Street Art and Temples: 19 Things to Do in Phnom Penh Cambodia

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, sees far fewer tourists than Siem Reap, but it has a lot to offer if you can spend a few days there. From markets to street art to tragic history, this city will show you a different, less touristy side of Cambodia.

In this article, we’ll outline the top things to do in Phnom Penh, some scams to watch out for, as well as our favorite places to eat.

We first visited Cambodia on our honeymoon many years ago and then returned with our kids, excited to show them this friendly, unique country. We spent a month in Cambodia this time, starting in Phnom Penh and ending in Siem Reap.

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Things to Do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

These are our favorite things to do in Phnom Penh; many of them are free or inexpensive. It can often be hot and muggy, so plan your activities for early morning or evening, with a break during the hottest part of the day.

Phnom Penh is a city of about 2.5 million people, with a mix of traditional and colonial French influences. As the capital city, it is the political and cultural center of the country.

Phnom Penh has become famous for the Killing Fields and other sites related to the Khmer genocide in the 1970s. While it is important to learn about the history here, there is more to Phnom Penh than these disturbing sites.

Travel Tip: You will need to take your shoes off whenever entering a sacred place. Plan to wear comfortable shoes you can easily slip on and off.

1. Visit the Royal Palace

We highly recommend a visit to the royal palace! You’ll see an impressive facade with aqua gates facing the river. We visited (twice!) and thought the palace was closed. We had locals trying to sell us their tours tell us that it was closed. False! When facing the palace, head to your left to find the entrance door.

There are several rules you will need to follow, including “appropriate dress” and removing hats when inside. In most places, we have found that carrying a scarf to cover exposed shoulders has worked well. They do not accept that here and will ask you to buy a (really large) t-shirt to wear if you have bare shoulders. Cost- 3 USD. Knees also need to be covered, so you’ll need long shorts or pants.

The King actually lives here- if the flag is flying above the palace, it indicates that he is in residence. There are several structures you aren’t allowed to enter, but can peek into from outside. Photos are not allowed inside most of the spaces.

Inside, you’ll find a large complex with museums of traditional costumes, extensive murals, stupas, and temples. Look for a miniature Angkor Wat and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. We spent about an hour once inside the complex; depending on how hot it is and how long you want to sit inside sacred spaces, you might spend a bit more time.

Entrance fee is $10 USD, kids 6 and under are free. Cash only. Open 8-11, and sometimes also 2-5, depending on royal events.

2. Marvel Inside the Silver Pagoda

The Silver Pagoda is the same as Wat Ubaosoth Ratanaram, also called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. This is part of the Royal Palace, but a lot of people visiting Phnom Penh are looking for this, so we’ll give it its own space.

No photos are allowed inside the Silver Pagoda. It gets its name from the floor which is made of silver. Look carefully as much of it is covered. It was built in 1892 but renovated (with lots of decorative elements added) in 1962.

You’ll remove your shoes before entering, then find a carpeted room with a lot of gold, a life-size Buddha covered in diamonds, and of course, the famous green Buddha sitting high on a golden pedestal.

3. Eat at David’s Noodles

Don’t skip this one- we actually ate here several times. This place has become a bit famous, but it is worth a visit (or two!). The food is fresh, tasty, and inexpensive.

We recommend the vegetable spring rolls, vegetable amok, and the chicken noodle soup. The Khmer iced tea was refreshing and not too sweet. They also have cold, inexpensive beer. We also like their vegetable dumplings.

They are located quite close to the Royal Palace, so plan to stop here for a snack, meal, or just a refreshing drink after walking around the palace complex.

4. Stroll the Sisowath Quay Boardwalk

In front of the Palace, you’ll find this wide boardwalk stretching along the river. It is a great place to stroll and take in daily life. You’ll find various vendors, kids running around, and people going about their day.

5. Experience the Killing Fields

The Cambodian Genocide by the Khmer Rouge occurred from 1975-1979, during that time an estimated 2 – 3 million people were killed, or approximately 25% of the population. In 1975 the country was renamed “Kampuchea”, and it was declared to be “Year Zero” of recreating the country in line with communist ideals. “Khmer Rouge” literally means “Red Cambodians” in reference to communism. Civil rights and property rights were suspended, and people were forcibly moved from the cities into labor camps in the countryside. Intellectuals (including doctors), and minorities were targeted as well as anyone suspected of ties or loyalties to the old government.

Today the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek is the most well-known site and memorial to the more than 20,000 mass killing sites from this era. Today called the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, you’ll find it on the outskirts of the city, about a 30-minute drive south of the Royal Palace.

This is the site of 129 mass graves, where close to 20,000 people were killed. Entrance is 6 USD with an audio guide. Since this is a memorial, there is a dress code: back, shoulders, stomachs, and knees should all be covered.

Here you will see a field where many mass graves were dug, with bones and articles of clothing peeking out from the pits. There is a memorial stupa that includes around 9,000 skulls as well as descriptions of how they were killed. There is also a killing tree which was used to beat children to death. The killings were brutal- no bullets were used during the genocide as they were too expensive.

We chose not to visit this site with our kids, as we felt it was too graphic. For many people, this is a tragic but impactful highlight of their trip to Phnom Penh.

6. Visit S21 Prison

The second site in Phnom Penh dedicated to the Cambodian Genocide is the S21 prison, now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Originally a high school in the city, it was turned into an infamous prison during the Khmer Rouge regime.

There are four main buildings, one of which is dedicated to torture techniques. This regime kept detailed records including photographing everyone who entered the prison. Of the estimated 20,000 who entered, only 7 survived. Many from here were later transferred to the killing fields at Choeung Ek. An audio guide is provided with your ticket, 5 USD.

Again, we chose not to visit this site with our children. Expect graphic exhibitions and descriptions, including blood stains.

While both sites include audio guides, you can also choose a guided tour which will allow you to ask questions, and to modify your experience if needed. While individual travelers report spending 2-3 hours at each site, others prefer to include both difficult sites in one day.

We recommend this half-day group tour, or this private half-day tour, both include the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and S21 prison.

Check Availability: 4 Hr Private Tour of S21 and Choeung Ek Killing Fields

7. Climb to Wat Phnom

This wat (temple) is a short, fun visit. You’ll see Great Hornbills birds, the largest of the hornbill species, at the bottom of the wat. There is a charge of 1 USD for foreigners to climb to the temple. There is a short flight of stairs to climb, then you’ll enter the Wat which has beautiful murals inside.

We did not spend long here but enjoyed our visit. There is also a nice playground nearby, and it’s an easy walk from here to the Night Market.

8. Take a Food Tour

We love taking food tours to learn about a new culture! An evening food tour involves buzzing around town in a tuk-tuk and trying a lot of different traditional dishes.

We highly recommend the food tour we took, which included trying red ants with beef! We wrote a full review of our tour as well as our top alternate food tour picks.

Check Availability: Phnom Penh Food Tour by Tuk Tuk

9. Visit the National Museum

The National Museum sits next to the Royal Palace. It was created to preserve Khmer culture and houses over 5,000 artifacts. It contains Cambodia’s national treasures going back to pre-historic times. Here you’ll find collections of stone, bronze, wood, and ceramics. Heavily influenced by Indian culture, Buddhism and Hinduism were also practiced side by side, so you’ll see evidence of both in the artworks displayed.

The Angkor artifacts are one of the highlights of the museum, so this is a great stop if you’ll be continuing on to the Temples of Angkor on your trip.

Admission is 5 USD, open 8 am – 5 pm daily. Check at the main entrance for guided tours.

Fun Fact: Cambodia is the only country to feature a building on its flag!

10. Wander the Night Market

Check out the night market and see if anything appeals to you. You’ll find a lot of clothes and shoes, as well as a few jewelry and accessory stalls. The back area (when entering from the river side) is a series of restaurants with rugs set down and plastic stools to eat. We didn’t find anything unique or high quality here, but it’s a fun local vibe that is worth a stroll before heading to the waterfront area. Opens at 5 pm, free to enter.

11. Take a Trip to See Sun Bears

Take a day trip to see sun bears, moon bears, and sloth bears!! You’ll reach out directly to Free the Bears to arrange your trip. Located in the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre outside Phnom Penh, they have over 1,000 animals on site. You’ll learn about and help care for several species of bear. This is a very ethical center, and you will not have direct contact with any of the wild animals.

This is a full-day experience, that includes transportation (1 to 1 1/2 hour from the city center), a tour of the center, preparing treats for the bears, a full traditional lunch, seeing more species at the center, then hiding the bear treats in their enclosure and watching search for them. Make sure to contact the center at least a few days in advance of your visit.

12. Stroll through the Russian Market

Don’t skip this market, here you’ll find all sorts of things from souvenirs to artwork to food. It is covered, so you can visit anytime, though parts can be smelly during the hottest part of the day. This place is a bit of a maze- you’ll find sections dedicated to engine parts, lamps, etc. There is nothing specifically “Russian” about the market, it got its name because it was popular with Russian expats in the 1980s.

13. Take a Sunset Cruise on the Mekong River

End your day with an easy sunset cruise along the Mekong River with views of the Phnom Penh skyline. You’ll pass Diamond Island and local fishing villages. Unlimited beer, snacks, and soft drinks are included.

Check Availability: Sunset Mekong River Cruise

14. Visit Silk Island and Love Island

Silk Island is called Koh Oknha Tei. It is free to visit the island, where you’ll walk among residential communities. Here you’ll find villages where silk is handwoven. There is a silk center where you can learn about the production process from silkworms to final products. You can also visit Love Island, a second silk-weaving community, there is a 1USD fee to enter the community.

For a more active day, combine your visit to Silk Island with a biking tour! This tour is 4-6 hours, and includes ferry to the island, lunch, and visits to the silk center as well as a temple. You’ll bike through villages and farms, seeing the countryside as you learn about the silk trade.

Not interested in biking in the humidity? Book a half-day private tour to show you Silk Island and the surrounding villages.

Check Availability: Silk Island Bike Tour

15. Eat a Big Breakfast at Brown Coffee

When you are ready for some very untraditional pancakes and a large coffee, head to Brown Coffee. This is a big place, with a printed menu that is much more extensive than the blackboard menu would suggest. They have a dozen locations around the city, so check you map for the nearest location.

16. Watch a Khmer Dance Performance

This Classical Khmer dance performance happens each Sunday evening, starting at 7 pm. You’ll see “The Abduction of Sita.” a story from the Ramayana, complete with traditional choreography, costumes, and music. This is a small studio theatre that seats 35 people, so be sure to book ahead.

Check Availability: 1 Hour Classical Dance Performance

17. See the Golden Temple

The Golden Temple of Phnom Penh is also called Mongkoi Serey Temple. It is a newer structure, where the full exterior is painted gold. You’ll find beautiful murals inside the main hall, as well as many Buddhas. You’ll also find a long golden staircase leading to the Mekong River.

This temple is outside the city center, about a 30-minute drive north of the Royal palace. This can often be combined with a day trip to Silk Island.

18. Celebrate Taco Tuesday

On Tuesday, take a break from Khmer food and head to Itacate for some tacos! At the taco Tuesday price of $1.50/taco, you can fill up on delicious varieties including vegetarian versions like sweet potato and vegan pastor. Check out the chocolate mousse for dessert! 6B Street 302.

19. Seek out Street Art

Phnom Penh has some interesting street art. To find some on your own, head to the Al Serkal Mosque on street 93. Once there, with your back to the mosque, head to the right. You’ll wander through a residential area with a high density of street art.

You can also check out the murals street 240 ½, which is a short alleyway between st 240 and 244. Look for Vibe Café and head back through to the alley.

You can also take a 4-hour street art tour that will take you to over 40 murals in the city as well as a contemporary art gallery and visits to galleries in ArtSpace. You’ll learn about the local art scene, specific artists, and the symbolism behind many of the murals.

Check Availability: Phnom Penh Street Art Tour

There You Have It

There are so many things to do in Phnom Penh, whether you are interested in ancient Angkor history, the more recent Khmer Rouge genocide, learning about traditional food and culture, or shopping for unique souvenirs. All of this is located in a vibrant capital city that is becoming more popular each year.

Headed to Siem Reap? Don’t miss our guide to the Angkor Temples, or our guide to everything else you’ll want to do in Siem Reap!

Hungry? We’ve got the best places to eat in Siem Reap, the best places for coffee, and the best food tours!