Things to do in  Phnom Penh

The official home of Cambodian royals is located in the heart of Phnom Penh, where the gilded rooflines of the Royal Palace preside over manicured grounds. It’s a gem of Khmer architecture and one of the city’s most popular sites. Follow in royal footsteps as you explore the intricate Throne Hall, visit the Silver Pagoda, and more.

Boasting a hilltop location overlooking the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, the Buddhist temple of Wat Phnom is one of Cambodia’s most-visited temples. Originally built in 1373, the sanctuary was reconstructed in 1998 and now provides a place for locals to celebrate Khmer festivals and make sacred offerings.

Between 1975 and 1979, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge government killed and/or starved around 1.7 million of their citizens, roughly 20% of the population. Phnom Penh’s Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), a former high school that served as a torture and detention center, documents their atrocities through films, photos, and artifacts.

The best known of the “killing fields” where the Khmer Rouge executed over a million innocent Cambodians, the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center sit just outside Phnom Penh. A memorial stupa contains the skulls of around 8,000 victims; bracelets decorate killing sites; and a museum documents the atrocities.

Purposefully set in Phnom Penh’s bustling city center, the arresting Phnom Penh Independence Monument—Vimean Ekareach in Khmer—rises 60 feet (20 meters) above the cars and scooters zooming below. The lotus-shaped structure celebrates Cambodian independence after 90 years of French rule (1863–1953), and its small-but-scenic grounds offer a gathering place for locals and visitors to relax under a bit of Cambodian history.

The sounds of prayers and chanting Buddhist monks fills 15th-century Wat Ounalom, a religious complex near Phnom Penh’s Tonle Sap River. It’s considered the center of Cambodian Buddhism, but the temple’s not just for religious pilgrims. Here, visitors can find beautiful images of the Buddha, explore historic architecture, and more.

This great lake covering 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometers) is not only the largest body of fresh water in Southeast Asia, it’s also a UNESCO-designated biosphere due to its remarkable natural features. The flow of water in Tonlé Sap changes direction twice during the course of the year, expanding and contracting with the seasons.

Discover a shrine encrusted with precious metals and stones at the Silver Pagoda, a Buddhist landmark on the grounds of the Royal Palace. Also called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Silver Pagoda houses an image of the Buddha in pure Baccarat crystal that sits on a golden pedestal—it’s a Phnom Penh treasure.

Whether you’re looking for antique jewelry, freshly-caught fish, or factory-fresh designer brands, its likely that Phnom Penh Russian Market (Toul Tom Poung Market has a stall selling the goods. So-called because of the Russian tourists that used to frequent it, the market today offers a glimpse into local life in Cambodia’s capital.

With its distinctive art-deco dome, Phnom Penh Central Market (Phsar Thmey) attracts visitors with hundreds of traditional Khmer stalls, selling everything from antique coins and brightly colored fabrics to traditional crafts and medicinal products. No first-time visit to Phnom Penh is complete without stopping, and shopping, here.

Home to one of the largest collections of Khmer art in the world, the National Museum of Cambodia focuses on the country’s ancient history and distinctive architecture. Galleries are categorized by material—stone, metal, wood, and ceramics—and feature artifacts that date back as far as the Neolithic period.

A veritable labyrinth or bazaar, Phnom Penh’s Kandal Market—Psar Kandal in Khmer—is where the locals grab fish, meat, produce, and other consumable goods. Don’t confuse it with the city’s Central Market; this one is about the local foodie experience, and it would be wise for you to visit hungry. Though, yes, you could technically get a haircut here, too.

Erected in 1979, the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument sits in Botum Park in Phnom Penh’s bustling city center. Its existence speaks to a long and complicated relationship between the two countries: Technically, this serene, gold-topped statue was built during Vietnamese occupation—the country’s Communist army overthrew the Khmer Rouge (the party responsible for the Cambodian genocide) and would hold power until 1989.

Known by locals as Koh Dach, Cambodia’s Silk Island sits upstream on the Mekong River and provides a tranquil escape from the bustle of Phnom Penh. Step back in time on a visit to this village and see artisans at work, learn about the silk trade, and collect some handmade crafts before heading back to the mainland.

Often referred to as the “rice bowl of Asia” for its emerald-green rice paddy fields, the Mekong Delta is surrounded by fertile land. On Vietnam’s mighty Mekong, sleepy floating communities live alongside an abundance of tropical fruits, buffalo wallowing in paddy fields, and mangroves rich with birdlife.