Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Top 5 Things to Do and More
After a few days in Siem Reap, we ventured to the capital city of Phnom Penh with its vibrant expat community, congested streets, and decent food. This place also served as a poignant reminder of the evils of mankind. If you’re familiar with the Khmer Rouge and its reign of terror that it enacted on its own people in the 70s, then you know that this was indeed a tragic part of Cambodia’s history. We were somewhat familiar with the Khmer Rouge after seeing movies like First They Killed My Father and reading about it in history books, but seeing the Killings Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (formerly the Security Prison-21) was an unparalleled experience that truly portrays the horrors of this time period.
The Khmer Rouge was a communist guerrilla group that took power after a military coup deposed the leader at the time, Prince Norodom Sihanouk. With Pol Pot now at the helm, the Khmer Rouge sought to impose an agrarian society. In so doing, brutal tactics became the norm – intellectuals, Buddhists, foreigners, and non-conformists were all exterminated – anyone who threatened the communist agenda and ideology.
Despite this not so long ago tragedy, the Cambodian people were always smiling and friendly. It’s almost as if they are determined to expel their dark past by living positively and being happy. I can’t blame them.
A part of us fell in love with Phnon Penh and we could picture ourselves living in this city as expats. We got a taste of how foreign nationals live by going to Nerd Night, an event where young adults, mostly expats come together and impart knowledge of a skill or hobby – everything from flame throwing, artificial intelligence, and how to be more green. Pro Tip: check out Facebook events when you’re in a city. That’s how we discovered Nerd Night.
We also watched the Patriots win yet another Superbowl (yawn) from a sports bar that was crowded with tons of expats.
The reason that Phonm Penh has such a large community of do-gooders is because Cambodia has the second largest number of non-governmental organizations (NGO) per capita, behind Rwanda. Another reason why this city is so attractive to us given our line of work in international development and social impact.
We stayed in Phnom Penh on two different occasions since we had to fly out of Phnom Penh to get to the next leg of our trip – Malaysia. The first trip, we were there for 3 nights and the second trip we spent 2 nights in the city. You really only need 3 nights in Phnom Penh.
Getting There
We traveled to Phnom Penh from Siem Reap by bus. There are different bus companies of varying comfort. The best is Grand Ibis, but it is a bit more expensive at $15 per person. If you’re on a budget like us, we opted for Crystal Express bus for $10 per person. You can book a bus directly at the bus station or through a travel agency. We were able to book through a place across the street from our hotel called Warm Bed Hostel that included pick-up from our hotel to the bus. The 6-hour bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh is rather easy since the roads are pretty decent.
We then hopped into a tuk tuk for a few dollars to take us to our hotel. The tuk tuk is a popular mode of transportation and it is cheap. You can even request a tuk tuk using your Grab app (make sure to download this app when traveling in Southeast Asia!)
Accommodations
It was rather difficult to find budget accommodations that had a decent review because of Chinese New Year. Pro Tip: Be aware of Chinese New Year and make sure that you book accommodations around this time in advance. Places book up fast and many people take time off for this holiday. We stayed at Relax Hotel. It was decent hotel that included breakfast and a balcony in the room which had a great view of the city. The only con was that it was a bit far from the riverfront where you can find many of the bars and better food options.
We used Booking.com for our accommodations – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward! https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87
Top 5 Things to Do in Phnom Penh
1. Choeung Ek Killing Fields – when visiting Phnom Penh, you must see the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. It’s a very sad place, as it is a mass gravesite where 17,000 men, women, and children were mercilessly executed. Make sure to get an audio guide. Choeung Ek is a 30-45 minute tuk tuk ride from the city center. Make sure to strike a round trip deal with your driver – they’re willing to wait until you’re done visiting Choeung Ek. We paid around $15 for four people, round trip.
2. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum – otherwise known as the S-21 prison. This is another heartbreaking place where 1-2 million Cambodians and thousands of foreigners were imprisoned. All were tortured and many died here. The prison is located in the city center so it’s easy to get to. I recommend going to the Tuol Sleng museum before visiting Choeung Ek so that you have more historical context. Make sure to get the audio guide.
This picture shows one of the survivors-he’s in the front entering the prison.
3. Traditional Cambodian Dance at the National Museum of Cambodia – I strongly recommend buying tickets to see a show. We saw Earth & Sky performed, which featured Cambodian mythology, ancestral traditions, and village life through music and classical dance. It was an enchanting experience that not only featured traditional dance, but vibrant costumes and masks. You can book in advance or walk up and purchase tickets just before the show, which is what we did. Tickets range from $15-$25.
4. Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda – the Royal Palace is currently the residence of King Sihamoni so parts of the palace are blocked off from the public. You can; however, see the Silver Pagoda ands its floor covered in five tons of silver. Unfortunately, most of the tiles are covered to protect them, but some are visible near the entrance. The entrance fee is $3, but you need to pay a couple dollars more for a camera, which is annoying.
5. Have a Drink at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) – this is a famous spot where journalists and foreign aid workers would grab a drink and mingle. The FCC has great views of the Tonle Sap river, especially at sunset.
Where to Eat
1. Alchemy Gastropub – good place for pub food and nice cocktails.
2. Cocina Cartel – for an amazing burrito bowl and marg.
3. ARTillery – for vegetarian food and yummy juices.
4. Babylon – right across the street from the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It’s a good place to have lunch or dinner for some amazing falafel, hummus, and coffee.
5. Lumiere Rooftop – for drinks. It is quite expensive for drinks, but you’re paying for the view. They only have Tiger beer on happy hour (blah).
6. Namaste India Restaurant – has some of the best Indian food I’ve had.
7. Botanico Wine & Beer Garden – for drinks and live music. It’s a cool setting that is surrounded by greenery.
Our Key Tips and Takeaways
1. You must visit the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Visit the Genocide Museum before going to the Killings Fields so that you have a historical understanding of the civil war and the Khmer Rouge regime.
2. If you’re in this area of the world for Chinese New Year, book your accommodations well in advance.