Things to do · Phnom Penh · Cambodia
15 best things to do in Phnom Penh
15 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
The essential sights in Phnom Penh are Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21). Of the 15 picks below, 7 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Royal Palace
- Free sights
- 7
- Good on a rainy day
- National Museum of Cambodia
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Palace | Royal Palace and Street 240 | 1.5–2 hours with the Silver Pagoda | Mid-priced |
| Silver Pagoda | Royal Palace and Street 240 | 45 minutes | Mid-priced |
| Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) | Toul Tom Poung | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Choeung Ek Genocidal Center | About 15 km south of the centre | 1.5–2 hours plus travel | Low cost |
| National Museum of Cambodia | Royal Palace and Street 240 | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Wat Phnom | Wat Phnom and Central Market | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Central Market (Phsar Thmei) | Wat Phnom and Central Market | 1 hour | Free |
| Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung) | Toul Tom Poung | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Sisowath Quay riverside | Riverside (Sisowath Quay) | 1 hour | Free |
| Sunset river cruise | Riverside (Sisowath Quay) | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Independence Monument | BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1) | 30 minutes | Free |
| Wat Ounalom | Riverside (Sisowath Quay) | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Wat Langka | BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1) | 1 hour | Free |
| National Olympic Stadium | BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1) | 1 hour | Free |
| Raffles Hotel Le Royal | Wat Phnom and Central Market | 1 hour | Expensive |
The 15 best things to do
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Palace · Royal Palace and Street 240
1.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. The King still lives here, so only part of the compound is open, but it is the city's defining sight.
Shoulders and knees must be covered; if you forget, cover-ups can be bought or rented at the entrance. The palace closes for a long break in the middle of the day, so go early.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours with the Silver Pagoda
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Royal Palace and Street 240
2.Silver Pagoda
Inside the palace compound, the Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo Morokot) takes its name from a floor of more than 5,000 silver tiles. It houses a small crystal Emerald Buddha and a life-size gold Buddha set with thousands of diamonds, and its courtyard walls are painted with a long Reamker mural.
Walk the full mural gallery around the courtyard; it is often skipped but shows the whole Khmer Ramayana.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Architecture
Museum · Toul Tom Poung
3.Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
A former high school turned by the Khmer Rouge into Security Prison 21, where thousands of people were imprisoned, tortured and photographed before being killed. The classrooms, cells and walls of prisoner portraits are left largely as they were found, and the audio guide, available in many languages, tells survivors' and victims' stories.
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.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Historic site · About 15 km south of the centre
4.Choeung Ek Genocidal Center
The best known of the Khmer Rouge 'killing fields', where prisoners from S-21 were executed and buried in mass graves. A memorial stupa holds thousands of skulls arranged by age and sex, and the self-guided audio tour leads quietly around the orchard and excavated pits.
Go by tuk-tuk in the morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter; the audio guide is included with entry.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours plus travel
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
Museum · Royal Palace and Street 240
5.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. A quiet garden courtyard with lotus ponds sits at the centre.
Visit before a trip to Angkor to see the statues removed from the temples for safekeeping.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Religious site · Wat Phnom and Central Market
6.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. Today a pagoda and stupa crown the hill, reached by a naga-lined staircase, and locals come to pray for luck in exams and business.
Come in the late afternoon, when the park around the hill fills with families and food vendors.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Outdoors
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Market · Wat Phnom and Central Market
7.Central Market (Phsar Thmei)
Opened in 1937, this bright yellow Art Deco market has a soaring central dome with four wings radiating out. Jewellers and watch sellers fill the space under the dome, while the wings and outer stalls sell clothes, souvenirs, flowers and cooked food.
Eat at the food stalls on the market's edge, where noodle soups and grilled meats are cheap and fresh.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Food
- Kids
Market · Toul Tom Poung
8.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. Its central food court is one of the best places in the city for a noodle breakfast.
Go early in the morning before the tin roof traps the heat, and eat breakfast inside before shopping.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
Waterfront · Riverside (Sisowath Quay)
1.Sisowath Quay riverside
The riverside promenade runs along the Tonle Sap near its confluence with the Mekong. In the evening it fills with families, joggers and open-air aerobics classes, and opposite the Royal Palace the small Preah Ang Dorngkeu shrine draws worshippers with incense and lotus offerings amid flocks of pigeons.
Walk the stretch between the Royal Palace and Wat Ounalom around sunset, then stop for a drink overlooking the water.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
Experience · Riverside (Sisowath Quay)
2.Sunset river cruise
Wooden boats leave from the riverside for one- to two-hour trips up the Tonle Sap and onto the Mekong, passing the Royal Palace, the Chroy Changvar peninsula and fishing communities on the banks. Shared boats are inexpensive, and private boats can be hired for a group.
Bring your own snacks or choose a boat with drinks included, and sit on the upper deck for views of the palace.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
Landmark · BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1)
3.Independence Monument
Designed by the architect Vann Molyvann and inaugurated in 1958, the lotus-shaped tower celebrates independence from France in 1953 and stands at the junction of Norodom and Sihanouk boulevards. The park stretching east contains a bronze statue of the late King Norodom Sihanouk, and both are floodlit at night.
Visit in the evening, when the park fills with locals and the monument is lit.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
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Religious site · Riverside (Sisowath Quay)
4.Wat Ounalom
Founded in the 15th century, Wat Ounalom is the headquarters of Cambodia's largest Buddhist order and one of the city's most important monasteries. Its stupa is said to hold an eyebrow hair of the Buddha, and the multi-storey compound by the riverside is home to many monks.
Remove shoes before entering the halls and ask permission before photographing monks.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
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Religious site · BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1)
5.Wat Langka
One of the city's oldest pagodas, near the Independence Monument, Wat Langka survived the Khmer Rouge period by being used as a warehouse. It is known for its regular evening meditation sessions, which are open to visitors and led partly in English.
Ask at the pagoda for the current meditation schedule; arrive a few minutes early and dress modestly.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- History
Architecture · BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1)
6.National Olympic Stadium
Vann Molyvann's 1960s stadium is a landmark of New Khmer Architecture, its sweeping concrete stands built on raised earth banks. At dawn and dusk locals jog around the top of the stands and join outdoor aerobics classes, and visitors can walk in freely to see the design.
Go around 5–6pm to join the exercise crowd and watch the sunset from the top tier.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
- Active
Architecture · Wat Phnom and Central Market
7.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. Non-guests can visit the Elephant Bar for a drink under the high ceilings.
Visit in the early evening for a classic cocktail in the Elephant Bar, a good way to see the interiors.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Couples
- Architecture
- After dark
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Silver Pagoda, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) and National Museum of Cambodia |
| History | Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum of Cambodia and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) |
| Views | Sunset river cruise |
| Outdoors and nature | Wat Phnom and Sisowath Quay riverside |
| Food and markets | Central Market (Phsar Thmei) and Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung) |
| After dark | Sisowath Quay riverside, Sunset river cruise, Independence Monument and Raffles Hotel Le Royal |
| With children | Wat Phnom, Central Market (Phsar Thmei), Sisowath Quay riverside and Sunset river cruise |
| On a rainy day | National Museum of Cambodia and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Phnom Penh?
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.
+What can you do for free in Phnom Penh?
Central Market (Phsar Thmei), Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung), Sisowath Quay riverside, Independence Monument and Wat Ounalom. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Phnom Penh when it rains?
Head indoors to National Museum of Cambodia and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21).
+What is there to do in Phnom Penh at night?
Sisowath Quay riverside, Sunset river cruise, Independence Monument and Raffles Hotel Le Royal are best after dark.