KH · Phnom Penh · 11.57°N 104.92°E

phnom penh

Riverside capital with the Royal Palace, busy markets and sobering history.

Best time
November to February is cooler and dry. March to May is very hot, and the rainy season runs from about June to October. The Water Festival boat races, usually in late October or November, draw huge crowds to the riverfront.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly KL to Phnom Penh, about 2 hours. The airport is south of the city, roughly an hour into the centre depending on traffic. Buses link the city with Siem Reap (about 6 hours) and Ho Chi Minh City (about 7 hours).
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KH · Phnom Penhphnom penh11.57°N 104.92°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Riverside capital with the Royal Palace, busy markets and sobering history.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingPhnom PenhKH, Phnom Penh
KLphnom penh
≈ 1,003 km from KL, as the crow flies
Phnom Penh Skyline from Toul Kork

Photo: Looppty · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Cambodia's capital sits where the Tonle Sap river meets the Mekong. It's a busy, fast-changing city with a gilded Royal Palace, French colonial and 1960s New Khmer buildings, and lively markets. The genocide memorials at Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek are hard going, but they explain a lot about modern Cambodia.

Makan

  1. Kuy teavRice noodle soup with pork or beef, a breakfast favourite.Map ↗
  2. Num banh chokFresh rice noodles with a fragrant green fish curry.Map ↗
  3. Fish amokFish steamed in coconut milk and spice paste, Cambodia's best-known dish.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Royal Palace and Silver PagodaThe king's residence and its temple, whose floor is laid with silver tiles. Shoulders and knees must be covered.Map ↗
  2. Tuol Sleng Genocide MuseumA former school turned Khmer Rouge prison, known as S-21. The audio guide is worth it.Map ↗
  3. Choeung EkThe best known of the Killing Fields, about 15 km south of the city.Map ↗
  4. Central MarketAn art deco market hall under a huge yellow dome, good for a wander.Map ↗
  5. Russian MarketA maze of stalls for clothes, crafts and food, nicknamed after its Russian shoppers in the 1980s.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek are memorials. Dress modestly, keep your voice low, and think twice about bringing young children.
  • Book tuk-tuks through a ride-hailing app to skip the haggling. Keep phones and bags away from the roadside, as snatch thefts from motorbikes happen.
  • There's a sizeable Cham Muslim community, so halal food is easy to find, especially near the mosques.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.