Phnom Penh Travel Guide
After visiting Vietnam, I set off for Phnom Penh, Cambodia for one main reason: the Killing Fields. This is probably the most morbid and disturbing thing I will witness while in Southeast Asia, but it’s a part of history I knew absolutely nothing about.
I’ve heard about all of the wars that include America, but what about the rest of the world? What else has shaped this planet we live on today?
Unfortunately, I only had one full day here since I was eager to make my way to Siem Reap, Cambodia, so this isn’t going to be an “ultimate” travel guide. I don’t know all of the best restaurants, hotels or spots in Phnom Penh, but I’ll tell you exactly what I did on this short trip, as well as some of the tidbits I picked up along the way.
Read below for my Phnom Penh Travel Guide:
Do
Like I said earlier, this is the sole reason I came to PP. There are many reasons why this city is an incredible place, but I wanted to see with my own eyes what this “secret war” (known in America) was all about.
The Killing Fields is an area in Cambodia where more than one million people where brought to and killed by the Khmer Rouge regime during 1975 to 1979 when Prime Minister Pol Pot came to power. He desired a communist country, and his solution was to torture and kill every single educated person in the country (think students, teachers, writers, speakers, doctors, and basically anybody with a career) and over-work/brainwash the rest of the country. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, babies and teens were all killed either on the spot or at the Killing Fields.
I recommend you see this grave sight if you want to learn more. It will definitely open your eyes up to the cruelty of some people, but it will also show you how incredible Cambodia is for building itself back up after this travesty.
You can hire a tuktuk for the day to take you here to see the fields, as well as the museum below. It was $10/per rider for the whole day.
I’m not sure which one was more devastating to learn about: the Killing Fields or the S21 Prisoner Museum. In the museum, you learn exactly how all of the prisoners of the Cambodian war were tortured and sometimes, by accident, killed. You see hundreds of photos of prisoners, learn about the various torture methods, hear personal accounts from both prisoners and guards, and see the rooms they were kept in. It’s gruesome, but another crucial part of history, and I’m glad I saw it. This is one of the few pictures I took.
Asia is full of night markets, but I think each one provides a completely different experience. At this night market you can get clothing, food, jewelry and various gifts, while, sometimes, listening to local, live Cambodian pop music. The Night Market overlooks the Riverside, and is about 3 minutes from where I stayed in my hotel, so it was an easy walk. It’s nothing special, but if you have the time, pop on over.
See
A beautiful and famous sight, the Royal Palace is the royal residence of the king of Cambodia. I didn’t get to see much of it since I only had one full day in PP, but it looked gorgeous when I drove past it. It’s popular, so I’m sure it’s worth the trip!
Stay
We stayed at this hotel because it had great reviews on TripAdvisor and the location was perfect. When we arrived at the hotel, they told us they had upgraded us for free for the first night (no idea why) and after our experience at Ho Chi Minh City, I was feeling blessed to have this gift.
The upgraded room was a double bedroom deluxe room and it was beyond amazing. The room was huge and it had beautiful interior, as well as a deck, a couch, a desk and plenty of room. We only had the room for that night (and we arrived late) so we didn’t have much time to spend in it, but if you stay at this hotel definitely get the deluxe room.
When we were moved to our regular room, we were super bummed. The bedroom was basically as big as the bed, with barely any room to put our bags on the floor, let alone walk. Fortunately, we were gone most of the day and didn’t need to spend much time in there so it wasn’t a big deal, but once we went to sleep we realized the bed was uncomfortably small and the room was stuffy.
I thoroughly loved the first room though, so I wouldn’t skip out on this hotel altogether. Just make sure you get the deluxe.
Plan to have breakfast elsewhere, too.
Book HERE.
Eat and Drink
This restaurant can be found in both PP and Siem Reap. We came here our first night because they had fruit and yogurt bowls (my daily Asian obsession) and we wanted something light. This place is probably most known for its ice cream and sweets, but they also have some simple salads, sandwiches, and asian dishes.
This restaurant has an impressive display of Cambodian decor, with elephant statues, greenery and Asian inspired light fixtures. It’s facing the riverside, which is nice if you want to have a meal on the river. We came here right before getting on the Giant Ibis bus for Siem Reap, which was a 3 minute walk away. The food was good; I ordered a 3-egg omelet and a “Vietnamese coffee” (another obsession).
I say “good” because coming from Denver and Boulder, the land of exquisite, specialty breakfasts, it’s hard to compare. Regardless, I would eat here again.
Miscellaneous Notes
Money
Cambodia uses both US dollars and Cambodian money, called riel. It’s pretty confusing at first, but Cambodians will help you out if you ask them.
SIM cards
When you get off the bus or plane, ask your tuktuk driver to stop off to get a SIM card. He will most likely be able to take you right to a SIM card seller, who will install one in your phone with however much data you want. It’s so cheap and the whole process can be done within a few minutes. Just make sure to freeze/suspend your current provider “without pay” so you’re not getting charged for it!
Language barriers
From what I’m experiencing so far, Cambodia has amazing english. Everyone I have encountered knows at least a little bit, which makes for a very easy trip.
Friendliness
I have met some of the friendliest people here in Cambodia. People are excited to talk with you, and want to learn all that they can. Have fun and meet some local folks!
Dress code
Tourists (mainly women) have a bad rep for dressing inappropriately. I didn’t do this the whole time, but it’s best to wear something that covers down to your knees, and a shirt that covers at least 3 fingers width on your shoulder. I wore some tank tops and shorts that didn’t follow this code and didn’t feel judged, but it’s good for you to know this ahead of time if you want to be as respectful as possible.
Nom Banh Chok & Khmer Laksa
These are two famous Cambodian dishes. I didn’t have them myself, but I hear they are amazing. Give it a go!
Backpack / Purse Theft
Wear your backpack in the front to keep it extra safe, and keep your purse close to avoid any possible pick pocketing.
This was the bus we took from PP to Siem Reap, and it definitely did not disappoint. Unlike my experience on the Mekong, this bus ride was ridiculous smooth. We had bathroom breaks, and even a short lunch stop. There was WiFi (though not very good) and comfortable chairs.
If you want to get a better idea of the feel of PP, check out THIS article by Nomadic Matt. He nails it pretty perfectly.
Have you been to Phnom Penh? If yes, what were some of your favourite spots on this list and not on this list?
Also, I really want to know if my readers are enjoying these travel posts. Can you do me a favour and let me know what you think by commenting below? I want to be providing you with information that you find helpful for your journey, so your opinions really do matter!
Want to fill up a day in Phnom Penh, Cambodia? Here’s the perfect one-day itinerary! #PhnomPenh