transfers
Who should skip which
Skip Phare if you cannot be there for the 8:00 pm start; doors open at 7:30 pm, and the late-arrival rule is on the booking page. Skip the dinner shows if you are travelling with small children who will not sit through two hours of seated dining, if you want a quiet room for the dance, or if you are on a tight food budget and will eat elsewhere anyway. For ideas on a family evening, see Siem Reap with children. More shows, including other dance venues, are on the Apsara dance show page.
What I would book
Phare, the Cambodian Circus at €16.04: 2,305 reviews, and a single hour that leaves the rest of the evening free. Take an Apsara dinner only if classical dance is the reason you came.
