Phnom Penh Cambodia Travel Guide

Top things to do in Phnom Penh

Start at the Royal Palace, the gleaming home of Cambodia's king. Entry is $10 and includes the Silver Pagoda inside the same walls ~ a temple floored with 5,000 silver tiles, housing an emerald Buddha and a life-size gold one studded with diamonds. Go at 8 am opening before the heat builds, and dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered, or you'll be buying a cover-up at the gate. Allow around two hours for both.

Wat Phnom, the hilltop temple that gave the city its name, costs just $1 and makes a pleasant green breather among the traffic; watch for the resident monkeys and fortune-tellers at the base. The National Museum nearby holds the world's finest collection of Khmer sculpture in a gorgeous terracotta courtyard building, and pairs naturally with the palace next door.

End each day on the riverside promenade along Sisowath Quay. Locals come out at dusk for aerobics, street snacks, and river breezes, and it's the best free show in town. The 1937 Art Deco Central Market (Phsar Thmey) is free to browse, its huge dome radiating aisles of gold, watches, fabric, and food stalls ~ great for cheap eats and a dose of everyday Phnom Penh.

Understanding the Khmer Rouge sites: Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek

No visit to Phnom Penh is complete, or honest, without the two genocide memorials. Tuol Sleng (S-21) is a former school the Khmer Rouge turned into a prison where some 20,000 people were held; entry is $5 with an audio guide for $3 more, and the audio guide is absolutely worth it. It's harrowing, but the restraint and detail of the storytelling make it essential context for modern Cambodia. Visit here first, before the Killing Fields.

Choeung Ek, the Killing Fields memorial, lies about 15 km south of the center; entry is $6 including an excellent audio guide, and a tuk-tuk there and back runs about $15. The site centers on a memorial stupa of skulls and quiet paths through the former orchard. Plan a gentle afternoon afterwards ~ we walked the riverside and were glad of it. Both sites together take most of a day and deserve unhurried time.

Food in Phnom Penh: what to eat and what it costs

Phnom Penh might be Cambodia's best food city. The signature breakfast is kuy teav, a pork and rice-noodle soup sold from street stalls for $1-2, and num banh chok, fresh rice noodles with fish curry, costs about the same from morning vendors. Fish amok and beef lok lak run $3-5 in local restaurants. Around the Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung), food stalls serve some of the city's best cheap plates for a couple of dollars.

The cafe and restaurant scene has exploded: Bassac Lane's tiny bars, riverside restaurants with $2-4 mains, and excellent coffee at $1.50-3. Several training restaurants run by NGOs serve refined Khmer tasting plates for $6-12 while funding hospitality programs ~ worth seeking out. A draft beer is 50 cents to $1 at happy hour, and even a splurge dinner rarely exceeds $15-20 per person.

Getting around and where to stay

Phnom Penh is flat and tuk-tuk-friendly. The PassApp and Grab apps put metered tuk-tuks a few minutes away for $1-3 on most hops across the center, which spares you haggling. Walking works well along the riverside and around the palace quarter, though sidewalks get chaotic. For Choeung Ek, book a tuk-tuk round trip for about $15, or combine it with Tuol Sleng in a half-day loop for a little more.

Base yourself in Daun Penh along or near the riverside: you'll be walking distance from the Royal Palace, National Museum, and the best evening strolls. Guesthouses run $10-20, boutique mid-range hotels with pools $35-70, and international five-stars from $120. The BKK1 neighborhood is the leafier expat quarter with the densest cafe scene, a $2 tuk-tuk from the sights. The airport (PNH) is 45-60 minutes from the center in traffic.

Best time to visit Phnom Penh and practical tips

November to March is the dry, cooler season and the most comfortable window, with temperatures around 25-32°C. April and May are the hottest months, often pushing past 35°C, while June to October brings short, heavy afternoon downpours that flood streets for an hour and then clear. We'd still visit in wet season ~ mornings are usually dry and hotel prices dip.

Practical notes from our visit: carry small US dollar bills, as Cambodia runs on dollars with riel given as change. Keep bags zipped and phones inward on riverside walks ~ bag-snatching from passing motorbikes is the city's one real tourist crime. Dress modestly at the palace and pagodas, and download PassApp before you land; airport tuk-tuks quote double.

How much does a Phnom Penh trip cost?

Phnom Penh is genuinely cheap. All the headline sights together ~ Royal Palace ($10), Tuol Sleng ($5 plus $3 audio), Choeung Ek ($6), and Wat Phnom ($1) ~ total around $25, with tuk-tuks between them bringing the sightseeing bill to roughly $25-35 for the whole city. That's less than a single museum ticket in many capitals.

Daily budgets: backpackers manage comfortably on $20-30 with a guesthouse bed, street food, and app tuk-tuks. Mid-range travelers spend $45-75 a day with a pool hotel and restaurant meals; luxury starts around $130. Two full days covers the city well; add a third if you want the Russian Market, a river sunset cruise ($5-15), and time to simply sit in cafes.