7 Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh: Sights, Costs, Routes

Featured image: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

7 Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh

Prices and hours checked November 2026. Most sights cluster around the riverside and the area behind the Royal Palace, so you can walk between several of them. Central Market and Tuol Sleng need a tuk-tuk or ride-hail. Each entry below says what you will see, what it costs where a published figure exists, and who should skip it.

1. Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

Royal Palace is the residence of Cambodia's King, with Khmer rooflines and gilded spires dating to the 1860s. Some areas stay closed to visitors, so you see the public courtyards, the Throne Hall and the Silver Pagoda. Inside the Silver Pagoda, silver tiles cover the floor. You can look at them but not walk on them, so follow the marked path. Cover your shoulders and knees before you arrive. Reach the gate around 8:00am to get ahead of both the tour groups and the midday heat.

Entry fees and closure days for ceremonies are listed on the national tourism site, covered in the costs section below. Skip it if you have only an hour of energy. Wat Phnom asks for less time and has no strict dress check at the gate.

2. National Museum of Cambodia

National Museum of Cambodia sits on Street 13 next to the Royal Palace. Visitors enter at the corner of Streets 13 and 178. It holds Khmer sculpture and ceramics, and it makes a calm first stop before the palace crowds build. Hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm daily, with last tickets sold at 4:30pm. Foreign adults aged 18 and up pay $10. Foreigners aged 10 to 17 pay $5, Cambodians pay 500 riels, and children and school groups enter free. Guided tours can be arranged at the entrance in Khmer, English, French and Japanese. Leave large bags at the cloakroom by the main entrance.

Photography is not permitted in the galleries, though the exterior and courtyard are fine to photograph. Skip it if you mainly want photos or dislike museum-style pacing. Read more on the museum's own site.

3. Wat Phnom

Wat Phnom crowns a 27 m tree-covered mound, the only real hill in a flat city. Tradition says Lady Penh found four Buddha statues here in 1372, which gave Phnom Penh its name, "Penh Hill". Climb the grand eastern staircase, guarded by lions and naga balustrades. Locals come to pray for exam success and good luck in business.

When a wish comes true, worshippers bring offerings such as jasmine garlands or bananas. Watch this quietly rather than photographing people at prayer. Wat Phnom stands on Norodom Boulevard and works well as a short morning stop. Skip it if stairs are a problem in the heat.

4. Independence Monument

Independence Monument stands in the middle of a roundabout at the corner of Norodom and Sihanouk Boulevards. It is about a 10-minute walk behind the Royal Palace. Its Angkor-inspired tiers commemorate independence from France in 1953. Entering the monument itself is not allowed, so this is a photo and people-watching stop. Floodlights light it in red, blue and white every night.

Holidays such as Independence Day and Constitution Day bring celebrations and services here. Go at dusk, when the heat drops and the lights come on. Skip it at midday. The roundabout offers almost no shade.

5. Central Market (Phsar Thmey)

Central Market is an Art Deco building with a central dome and four wings. Stalls sell jewelry, antique coins, clothing and snacks. Opening hours run from early morning until early evening. A taxi stand sits at the northwest corner for shared cars to Battambang, Siem Reap, Kampong Cham and Kratie. The bus station is at the southwest corner. That makes it a handy departure point too.

Go in the morning, before the dome heats up. Treat it as an indoor swap for rainy or hot afternoons. Skip it if haggling tires you. Prices are negotiable, and a calm counteroffer works better than a hard stance.

6. Sisowath Quay and the Riverside

Sisowath Quay runs along the Tonle Sap river with cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels. Evenings bring street vendors, joggers and families to the promenade. It sits close to the National Museum, so it is a natural finish after a day of sights. For golden hour on the water, book a river sunset cruise. Otherwise just walk the quay and pick a terrace.

Night market stalls nearby sell grilled meat on sticks, noodle soup, fruit shakes and souvenirs. Plastic tables and chairs let you eat on the spot. Skip the strip if you want quiet. Traffic and touts are constant, and side streets are calmer for dinner.

7. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Tuol Sleng was Tuol Svay Prey High School before the Khmer Rouge turned it into Security Prison 21 (S-21) in 1975. Rooms display photographs of prisoners, who were recorded on arrival, and original classroom buildings. Allow 1 to 2 hours. A local guide or an audio guide adds context you would miss on your own.

Many visitors pair Tuol Sleng with Choeung Ek, about a 30-minute drive from the center. Spread them across a morning and a later slot rather than stacking them back to back. Dress modestly and keep your voice low. Skip Tuol Sleng if you are traveling with young children or are not ready for graphic history.

Pacing Heavy History and Taking a Half-Day Out

Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek are emotionally intense, so pair them with something light. Visit Tuol Sleng in the morning, take lunch away from the site, and finish with the river at sunset. For a full day out of the center, Koh Dach is about 45 minutes by tuk-tuk or moto plus a short ferry ride. Weaving communities there show silk-making from mulberry leaves to finished cloth. Depth on logistics sits in our Silk Island guide.

Plan Your Time: One, Two or Three Days

One day is enough for the core but not for everything. Drop Central Market first and Independence Monument second if you run short. On hot or wet afternoons, swap an outdoor stop for the museum or the market.

Costs, Hours and Getting Around

Phnom Penh uses US dollars alongside riel, and small purchases often come in riel. The National Museum charges $10 for foreign adults and $5 for foreigners aged 10 to 17. Keep small bills for tuk-tuk fares and market stalls. Check current Royal Palace and Tuol Sleng fees on the national tourism site. Agree a tuk-tuk fare before you board, or hire one driver for the day. Ride-hailing apps such as Grab and PassApp are mentioned by recent travelers, so see which one works on your phone.

Free and Budget Options, and Visiting with Kids

Several Phnom Penh highlights cost nothing to see from outside, including Independence Monument and the riverfront promenade. Our list of free things to do covers more of them. For families, shorter stops work better than museum-heavy days. See kid-friendly Phnom Penh options for indoor swaps when the midday heat peaks.

Tips and Mistakes to Avoid

Start early. Palace and temple visits are much easier by 8:00am than after noon. Do not stack Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek without a break, and leave a quiet hour between them. Wear light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. Keep phones and cameras tucked away in tuk-tuks and crowded markets, since petty theft happens in busy spots. Photography is banned inside the National Museum galleries, so ask staff before shooting elsewhere.