Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh Cambodia

Capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia

A mixture of Cambodian hospitality, Asian exotica and Indochinese charm await the visitor to Phnom Penh. Situated at the confluence of three great rivers - known as the 'Chaktomuk' (four faces) of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers - Phnom Penh is a city of more than 2 million people, the capital of Cambodia and the country's commercial, economic and political hub. It is still a comparatively fresh travel destination. These days bistros and boutique hotels line the riverfront, smart little silk shops and art galleries dot the side streets and the city still enjoys a heady dusk-to-dawn nightlife.

As the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh is fairly young, only rising to the role in 1866, but is still a city steeped in tradition and history, offering several cultural and historical sights. Much of the central city including the Royal Palace and National Museum was built during the French period. You may notice the old French buildings in classic colonial yellow amongst the Southeast Asian shophouses and traditional Khmer pagodas and markets. The National Museum in Phnom Penh is the most significant public repository of Khmer artifacts in the country, displaying many important Angkorian artifacts and rare pieces from later periods. Historical sites from the Khmer Rouge period include the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Memorial.

Phnom Penh Dining & Restaurants

Phnom Penh offers the best dining in Cambodia, with choice, depth and authenticity exceeding the other tourist towns. The Cambodian food is made-for-the-locals authentic whether street food or 5-star dining, and most western and Asian cuisines as well as contemporary dining are well represented. And given Cambodia’s long relationship with France, it is no surprise the French food is also of particular note in Phnom Penh. These days the city’s dining scene is evolving quickly. New venues are popping up all the time, especially contemporary cuisine and upscale Asian dining, as well as several major fast food brands and international a/c&wifi coffeeshops aplenty.

American  *  Australian  *  Belgian  *  Buffets  *  Cambodian  * Chinese  *  Contemporary  *  Coffee  *  Fast Food  *  French  *  International  *  German *  Indian *  Italian  *  Japanese  *  Korean  *  Mediterranean  *  Mexican  *  Persian  *  Seafood  *  Singaporean  *  Taiwanese  *  Thai  *  Vegetarian  *  Vietnamese

Phnom Penh: Bars & Nightlife

Phnom Penh is a good little party town, offering a heady dusk till dawn nightlife and a concise variety of places from which to choose. There's something for everybody - neighborhood bars and after-work places like Rehabb Pub and Sports Bar in BKK1, plenty of hostess bars, some good wine bars, at least a couple of places with live music, a few clubs, and for late nighters more than a few 24/7 bars, especially in the Street 51 area and near the riverfront.  

Bars and clubs are scattered across the town, but as the city is fairly compact its usually no more than a few minutes in between. Even easier, there are a few bar streets and areas where bars are clustered together. The riverfront area sports dozens of tippling venues - neighborhood bars, tourist bars and upscale places dot the riverfront road Sisowath Quay from Wat Phnom to the Royal Palace. Up the side streets, many of the bars are of the hostess variety as well as a few interesting little neighborhood pubs. Street 51 at Street 174, centered on The Heart of Darkness, is also a very popular late night bar street with dozens of places within a couple blocks. The Boeung Keng Kang 1 (BKK1) area also has its fair share of drinking venues, especially in the Streets 278/51 area. (And right across the street, Street 308 off Norodom Blvd has become a secret haven for new and interesting little after work and cocktail places.

Phnom Penh: Shopping and Galleries

For Cambodian souvenirs, art, silks, handicrafts, and curios, both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap offer a wide range of shopping opportunities, from traditional markets to chic boutiques. Traditional Cambodian souvenirs include fine hand-loomed silks, Angkorian and Buddhist themed carvings, statuary, hand-pounded silverwork, traditional handicrafts, and of course, the most traditional of all Cambodian souvenirs, the krama -- a checkered scarf unique to the Khmer people and tourists. The Russian Market and Central Market offer excellent selections of traditional souvenirs as well as a unique local market experience. If you're looking for more contemporary shopping, there are also boutique shops offering unique Cambodian-made fashions, accessories and gifts.

Phnom Penh City Sights

Phnom Penh’s points of interest are largely historical and cultural, but they are only part of exploring the city. Exotic shopping, unique dining, indulgent spas and a fair bit of nightlife complete the Phnom Penh experience.

For the sights, set aside two or three days for the major points. Though it is possible to squeeze the most important sights into a single day, this leaves very little time at each location. Popular sights include the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Khmer Rouge ‘Killing Fields,’ the National Museum, the Russian Market, Central Market and Wat Phnom. Except for the ‘Killing Fields,’ which are about 16km from the city center, all of the major sights are inside the city within a five or ten minute ride of each other.

Other things to do an see include traditional performances (including the very popular 'Plae Pakaa/Fruitful' at the National Museum.) And within day trips distance of Phnom Penh there are several Angkorian-era ruins and as well as other historic sites.

Most people hire transportation for half or full day at a time. Consider a cyclo or even a walking tour for a more intimate look at the city. There is also a new ‘Hop on-Hop off’ a/c tour bus the circles past all of the major in-city attractions once per hour, allowing a flexible itinerary. $15 for one day, $25 for two. The same outfit also offers twice daily buses to Toul Sleng and the Killing Fields.

Phnom Penh: Day Trips & Nearby Destinations  

There is a lot of Cambodian history and culture within a daytrip’s distance of Phnom Penh. The pre-Angkorian and Angkorian-era temple ruins in Takeo province, though not as impressive as the ruins near Siem Reap, still rank amongst the most historically and archaeologically important Khmer ruins in Cambodia. Of a much later era, the picturesque 17th-19th century remains of the royal city of Oudong west of the Phnom Penh allow you to explore the period of Cambodian history between the end of the Angkorian-era and the beginning of the French colonial period, an age that is neglected in most tours of the country. And just the process of getting to these sites provides a good glimpse of Cambodian countryside life - scenic rice paddies, stilted villages and countryside pagodas.

Most of the places listed are too far for a tuk-tuk from Phnom Penh. Easiest to arrange a tour or transportation through a travel agent or your hotel, usually a daily tourist van. DYI options include chartering a taxi, renting a motorcycle or taking a public bus to the nearby city and ask to be let off at the site.

Phnom Penh: Recreation & Activities

Phnom Penh offers a fairly steady stream of parties, art exhibitions, live music, openings, cultural events and such. For the latest information on up-coming events there are several print publications floating around, including monthly magazines Asia Life (parties, cultural events, exhibitions, concerts) and Bayon Pearnik (pub crawls, music, parties and fun stuff) and few weekly mini-magazines such as The Advisor and 7 Days by the Phnom Penh Post.

Art Exhibitions, Brewery Tours, Cooking Classes, Culture and Arts, Dance Classes, Fitness Centers, Golf, HHH, Causes, Kid's City, Movie Houses, Scuba, Performances