5 best day trips from Phnom Penh

Day trips compared

The day trips

15 km · About 45 minutes by tuk-tuk or boat

1.Koh Dach (Silk Island)

A rural Mekong island where families weave silk on wooden looms under their stilt houses. Cycling or riding by tuk-tuk along the village lanes past orchards, pagodas and weaving workshops makes an easy half day, and scarves are sold directly by the weavers.

Getting there

Tuk-tuk via Chroy Changvar, or a boat tour from the riverside

Best for

Families, Culture, Quiet stays

40 km · About 1–1.5 hours by road

2.Oudong

Cambodia's royal capital from the 17th century until 1866, Oudong is a ridge topped with stupas holding the remains of former kings and a modern stupa with Buddha relics. Climbing the stairs gives wide views over the plains, and food stalls at the base serve grilled chicken and fish.

Getting there

Car with driver or tuk-tuk

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

40 km · About 1 hour by car

3.Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre

A large government-run sanctuary for animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, including sun bears, gibbons, elephants and big cats, in spacious forest enclosures. It is the best wildlife outing near the city for children.

Getting there

Car with driver or tuk-tuk

Best for

Families

55 km · About 1–1.5 hours by car

4.Tonle Bati and Phnom Chisor

Tonle Bati has a late-12th-century laterite temple, Ta Prohm, beside a lake where locals picnic in bamboo huts. Further south, Phnom Chisor is an 11th-century temple on a hilltop reached by a long staircase, with views across the countryside.

Getting there

Car with driver

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays, Families

150 km · About 3–4 hours by road

5.Kampot

A sleepy riverside town of colonial shophouses, known for its pepper farms, the abandoned French hill station on Bokor Mountain and the crab market at nearby Kep. It is a long day from the capital, so most visitors stay at least one night.

Getting there

Minivan, bus or Royal Railway train

Best for

Food lovers, Quiet stays, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Air-conditioned city buses run on numbered routes along the main boulevards at very low fares, useful for longer straight journeys if you are not in a hurry.
• Royal Railway trains run south from Phnom Penh station to Takeo, Kampot and Sihanoukville, a slow but scenic alternative to the bus.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask