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Here are our top tips for things to do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Phnom Penh often isn’t given the time it deserves on many travelers’ itineraries. Many people spend only a day or two in Cambodia’s capital while others may choose to skip it entirely.
We’ll admit that Phnom Penh can seem pretty rough around the edges, especially if you just have a short time to spend there and are just going to the main tourist spots.
After living in Phnom Penh for over three years, Stevo and I found endless things to and see in the city and surrounding areas.
If you have the time we recommend spending at least three to five days exploring Cambodia’s vibrant, historic and rapidly developing capital city.
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Things to do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Visit a Wat or Two
There are beautiful wats (temples) in the city that many travelers seem to miss. They are worth a visit, and you’ll often have them all to yourself. **Show respect at the wats by covering your knees and shoulders, take off your shoes before entering, and never point the souls of your feet at people or the Buddha.
Wat Phnom Dating back to the 13th century, Wat Phnom sits atop the only hill in town. $1 entry.
Wat Ounalom Located near the Royal Palace on Sisowath Quay, Wat Ounalom houses an eyebrow hair of the Buddha, giving it a high status in the Kingdom.
Wat Phnom.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields
Though undoubtedly one of the saddest things you will experience during your time in Cambodia, we recommend that every traveler visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields. Both places will help you to gain an understanding of Cambodia’s recent tragic past and a sense of how far the country has come in less than 40 years. You can hire a tuk tuk driver to take you to both locations in one day. It will take around 4-6 hours depending on how much time you choose to spend at each place.
*TCT tip: Rent an audio head set at the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and go at your own pace. This is a truly emotional and eye-opening experience as many people can attest.
National Museum
A beautiful red building located near the Royal Palace, the National Museum is worth a visit if you have an interest in learning about Cambodian history. The museum houses many interesting artifacts, some of which are just being discovered through archaeological digs going on around the country. If you are visiting Phnom Penh before heading north to Siem Reap, the museum will give you a good overview of the history, art, and architecture of the temples of Angkor.
View from the garden inside the National Museum.
The Riverfront
If you aren’t staying at the Riverside, the riverfront is still a beautiful area to visit. Stroll along the park-lined path overlooking the Mekong and Bassac rivers, which intersect in front of the Royal Palace, stop for a cold drink or a bite at one of the many restaurants and bars along Sisowath Quay, or walk down any side street and explore the neighborhoods. Don’t worry about getting lost as you are never more than a few meters from a tuk-tuk driver. If you enjoy art, check out ‘Art Street’ located on Street 178 next to the National Museum.
Locals doing aerobics along the riverfront in the evening. You can join a class for just $0.25-$0.50.
Shopping
There are three main areas for shopping in the city. You can find similar souvenirs, art, and clothing at each place, and all three are fun to walk around in. Don’t forget to bargain <link to bargaining phrase guide> and enjoy yourself. As long as both you and the seller feel happy with the agreed upon price, it’s all good.
The Russian Market (Tuol Tom Poung) This is the biggest market in town, and the unique shops surrounding the market are worth a visit as well. Outside the market check out Ta Prohm Silk Shop, high-quality handmade silk produced by landmine victims, located at #168A Street 155. Take a break from shopping and enjoy a few scoops of locally made ice cream at The Snacker on the corner of Street 163 and Street 450-our favorite flavors are avocado and passion fruit!
Central Market (Phsar Thmei) Constructed in 1937 and designed by a French architect, the Central Market is an iconic building in the city. Get lost inside the maze of paths and stalls inside, and enjoy a break from the mid-day sun. There is enough trouble to get into for at least an hour.
**TCT Tip: If you’re in need of A/C and a break, head to Sorya shopping mall, a five-minute walk from the Central Market. The fast food restaurant on the top floor has fantastic views of the city. Sip a cold drink and enjoy the cool atmosphere.
Orussey Market You won’t see many tourists at Orussey Market. That’s because it’s a local market selling mainly home goods and clothes. All the more reason to check it out and maybe even practice some Khmer phrases.
Night Market The Night Market is located between Street 108 and Street 106 and is only open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It is smaller than both the Russian and Central Markets but is still a great place to shop for souvenirs, as well as enjoy a bite to eat, and even see some live pop music being performed.
Venture into the food section of the Russian Market to see where locals buy their groceries.
Where to Eat
You can find a wide array of international cuisines and delicious Cambodian fare in Phnom Penh. Don’t be afraid to sample street food and drinks too. They are cheap and delicious. If you are wary, pop some Pepto antidiarrheal tablets beforehand.
Our top restaurant recommendations in the city are:
Foreign Correspondent’s Club (FCC) #363 Sisowath Quay at the Riverside. The FCC‘s three-story colonial style building is a great place to unwind after a long day of sightseeing. The food is a bit pricier, but the quality and atmosphere of this historical location is worth the money. (Mid to high range prices)
Friends the Restaurant #215 Street 13 near the National Museum. Friends offer Cambodian and international cuisine in a lovely setting near the Riverside. (Low to mid-range prices)
Romdeng Restaurant #74 Street 174. Romdeng offers Cambodian fusion food in a peaceful outdoor or indoor setting. They also have one of the most interesting menu items in the city, fried tarantula! (Low to mid-range prices)
Both Friends the Restaurant and Romdeng are TREE training restaurants, which provide former street youths skills to be employable in Cambodia’s thriving hospitality industry.
Cafe Yejj #170 Street 450 near the Russian Market. Cafe Yejj is a bright, lovely restaurant close to the Russian Market where you can get a tasty meal and respite from the heat in their upstairs room with air-con. The restaurant is also an employment and training place for underprivileged youth, especially women. (Low to mid-range prices)
For more suggestions on what to eat, check out our Food in Cambodia resource page.
Eating tarantulas at Romdeng. Tastes like creepy crawly fried chicken!
Where to stay in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
There are several areas in town you can stay in, and each has their own quirks. We recommend:
The Russian Market (Tuol Tom Poung)
The Russian Market area is a popular spot for travelers during the day but is much more peaceful in the evenings. There are plenty of restaurants and places of interest. It is also a hub for many NGOs in the city. This is our go-to spot to stay in Phnom Penh as we prefer the less chaotic pace of life compared with the Riverside area.
Our guesthouse recommendations:
Budget: Long Thai Ly Guest House
Mid-range: Frangipani Living Arts Hotel and Spa
Fancy: Double Leaf Boutique Hotel
Boeung Keng Kang 1 (BKK 1)
BKK 1 is more geared toward foreign chains, nicer restaurants, shopping and spas. It is a very central part of town. Here are some good hotel options:
Budget: Envoy Hostel Phnom Penh
Mid-range: House Boutique Eco Hotel
Fancy: Villa Langka Boutique Hotel
The Riverside
The Riverside is the most popular area of town for travelers, which has its pros and cons. There is a wide variety of guesthouses and hotels to choose from, from budget backpacker spots to high-end luxury hotels. There is an equal variety of restaurants and you can find all types of international cuisines as well as Cambodian food. The Riverside is close to many places of interest, including the National Museum, Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, the Night Market, and the Buddhist Institute.
If you stay here, know that there will be a constant barrage of tuk tuk drivers, children selling things, people asking for money, and restaurant workers coaxing you into their place, which can feel overwhelming at times. Several organizations in Cambodia have put together guides as to what you should do regarding giving money to children and beggars, which you can read here..
Our guesthouse recommendations:
Mid-range: Tonle Khmer Guesthouse and Restaurant
Fancy: The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa
Day Trips Outside Phnom Penh
If you only have time for one day trip outside of Phnom Penh, we highly recommend Oudong Mountain (Phnom Oudong in Khmer). Oudong Mountain dates back to the early 7th century and was the capital of Cambodia from 1618-1866 before Phnom Penh. The mountain, actually more of a hill, is home to many monkeys which you may see on the walk up. On top of the mountain are several stupas and temples, each architecturally unique. The stupas contain the remains of some of the former Kings of Cambodia and the tallest temple apparently contains some of the sacred Buddha’s bones. Aside from it’s historical significance, a visit to Oudong Mountain is a great chance to see the surrounding countryside and get off the beaten tourist path. Be sure to bring water and some small Cambodian money to give at the temples.
View of the stupas and temples from the top of Oudong Mountain.
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Great tips! We haven’t scheduled a trip to Phnom Penh yet but this will be very handy when we do! I wonder why they call it Russian Market?
Apparently a predominantly Russian expat population used to shop there in the 1980s, so says Google 🙂
Thank you for this very comprehensive post about Phnom Penh. For me China is totally unknown, so I value every piece of information about this beautiful country. I’d like to visit it someday and will make sure to bookmark this post. It will come in very handy.
Hi Anda, thanks for reading, though Phnom Penh is in Cambodia, not China 🙂
We actually rode through Phnom Penh last week on our way from Siem Reap to Vietnan. Hate to admit, I’m so glad we weren’t stopping there! There was way too much congestion, traffic, and noise; though I should specify, we generally do not like BIG cities. Otherwise, this is a great guide for people looking for things to do in and around the city.
That’s a shame you didn’t have time to stop, Toccara. I get it though, big cities aren’t for everyone. Even we need a break from the noise and traffic of Phnom Penh every few weeks. Luckily there are beautiful places to go just a few hours from the city like Kampot, Kep and Sihanoukville 🙂
I haven’t visited Phnom Penh yet and saved your post for when I do! Thank you 🙂
Thanks Nancy! 🙂
Some great tips for what is a really cool and up and coming city – so much change and development constantly going on. Agree totally about getting the audio guide at the Killing Fields – the most spine chilling moment is hearing the happy clappy revolutionary music they played whilst they beat those poor infants against that tree and dumped the body into the nearby pit. It’s awful – but the audio guide really makes the experience more life like.
Tip for Phnom Penh – it’s the only place in Asia we had problems in Asia, naughty boys on motorbikes looking for a quick phone to steal are everywhere. I got lucky, but learnt not to display thing in public in Phnom Penh (although this goes for any major capital city).
The audio guides at the Killing Fields are very well done. It is a chilling experience to visit, but important to get an understanding of what happened in Cambodia less than 40 years ago.
Petty theft has increased over the past several years in Phnom Penh, especially in the more touristic areas like the Riverside. As in any major city, always exercise common sense when you’re out and about!
We’re traveling S.E. Asia now so Phnom Penh may end up being a stop for us. I like the idea of staying at the White Linen Boutique Hotel because it has such a good cause, great to know.
It’s a beautiful hotel, I think you guys would really enjoy it. Do get in touch if you come through!
We will be in Phnom Penh in a couple of weeks. I will refer to this post for your recommendations! Thank you.
Hi Betsy! Hope you guys have a great time! Get in touch when you are here if you have any questions or want to grab a drink. We live near the Russian Market 🙂
Great tips! We’ve never been to Phnom Penh, but I’d love to visit. The Wats look so gorgeous and I’d like to visit the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields to get a deeper look into the history of the area (as sad as it would be!).
The Genocide Museum and Killing Fields are both extremely sad but important to visit to understand Cambodia’s recent history. Definitely see and do other fun things in Phnom Penh too. It really is a vibrant city on the rise!
A great summary for anyone planning a visit. The Wats and museum are a must and I’d love to get to Oudong Mountain, it looks spectacular.
Oudong mountain is one of our favorite spots near Phnom Penh! It’s a great place for a day trip to get outside the city and experience the beauty of the countryside. Mad Monkey Hostel offers bicycle trips out there, which we are planning to try out one of these weekends.
Great round up guys! We also visited PP and really enjoyed it. We stayed at the Cyclo, which was cool but I would have rather been near the Palace. We visited it several times as its cast and quite beautiful!
We also visited the killing fields and agree that the audio tour is excellent. Its the type of place you really want to feel and take your time at. I really enjoyed being able to pause the tour, sit on some of the benches and have a moment. As a tip I would mention that children should be prepped for this type of place and depending on the child I would say no younger than 12. For their emotions and the peace and respect of the other visitors:)
Thanks for all the tips!
Hi Mary! So glad to hear you enjoyed Phnom Penh! The Killing Fields are extremely emotional, and we appreciate your advice about bringing children. Cheers for your comment!