When planning this guide before my recent trip, I thought I might title it “Phnom Penh, Southeast Asia’s most impactful city”, because, when I visited several times last decade, my entire experience was impacted by a pervasive sense of melancholy carried over from the Khmer Rouge era.
When I went this time, however, I was surprised at how much more optimistic and forward-looking the culture felt, as if Phnom Penh’s population got together and decided it’s time to stop mourning and forge bravely onward into the 21st century.
The impactful experiences that pay due respect to Cambodia’s past are still there – you’ll read about several genocide museums in this guide.
But the city is now more joyful and art-focused than purely impactful due to atrocity, so most of the activities discussed will be temples, rooftop bars, street food havens, or mural-lined alley walks.
I’d also highly recommend visiting during the incredibly fun water-slinging festivities of the Khmer New Year celebration, which I was lucky enough to catch during my visit, although I realize that might be tough since it’s only a few days in April.
In this guide, I’ll focus on both sides of Phnom Penh’s tourism: the tragic, somber stuff and the upbeat, artsy, culturally immersive stuff.
The city is, in my opinion, still not ready for long stays, because the tourist infrastructure is still in its infancy. That’s why I’ll provide info about where to stay and what to do there during a 3-4 day trip so you can have the best Phnom Penh holiday possible.
3-Day Phnom Penh itinerary
This itinerary assumes you have 3 FULL DAYS in Phnom Penh and are travelling on a budget. The itinerary factors in the midday heat and tries to keep outdoor activities to morning or evening.
Phnom Penh’s development problem
Indie Traveller readers may be familiar with our 2019 piece about Cambodia’s governmental and environmental issues. As Marek wrote in the post, “the regime is oppressive, and just about everything seems up for sale to the highest bidder, no matter the human or environmental cost.”
I’m sad to report this is still the case, and the issues seem to have worsened. Huge swaths of the city are still being sold off to private developers, as you’ll hear about a few times in this guide.
The main reason these changes apply to travellers is that, unlike with most of my guides, I don’t really encourage tourists to get off the beaten track and explore Phnom Penh.
Because, unlike cities like Saigon or Bangkok, most “off-map” parts of Phnom Penh are a little boring from the perspective of a tourist, even an adventurous one.
How to get to Phnom Penh
A sizable share of international travellers in Phnom Penh are stopping there as a midpoint between Bangkok/Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City (air or bus), so the following quick-reference table and the two detailed descriptions below will look at travel options from those perspectives.
| To Phnom Penh… | By air (travel time/sost) | By bus (travel time/sost) |
|---|---|---|
| … from Siem Reap | 50min/$100 | 6hrs/$20 |
| … from Bangkok | 1hr15min/$100 | N/A currently |
| … from Ho Chi Minh City | 1hr/$160 | 6hr30min/$20 |
By plane (the quickest way)
Phnom Penh has a brand new international airport called Techo International that just opened in September 2025. There are flights to Techo from all major domestic cities in Southeast Asia, including cities within Cambodia.
The airport is very modern and is built to accommodate future growth rather than current demand, so it feels oversized. The 30-60 minute walk from gates to exit doors through huge and mostly empty hallways feels a bit ridiculous, but the facilities are nice and the airport is easy to navigate.
Visa on arrival waiting time is usually 30-60 minutes, but Cambodia has an online e-visa application so you can speed up the process significantly by applying in advance.
From the airport, it’s a 45-75 minute taxi ride into the city, depending on traffic. There is not yet any bus or rail link connecting the airport to the city as of May 2026.
By bus (the cheapest way)
All of the bus options below can be booked on 12go, my favorite ticket booking site in Southeast Asia.
- If coming from Siem Reap, the bus trip is straightforward: a 6-hour drive from Siem Reap’s city centre over reasonably smooth roads. I’d recommend Giant Ibis for comfort (around $20) or Mekong Express ($12) for budget.
- If coming from Ho Chi Minh City, the bus trip is also about 6 hours but you’ll also have to stop at the Moc Bai/Bavet border crossing to exit Vietnam and buy a Cambodia visa.
The bus staff will help passengers navigate the border crossing, but you’ll still have to exit the bus at the border for 30-60 minutes to do a bit of walking, a bit of waiting, and a bit of paying – the visa fee is $40 for three months, the only length available.
I’d recommend the same companies that run from Siem Reap – Giant Ibis for ~$30 and Mekong Express for ~$20. Both HCMC buses leave from District 1.
Bus lines between Bangkok and Phnom Penh are currently out of operation because of the ongoing conflict at the Thailand-Cambodia border.
How to get around
The single best way to get around Phnom Penh is using a tuk-tuk booked on Passapp, which is basically the Cambodian version of Uber or Grab.
Passapp requires a Cambodian phone number, but their tuk-tuks are even cheaper than Grab, the drivers are reliable, and it’s not scammy like freelance drivers often are. 10-20 minute rides cost around $1, and even cross-city rides cost $2-3. That’s an amazing deal for a vehicle that can accommodate 2-3 people.
Downloading and using a ride-hailing app like Passapp is a must, because Phnom Penh is not very walkable for two main reasons:
- The heat in Phnom Penh is even more intense than in other parts of Southeast Asia.
- It’s spread out, so travelling between neighbourhoods might take hours on foot.
Where to stay & neighbourhood guide
I stayed in a different hotel in a different neighbourhood every day during my recent trip to Phnom Penh, and I did a fair bit of walking around each neighbourhood. Here are my top three picks, plus one to avoid.
1. Daun Penh
Locals consider this area north of Wat Phnom to be the centre of Phnom Penh. Unlike lots of overdeveloped urban centres, though, this one has clean, walkable sidewalks, calm traffic, and reasonably priced goods at family shopfronts.
It’s also within walking distance of a lot of the city’s nicest monuments without being loud and touristy like the area south of Wat Phnom.
It’s a convenient base for tourists to reach other parts of the city quickly, but it’s part of the “real Phnom Penh” rather than a tourist district.
I’d recommend this neighbourhood for first-time travelers or those seeking a centrally located upscale neighbourhood without the overtourism.
Things to see in Daun Penh:
My top hotel recommendations in Daun Penh:
- $ The Eighty8 PP – a social, well-located hostel near Wat Phnom with pod rooms, a saltwater pool, and a buzzy bar-restaurant that makes it easy to mix and mingle.
- $$ LCS Hotel and Apartments – this is a riverside 4-star with French colonial bones, dark wood interiors, and Tonle Sap views (ideal if you’re after mid-range comfort)
- $$$ Raffles Hotel Le Royal – my pick for best luxury hotel in Phnom Penh
Everything radiates 5-star energy, from the incredible French chateau the hotel is located in to the endlessly attentive staff to the ornate room design to the decadent restaurant and bar. The hotel is nice and cozy, too, unlike a lot of cavernous luxury hotels in Southeast Asia. All this in the most accessible part of the city makes Raffles Hotel Le Royal a great deal, even at $216.
2. Tuol Tom Poung
This was my personal favorite neighbourhood because it has plenty of street food, a nice market, tree-lined streets, and a comfortable bohemian vibe. There are lots of international restaurants and quaint B&Bs, and I saw a lot of students and digital nomads in the cafes there.
Despite the modern trimmings, there are still a lot of local residences and storefronts, so it doesn’t feel overly sterile or expat-dominated like the neighbouring Boeng Keng Kang (BKK) neighbourhood.
However, those who want to see a more authentically Southeast Asian area might be more interested in some of the other neighbourhoods in this section.
Things to see in Tuol Tom Poung:
My top hotel recommendations in Tuol Tom Poung:
- $ Vanny’s Peaceful Guesthouse – my pick for Phnom Penh’s best budget accommodation
The rooms are by no means luxurious, but the warmth of the family who runs the place makes up for it. The couple who runs it are helpful and kind, and their daughter speaks perfect English. The location is great too, and it might be the most pleasant sub-$10 accommodation I’ve ever stayed in. - $$ Parc21 Residence – my pick for Phnom Penh’s best-located accommodation
It’s right next to the bohemian Tuol Tom Poung, but it’s on the other side of a canal (which smells awful, so be warned) in a pocket of streets that feel fully authentic. Boeung Trabek Plaza, just down the block, is the kind of colorful outdoor market filled with noisy street food stalls, household goods, and smiling locals that is quintessentially Southeast Asian. - $$$ La Chronique – boutique French-colonial hotel with spacious rooms and a peaceful setting just outside Phnom Penh’s busiest districts.
3. East Olympic Stadium
I felt a sense of local camaraderie in the neighbourhood just to the east of Olympic Stadium. Local people were super helpful and, even though it’s one of the poorer areas of the city, there was a lot of street life and a vibrant atmosphere.
In addition, the area was very cheap. Food and other goods there cost slightly less than elsewhere, and so did hotels. So East Olympic Stadium is great for backpackers or budget travellers.
Things to see in East Olympic Stadium:
My top hotel recommendations in East Olympic Stadium:
- $$ Caravan Hotel – my pick for best value at an accommodation in Phnom Penh
The gorgeous lobby with plush seating and a fountain, the rooftop pool and bar, the restaurant, and the cafe give off the air of a 5-star boutique hotel. The bang for your buck is outstanding. - $ Villa Papillon – a budget-friendly boutique guesthouse tucked away on a quiet street in central Phnom Penh with airy rooms, a leafy courtyard, and a welcoming, home-like atmosphere.
- $$$ Courtyard by Marriott – sleek rooms, reliable Marriott-level service, and a rooftop infinity pool with sweeping views over Phnom Penh’s skyline.
4. Riverside (avoid this one)
Riverside is the most talked about neighbourhood in Phnom Penh tourism guides, but I think it’s massively overhyped. The area isn’t culturally authentic at all and instead has a sleazy, manufactured backpacker vibe.
The actual riverside is walkable, but lots of it has been ruined by land developers and the stroll along the bank of the Mekong has, over the past decade, gone from pretty to slightly sad.
The noise and chaotic traffic make Riverside a bad neighbourhood to stay in. It’s unfortunate, because it is in a really central location near a lot of beautiful monuments.
What to do in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh has comparatively few organised tourism activities, and the things it does have are spread out. In this section, I’ve rounded up at least enough activities to fill a few jam-packed days and give you a good feel for the culture, arts, history, and day-to-day life of Phnom Penh.
Get a deeper introduction with Martin’s 3-hour GuruWalk. This pay-what-you-want walking tour blends Phnom Penh’s history, culture, markets, street art, and hidden local spots into one experience — with little crossover with the places talked about in this guide.
Visit museums
1. National Museum of Cambodia
This is a museum of Khmer history in Cambodia. It has lots of amazing sculptures, paintings, and other artifacts. Surprisingly few of the pieces are labelled, but wandering amongst the rows is a great way to take in the vibes of the country’s pre-colonial legacy.
The highlight, for me, was the building itself; gorgeous black-and-red Khmer architecture, with exhibit halls connected by open air corridors built around a serene courtyard with lush greenery and ponds.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for an audio guide (recommended). Spend 90 minutes here or go with this 4-hour tour that guides visitors through the National Museum and Royal Palace for $155.
2. SOSORO Museum
SOSORO is a museum about postcolonial Cambodian culture. More specifically, it follows the use of money in Cambodia throughout the years as a lens to examine its history.
The economic angle might sound boring, but it’s definitely not. This was my favourite museum in Phnom Penh, and maybe in all of Southeast Asia.
The country’s modern history, although sometimes dark, is absolutely fascinating. The exhibits are well-designed, with clear English labelling and interactive videos at many of them.
The building itself is really nice too, a refurbished townhouse from the 1920s. Admission is $5. The audio guide is $3 extra, but you don’t need it. Spend 3 hours here.
3. DinArt Gallery
DinArt Gallery is a contemporary art museum, which was a nice break from many of the heavier attractions in Phnom Penh. The gallery is small, but it does a great job of combining traditional Khmer subjects with modern art styles.
Entry is free. Spend 45 minutes here.
See all the religious sites
1. Wat Phnom
The circular park surrounding the hill is the nicest green space in Phnom Penh, a sentiment echoed by locals. It’s small, but it has nice pathways shaded by trees, sitting areas, and plenty of benches. It also has some gorgeous structures like small pagodas and the jet black statue of Lady Penh, the city’s namesake.
Steps lead from the park up to the city’s central pagoda, which, while smaller than many other pagodas around the city, is peaceful and elegant.
2. Al-Serkal Mosque
In addition to Buddhism, Phnom Penh has a big Muslim population, and Al-Serkal is perhaps the nicest mosque in the city.
The mosque looks incredible from the outside, with two imposing towers topped with Muslim moons defining the white stonework. The inside is just as well-designed, and an English-speaking staff member inside told me a bit about the Muslim community in Cambodia when I stepped in.
3. Wat Langka
Unlike at most temples in Phnom Penh where you only observe, you can actually participate in religious culture at Wat Langka. Free guided meditations take place on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 6:00 PM, and Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM.
They are a bit sporadic, though, so I’d recommend going by in advance and asking one of the very friendly monks walking around about the next session – most of them speak some English.
The cats hanging around the back of the temple are super-cute, too. Make sure to wander back there and say hi.
4. Wat Tuol Tom Poung
Surprisingly given its non-central location, this is the most impressive pagoda interior I saw in Phnom Penh. I would compare its grandeur to the cavernous chapels and amphitheaters I’ve seen in Western Europe, but festooned with gold trim and Buddhist iconography.
Cultural immersion
1. Craft workshops
The one area I felt Phnom Penh really shined in compared to its neighbouring capitals was its seeming proclivity towards the arts. Participating in the city’s active arts scene by taking a craft workshop is a great way to immerse yourself in local culture. A few good options are:
- Essential Oil Workshop – Smell is the sense most closely tied to emotional memory, so crafting an essential oil with Cambodian aromatics is one of the best souvenir ideas I’ve encountered. This workshop actually takes you to the farm to gather ingredients and costs $31.
- Chocolate Bar Workshop – You don’t actually make the chocolate, but you do get to see it made, choose what type you want for your bar, flavor it with Cambodian fruits and spices, and then take it home for only $7.
- Khmer Cooking Class – The class includes a market trip to source ingredients and a prep session in fluent English conducted in a cool and well-equipped kitchen – in my opinion, the three requirements of a good travel cooking class. It’s a great way to socialise with fellow travellers while you cook Cambodian-style spring rolls, curry, and desserts, and you get to take home the cookbook. Cost is $35.
- (Siem Reap) Lotus Silk Weaving Workshop – Making textiles from lotus silk is a staple of traditional Cambodian culture, but the practice is extremely rare elsewhere. That’s why this tour, which includes actually rowing to the middle of a river to collect lotus, spinning it yourself, and watching professionals at work, is uniquely Cambodian. Cost is $40.
2. Olympic Stadium
Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium has an interesting history: it was built in the 1960s and was, at that time, the nicest stadium complex in Southeast Asia.
Much of it has, since then, been sold off to land developers piece by piece and transformed into apartments, but the community spirit that used to be centralised at the stadium could not be demolished.
After sunset, it’s still a great place to walk around and soak in the vibes of locals destressing. The running tracks, the plazas where pilates classes are taking place, the volleyball and basketball and petanque courts, all ring with laughter and chatter.
It’s free, immersive, and a good way to meet locals, especially if you join in a game.
2. Street Art @ 93
Most times when I spend untold hours walking around a Southeast Asian city, I stumble upon at least one of what I call “magic streets”; streets that don’t have anything specific to do, but are lined with shopfronts, street art, old apartments, or other locally flavored scenery that makes the street feel emblematic of the city’s culture.
And, even though there is no tourist activity there, my journey down the Magic Street ends up being one of the things about a trip I remember most.
Street No. 93, which is right next to the Al-Serkal Mosque, was the “magic street” I found in Phnom Penh. Colorful art depicting Cambodian people and animals covers the walls, and family-run convenience stores dot the street.
There are many obviously impoverished but eminently charming homes along the street, as well as some vine-choked tenement apartments. The street is a dead end and only takes 10 minutes to walk each way as motorbikes and tuk-tuks putter by, but it’s a beautiful pocket of local flavor.
3. Street food safari
I hate to say it, but I really didn’t care for Phnom Penh’s street food scene. I’ve been to five major cities in Cambodia and always try the street food since I’m a huge fan of street food culture, but I’ve never found a dish I particularly like other than fresh seafood in coastal towns.
One quick tip: the sauces that come with street food are often very good. Many places won’t give you sauce unless you ask, though.
A few of the best areas to find lots of street food activity so you can decide for yourself are:
- Preah Sihanouk & St. 9
- Mao Tse Toung & St. 173
- St. 193 & St. 10
- The streets around Kandal Market, Tuol Tom Poung Market, the Central Market, or just about any indoor market.
You’ll explore the city’s nightlife from the back of a vintage Vespa and ride through local markets, hidden side streets, and sample dishes you’d probably walk straight past.
The Vespa format means you cover more ground than a walking tour and it doubles as a pretty fun way to see the city after dark.
Khmer Rouge History
These two sites are both extremely well-done and also extremely disturbing. They’re the reasons I titled this guide “Southeast Asia’s Most Impactful Capital”, because I have no doubt the sights and audio accounts I witnessed here (which made me tear up constantly) will impact me forever.
You should definitely go if you’re up for something heavier, but know that the experience won’t be “fun” like most items in this guide.
- For both sites, the audio guide is necessary. The one at Tuol Sleng is worth the extra fee (Choeung Ek’s is free), and it’s good enough that you can skip a tour and explore independently by tuk-tuk.
- I understand that some people might want to be part of a group just because of how harrowing the experiences are, though, so you may want to check out this free Echoes of the Khmer Rouge tour of both sites.
1. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Built in what used to be the Khmer Rouge’s S21 torture camp, and what was before that a public high school. Admission is $5, but the audio cassette guide is an additional $5.
The guide takes you through the first block, where prisoners were tortured on bare beds. In the second block, you see the tiny cells the prisoners were kept in and many photos of the victims. In the final block, you see torture devices and hear about techniques used.
I don’t want to go into details, because many of them – like the facts that airflow was intentionally blocked up or that prisoners literally had salt rubbed in their wounds by sadistic interrogators, supposedly in the name of the country – are extremely upsetting.
But I will say that the audio recording, which features subject experts from around the world and family members of victims, is fantastic.
2. Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (The Killing Fields)
The serene feel of the former Killing Fields juxtaposes in such a chilling way with the atrocities explained in great detail by the audio guide. It’s even more visceral than Tuol Sleng, with sights like a head-bashing tree and a stupa full of victims’ skulls driving home the brutality.
Admission is $5, and the audio guide is included.
Keep exploring Cambodia with more of our guides to this captivating country.
- Kampot travel guide – for slow river vibes, pepper farms, and colonial charm
- Battambang – for Cambodia’s most underrated city and its hidden local gems
- Koh Rong Sanloem – for hammock days and a blissfully undeveloped island
