Phnom Penh is a city of contrasts. Gilded palace roofs, French colonial boulevards and busy markets sit alongside sites that record one of the darkest chapters of the twentieth century, and the city rewards visitors who take it at an unhurried pace. It is compact, the riverfront is the natural centre, and most of the sights in this guide are within a short tuk-tuk ride of each other. Here is how to put a first trip together.
How many days
Two full days covers the essentials; three is better. A good first day takes in the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda in the morning, the National Museum of Cambodia, Wat Phnom, and a river cruise at sunset. A second day can be given to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek memorial, followed by something gentle in the evening. A third day opens up the Russian Market, a cooking class, the Silk Island bike tour or the Oudong day trip.
What to book ahead
The palace, National Museum and Tuol Sleng sell tickets at the entrance, so there is nothing to reserve in advance. It is worth booking the sunset cruise, the evening food tour, the cooking class, the Silk Island bike tour and the Oudong day trip a day or two ahead, especially from November to February, the cool, dry high season, when the best departures fill up. Choose the food tour for your first or second night, so you can use what you learn for the rest of your stay.
Visiting respectfully
Dress codes are enforced. At the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, shoulders and knees must be covered, and photography is not allowed inside the Silver Pagoda or the Throne Hall. Tuol Sleng asks visitors to cover arms and legs and to keep mobile phones out of the exhibition buildings, and Choeung Ek asks for modest dress, quiet voices and no posing for photos. Both memorial sites are emotionally heavy, so many visitors space them out, plan a quiet meal or river walk afterward and decide in advance whether the content is right for children. A guide or audio guide adds a great deal of context.
Getting around
Tuk-tuks are the classic way to travel: agree on the fare before you set off or use a ride-hailing app, and ask your hotel to arrange a driver for the memorial sites, which lie on the edge of the city. The riverfront and the area around the palace and museum are walkable in the early morning and evening, but the heat in the middle of the day is considerable. US dollars are widely used alongside the Cambodian riel, so carry small notes for tickets and tuk-tuks.
Day trips
Silk Island, or Koh Dach, is a half-day by ferry and bicycle across the river, with a tofu-skin family business and silk weavers on the way. Oudong, the former royal capital, makes an easy full day with a river leg and a climb to the hilltop stupas. Both start with a hotel pickup, which keeps them simple.
Practical tips
Carry water, sunscreen and insect repellent, wear comfortable shoes and light clothes that also meet the temple dress code, and start sightseeing early to beat the heat. Check your government’s current travel advice for Cambodia before you travel, especially if you plan to visit areas near the border. Phnom Penh’s Techo International Airport is southeast of the city, so allow time for the transfer to your hotel and ask whether your hotel arranges pickups.
Money and connectivity
The Cambodian riel and the US dollar circulate side by side, and prices for tickets, tours and hotels are often quoted in dollars, while small purchases and change come back in riel. Carry a mix of small notes, since larger bills can be hard to break at stalls and for tuk-tuk rides. Cards are accepted at hotels and larger restaurants but rarely at markets, street stalls or ticket windows. A local SIM or eSIM is inexpensive and makes ride-hailing apps and maps much easier to use.
Pacing and rest
Phnom Penh is hot, and sightseeing here is tiring in a way that surprises many visitors. Plan one major sight in the morning and one lighter activity in the late afternoon, and leave the middle of the day for lunch and a rest by a pool. Put the two memorial sites on separate days or at least separated by a long break, and keep the evening after them quiet. The Independence Monument, the Central Market and the riverfront promenade are easy additions for the in-between hours.
A three-day plan
Day one: Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Wat Phnom, sunset cruise. Day two: Tuol Sleng in the morning, Choeung Ek, a quiet evening. Day three: Silk Island bike tour or Oudong in the morning, then the Russian Market and a cooking class or food tour.
