Our Recommended Phnom Penh Hotels
Phnom Penh Information
Things to see and do
Royal Palace- Built in 1866 by King Norodom, the Royal Palace is now home to His Majesty Sihamoni, King of Cambodia. Most of the buildings inside the palace walls are closed to the public except on special occasions. Within the palace compound are the coronation hall; the entrance, which houses an open-air theater for the Royal Dance Troupe, and a balcony for royal appearances; an open-air pavilion often used for entertaining and viewing of the King's movies; and the King's private residence, which houses a collection of Cambodian artwork from artists around the world, and his office, where he actively pursues Royal duties.
Silver Pagoda- Located within the Royal Palace compound, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5,000 silver tiles. On display inside are hundreds of Royal gifts received by the Royal family over the years. Among the Treasures are a solid gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds and weighing 90 kilos and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha.
Wat Phnom - located on the top of a small hill reached by a flight of steps with nagas (mythical serpents) on either side, this temple marks the spot of the foundation of Phnom Penh and is the most important in the city where residents come to pray for good luck.
National Museum- Located just north of the Royal Palace, the National Museum has recently been restored and represents the fines of Phnom Penh's architecture. On display inside are more than 5,000 works of art, ranging from the 6th to the 13th Century.
Tuol Sleng - notorious prison during the Khmer Rouge years, originally a high school, where thousands of people were tortured and lost their lives; contains chilling photos, crudely built cells and instruments of torture.
Independence Monument - Designed by Khmer architect Van Molyvann, Independence Monument commemorates the end of Cambodia's rule by France in 1953. The naga - or snake - motif is one which can be seen in historic, cultural and modern-day business contexts, as a symbol of the country.
Markets - Phnom Penh has many markets, but the huge yellow-domed New Market or Psar Thmei, located near Wat Phnom, and the smaller Russian Market, or Psah Tuol Tom Pong, are the most popular among visitors because of their collections of silks, gems, silvercraft and antiques.
Oudong - built on a hill 40 kilometres north of Phnom Penh - was the capital of Cambodia before Phnom Penh. While little remains of the canals, terraces, bridges and approximately 100 pagodas created by King Ang Duong, Oudong is still frequented by Khmers who go to pay homage to the remains of former kings. It is a pleasant half-day trip that takes you into the scenic countryside outside Phnom Penh.
Tonle Bati - not far south of Phnom Penh is a 12th century temple, Ta Phrom, built by Jayavarman VII. Nearby is Tonle Bati, where there is a small lake with a beach and food stalls that is a popular picnic spot for Phnom Penh residents on the weekends.
Phnom Chisor - further south on the main road in Phnom Chisor, a fine Angkorian-era temple on a hilltop with extensive views. It was built by Suryavarman I and the central sanctuary houses Neang Khmao, the Black Lady, a venerated Buddha about 300 years old.
French Colonial buildings, the confluence of three rivers and a magnificent Royal Palace create a charming city to welcome visitors to Cambodia. Identified by Madame Penh in the 1300's as a place of religious significance, Phnom Penh has experienced its destiny fluctuate, although not quite as regularly as the ebb and flow of the Mekong River. Starting out as a riverside village, developing into the thriving educational centre of South East Asia in the 1960's, emptied in the early 1970's, Phnom Penh today provides an unparalleled glimpse of period architecture, warm people and a firm belief in the future.
