Phnom Penh

Why visit Phnom Penh?

As Cambodia’s capital city, many tourists fly into Phnom Penh International Airport before starting a Mekong cruise or another adventure into the countryside. Others seek out its shopping opportunities within its network of bustling markets, or a lively nightlife scene among its cocktail bars, beer shacks and music venues.

But a large portion of visitors come for a greater historical and cultural understanding: to learn more about the horrors that the Khmer Rouge inflicted upon Cambodian people in the 1970s. What exactly went on, and how this dark history has affected the city and its inhabitants today.

Still, tourists may be surprised to learn that Phnom Penh isn’t exactly a city in mourning. Instead, it’s one of South-East Asia’s shining examples of a rich, unique culture triumphing above all else. A tough phoenix, with plenty of attitude, that has rebuilt itself, reinvented itself and which remains a very special part of the world.

Don’t let its often shabby exterior fool you: Phnom Penh is beautiful, you just need to know where to look. And our local travel team is excited to show you around everything the Pearl of Asia has to offer.

Things to do in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh weather can get pretty intense: so it’s worth mentioning, it might slow down your activities if you visit during a spate of monsoons. Home to a tropical climate, temperatures don’t vary all that much but you’ll see a lot of rainfall over September and October, with the driest month in February.

Having said that, there’s plenty to keep you occupied in the capital city at all times of year. Here are a few of our top picks:

• Markets: Cool off from the heat (or shelter from the rain!) under the beautifully designed dome of the Central Market, where you’ll find carved handicrafts, colourful clothes and handmade jewellery. Jet’s Container Night Market is livelier, and a great spot for enjoying local food with a cold beer as live music plays in the background.
• Royal Palace: This opulent architectural wonder gleams brilliant gold in juxtaposition to the city beneath it. Over-the-top? Yes. Worth a visit? Definitely.
• Silk Island: Take a relaxing boat trip up the Mekong River to Cambodia Silk Island: where you can learn all about silk-making from the masters.

• Street food: Whether you choose to track down some traditional Khmer cuisine yourself, or in one of our street food by tuk tuk tours, Phnom Penh street food is one of its greatest attractions.
• Rooftop bars: Our favourite is the Rosewood Sky Bar, with incredible views of the city from a dizzying height of 188 metres (although maybe it was the great cocktails causing that dizziness…)
• Nightlife:  The not to be missed Bassac Lane is teeming with a creative mix of fun bars and restaurants with funky names like the White Rabbit, Welsh Embassy and Mama Wongs.  Each venue is unique so you’ll have a memorable night bar hopping down the tiny lanes.
• Museums: For a balanced view of Cambodia’s complicated history, check out both the Cambodian National Museum and the Genocide Museum. The Choeung Ek Killing Fields are another sobering, yet important, stopover if you want a greater insight into the brutal Khmer Rouge regime.

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

You could easily catch a flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap – it’s only a 45-minute journey, it’s fairly cheap and there are several flights a day.

However, as Cambodia is home to such an attractive landscape, why not go overland and enjoy the journey? Whether you take the bus, or go by a private transfer, the 5/6-hour journey holds some beautiful sights. Another pleasurable and relaxing option is to get a Mekong cruise boat between the two: a journey of between 4–6 hours.

Our local travel team can help you with all transfers and connections: whether you’d like a private car or jeep, a fast boat, slow ferry or a luxury cruise ship.

If you’re flying, our driver can pick you up in Arrivals before taking you to your accommodation in Phnom Penh. Speaking of which, there’s plenty of choice in terms of where to stay in Phnom Penh, including lavish 5-star hotels. Again, we can arrange everything for you, so you can get on with enjoying your holiday.

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