Experience an enchanting night with unique local cuisine and a charming show of exotic Khmer cultural dancing. As you dine on a delicious Cambodian buffet dinner, be captivated by an Apsara dance performance.
Arrive at the Koulen theater-restaurant and enjoy a feast of local delicacies, such as the classic amok Cambodian curry and Khmer barbecue meats, served in a beautiful and traditional setting. The sample buffet menu includes chicken curry soup, mango salad with pork, fried pork, lamb, beef, and fish amok, as well as an assortment of Khmer desserts.
As you relish your satisfying meal, sit back and watch the cultural Apsara dance showcasing Cambodia's unique Khmer heritage. The show is filled with ornate costumes, traditional music, and religious folklore. Be dazzled by symbolic ceremonial dances, such as the "Ballet of Apsaras" and "Dance of Mekhala," and marvel at the mythological tale of the Hindu epic "Ramayana."
Please let us know if you are interested in Cambodian Traditional Shows and Cambodian Buffet, then we can book the front seats for you. The ticket is 12 USD person, but not include soft drinks.
1. Peacock Of Pailin: Pailin province is known for its precious stones, and more locally it's known for its peacocks. It is the only place in Cambodia where peacocks live. The Peacock of Pailin Dance is a courting scene between a peacock and a peahen and it is said that this dance brings happiness and prosperity to the villagers.The Peacock of Pailin Dance, like all traditional Khmer performances, is a very colorful dance. The performers dress in traditional costumes that have been designed to look like both the peacock and peahen.
In Cambodia, the peacock is a symbol of happiness and this dance is usually performed during the Khmer New Year or on special occasions. This dance is often performed by the people of Pailin during Cambodian holidays and you can now see it live in Siem Reap!
2. Apsara Dance: The Apsara Dance comes from the legend that Cambodia originated from the union of the hermit Kampu and the Apsara Mera. This dance shows Mera, dressed all in white, dancing in her garden. The dance shows happiness and prosperity for the whole country. She is joined by her maindens who present her with flowers which express a love of her from the people of Cambodia.
3. Sovan Machha Dance
The Sovann Machha dance is a short scene from the Cambodian Classical ballet.It comes from the Cambodia Reamke (Ramyana), the episode of King Ram's Mobilising forces that set up a rock dam for combat in liberating Neang Sit who had been captured by Rahwana, the Giant's king of Laingka.
This bridge is then totally devastated by Fish Frees who was commanded by Sovann Machha, the Golden Fish. After realising this, the White Monkey Commander in Chief of the Monkey Forces used his clairovyance to pay course to Sovann Machha, who eventually fell in love with him.
Again, like most traditional Khmer performances, this is a truly colorful performance. It tells a love story and during this dance you will witness one of the original love stories in Cambodia! This amazing dance is performed by our in-house performers who all have many years of experience, bringing you one of the finest shows in Siem Reap.
4. Cardamom Picking Dance
The Cardamom Picking Dance comes from Pursat province. The Poar (an ethnic minority living in Cambodia) tend to rice fields and grow trees to harvest the saps and fruits. They also grow a lot of Cardamom in this area.This dance is inspired by Cambodia's nature and the natural sounds and colors of the Cardamom can be observed in this dance.
5. Bamboo Clappers Dance
The Bamboo Clappers Dance lacks any revolutionary or religious significance, but it doesn't take away the beauty of this dance which is pure entertainment. This dance is a celebration of the completion of hard work and expresses spontaneous joyfulness of the Khmer country people.
Here at Koulen Restaurant, we have professionally trained dancers that perform The Bamboo Clappers Dance nightly at our restaurant in Siem Reap.Even today, Cambodia is heavily dependant on agriculture, especially rice. This performace purely celebrates the end of a hard days work! As with all traditional Khmer dances, this performance is lively and colourful!
6. Gum-Lacquer Pounding Dance
The Gum-Lacquer Pounding Dance is a representation of an ancient tradition of black teeth. The Khmer women, particularly the older ones, chew betel nuts and leaves to give their teeth a shiny black look. This tradition is still practiced in some regions on Cambodia, especially during wedding ceremonies.The Gum-Lacquer Pounding Dance is performed to carry on the ancient tradition of chewing betel nuts at weddings and other ceremonies.
