Phnom Penh is our last stop in Cambodia. We have two days for exploring this city. Then we will take a bus to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and new adventure will begin 🙂
Phnom Penh is the most modern city we have been in Cambodia. There are plenty of restaurants, stylish cafes, pretty hotels and monuments. It is necessary to say, despite all of these, there is chaos, endless traffic jams and terrible clutter. It is almost impossible for pedestrians to move around the city because there are parked cars and motorbikes on the sidewalk. But on every corner you will find a tuk tuk driver or you can order one via PasApp, which works in larger cities very well.
Best things to see and visit in Phnom Penh
1. Tuol Sleng Genocide museum S21
A former secondary was used as a security prison, a place of tortures and murders of Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. This place today resembles the fearsome genocide that took place in Cambodia and gives you an insight into its history. We bought a ticket with audio guide (8 USD) to learn more about genocide and this place. Audio guide is really recommended. Anet had to borrow the traditional Khmer clothes because she forgot about the dresscode (covered shoulders and knees). We spent over an hour at the museum, but we would need even more time. There are a lot of stories and interesting facts in audio guide, which we unfortunately missed. You shouldn’t miss this place when visiting Cambodia. It is terribly sad and depressing, but everybody should know about the horrors that took place in Cambodia under Pol Pot control.
2. Choeung EK Killing fields
Killing Fields are located 17 km from Phnom Penh and you will find there a memorial dedicated to a victims of the Khmer Rouge. It is a mass grave with over of 17 000 people. You can get there with tour, tuk-tuk or on bike from Phnom Penh.
3. Independence monument
Independece monument was built in 1958 to commemorate the country’s independence from France in 1953. It also serves as a memorial to all who died in Cambodia war.
4. Royal Palace
We went to the Royal palace our last day in Cambodia. It is official residence of the King of Cambodia and several buildings are open to public. We came there around 10 am but tickets were already sold out. They told us that we can come back at 2 pm but we decided to skip it (we saw already so many temple in Thailand or China). At least we could see from a distance and high fence palace roofs and tower of Silver pagoda.
5. Central Market
We visited Central Market when we came to Phnom Phnem by bus of Sorya company. It is huge and architecturally interesting building full of stalls with food, clothes etc.
6. Rooftop pool with amazing view
We love city or nature views and Aquarius hotel in Phnom Penh offer fascinating rooftoppool with view of city center. Combination of cold water in hot city sound good right? 😀 We didn’t stay in this hotel but when we bought a drink they let us go into pool and everything was without a problem 🙂
