Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia. Although most people come to Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat, there are still many attractions worth exploring in Phnom Penh. If Phnom Penh is your first stop in Cambodia, it is the perfect place to learn about Cambodia’s history and culture. The two most important places to visit in Phnom Penh are the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields) and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Learning about the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian genocide that took place between 1975-1979 is an important step in understanding Cambodia and its history.

The Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh

Visit the Killing Fields at the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre

• Entry fee: USD 6 (including the audio guide)
• Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
• How to get there: Take a tuktuk through the PassApp app for cheap taxi prices.

Visiting one of the Killing Fields is a harrowing but important experience to understand Cambodia’s history. The Killing Fields are sites across Cambodia where over 1,000,000 Cambodian people were killed by the Khmer Rouge regime. The Khmer Rouge arrested and killed intellectuals and everyone who was suspected of being connected to the previous government or having any type of connections to foreign relations (including foreign governments, foreign humanitarian organisations or contact with any foreigner). People who were arrested were taken to Choeung Ek or Tuol Sleng where they would be tortured and/or executed.

Choeung Ek was one of the Killing Fields across Cambodia and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre was created to commemorate those who died here. People taken here were tortured and executed. People were killed by various weapons such as axes, hammers, bamboo sticks or poison – the reason behind these weapons were in order for the Khmer Rouge to save ammunition.

Often, the people had to dig their own graves in the fields and were buried in mass graves. Even today, as you walk through Choeung Ek, you will see the uneven surface in the area marking the graves. 

The children of adult victims were also killed. According to the Khmer Rouge, they killed the adult victims’ children so as they would not grow up and take revenge for their parents’ death. In some cases, the Khmer Rouge killed the children and infants by having their heads bashed against trees. There is a tree in Choeung Ek dedicated to the child victims who were killed by the trees. 

When you visit the museum, you will also get an audio guide. In the audio guide, you will hear first-hand accounts of people who lived through the Khmer Rouge and the Killing Fields. It was quite emotional for me to hear these stories and reflect about humanity.

Buddhist Memorial: There is a Buddhist Memorial in the centre of Choeung Ek. The stupa was set up to commemorate the victims. It is filled with skulls of the victims as a stark reminder of the brutal torture and genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge.

Visit the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

• Entry fee: USD 5 (USD 8 with audio guide)
• Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• How to get there: Take a tuktuk through the PassApp app for cheap taxi prices.

Toul Sleng Genocide Museum is another harrowing museum in Phnom Penh. It used to be a secondary school but it was turned into a prison and interrogation centre known as the Security Prison 21 (S-21) during the Khmer Rouge regime. It is estimated that around 20,000 people were imprisoned at S-21 between 1976 and 1979, although the exact number is unknown. People were falsely accused, interrogated and tortured until they were coerced into confessing. Prisoners and their families were sometimes brought together to S-21 for interrogation and then sent to Choeung Ek for execution. Out of the 20,000 prisoners, only 12 people have survived S-21. 

Walking through the museum is quite exhausting mentally and emotionally – you will pass torture chambers, prison rooms, see various torture equipment and the photographs of all the people who have been tortured and killed there. I remember by the time I finished visiting the whole museum, I was quite exhausted emotionally. I was just sitting in the garden of the museum reflecting upon life and how cruel humanity can be.

Visit the Royal Palace of Cambodia

• Entry fee: USD 10
• Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 8-11am and 2-5pm

The Royal Palace is a complex of buildings built in 1860s. It is built in traditional Khmer architecture showcasing spires, stupas and also a defensive wall around it. The buildings are spread out over a big area (over 170,000 m2) and also include a number of gardens. The main buildings in the complex include the Throne Hall, Silver Pagoda and the Moonlight Pavilion. The buildings of the Royal Palace look super nice during sunset and you can get a great view of it from the riverside.

Dress code: The Royal Palace follows a very strict dress code. If you are visiting the Royal Palace, make sure that you are dressed appropriately covering the shoulders and knees. Though if not, you will be able to buy some clothes at the palace for about USD 3.

See the Exhibition at the National Museum of Cambodia

• Entry fee: USD 10
• Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 8-11:30 am and 1:30-5pm

The National Museum is a great place to learn about the history and culture of Cambodia. The museum displays mostly religious stone statues, ethnographic objects and ceramics brought from Angkor to Phnom Penh. Although the museum does not provide a brochure and is not too big, it is still a good place to learn about the art and culture of Cambodia.

When I visited it was very hot and there was no AC. Maybe it is best to go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Visit the Wat Phnom Daun Penh

• Entry fee: USD 1
• Opening times: Monday – Friday: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm, Saturday – Sunday: closed

The Wat Phnom Daun Penh is a Buddhist Temple in Phnom Penh. It is one of the oldest historical sites in Phnom Penh, built in 1372. It is said that there was a wealthy woman called Lady Penh who found 4 statues of Buddha and one statue of Vishnu by the river. After retrieving the statues from the river, she commissioned the building of a wooden temple to house the statues. Over the centuries, it was rebuilt a few times until it gained its present shape.

Discover the Markets of Phnom Penh

Are you looking for some souvenirs, cheap items or a place to experience every day Cambodian life at a market? Head to one of the markets in Phnom Penh and bring your bargaining skills.

• Russian Market: Best for souvenirs and cheap clothes. There is also a food court in the centre of the market.
• Phnom Penh Night Market: Best for street food with seats on a carpet on the ground.
• Central Market: Best for souvenirs, electronic goods and clothing. The building of the market is also very impressive. It was built in Art Deco style and it is the largest building built in this style in all of Asia.

Take a Stroll on the Sisowath Quay Promenade

After a day of sightseeing, finish your day at the promenade by the Tonle Sap River. The sunset is so beautiful here. There are also lots of restaurants and bars along the way, and it makes it the perfect place to relax. On New Years Eve, you can also watch fireworks from the promenade.

Take a Sunset Boat Trip on the Mekong River

If you love sunsets, a boat trip on the Mekong River will be memorable. You can choose between taking the public boat or paying for a cruise. If you go with a cruise, you could get package deals that include dinner, drinks as well as performances.

Try Some Traditional Khmer Food

I loved the food in Cambodia, I found the dishes so tasty. They use a lot of pepper in the dishes, and once you travel around Cambodia, you will also find there are many pepper farms and understand the long traditions of using pepper in the Cambodian dishes.

Some of the best dishes to try are lok lak (similar to beef stew), amok (coconut fish curry) and kuy teav (noodle soup, popular for breakfast). If you are feeling adventurous, you can also try some fried insects, like tarantulas or crickets.