The 10 Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh

Looking for the best things to do in Phnom Penh? Here are the must see attractions in Cambodia’s capital!

I lived in Cambodia for almost a year and although most people come to Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, there are still many attractions to explore 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.

Overall, some of the best places to visit in Phnom Penh are the Killing Fields, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Royal Palace of Cambodia, National Museum, markets and going on a sunset boat trip.

Here are the 10 best things to do in Phnom Penh!

The 10 Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh

1. Learn about Cambodia’s History at the Killing Fields

• Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre Ticket Price: USD 6 (including the audio guide)
• Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
• How to get to the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre: Take a taxi through a Cambodian taxi app (e.g. PassApp)

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. 

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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.

2. Visit the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

• Toul Sleng Genocide Museum Ticket Price: USD 5 (USD 8 with audio guide)
• Toul Sleng Genocide Museum Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• How to get to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum: Take a taxi through a Cambodian taxi app (e.g. PassApp)

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.

3. Visit the Royal Palace of Cambodia

• Royal Palace of Cambodia Ticket Price: USD 10
• Royal Palace of Cambodia Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 8-11 am and 2-5 pm

The Royal Palace of Cambodia is a complex of buildings built in the 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 and it 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 of Cambodia 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. If not, you will be able to buy some clothes at the palace for about USD 3.

4. See the Exhibition at the National Museum of Cambodia

• National Museum of Cambodia Ticket Price: USD 10
• National Museum of Cambodia Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 8-11:30 am and 1:30-5 pm

The National Museum of Cambodia 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.

5. Visit the Wat Phnom Daun Penh

• Wat Phnom Daun Penh Ticket Price: USD 1
• Wat Phnom Daun Penh 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 was built in 1372 and is one of the oldest historical sites in Phnom Penh.

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.

6. Shop at 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.

7. Chill at the Sisowath Quay Promenade

After a day of sightseeing, the Sisowath Quay is a greta place to relax. There are many bars and restaurants along the promenade and you also get a nice sunset over the Tonle Sap River.

On New Years Eve, you can also see fireworks from the promenade.

8. Take a Sunset Boat Trip on the Mekong River

If you love sunsets, a sunset boat trip on the Mekong River will be memorable. You can choose between taking the public boat or paying for a cruise.

If you book a cruise, you can also get package deals that include dinner, drinks as well as performances. The boat trips take around 1.5 hours and cost USD 15.

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9. Try Some Traditional Khmer Food

Cambodian cuisine is known for dishes with meat and using pepper as one of the main spices. Once you start to travel around Cambodia, you will find there are many pepper farms and can learn about the traditions of using pepper in Cambodian dishes.

Some of the best Cambodian dishes are the 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.

There are also food tours organized in Phnom Penh where you explore various Khmer dishes as well as drinks.

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10. Take a Khmer Cooking Class

Taking a Khmer cooking class is a great way to learn to cook a new dish and also to learn about Cambodian cooking traditions.

Whenever I travel to a new place, I always like to take a cooking class as I find it’s a great way to learn about a new culture and also learn about a new country from the cooking teacher.

For cooking classes in Phnom Penh, check out La Table Khmere!

Hotels in Phnom Penh

Looking for a place to stay in Phnom Penh? Here are my top recommended hotels for every budget:

FAQs: Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh

Is Phnom Penh worth visiting?

Although most people come to visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh is also worth visiting. Phnom Penh is a great place to learn about the history and culture of Cambodia.

If you would like to learn more about the Khmer Rouge Regime and the Killing Fields, Phnom Penh has the 2 sites (Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields) and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum) that are must visit places.

What are the things to do in Phnom Penh at night?

Some of the best things to do in Phnom Penh at night is going on a sunset boat tour, evening food tour to try traditional Khmer dishes or checking out one of the markets in Phnom Penh.

The sunset boat tours in Phnom Penh usually include unlimited barbecue and drinks and takes you for a boat ride on the Tonle Sap and Mekong River for about 1.5 hours.

What to avoid in Phnom Penh?

Phnom Penh and Cambodia is safe for travellers, however, there is some level of crime in Phnom Penh mostly people on motorbikes snatching phones and bags off you while passing by.

For this reason, it is good to be careful of your belongings and be careful when using your phone while walking on the streets in Phnom Penh.

How many days should you spend in Phnom Penh?

If you are in Cambodia, you should spend at least 2 days in Phnom Penh. 2 days might feel rushed but if you are tight on time, 2 days are enough to see the most important attractions in Phnom Penh.

In two days in Phnom Penh, you can check out the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields), Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Royal Palace of Cambodia, markets, go on a sunset boat trip, and try Khmer food on a food tour.

How to spend 2 days in Phnom Penh?

If you only have 2 days in Phnom Penh, you should spend 1 day visiting the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields) and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. These two sites will help you learn about Cambodia’s history.

On the second day, you should visit the Royal Palace of Cambodia, markets and go on a food tour.

2 Day Phnom Penh Itinerary:

• Day 1: Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields), Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, sunset boat trip
• Day 2: Royal Palace of Cambodia, markets, evening food tour

Is Cambodia safe for Americans?

Yes, Cambodia is safe for Americans. In general, Cambodia is safe for all foreign visitors. Cambodia is considered safe but you should still be cautious like you would be anywhere else.

Some petty crimes do happen such as people on motorbikes snatching your phone or bag while you are walking, so it is good to be careful of your belongings while walking on the streets.

Conclusion

As Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh 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.

Overall, some of the best things to do in Phnom Penh is visiting the Killing Fields, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Royal Palace of Cambodia, National Museum, markets, going on a sunset boat trip, and a food tour.