Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
The gilded, spired residence of Cambodia’s kings beside the river, with the Throne Hall and the Silver Pagoda, whose floor is laid with more than five thousand silver tiles. Cover shoulders and knees.
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s capital, a river city where the Tonle Sap meets the Mekong and the gilded roofs of the Royal Palace rise above a busy riverfront promenade.
Behind the French colonial boulevards and art deco markets lies a city that has lived through extraordinary history, and it rewards visitors who take it slowly. The palace compound and its Silver Pagoda, with a floor of silver tiles, sit close to the National Museum, home to the finest collection of Khmer sculpture anywhere. Wat Phnom, the hill that gave the city its name, stands among traffic circles and gardens. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek memorial are sobering, essential places to understand the 1975 to 1979 Khmer Rouge years, and are best visited with time, quiet and respect. Beyond the memorials, the Russian Market, the sunset river cruises, the silk-weaving villages of Koh Dach, cooking classes and evening food tours show a young, creative, welcoming city, and Oudong, the former royal capital, makes an easy day out. This guide covers the tours and tickets worth booking, the hotels worth staying in and how to fit it all into a first visit.
Don't miss
Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
The gilded, spired residence of Cambodia’s kings beside the river, with the Throne Hall and the Silver Pagoda, whose floor is laid with more than five thousand silver tiles. Cover shoulders and knees.
Mekong Sunset Cruise with BBQ Buffet
An evening boat trip from the Phnom Penh riverfront where the Tonle Sap, Mekong and Bassac rivers meet, with a BBQ buffet dinner, unlimited beer and soft drinks and an English-speaking guide on board.
National Museum of Cambodia
The finest collection of Khmer sculpture in the world, in a red-roofed pavilion building around peaceful courtyards beside the Royal Palace, from pre-Angkorian Vishnu to the seated Jayavarman VII.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
A former school turned into the Khmer Rouge’s S-21 prison, now a museum that preserves the evidence of those years. A sobering, important visit that calls for time, quiet and respectful dress.
Things to do in Phnom Penh
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
National Museum of Cambodia
The finest collection of Khmer sculpture in the world, in a red-roofed pavilion building around peaceful courtyards beside the Royal Palace, from pre-Angkorian Vishnu to the seated Jayavarman VII.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
A former school turned into the Khmer Rouge’s S-21 prison, now a museum that preserves the evidence of those years. A sobering, important visit that calls for time, quiet and respectful dress.
Choeung Ek Memorial (The Killing Fields)
A quiet memorial about fifteen kilometres south of the city, where Khmer Rouge victims were buried. A memorial stupa and a thoughtful audio guide make it a restrained and respectful place to learn.
Wat Phnom
The hilltop temple that gave Phnom Penh its name, set in a park at the north end of the old town, with a legend dating to 1372, a large stupa and a small entry fee for foreign visitors.
Russian Market (Tuol Tompoung)
A cramped, lively covered market of silks, krama scarves, silver, antiques and street-side noodle stalls, best before 10 am. Bargaining is expected and the food court in the middle is a good lunch stop.
Mekong Sunset Cruise with BBQ Buffet
An evening boat trip from the Phnom Penh riverfront where the Tonle Sap, Mekong and Bassac rivers meet, with a BBQ buffet dinner, unlimited beer and soft drinks and an English-speaking guide on board.
Silk Island (Koh Dach) Bike Tour
A half-day guided bike tour across the Mekong by ferry to Silk Island, cycling quiet village lanes past farms, a tofu-skin family business and silk and cotton weavers working in stilt houses.
Khmer Cooking Class (Half Day)
A half-day hands-on class in Cambodian cooking, offered as a morning or afternoon session, with a very high guest rating and a meal of your own cooking at the end.
Phnom Penh Food Tour by Tuk Tuk
An evening tuk-tuk food tour of the city with twenty tastings and drinks, from street-side grills and noodle stalls to local markets, one of the best-reviewed activities in Phnom Penh.
Oudong Mountain and Koh Chen Day Trip
A full-day trip to Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital, with a river cruise, a silver-making demonstration on Koh Chen, lunch and a climb to the hilltop stupas, in a small group.
Kun Khmer Boxing Night
A live evening of Cambodian kickboxing, the national combat sport, with tuk-tuk pickup from your hotel, a ringside-style ticket, two beers and food. It runs on Thursday to Sunday evenings.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Raffles Hotel Le Royal
Daun Penh, near Wat Phnom
Phnom Penh’s grand colonial hotel, opened in 1929 near Wat Phnom, with two outdoor pools in tropical gardens, Raffles Spa, the Elephant Bar and free parking.
Check rates →Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra
Tonle Bassac
A French-style luxury hotel on Sothearos Boulevard with four restaurants, a spa, a guest pool and a sports club, 500 metres from the Independence Monument and about a kilometre from the National Museum.
Check rates →Pavilion Phnom Penh
Chaktomuk, Street 19
A quiet heritage-villa hotel on Street 19, a few blocks from the Royal Palace, with two pools, an à la carte breakfast by the water, afternoon tea and a daily happy hour. Rooms are listed as adults only.
Check rates →Okay Boutique Hotel
Daun Penh, Street 19Z
A family-friendly mid-range hotel with an outdoor pool, children’s pool, rooftop terrace, spa and free parking, set on Street 19Z in Daun Penh, with a river-view suite and larger family rooms.
Check rates →Mad Monkey Phnom Penh
Chaktomuk, near the riverfront
A sociable backpacker hostel on Street 242 near the riverfront, with dorms from four to twelve beds, private rooms, a pool, a restaurant and bar and organised tours to the memorial sites.
Check rates →Rosewood Phnom Penh
Wat Phnom, Monivong Boulevard
A five-star hotel in the Vattanac Capital Tower on Monivong Boulevard, with an indoor lap pool, a spa, five restaurants and free parking, a short walk from Central Market and Wat Phnom.
Check rates →
$$Hotel Cambodiana
Riverside, near the Royal Palace
A large, family-friendly riverside hotel with 168 rooms, an outdoor pool with a swim-up bar, a children’s pool, two tennis courts and a playground, near the Royal Palace and the Independence Monument.
Check rates →Phnom Penh guides
First Time in Phnom Penh: What to Book, How to Get Around and How Many Days
A practical primer for a first visit to Phnom Penh: how many days to plan, what to book ahead, how to visit the Royal Palace and memorial sites respectfully, getting around by tuk-tuk and how to fit in Silk Island and Oudong.
Where to Stay in Phnom Penh: The Best Areas and Hotels for Sightseeing
Where to stay in Phnom Penh: the riverfront and palace area, the historic Daun Penh district around Wat Phnom, and the Tonle Bassac district near the Independence Monument, with the best hotel in each for every budget.
Eating and Drinking in Phnom Penh: Khmer Dishes, Markets and Night Food Tours
A guide to eating in Phnom Penh: the Khmer dishes to try, how to eat well at markets and street stalls, what a food tour or cooking class adds, and how to drink safely in the heat.
Day Trips from Phnom Penh: Oudong, Silk Island, Phnom Chisor, Kampot and Angkor
The best day trips from Phnom Penh: Silk Island by bike, the royal capital of Oudong, the temples of Phnom Chisor and Tonle Bati, the pepper and crab coast of Kampot and Kep, and Angkor.
Best Time to Visit Phnom Penh: Seasons, Weather, Festivals and What to Pack
When to visit Phnom Penh: the cool dry season from November to February, the hot months before the rains, the green rainy season, festival periods, and how to plan sightseeing around the heat.
Phnom Penh on a Budget: Free Sights, Cheap Eats and Low-Cost Ways to Get Around
How to see Phnom Penh without spending much: the free sights, markets and riverfront, inexpensive meals, low-cost transport, and where to spend and where to save.
