Phnom Penh Holidays
Phnom Penh
Holidays
Royal palaces, sobering history, the Mekong riverfront and the most vibrant food scene in Cambodia — Phnom Penh is Southeast Asia's most compelling capital
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Flight Time
11–12h from London (via Bangkok, Singapore or KL to Phnom Penh PNH)
Best Time
November–February (cool dry season); avoid April (hottest and most humid)
Country
Cambodia
Suppliers
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Phnom Penh Holiday Guide
Phnom Penh is one of Southeast Asia's most compelling and complex capitals — a city of wide French colonial boulevards, the magnificent Royal Palace, the sobering Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Killing Fields, and a food and nightlife scene that has exploded in recent years to become one of the finest in the region. It is a city that wears its history on its sleeve: the trauma of the Khmer Rouge period (1975–1979) is present everywhere, from the empty buildings that still bear bullet holes to the extraordinary resilience and warmth of the Cambodian people.
Phnom Penh was founded in the 14th century at the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap and Bassac rivers — a location that made it the commercial heart of the Khmer Empire and later the capital of French Indochina. The city was evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in April 1975 and its entire population of 2 million people was forced into the countryside; an estimated 2 million Cambodians died during the four years of Khmer Rouge rule. The city was repopulated after the Vietnamese invasion of 1979 and has been rebuilding ever since.
Today Phnom Penh is a city of extraordinary contrasts: ancient temples beside glass towers, tuk-tuks weaving between luxury SUVs, street food stalls beside Michelin-recommended restaurants. The riverfront (Sisowath Quay) is the social heart of the city — a 3km promenade of restaurants, bars and cafés overlooking the Tonlé Sap river. The city is 11–12 hours from the UK via Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.
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Average Temperatures
Jan
28°C
Feb
30°C
Mar
32°C
Apr
34°C
May
31°C
Jun
30°C
Jul
29°C
Aug
29°C
Sep
29°C
Oct
28°C
Nov
27°C
Dec
27°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Phnom Penh
The palaces, memorials, markets, riverfront and extraordinary food that make Phnom Penh one of Southeast Asia's most compelling cities.
Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda — Gilded Splendour on the Mekong
The Royal Palace is the most beautiful building in Phnom Penh — a complex of gilded spires, ornate pavilions and manicured gardens on the banks of the Tonlé Sap river, built in 1866 and still the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni. The Throne Hall (Preah Tineang Tevea Vinichhay), with its 59m spire, is the centrepiece. The Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo), within the palace grounds, is named for its floor of 5,000 silver tiles and contains a 17th-century emerald Buddha and a life-size gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum — S-21
Tuol Sleng (S-21) is the most important and sobering site in Cambodia — a former high school converted by the Khmer Rouge into a secret prison where an estimated 17,000 people were tortured and killed between 1975 and 1979. The museum preserves the prison largely as it was found by Vietnamese soldiers in 1979: the cells, the torture equipment, the thousands of photographs of prisoners taken by the Khmer Rouge. The museum is deeply disturbing but essential for understanding modern Cambodia. Allow at least 2–3 hours; an audio guide or guided tour is strongly recommended.
Choeung Ek Killing Fields — Cambodia's Most Important Memorial
Choeung Ek, 15km south of Phnom Penh, is the most important memorial in Cambodia — a former orchard where the Khmer Rouge executed and buried an estimated 17,000 people between 1975 and 1979. The site contains 129 mass graves (43 of which have been excavated); the Memorial Stupa contains the skulls and bones of 8,000 victims. The audio guide (included in the entrance fee) is one of the finest in Southeast Asia — personal testimonies from survivors and perpetrators that bring the history to life in a deeply moving way.
Sisowath Quay — The Riverfront at Sunset
Sisowath Quay is the social heart of Phnom Penh — a 3km promenade of restaurants, bars, cafés and guesthouses overlooking the Tonlé Sap river at the point where it meets the Mekong. At sunset, the riverfront comes alive: locals gather on the grass, street food vendors set up their stalls, and the restaurants fill with tourists and expats watching the sky turn pink over the water. Sunset boat trips on the Mekong are excellent — a 1-hour cruise past the Royal Palace and the confluence of the four rivers.
National Museum — The World's Finest Collection of Khmer Art
The National Museum of Cambodia, a beautiful terracotta building in traditional Khmer style near the Royal Palace, contains the world's finest collection of Khmer art — over 14,000 objects spanning 2,000 years of Cambodian history, from pre-Angkorian bronzes to the masterpieces of the Angkor period. The centrepiece is the 3m-tall sandstone statue of Jayavarman VII (12th century), considered the greatest work of Khmer sculpture. The museum's courtyard, with its pond and garden, is one of the most peaceful spots in Phnom Penh.
Central Market — Art Deco Dome and Everything Inside
Psar Thmei (New Market), known as the Central Market, is one of the finest art deco buildings in Southeast Asia — a vast yellow dome built by the French in 1937, surrounded by four wings selling gold and silver jewellery, clothing, electronics, fresh produce and street food. The market is less touristy than the Old Market in Siem Reap and gives a genuine insight into everyday Phnom Penh life. The food stalls in the outer wings serve excellent Cambodian breakfast dishes — bai sach chrouk (pork and rice) and kuy teav (noodle soup).
Phnom Penh Food Scene — The Best in Cambodia
Phnom Penh has the finest food scene in Cambodia — a city where street food stalls serving nom banh chok (rice noodles with green fish curry) and bai sach chrouk (pork and rice) sit alongside sophisticated restaurants serving modern Khmer cuisine. The Russian Market area (Psar Tuol Tom Poung) has excellent street food. Romdeng (traditional Cambodian cuisine in a colonial villa), Malis (upscale Khmer) and Sra'Art (contemporary Cambodian) are consistently rated among the best restaurants in the country. The craft beer scene has also grown significantly.
Wat Phnom — The Hill Temple That Gave the City Its Name
Wat Phnom (Temple on the Hill) is the founding temple of Phnom Penh — a Buddhist temple on a 27m artificial hill at the northern end of the city, built in 1373 to house sacred Buddha relics. According to legend, a wealthy widow named Penh found four Buddha statues washed up on the riverbank and built a temple on the hill to house them — giving the city its name (Phnom means hill in Khmer). The temple is a popular spot for locals to pray and make offerings; the surrounding park is pleasant for a morning walk.
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