Phnom Penh Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Apr)

Phnom Penh Royal Palace

Phnom Penh Royal Palace The most revered image at the Phnom Penh Royal Palace is the Emerald Buddha, made of Baccarat crystal and dating back to the 17th century. Behind it, another Buddha statue was cast in 1906, using 90 kg of gold and decorated with 9,584 diamonds. Cabinets along the perimeter contain gifts presented to royalty and dignitaries. Along the inside of the recently restored 600-metre external wall is a colourful mural depicting scenes from the Reamker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana. #summerbreak #royalpalace

Go find the smile of Cambodia.

In the Spring Festival of 2020, I set foot on Cambodia with anxiety and unease. Cambodia, I never thought this country could be so cleansing to the soul. Its prosperity has faded away, sometimes even shabby, but it is said to be so sunny, simple, and full of hope. Plane landed in Phnom Penh, mainly visiting two major scenic spots: 1. The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh: It is the palace of the King of Cambodia, consisting of a group of buildings with golden roofs and yellow surroundings, with exquisite design and magnificent appearance. The palaces are all pointed, representing prosperity. The main colors of the palace body are yellow and white, with yellow representing Buddhism and white representing Brahmanism. The Royal Palace of Cambodia is indeed magnificent, but there is a world of difference between inside and outside the palace walls. 2. The National Museum of Cambodia adopts the architectural style of Khmer ancient temple with hipped roofs and carved doors, which reminds me of the architecture of the Black Temple in Chiang Rai (they belong to the same school). It integrates Khmer traditional architecture with French colonial style. The museum introduces the history of Cambodia, mainly including the pre-Angkor period, Angkor period, and post-Angkor period. The exquisite carvings of the Angkor period are breathtaking. It also makes me look forward to the trip to Angkor Wat starting tomorrow. Continuing to send to Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is divided into the Great and Small Angkor Wat. Simply put, the Great Angkor Wat is a city, while the Small Angkor Wat is a temple, also known as the Angkor Wat Temple. It is the pattern on the Cambodian national flag and the most exquisite part of Angkor Wat. If we talk about the biggest feeling of going to Angkor, it should be the collision of time and space. Here, you can see the rise and fall of a dynasty, the call of a disappeared city sleeping underground for centuries. Angkor is a city of vicissitudes. At every stage of life, coming here will bring different feelings. On the first day, we visited the so-called small circle, mainly Banteay Srei, the palace and temple, and Ta Prohm... Rather than saying that Angkor is a scenic spot, it is more like a kind of sentiment. Many people say that they must go to Angkor Wat once in their lifetime. As for me, it finally lifted the veil of Khmer and let me touch the distant faith, feeling the tranquility and vicissitudes of the ruins. On the second day, we visited the outer circle, including the Queen's Palace, Beng Mealea, Bakheng Temple (the architecture of Angkor is exquisite, and the structural design is clever, making it easy to take beautiful photos). The last stop was Ta Prohm, the shooting location of "Tomb Raider". Quoting a passage from "In the Mood for Love" to end the trip to Angkor Wat: "If you can't forget it, it means you haven't buried the secret in your heart, so you must go to Angkor Wat. If you want to start a new life, you should bring her to Angkor Wat, sit on the high Angkor Wat together, watch the sunrise and sunset, experience the vicissitudes of life, and express your endless sentiment." In Angkor, there is a natural tranquility and beauty, where every stone tells a story of the past. Being in the city, one's thoughts are endless, feeling their own ignorance and rudeness towards the weighty civilization. Here, some see the rise and fall, some see life and death, some are intoxicated by the scenery, and some gain enlightenment about life. However, Angkor remains silent, only smiling and watching the cycle of the world and the rising and setting of the sun and moon. A thousand years is but a moment.

French style city in Cambodia

Phnom Penh city is the capital of Kingdom of Cambodia. A very interesting place where you see the mix between the old area with markets, ancient buildings, narrow lanes and shops, together with the a French styles architecture of the colonial area where are located government buildings. The Royal Palace is a must place to visit. #2023travelwish #lucaworldtraveler

The Royal Palace, Cambodia

#celebratewithtrip The Royal Palace of Cambodia is a complex of buildings which serves as the royal residence of the King of Cambodia. It is located in Samdach Sothearos Blvd (3), Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Entrance fee is $10 per person. It gives you a glimpse of Cambodian culture and heritage. The palaces are beautifully carved. Sadly you can't go inside, or take photos inside. But you are allowed to peek in the windows. When you walk around the outside of the building and take in the stunning architecture of the rooftops. They are quite a view. There are lots of nice miniature buildings here, so I do recommend exploring everything before you leave the place. #celebratewithtrip #tripinspired #tripmoments #phnompenh #cambodia

Go find the smile of Cambodia.

In the Spring Festival of 2020, I set foot on Cambodia with anxiety and unease. Cambodia, I never thought this country could be so cleansing to the soul. Its prosperity has faded away, sometimes even shabby, but it is said to be so sunny, simple, and full of hope. Plane landed in Phnom Penh, mainly visiting two major scenic spots: 1. The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh: It is the palace of the King of Cambodia, consisting of a group of buildings with golden roofs and yellow surroundings, with exquisite design and magnificent appearance. The palaces are all pointed, representing prosperity. The main colors of the palace body are yellow and white, with yellow representing Buddhism and white representing Brahmanism. The Royal Palace of Cambodia is indeed magnificent, but there is a world of difference between inside and outside the palace walls. 2. The National Museum of Cambodia adopts the architectural style of Khmer ancient temple with hipped roofs and carved doors, which reminds me of the architecture of the Black Temple in Chiang Rai (they belong to the same school). It integrates Khmer traditional architecture with French colonial style. The museum introduces the history of Cambodia, mainly including the pre-Angkor period, Angkor period, and post-Angkor period. The exquisite carvings of the Angkor period are breathtaking. It also makes me look forward to the trip to Angkor Wat starting tomorrow. Continuing to send to Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is divided into the Great and Small Angkor Wat. Simply put, the Great Angkor Wat is a city, while the Small Angkor Wat is a temple, also known as the Angkor Wat Temple. It is the pattern on the Cambodian national flag and the most exquisite part of Angkor Wat. If we talk about the biggest feeling of going to Angkor, it should be the collision of time and space. Here, you can see the rise and fall of a dynasty, the call of a disappeared city sleeping underground for centuries. Angkor is a city of vicissitudes. At every stage of life, coming here will bring different feelings. On the first day, we visited the so-called small circle, mainly Banteay Srei, the palace and temple, and Ta Prohm... Rather than saying that Angkor is a scenic spot, it is more like a kind of sentiment. Many people say that they must go to Angkor Wat once in their lifetime. As for me, it finally lifted the veil of Khmer and let me touch the distant faith, feeling the tranquility and vicissitudes of the ruins. On the second day, we visited the outer circle, including the Queen's Palace, Beng Mealea, Bakheng Temple (the architecture of Angkor is exquisite, and the structural design is clever, making it easy to take beautiful photos). The last stop was Ta Prohm, the shooting location of "Tomb Raider". Quoting a passage from "In the Mood for Love" to end the trip to Angkor Wat: "If you can't forget it, it means you haven't buried the secret in your heart, so you must go to Angkor Wat. If you want to start a new life, you should bring her to Angkor Wat, sit on the high Angkor Wat together, watch the sunrise and sunset, experience the vicissitudes of life, and express your endless sentiment." In Angkor, there is a natural tranquility and beauty, where every stone tells a story of the past. Being in the city, one's thoughts are endless, feeling their own ignorance and rudeness towards the weighty civilization. Here, some see the rise and fall, some see life and death, some are intoxicated by the scenery, and some gain enlightenment about life. However, Angkor remains silent, only smiling and watching the cycle of the world and the rising and setting of the sun and moon. A thousand years is but a moment.

National Museum, Phnom Penh

#celebratewithtrip The National Museum of Cambodia. It is located on Preah Ang Eng Street,13, Phnom Penh. It is one of the world's largest collections of Khmer cultural material. Entrance fee prices are US$5 for foreigner ages from 10 to 17 years old, US$10 foreigner ages from 18 years old up, 500 Riels for Cambodians. Children and school groups are free. Guided tours can be arranged for individuals or groups at the museum entrance. We went to Phnom Penh by bus from Ho Chi Minh City. There are a lot of tours in HCM to choose going to Cambodia. The bus to Phnom Penh takes about 6 to 7 hours, depending on the bus. You should get to the bus station at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. The museum promotes awareness, understanding and appreciation of Cambodia's culture and heritage, aiming to educate and inspire its visitors. It is quite educational indeed! #celebratewithtrip #tripinspired #tripmoments #phnompenh #cambodia

Be Time Conscious in National Museum Cambodia

We have been wanting to visit the National Museum of Cambodia to check their historical and cultural collections however their opening hours didn’t match our itinerary so we only got the chance to be outside and took few photos. :( Unlike any other museums and temples which are open for tourists and visitors for a whole day, this Museum has a bit of a break in between which is around lunch time. So better check online schedules from time to time to ensure you can come in. ⏰Opening hours: 8 AM to 11:30 AM & 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM 📍Address: Preah Ang Eng St., (13) Phnom Penh Cambodia 🇰🇭 #bucketlistreboot #cambodia #museum #traveltips

Cambodia-The best country ever!

CAMBODIA: KINGDOM OF WONDER We actually went for a tri-city(Siem Reap, Cambodia is our favorite and here are some of the reasons why you need to include Cambodia on your bucket list after the quarantine. 1. Food. I mean their supeeeeer yummy food. Khmer dishes didn’t disappoint kasi we did not expect naman in the first place HAHAHA On our way to Cambodia, our judgmental ass was like “Beshy, exotic ata mga food nila dito. Can’t imagine myself eating uod for lunch or tutubi for dinner” We arrived at around 9pm and it was raining pa so we decided to look for food near our chosen accommodation and to our surprise, LIVE COOKING SILA FRIEND as in you can taste the freshest shrimp straight from the aquarium pa and it’s not even a mamahaling restaurant. But if you wanna maximize your Khmer food experience don’t DARE miss the Pub Street. Open siya every night lang. We decided to eat there on our last night in Siem Reap. We tried their Beef Lok Lak, and trust me ang sarap. Im crying!!!! Beef noodle soup is only 2USD (Yup, dollars po yung money nila) and it’s good for two na but we made it for three kasi ang dami ng servings. Sweet and Sour shrimp is only 3USD and it comes with rice na din their squid is 1.75USD each. Ano say ng dampa? Must try dishes: Beef Lok Lak (Taste can be compared to stir-fried beef and black pepper beef combined but mas masarap) and Fish Amok (Basically it’s a curried fish but not too spicy and a bit sweeter. It is usually served in banana leaf) Mostly ng food nila comes with rice na kaya super sulet talaga. 2. Freshest Fruit Shakes. For those na mahilig sa fruits, this is the best place to be. Ang SARAP AT ANG LALAKI din ng servings 😅 Imagine ordering an Avocado shake for only 1USD with a size larger than Starbucks’ venti. Ito ang literal na daks na hahanap-hanapin mo mama. Choosy ka pa ba? We tried the pineapple, avocado and mango shakes na mas madaming fruits kesa sa ice. Sorry, Frutas 😅 3. Souvenir Shops. Mahihiya yung Divisoria and Taytay sa tawad na ibibigay nila. Imagine going there tas you’ll be approached by Cambodian women in their super malambing na accent “Hello Ladies. How much do you have? Ill give you discount” Yes, sila mag aadjust sa budget mo. I can still remember getting a souvenir worth 1 dollar na originally 3 dollars talaga. Di ka nila tatantanan hanggat di mo kukunin yung products. Hanggat kaya nila ibigay, ibibigay nila. Ganun dapat! Char! They have rattan bags din similar to the one of Indonesia. And ang gaganda din ng quality promise!!!! 4. Pub Street. I know I mentioned this awhile ago pero isasama ko pa din siya sa list kasi Pub Street alone is an enough reason to visit Siem Reap, Cambodia. Na shookt kami sa dami ng foreigners. Best place for night life kasi again open lang siya every night. Kaya good choice din yung accommodation na nakuha namin kasi walking distance lang siya. #foodie #nationalpark #themepark #urbanexplorers

Wat Phnom in Cambodia ⛩

Visiting temples is such an amazing experience of a lifetime as we love to understand the beginnings of buddhism and the temples’ history as well. One of the temples that you shouldn’t miss in Cambodia is Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh. Wat Phnom or “Mountain Pagoda” has on point architectural design which amazed us when we were there. Highly recommended for those who loves to visit temples. Note: Always observe temple rules and read signages everytime. 📍Address: Daun Penh District, Phnom Penh Cambodia 🇰🇭 ⏰ Opening Hours: 7 AM to 6 PM #bucketlistreboot #passionpassport #cambodia #temple #pagoda

Wat Phnom — A beautiful Buddhist Temple

Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple, a pagoda, that symbolizes the name of Phnom Penh, a historical site in the record of Khmer national identity. Wat Phnom has a total height of 46 meters. The pagoda is named after Lady Penh from the story of the discovery of the five statues: one Vishnu statue and four Buddha statues. Erected in 1373, the temple was used to house four Buddha statues, which were allegedly discovered by an old wealthy lady named Penh who then constructed a small shrine on the site to protect the statues. Its a small beautiful temple. You can see religious ceremonies all day around. Many people visit to pray and perform ceremonies. #buddhist #religiousculture #phnompenh #cambodia

Wat Phnom Buddhist Temple

Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple, a pagoda, that symbolizes the name of Phnom Penh, a historical site in the record of Khmer national identity. Wat Phnom Doun Penh has a total height of 46 meters. The pagoda is named after grandmother "Doun Penh" from the story of the discovery of the four statues: one Vishnu statue and four buddhas statue. In 1372, a wealthy old lady named "Doun Penh" lived on a small hill near the bank of the confluence of the four rivers. One day, when it was raining, Doun Penh went down to the port to take a bath and saw a floating Koki tree in the river and she called the village to fish it from the water. She and the villagers took a piece of wood to scrape off the mud and in the hole of the Koki tree, there were four Buddha statues made of bronze, brass and one made of marble. Another statue was in the form of Vishnu with the hands holding a staff, a chain, a snail, and a lotus flower. Doun Penh asked the villagers to help retrieve the Koki tree and retrieve the four treasures. Later, Doun Penh assigned the villagers to build an artificial hill and build a small wooden temple on top of the hill to house the statue. She invited monks to pray for the statues and the monks named the hermitage "Wat Phnom" which is known to this day. #scenicspotguide

Stayed locally and crossed the road into the memorial park and Wat Phnom. We paid $1 each to enter the grounds at night. The lighting against the architecture was stunning. Best viewed in my opinion at night to get the real feel for the temple and grounds. I would advise going with company. The park and temple are in the middle of the main roundabout. Crossing the road to enter is fairly easy.

phonm penh

the world many destinations and beautiful places #Phnom Penh Phnom Penh Cambodia’s busy capital, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market. About Population: 2.282 million (2019) Area code: +855 (023) Capital re-established: 1865 Capital status: 1434–1497

Enjoy free vip lounge from trip.com

Great place to relax and enjoy the foods

#timetotravel Was truly impressed of the space, ambience and hospitality of the Plaza Premium Lounge at Phom Penh International Airport. Have plenty of seats, suitable for working, dining, resting pots with privacy and bar counter for variety of drinks. Buffet spread is simply delicious, especially porridge which is my favourite comfort food. Good lounge at phnom penh airport. Food can definitely be improved. They removed all the zero sugar pepsi or coke from the lounge. Hopefully they can improve. Service is decent

Getting There -  Attractions -  Hotels -  Food & Restaurants -  Shopping - 

Echoes of Sorrow 🪦

My visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh was an eye-opening yet haunting and emotionally charged journey into Cambodia's darkest chapter. To get the most out of the the museum, we hired a guide, who had experienced Pol Pot's oppresive regime herself, to bring us through the exhibits and retell her harrowing experience. Being able to hear from the horse's mouth, it was worth every penny and would recommend all visitors to get one (for big groups) or get the audio guide (for individuals/ small groups). Stepping through the gates of the former high school turned prison, the weight of history settled heavily upon me. Each cell whispered the anguish of the thousands who suffered within its walls under the Khmer Rouge regime. Photographs of the victims lined the corridors, their eyes hauntingly staring back, a silent testament to the atrocities committed. The museum's exhibits laid bare the grim reality of torture and mass executions that stained this place. It was a sobering reminder of humanity's capacity for cruelty and the importance of remembering the past to ensure such horrors are never repeated. Leaving Tuol Sleng, I carried with me not just the images and stories of the victims, but also a profound sense of responsibility to honor their memory by striving for a better, more compassionate world. #WinHKFlight #winhkflight I can feel Hong Kong's vibrant culture, stunning skyline, and delicious cuisine calling my name! Can't wait to explore the streets of Mong Kok, hike the Dragon's Back Trail, and get my dim sum fix at Tim Ho Wan. Looking forward to a holiday in Hong Kong!

Old Prison with sad history

#wecreate Must see in Phnom Penh, museum made out of S-21, one of the prisons during the rule of Khmer Rouge in 1975-1979. Admission is 5 USD per person or 10 USD with audio guide I think I spend roughly two hours listening to most of the stuff and going on a leisurely pace. You could probably spend 1-2 hours more reading everything on the additional exhibitions and listening everything on the audio guide.

A different experience at the genocide museum

I don’t know how to describe this. It was a very interesting experience for sure, sadly Cambodia went through a very hard time and this place is in fact a former secondary school which was used as Security Prison 21 by the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 until its fall in 1979. Here you’ll see pictures of the victims, you may see some remains of clothing and even skulls. It’s a very intense experience and you’ll come across a lot of interesting history pieces, and also there is an audio guide in multiple language that you can carry with you to know more about the museum and everything you come across. #myperfectstaycation

Cambodia History - Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Getting There - Grab/Local taxis Verdict - 5/5 Time Taken - 1 hour Enter the world of Cambodia’s dark history as you step into the old school compound situated in the middle of Phnom Penh. You will have an option of picking up a audio guided tour in various languages at US$10 or choose to walk through by yourself at US$5. I would recommend getting a guided audio tour to get more in depth information on the various activities that took place during this dark era. #cambodia #genocide #tuolsleng The compound consists of 3 main buildings with each being used for different activities during Pol Pot’s regime. As you walk through the buildings, you will learn how prisoners were captured, tortured before being massacred. You will also get to see the thousands of Cambodians that were killed. Disclaimer: It might get quite dark during the tour so be prepared.