Phnom Penh
Cambodia's riverfront capital — a golden royal palace, sobering Khmer Rouge memorials, French-colonial streets, lively markets and a buzzing café and food scene.
A sample 2-day Phnom Penh route
The royal city and riverfront on day one; a sombre, respectful history half-day with the memorials, the markets and a Mekong sunset on day two.
- Day 1Royal city & riverfrontRiverside · Daun Penh
- Day 2History, markets & a Mekong sunsetCity · Day trip · Riverside
This is one of several routes in the guide — change the length, budget and dates yourself in the workspace.
Where to eat in Phnom Penh
Every name links to a Google Maps search.
Cambodia's national dish — freshwater fish in a fragrant coconut-and-kroeung curry mousse, steamed in a banana-leaf cup
Wok-tossed marinated beef over lettuce, rice and tomato with a Kampot-pepper-and-lime dipping sauce and a fried egg
Cambodia's favourite breakfast — a clear pork-or-beef broth over rice noodles with herbs, bean sprouts, fried garlic and lime
A crisp French-legacy baguette stuffed with pâté, grilled pork or sardine, pickled veg, herbs and chilli — the perfect cheap city lunch
Coconut-grilled pork sliced over broken rice with pickles and a clear broth — the classic Cambodian street breakfast
A clay-pot tabletop grill-and-broth where you cook meat, seafood and vegetables yourself — a sociable, beer-friendly group dinner
When to go to Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is tropical and hot year-round. The cool-dry season (Nov–Feb) is the most comfortable and the peak; March–May is intensely hot; the wet season (Jun–Oct) brings heavy afternoon downpours and the dramatic 'reversing' of the Tonlé Sap. Check a forecast close to your dates and plan indoor sights for the hottest hours.
Cool & dry (peak — the best weather) Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
The most pleasant time, ~22–32°C, dry and clearer, with cooler evenings for the riverside.
An easy time to walk the riverfront and combine the palace, museums and memorials; the Water Festival is spectacular but very crowded.
Look out for: Peak tourist season, Bon Om Touk Water Festival on the river (Nov) — huge boat races and crowds
Hot & dry (the furnace) Mar, Apr, May
Very hot, ~28–38°C+, with April the hottest, before the first pre-monsoon storms in May.
Front-load the palace, Wat Phnom and the riverside in the cool morning; save the National Museum, markets and cafés for the heat of the day.
Look out for: Khmer New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey, mid-Apr)
Wet & green (lush, dramatic, fewer crowds) Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Hot and humid, ~25–34°C, with short heavy afternoon downpours; the rivers swell and the countryside greens.
Do outdoor sights and the river cruise in the morning before the rain; keep the National Museum, Tuol Sleng, markets and cafés as afternoon-storm backups.
Look out for: Lush green surroundings, Lower prices, Pchum Ben ancestors' festival (Sep/Oct) — a major, atmospheric holiday
What Phnom Penh costs
Per person, per day, excluding flights. A rough guide only — your costs depend on season, area and pace.
Budget
- Accommodation: Pool guesthouse or hostel on the Riverside or in BKK1 (US$12–35).
- Meals: Markets and local kitchens — kuy teav, lok lak, num pang, street food (US$1–4/meal).
- Transport: Grab/PassApp tuk-tuks; walk the central sights.
- Attractions: The cheap big sights — Royal Palace, National Museum, Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek with the audio guide, Wat Phnom.
- Evening: A riverside walk, street-food carts, the lit Independence Monument.
Mid-range
- Accommodation: Boutique pool hotel on the Riverside or in BKK1 (US$45–110).
- Meals: Sit-down Khmer — fish amok, Cambodian BBQ, grilled river fish — plus the BKK1 café scene (US$5–15/meal).
- Transport: Grab everywhere; a tuk-tuk for the day to Choeung Ek.
- Attractions: Add a Mekong sunset cruise, a guided history half-day and a silk-island trip.
- Evening: A Mekong sunset cruise, a Bassac Lane bar, a riverside Khmer dinner.
Comfortable
- Accommodation: 5-star or heritage colonial hotel with a rooftop pool (US$150–450+).
- Meals: A modern-Khmer tasting menu and fine dining with great wine (US$30–90+/head).
- Transport: A private car with guide for the whole stay.
- Attractions: Add a private guided history day, a sunset dinner cruise, a spa and an Oudong day trip.
- Evening: A degustation dinner, a rooftop cocktail over the river, a private sunset cruise.
Where to stay in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is great value, with stylish boutique hotels and rooftop pools at mid-range prices. Most visitors base on the Riverside (Sisowath Quay) for the palace, restaurants and river, or in leafy BKK1 for the best café-and-restaurant scene. The city is compact enough that anywhere central works with a quick Grab. Pick a place with a pool — it's a hot, humid city.
Riverside (Sisowath Quay)
First-timers — the river, the Royal Palace and restaurants on foot
BKK1
Boutique hotels and the best café-and-restaurant district
Daun Penh (central)
Walkable to Wat Phnom, the markets and the colonial quarter
Tonlé Bassac
Riverside high-rises near Aeon Mall and the Bassac Lane bars
By budget
- Budget — S$16–47 · Guesthouses & hostels, Pool guesthouses (great value)
- Mid-range — S$60–150 · Boutique pool hotels, 4-star hotels
- Comfortable — S$200–620+ · 5-star hotels & heritage colonial hotels, Riverfront high-rises
- A boutique hotel with a rooftop pool is superb value here — a vital midday cool-down in the heat.
- Riverside puts you on foot to the palace and the evening promenade; BKK1 is the foodie-and-café base.
- Watch for bag-snatching from motorbikes riverside at night — choose well-lit streets and keep bags inside.
Rates and availability change, and peak season (Nov–Feb) is dearer — confirm with the property or a booking site before paying.
Common Phnom Penh mistakes to avoid
- Doing both genocide memorials and the Royal Palace in one rushed morning — the memorials deserve a slower, separate half-day.
- Skipping the National Museum — its Khmer sculpture is the perfect context before or after Siem Reap's temples.
- Underestimating the heat and traffic — build in café and pool breaks and use Grab rather than walking long distances midday.
- Carrying torn or old US dollars — many vendors refuse them; bring clean small bills.
- Treating Choeung Ek as a casual sightseeing stop — it's a former killing field; go with respect and the audio guide.
Good to know
Where to stay
Riverside (Sisowath Quay), BKK1, Daun Penh (central), Tonlé Bassac.
How long to go
2 days suits most visitors. Shorter and longer routes are built in, so you are never padding a trip to fill days.
Phnom Penh travel guides
In-depth, free reads with real routes, Maps links, budgets and the mistakes to skip:
- Phnom Penh in 2 Days: A Practical Itinerary
The Royal Palace and National Museum, the Khmer Rouge memorials, the markets and a Mekong sunset — a respectful, practical two-day Phnom Penh plan with Maps links, budgets and the things to know.
Plan a nearby trip
Easy to pair with Phnom Penh on the same trip — tap through to a full guide.
Plan Phnom Penh your way
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