Phnom Penh shopping guide

The related artworks of Angkor Wat in Cambodia are the most representative souvenirs. In the local market, you can see prints depicting Angkor Wat, imitation statues of the goddess on the wall of Angkor Wat, and audio tapes of traditional Cambodian dance music. Pay attention to the quality of wood and whether there are cracks. Precious tree species include Daphne, ebony, rosewood, Huang Huali, Tiemu, etc.

Daphne odora is known as the "diamond in plants", but its elegant and pleasant aroma has not been artificially synthesized. The best wild logs found in minefields cost three times as much as gold.

Daphne is not wood, but resin condensate secreted by agarwood after it is "injured". Common decorations in Cambodia include agarwood beads and mahogany Buddha statues.

There is nothing special about agarwood that grows in the tropical rain forest all the year round. The leaves look like peach leaves. Healthy agarwood will not produce Daphne family. Only after being destroyed by lightning, eaten by wild boar or artificially cut down, will resin flow out and condense to form Daphne family. I'm afraid even agarwood itself wouldn't have thought that its scars have been sought after by human beings for thousands of years.

In order to earn a bucket of gold, people who do agarwood business in Cambodia began to grow agarwood artificially. There are many agarwood trees planted in an agarwood refinery in Shizhu Province, 70 kilometers south of Phnom Penh. After a tree seedling grows for 5 years, it is necessary to start the journey of ending life, so as to leave fragrance to the world. Hundreds of nails will be driven into the tree of Aquilaria sinensis from bottom to top. Eight months later, because the central pipeline conveying nutrition was destroyed, the Aquilaria sinensis tree began to wither and die, and the resin from the injured part also condensed into Daphne.

After crushing Daphne, it should be fermented in vats for 8 days, and then distilled in a steamer. After 8 to 10 days, the distilled agarwood oil will be separated, and the general agarwood oil will float on it and sink well. There are more than 20 steamers in two rows in the agarwood refinery, which distill day and night, and the finished product extracted in one month is only 1000 ml. A small bottle of nail polish-sized agarwood oil can be sold for more than 100 dollars. Prices vary from $ 2- 10 depending on the size and workmanship.

Ruby: Cambodia is also rich in rubies. Pay special attention to color and texture when buying, and beware of being fooled.