Kun Khmer · Phnom Penh
Bouts run up to five three-minute rounds of punches, kicks, knees and elbows, fought to live music.
Elbows decide more Kun Khmer bouts than any other strike, and ringside is where you hear them land.
Four facts about the night
Why watch it live
Kun Khmer allows punches, kicks, knees, elbows and the clinch, and elbows win more bouts than any other strike. From a seat at the ring you see the footwork, the clinch and the strikes at close range, which a screen flattens.
Each bout opens with a ritual, and a live ensemble plays an oboe-like sralai over drums, slow at first and quicker as the rounds go on. The music stops when a round ends or a fighter goes down.
Your driver speaks English and explains the history of Kun Khmer before you go in, so you can follow the rounds, the ritual and the scoring without knowing the sport.
A night in five rounds
The evening follows the sport's own count of five rounds: the ride, the seat, the ritual, the fights and the ring.
Your driver picks you up at your accommodation, in a tuk-tuk or a van, and explains how Kun Khmer grew from older Khmer martial traditions, before you walk into the arena.
Your seat is at the ring, close enough to hear the strikes land and see the footwork. A cold drink or local beer is served while the bouts run.
Each bout opens with kun kru, a ritual of respect to the fighter's teachers, with live music from an oboe-like sralai and drums that quicken through each round.
Bouts run up to five rounds of three minutes, with punches, kicks, knees, elbows and the clinch. A knockdown that is not beaten by the ten-count ends the fight.
When the matches end there are photos with the boxers and a chance to step into the ring, then the ride back to where you are staying.
The card changes from date to date, so treat these as the shape of the night and not a running order.
The seat and the ride
A seat, a drink, the boxers and a ride: this is what the ticket sets in front of you.
Seats are reserved at ringside, so the fighters and the referee are in front of you rather than across a hall.
A cold drink or local beer is served while the bouts run, and the small-group ticket lists free beers and chips.
Pose with the fighters, then step into the ring once the matches are over.
Pickup and drop-off from your accommodation are part of the ticket, by tuk-tuk or van.
Stills from the ring and the city
Fighters at village matches in Battambang province in 2006, an elbow strike carved at Angkor Wat, and a Phnom Penh tuk-tuk.
Ways to watch
| Option | What you get | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Ringside tickets with pickup and local beer | A reserved ringside seat, pickup and drop-off from your accommodation by tuk-tuk or van, a cold drink or local beer, English explanations from your driver, photos with the boxers and a step into the ring afterwards. Cancelling 24 hours or more ahead is free. | Couples and friends who want a guided night with a ride included. |
| Small-group ringside tickets in an air-conditioned van | A group capped at nine guests, an air-conditioned van from your accommodation, free beers and chips, commentary that links the sport to Khmer Empire history, a photo with a fighter and ring access after the event. Cancelling 24 hours or more ahead is free. | Small groups and families who want an unhurried evening. |
| Watching on television | Many of Cambodia's weekly cards are broadcast, so you can see a bout, the ritual and the music on screen before you decide on ringside. | Anyone testing the sport before they book. |
Book your ringside seat
Two ringside tickets sit below, and each opens on its own booking page. A rail under them lists other things to book in Phnom Penh.
A reserved ringside seat, pickup and drop-off from your accommodation by tuk-tuk or van, a cold drink or local beer, English explanations from your driver, photos with the boxers and a step into the ring afterwards. Cancelling 24 hours or more ahead is free.
A group capped at nine guests, an air-conditioned van from your accommodation, free beers and chips, commentary that links the sport to Khmer Empire history, a photo with a fighter and ring access after the event. Cancelling 24 hours or more ahead is free.
More to book in Phnom Penh
Fight night logistics
Guides to Kun Khmer and Phnom Penh
Which ringside ticket to book for live Kun Khmer in Phnom Penh, what the pickup, drink and photos cover, how the two tickets differ and who should skip it.
Continue to the guide → The sport itselfHow a Kun Khmer bout works: the rounds, the strikes that win fights, the pre-fight ritual and music, and where the sport comes from, from Angkor onward.
Continue to the guide →FAQ
Kun Khmer, also called pradal serey, is Cambodia's stand-up striking sport. Fighters use punches, kicks, knees and elbows plus the clinch, over rounds of three minutes.
Only on certain evenings. The booking calendar lists the fight nights, and your confirmation spells out how pickup works.
Entry to the match, a ringside seat, pickup and drop-off from your accommodation, local beer or a cold drink, and English explanations from your driver. Personal expenses are extra.
No. Your driver explains the history before you go in, and the guides on this site cover the rules, the ritual and the music if you want to read ahead.
The first ticket is not suitable for children under 9, and the small-group ticket sets a minimum age of 8. People with heart problems are also advised against the first ticket.
Phone photos are fine, and you can pose with the boxers and step into the ring when the matches end. Professional cameras are not allowed.
Yes. If you book through GetYourGuide, a cancellation at least 24 hours before the start gets a full refund, and the date can be held with nothing paid today.
They are related styles with separate names, and the question of origins is disputed between Cambodia and Thailand. This site uses the Cambodian name and takes no side in the dispute.
Fares on the booking page are per person and appear in your own currency before you pay.