Killing Fields and Prison S21 Bus Tour
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Tour two harrowing Cambodian sites, each a stark reminder of the Khmer Rouge’s atrocities between 1975 and 1979. First, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, transformed from the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21). Then get a sobering look at the Killing Fields, where mass killings and burials took place. Watch an informative documentary on board your vehicle and upgrade to audio or live guides in each location, if you wish.
- Ride a shuttle bus to the historical sites from Phnom Penh
- Learn all about this dark period of Cambodian history
- Includes handy transfers from select hotels in Phnom Penh
- Choose from morning or afternoon tours to fit your schedule
What's Included
- Half day transportation on an air-conditioned tour bus
- English speaking tour assistant on hand to help
- Documentary film played on-board on the way to Killing Fields
- Free WiFi on board (please ask tour assistant when you need it)
- 1 x bottle of drinking water
- Entry fees (Prison S21 $5, ; Killing Fields $3)
- Audio guides (Prison S21 $5; Killing Fields $3, optional)
- In-House live guide services (Prison S21 $3-$5, Optional)
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We will come to your hotel to pick you up if your hotel is near Central Market, Riverside, Royal Palace, BKK. if your hotel is out of these areas, please come to a meeting point at Riverside.
Itinerary
1
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Choeung Ek Genocidal Center
1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Please provide your WhatsApp number when you make the booking as we will contact you via WhatsApp for pick up time, or you can ask your hotel reception to call our local number 015745880 to confirm pick up time and location the night before the tour, or you can send us an email 1 day in advance to confirm hotel pick up time and location. Please provide hotel name & address (as some hotels have similar names), and room number for pick up.
- The Killing Fields tour is a shared bus tour, please be on time for pickup. If your hotel is located near Riverside, Central Market (not including Russian BLVD), Wat Phnom, Royal Palace, Independence monument, Aeon Mall, Kirirom, BKK, we will offer free hotel pick up. But some hotels are not in our pick up zone due to traffic problem. Guests who stay in those hotels are advised to come to Night Market at Riverside (bus station) for pick up at 8am or 1:30pm, or to arrange your own transportation such as tuktuk ($2-$5 depending on your hotel location) to go to a meeting point for pick up. If you stay at a residential address within our pick up zone, you will be advised to go to a hotel suggested by our office for pick up. Please check the location of your hotel before you book this tour.
- Pick up times: Morning tour pick up starts from 8am. If your hotel is near riverfront, pick up time will be between 8am - 8:15am. If your hotel is a bit far away from riverside, pick up time will be between 8:15am - 9:00am. Afternoon tour pick up starts from 1:30pm, if your hotel is near riverfront, pick up time will be between 1:30pm - 1:45pm, if your hotel is a bit far away from riverside, pick up time will be between 1:45pm - 2:30pm. Please come down to the reception area at lease 10 minutes in advance for pick up and inform the reception that you are waiting for pick up, because our tour assistant will go to ask the reception first. Please do not stay in your room or in the hotel restaurant. Pick up might be delayed due to traffic condition and special events. The duration of transfers is approximate.
- Experience Phnom Penh’s profound history with a distinctive approach that caters to a diverse audience. Unlike conventional tours that rely on English-speaking guides, our tour offers a unique advantage: the freedom to explore the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields at your own pace, using multi-language audio guides. This ensures that every participant, regardless of their native language, receives an insightful and personalized experience for a minimal fee—often less than the cost of a cup of coffee. Our join tour accommodates a vibrant mix of cultures, allowing you to engage deeply with the historical sites while enjoying the flexibility and inclusivity of our self-guided approach. Discover the stories and significance of these pivotal landmarks in a way that’s tailored to you, enhancing both accessibility and understanding for all.
- There are three options for visiting Prison S21: 1.Audio Guide ($5): Rent an audio guide with interviews, detailed explanations, and availability in 12 languages (English, Français, Deutsch, Nederlands, Italiano, Español, Pусский, 中文, แบบไทย, 한국인, 日本語, Tiếng, Việt ). It provides comprehensive insights into the exhibits and the history of the Khmer Rouge regime. 2.Live Guide ($3-$5): Hire an in-house live guide for a more interactive experience. A live guide offers detailed knowledge, answers questions, and shares personal stories to enhance your visit. Live guide service is only in English. 3.Self-Guided: Explore the museum on your own with plenty of written information, including placards and signage. This option allows you to move at your own pace and focus on areas of interest. Regarding the audio guide at the prison, there are two versions available: the Highlight version and the Long version. The Highlight version, marked in red on the guide map, lasts approximately 60 minutes. We recommend this version for those participating in our tour. The Long version, which lasts about 120 minutes, is more suitable for private tours. If you wish to delve deeper into the history of the Khmer Rouge and spend more time at the museum, a private tour is recommended. When renting the audio guide, please begin your tour promptly and maintain a steady pace between stops. Avoid spending excessive time at any one stop to ensure you complete the tour within the allocated time. Return to the bus at the time specified by the bus attendant. You will have approximately 80 minutes to visit the museum, which most visitors find sufficient. If you feel you need more time, we suggest opting for a private tour instead.
- There are two options for visiting the Killing Fields: 1.Audio Guide ($3): Rent an audio guide with interviews, detailed explanations, and availability in 14 languages (English, Français, Deutsch, Nederlands, Italiano, Español, Pусский, Svenska, 中文, แบบไทย, 한국인, 日本語, Melayu, Tiếng, Việt ). 2.Self-Guided: Explore the Killing Fields on your own with maps and informational signs to help guide you through the various areas, including the memorial stupa, mass graves, and excavation sites. Audio guides at Prison S21 and Killing Fields are optional.
- Our visit time assigned at the Prison is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. So you are suggested to take the highlight tour if you purchase the audio guide. Highlight Audio Tour is about 50 minutes. Please follow the numbers printed in RED on the guide map. Extensive audio guide is about 2 hours long and is not suitable for half day tour.
- Entry fees not included, please prepare small money notes for entrance fees and audio tours.
- Please choose the option that best suits your preferences and budget for a richer experience. Please note that our bus tour is distinct from a tuktuk tour. Our tour is designed with Western tourists in mind, focusing on comfort, safety, and a richer experience compared to a tuk-tuk, with an English-speaking bus attendant who provides general assistance. Our service includes air-conditioned transportation, audio commentary and documentaries on board, as well as Wi-Fi and drinking water. We understand that our tour may be more expensive than a tuk-tuk ride, but we aim to provide a more comfortable, comprehensive, informative, and safe experience.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.1
based on 207 reviews
franchescacarynn, May 2024
I was a bit nervous to do this tour since I read many reviews before hand and people were complaining about how they had to spend so much time waiting. I guess I was lucky and went in May 2024, possibly a slower season for them, but I only had two other people in our group. Everyone arrived on time. I paid five dollars to enter the prison. And then I paid five dollars to have a live tour guide inside the prison. It was totally worth it! He was very knowledgeable and everything he said was so important and great. We even had an extra 30 minutes to explore on our own after the one hour tour. Then we hopped on the bus and headed over to the killing fields. I paid six dollars to enter and received a free audio tour. I’ve never done an audio tour before, but it was super awesome! Very easy to use and self-explanatory. I felt like I had enough time to go through the entire without feeling rushed. Overall, I had a fantastic time. Everyone was very helpful. It was a great activity for myself as I traveled solo.
Leonie_B, Dec 2023
This was a must to appreciate the history of Cambodia. We must never let this happen again. The audio tour was informative and allowed
You to go at your own pace
Karunen_V, Jul 2023
The tour was just a moving from different locations. The guide helped take the money and sorted tickets. I recommend the live tour guide makes the experience more haunting.
Katherine_M, Dec 2022
Really informative and helpful staff! Went above and beyond to ensure the tour met my needs. Would highly recommend tour and guide!
Brian_Z, Feb 2020
Bloody Hell. What can I say? Just total evil. Problem is, it is still going on today in different countries.
doctor, Feb 2020
NOT a "tour", NOT a "hop on hop off" as there is no other bus. THIS IS MERELY A TRANSIT BUS which waits 1:15 for you. Disappointing because the operators were more interested in rushing to make the afternoon bus schedule instead of offering the trip that was purchased. MUCH TOO SHORT to even listen to 50% of the purchased recorded guide. Advertised 1:30 per stop. Reality 1:15 per stop. Recommended AT LEAST 2:00 per stop. Better and cheaper to use tuk-tuk transportation on your own. THE FILM shown was OK, the only benefit onboard over tuk-tuk.
doctor, Feb 2020
Informative, guide's English was good, but only 4/5 stars, not 5/5 because the tour was somewhat rushed and not all exhibits were visited and/or covered. If you want more time on the site, it may be better to take a tuk-tuk and hire a guide there locally.
Patricia_M, Jan 2020
As sad as it is it’s a must do tour,It was a good way to get from S21 to Killing fields you do a self guided audio tour at both places, it was very hot on the bus but they did offer water.
KarlaLovesToTravel, Jan 2020
I knew the subject matter of this tour would be difficult & emotional but I think it was a necessary stop while in Cambodia.
Pam_B, Dec 2019
The tour was just as described; transportation to the S-21 prison then off to the Killing Fields then back to the hotel. Water was included and a documentary about Pol Pot ran during the ride to the Killing Fields. Admission to both sites was extra and our tour guide organized the purchase of our tickets. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sallie_W, Nov 2019
Taking the bus and going with a company was an excellent way to see the museum and killing fields. The documentary we saw on the bus ride explained a lot about what had happened and it was nice not to have to worry about getting to the two sites, then back to the hotel. The amount of time we had at each site was just about right and the bus was pretty comfortable. I recommend this for people who want to visit this museum and site.
Denise_G, Nov 2019
To see the places and S21, was so very sad, but a necessary visit whilst visiting Phomn Penh. The organisation of pick ups etc, was very good.
alexwp87, Oct 2019
This is more of a shuttle service rather than a tour as you are collected and dropped off at your hotel and taken to the S21 Museum and then to the Killing Fields. They do however play an interesting documentary whilst in the bus.
Audio guides are good at both places and would recommend this tour if you wanting a hassle free way of getting to see both places - only downside is there is only enough time at the S21 museums to do the highlights tour and would be better if they could extend duration to cover the whole audio tour.
Barbara B, Oct 2019
Bus came on time
Great audio at S21 and The Killing Fields worth paying for. Good driver. Organised. Value for money.
Nicholas_B, Jul 2019
Tour ran on time, and nice video played in the bus while moving from one place to the next. This is not an informative tourguide, but transportation only between the sites. I would have liked possibly a little longer at S21 an additional 30 minutes would be have been nice, but it was worth the trip.
Jinger_C, Apr 2019
Tour Operator:
I booked this tour a day before my flight, just after my booking with Klook got canceled. Boty emailed me asap to confirm my booking, which I appreciate so much since I badly wanted to see the Genocide Museum & Killing Fields. It was my first time traveling solo, and I was a bit apprehensive, but Boty was very nice and I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable throughout the tour.
Attractions:
The S21 & Killing Fields are a must see when you are in Phnom Penh. I suggest that you book the afternoon tour to meet some survivors of the S21 Prison. This tour is very sobering & humbling, which will make you appreciate Cambodia more. The entrance fees & audioguides are excluded in this tour, but it's so much convenient than riding a tuktuk on your way, as you might get ripped off.
What to bring:
Fan, water, and comfortable clothing -- museum & killing fields are open spaces.
Andrew_B, Aug 2018
A great way to get to both Prison S21 & the Killing Fields in one day. This is a hugely sobering experience. It fills in the background history to how world events allowed Pol Pot get into power and commit one of the worst acts of genocide you could possibly imagine.
SheridanJ_U, May 2018
A sobering, disturbing - but necessary - experience. Every traveller to Cambodia should visit these places to have a better understanding of what the friendly, gentle Cambodian people have suffered in relatively recent times. The Prison S21 tour gives an excellent insight into the way in which many Cambodian people were treated and abused during the Pol Pot years and the Kiling Fields provides graphic evidence of the depravity that man is capable of. This tour is an inexpensive way to see both sights. The video shown on the air-conditioned bus as you travel between the prison and the Killing Fields provides a comprehensive history of the era our guide at the Prison was excellent and we even had the opportunity to speak to - and be photographed with - one of the few survivors of the prison and stills bears the scars of his torture. The audio guide included at the Killing Fields provides all the information you need to understand the significance of the place and the events that occurred there. Thoroughly recommended and excellent value for money.
Clark B, Mar 2018
Very moving. The guide was informative and passionate. I am able to better appreciate a part of tragic history as a result.
Aishwarya_B, Mar 2018
It is not a tour in the first place. It more seemed like an organized transportation. They just took us to these two places. The cost of the guides would not included in the tour price. It would be cheaper if you would hire to Tuk-Tuk and do the tour by yourself if you are a small family.
Response from Host, Mar 2018
TOUR OPERATOR COMMENT: Thank you for your feedback, however, please note, this is not a guided tour as stated in our product description. There are other guided tours available, including English speaking guide services and entrance fees, but their prices are 3 to 4 times as expensive as our own. We set our tour pricing lower to make it more flexible for the guests to chose what type of services they want. Some guests don't speak or understand English very well, so they may prefer to use the Audio guides in their own language, for example. While Tuk-Tuks are available and a very handy transport to travel around Phnom Penh, there is also pollution, dust, and heat to contend with during a 2-hour journey and some guests can find this overwhelming. Flexibility and comfort is our selling point and we take pride in our service provided. We hope you enjoyed your overall stay.
Christopher D, Mar 2018
Very interesting look into Cambodia history and the cruelty of Pol Pot. If you love history like me then you must do this tour!
CheeMeng_L, Feb 2018
This tour is disappointing! Alot of time is wasted waiting for the tour members to return to the bus after each tour. The tour guide is also quite inexperienced. Not recommended.
Response from Host, Feb 2018
TOUR OPERATOR COMMENT: Please accept our apology regarding your experience.
According to our record, we had a staff member who started working as a trainee in February. We normally have one experienced tour assistant on the bus to train the trainee, but sometimes we have to leave him to finish the tour independently. The trainer will observe and point out the areas in which he needs improvement. Thank you for your feedback and we apologize once again for your experience.
LShawn H, Feb 2018
This tour is exactly how it is described. They pick you up at your hotel if you are in a certain area of the city my hotel was in the designated area, so they picked me up, and they take you to the museum. You are than given about an hour and a half plenty of time to go through the main spots on the audio tour and then they take you to the killing fields. You are then able to tour the fields with an audio guide. Although there were others on the tour bus with me, it is a solitary experience, which was exactly what I wanted. I was quite satisfied, and I recommend this tour to anyone who prefers to experience such things solo.
SitiZawani_A, Feb 2018
The hotel pick-up is a huge plus, and makes the entire trip very convenient. We were allowed more than sufficient time to follow the in-house guides at both places, and managed to get a very in-depth and emotional recount of the gruesome details that occurred during that period. Highly recommended mode of transport to visit both places, and a great price as well!
Marisa_A, Jan 2018
A great way to visit these two venues with comfortable transportation and the assistance of a guide.
jim_d, Jan 2018
no problem with this tour it is exactly what is states ..it just drops you off too the two places and you pay the entry fee and are at your own pace
WARWICK_C, Jan 2018
Was ok but very commercialized. Hop on Hop off bus was ok. Suggest finding a smaller personalised tour to go with. Was moving experience. Need to get the headphones to listen to the commentary to understand what happened.
Mahesh H, Jan 2018
If you want to get the best experience, I suggest you do the one-on-one tour. The group tour has 17 people and the first hour plus was just picking up people. At S 21 I could not get a guide as there were not enough Guides - I did get the audio tour. Some of the young people in the group return 30 minutes late to the bus, delaying everyone else.
However, S21 and Killing Fields are a must see in order to appreciate history.
Graham_W, Jan 2018
As advertised this tour is really a bus pickup and drop off at the two locations. So, what you get is convenience for the trade off of flexibility. Given that the bus was late coming to get us we were the last pickup it meant that the two stops were quite squeezed. With the benefit of hindsight, it would be easier to organise to travel independently and get to spend a bit more time particularly at S21.
tfeaviour, Jan 2018
The tour absolutely exceeded our expectations however even though we followed the instructions and phoned the Phnom Penh hop off tour company and arranged a 2:00pm pick up they arrived at 2:45pm which meant that our tour was rushed as the killing Fields has a closing time of 5:30pm if you take the audio tour which is a must otherwise you will not know what is going on!!! We phoned the tour company at 2:15 and again at 2:30pm both times we were told that they would be with us in 5mins. I accept that things can go wrong and the company cannot control traffic etc but they should have been honest about the delay.
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