3 days in Phnom Penh

Day by day

1. Day 1: Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

   Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum of Cambodia, then Sisowath Quay riverside in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Royal Palace

      Built from 1866 when King Norodom moved the capital to Phnom Penh, the palace compound faces the river with tiered golden roofs, the Throne Hall used for coronations and manicured gardens.

   2. Late morning

      Silver Pagoda

      Walk the full mural gallery around the courtyard; it is often skipped but shows the whole Khmer Ramayana.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Phnom Penh noodle soup

      Market food courts such as the Russian Market and noodle shops across the city, mostly in the morning.

   4. Afternoon

      National Museum of Cambodia

      The terracotta-red museum built in the 1910s–1920s holds the world's leading collection of Khmer sculpture, from pre-Angkorian figures such as the eight-armed Vishnu of Phnom Da to the serene seated statue of Jayavarman VII and a huge bronze reclining Vishnu from the West Mebon.

   5. Evening

      Sisowath Quay riverside

      Walk the stretch between the Royal Palace and Wat Ounalom around sunset, then stop for a drink overlooking the water.

2. Day 2: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) and Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung)

   Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung) and Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, then Sunset river cruise in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)

      Take the audio guide and allow time; many visitors pair it with Choeung Ek on the same day, which is emotionally heavy, so consider separate days.

   2. Late morning

      Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung)

      Named after the Russian expatriates who shopped here in the 1980s, this low, cramped market sells silk, krama, handicrafts, clothing from local garment factories, motorbike parts and food.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Khmer rice noodles with fish curry

      Market stalls and street vendors in the morning, especially around Toul Tom Poung.

   4. Afternoon

      Choeung Ek Genocidal Center

      Go by tuk-tuk in the morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter; the audio guide is included with entry.

   5. Evening

      Sunset river cruise

      Bring your own snacks or choose a boat with drinks included, and sit on the upper deck for views of the palace.

3. Day 3: Wat Phnom and Central Market (Phsar Thmei)

   Wat Phnom, Central Market (Phsar Thmei) and Raffles Hotel Le Royal, then Independence Monument in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Wat Phnom

      The small wooded hill that gave the city its name: legend says a woman called Penh found Buddha statues in the river in 1372 and built a shrine on this mound.

   2. Late morning

      Central Market (Phsar Thmei)

      Eat at the food stalls on the market's edge, where noodle soups and grilled meats are cheap and fresh.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Grilled pork and broken rice

      Street-side grills across the city from early morning.

   4. Afternoon

      Raffles Hotel Le Royal

      Opened in 1929, this colonial hotel near Wat Phnom hosted journalists and diplomats through the war years and has been restored with its Art Deco and Khmer details.

   5. Evening

      Independence Monument

      Visit in the evening, when the park fills with locals and the monument is lit.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Riverside (Sisowath Quay) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Royal Palace and Street 240 ($$$) suits couples, shopping, first-timers and quiet stays. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–17 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.4 hours in December to 12.8 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Phnom Penh
• 2 days in Phnom Penh

Questions travellers ask