18 Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh

The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are set adjacent to each other, spanning 174,870 square metres of breathtaking Khmer architecture and lush greenery. Although the king of Cambodia still occasionally resides in The Royal Palace (if the blue royal flag is flying, the king is in residence), visitors can explore several buildings within the palace grounds from US$6.50 and guided tours are available from around US$10.

Located in Sisowath Quay, highlights at the Royal Palace include the Throne Hall and Moonlight Pavilion. Meanwhile, entrance to the Silver Pagoda is free of charge, where you can visit the Emerald Buddha, which dates back to the 17th century and is adorned with Baccarat crystals.

The National Museum of Cambodia is where you can find the cultural side of Cambodian history that dates back to the 4th century. The museum is housed within an impressive red sandstone structure and inaugurated in 1920 as the Musée Albert Sarraut during the French colonial period. It stands out as a fine illustration of traditional Khmer architecture.

There are over 14,000 interesting exhibits, arranged according to prehistoric, pre-Angkor, Angkor, and post-Angkor eras, each of which comprises bronze and wooden sculptures, ceramic items, ethnographic items and stone articles. Check out spectacular exhibits such as the 6th-century, 8-armed statue of Lord Vishnu.

Cambodian Living Arts is a non-profit organisation that hosts Apsara and traditional Khmer dance performances at the National Museum of Cambodia. Tickets are priced from US$15 and shows are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and weekends from 7pm onwards. The organisation preserves traditional Khmer dance that dates back to the 18th century but was almost lost under the Khmer Rouge regime.

Cambodian Living Arts revived the art by gathering surviving master artists to train and pass on their knowledge to younger generations. The troupe comprises live singers and musicians in traditional Khmer costumes, performing eight classical dances of ethnic minorities from all over Cambodia.

Central Market (Phsar Thmey) caters to just about any traveller, whether you’re a shopping enthusiast who wants to gauge your haggling skills, a tourist interested to be a part of a bustling crowd, or simply keen to explore, and photograph, Phnom Penh’s unique architectural designs.

Designed by French architects Jean Desbois and Wladimir Kandaouroff, this indoor market was the largest of its kind in Asia when it was constructed in 1937. You can find a wide assortment of goods in Central Market (Phsar Thmey), from men and women’s clothing, jewellery, flowers and shoes to gemstones, local handicrafts and fresh produce.

Children Park Koh Pich is an amusement park at the South Sisowath Quay in Phnom Penh. It can get quite packed and offers colourful ways to have fun, including a rollercoaster, a roller skating area with a big wavy floor section and lots of booths where punters try to burst balloons with darts.

It is, of course, nowhere near as extravagant as Disneyland, but this is a great place for people-watching, especially watching the locals enjoying life with friends and family – a reminder to outsiders that there is now much more to Cambodia than the grim history of the Killing Fields. 

Golf in Cambodia is relatively new and the number of golf courses is limited. The first club to open in Cambodia, in 1996, was the 18-hole course at the Cambodia Golf & Country Club. On the outskirts of Phnom Penh, about 33 km west of the city centre, it is set among 120 acres, and also has a clubhouse, swimming pools, tennis courts, convention facilities and villas.

Another golf course near Phnom Penh is the Royal Cambodia Phnom Penh Golf Club. To get there, take Route 4 towards Sihanoukville and keep an eye out for a big sign for the club about 14 km from the city.

Independence Monument is an iconic landmark that’s set in the heart Phnom Penh City Centre. Locally known as Vimean Ekareach, it signifies Cambodia’s liberation from the French who have colonised the nation between 1863 and 1953.

As a result, vibrant celebrations of national festivities such as Independence Day (November 9th) and Constitution Day (September 24th) are held here. On most days, the best time to visit is at night as that’s when Independence Monument and its surroundings are illuminated by blue, red and white floodlights.

Sisowath Quay is one of Phnom Penh's most bustling areas, with a row of boutiques, bars, cafes, restaurants and luxury hotels lining its length. The boulevard spans about 3 km long, at the intersection of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers.

Sisowath Quay's cool and relaxing atmosphere lets you enjoy a delightful getaway, and serves as a central meeting point of almost all roads that lead to the city’s key attractions.

Phnom Penh is not as active as Siem Reap when it comes to Khmer performing arts. Even so, you can find some of the performing arts schools in the city are open to the public during the day, allowing you the opportunity to observe dancers in training.

Among these, a must-see is the Sovannaphum Arts Association & Art Gallery on 111 Street 360 (corner of Street 105). Started in 1994 by a group of students from the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, the association has a theatre where traditional cultural shows are staged every Friday and Saturday night at 7.30 pm.

Shows include shadow puppet theatre, classical Apsara dancing, and folk and mask dances. On sale at the gallery at the theatre are shadow puppets made from leather, musical instruments and more. Another fine theatre to visit is the Chatomuk Theatre at Sisowath Quay.

Ta Phrom Temple at Tonle Bati dates back to the late 12th century, featuring well-preserved stone carvings and bas-reliefs of Hindu mythology – this temple is similar in style to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. Accessible within an hour’s drive from Phnom Penh City Centre in the Takeo Province, there’s an entrance fee of US$3 to visit the temple, making it affordable and convenient option for travellers who are staying in the capital of Cambodia.

Other attractions in Tonle Bati include Yey Peo Temple (located 200 metres north of Ta Phrom Temple) and Tonle Bati Lake, a popular picnic spot among locals. Great for unwinding after visiting the temples, you can also rent huts and hammocks at relatively low prices.

The Killing Fields, also known as Choeung Ek Memorial, is a bone-chilling reminder of Cambodia’s tragic history. About 17 km south of Phnom Penh City, it is one of the many killing fields or execution and burial grounds used by the Khmer Rouge regime during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979.

Mass graves were discovered after the Khmer Rouge fled the city, leading to the construction of a Buddhist memorial for over 15,000 victims in The Killing Fields. Half-day tours to this memorial and S-21 Prison feature informative audio guides in many languages as well as testimony from survivors and guards of the regime.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum was formerly Tuol Svay Pray High School before it was turned into an interrogation, torture and execution centre by the Khmer Rouge regime. Also known as S-21 Prison, an estimated 17,000 Cambodians entered this notorious venue. Only 7 managed to survive until the end of the regime.

Most rooms have been left in the state they were found in January 1979, including classrooms divided into tiny cells. An essential stop while visiting Phnom Penh, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum also displays 6,000 haunting portraits of its prisoners for travellers to understand the recent tragic Cambodian history. It's an intense experience touring the old prison and will no doubt give you plenty of food for thought.

Wat Langka, nearby Phnom Penh’s Independence Monument, is one of the 5 pagodas founded by Ponhea Yat in 1442. This colourful shrine was established as a library of Buddhist scriptures as well as a meeting place for Cambodian and Sri Lankan monks, but it was also used as a storehouse during the Khmer Rouge’s regime.

Unlike most Buddhist temples in Cambodia, the stupas here are kept in a great condition and entrance to the temple is free of charge. Every Sunday at 8.30am, you can participate in Wat Langka’s meditation sessions which are supervised by English-speaking monks.

Wat Ounalom offers visitors an in-depth look into the spiritual teachings, philosophies and history of Buddhism in Cambodia. The most prominent and oldest of 5 pagodas in the country, Wat Ounalom is the centre of Cambodian Buddhism and serves as the abode of the Patriarch of the Mahanikai School of Buddhism.

Built in 1443 to enshrine an eyebrow hair (ounalom) of Lord Buddha, the shrine housed over 500 monks and the Buddhist Institute’s library that held over 30,000 titles in its collection before they were wiped out by the Khmer Rouge regime. The displayed Buddha’s eyebrow miraculously survived, making it the main draw among travellers from all over the world. A 10-minute walk from The Royal Palace, entrance to Wat Ounalom is free of charge.

Wat Phnom is a temple that sits on a hill to the north of Phnom Penh. The temple was restored and reconstructed through several years, namely in 1434, 1806, 1894 and 1926.

Wat Phnom is a symbol of the Cambodian capital city and is regularly visited by local devotees who either come for prayers, bring small offerings, or participate in meditation.