10 Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh

Looking for what to do in Phnom Penh? Cambodia’s capital sits where the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers meet, combining royal palaces and pagodas with busy markets, French-era buildings, riverside cafés and a fast-changing skyline. It’s a city of contrasts, where golden spires and orange-robed monks share space with chaotic traffic, new developments and a growing food and bar scene.

From visiting the Royal Palace and sobering genocide memorial sites to walking the riverfront, exploring local neighborhoods and taking short escapes to nearby islands, Phnom Penh has more to offer than a quick transit stop. Here are the 10 best things to do in Phnom Penh to help you plan your trip.

1. Visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

The Royal Palace complex is Phnom Penh’s most striking landmark, with gilded roofs, manicured gardens and traditional Khmer architecture overlooking the river. Within the grounds, throne halls and pavilions host state ceremonies and royal events.

The adjacent Silver Pagoda, named for its floor lined with silver tiles, houses important Buddha statues, including a crystal Buddha and a gold Buddha set with diamonds. Walking through the complex, you’ll see detailed carvings, murals and stupas that highlight Cambodia’s royal and religious traditions. Modest dress is required, and parts of the palace may be closed during official functions.

2. Stroll the Riverside Promenade (Sisowath Quay)

Sisowath Quay, the riverside boulevard running along the Tonlé Sap River, is one of the city’s most pleasant walking areas. In the early morning and late afternoon, locals come here to exercise, fly kites, practice group aerobics and relax on benches overlooking the water.

Cafés, bars, restaurants and guesthouses line the streets opposite the riverfront, offering everything from street snacks and iced coffee to international menus and rooftop terraces. Watching boats move along the river while the light changes over the water is a simple but essential Phnom Penh experience.

3. Learn Cambodia’s Recent History at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) is housed in a former high school that was turned into a prison and interrogation center by the Khmer Rouge. Classrooms were converted into cells and torture rooms, and thousands of people were imprisoned here before being transferred to killing fields.

The museum’s photographs, cells and exhibits are deeply sobering, documenting atrocities committed between 1975 and 1979. Audio guides and survivor accounts help visitors understand what happened and honor the memory of victims. It’s an emotionally difficult visit but crucial for anyone wanting to understand modern Cambodia.

4. Visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek

About a short drive from central Phnom Penh, the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center—often referred to as the Killing Fields—is one of many mass execution sites used during the Khmer Rouge era. Today, the area is a memorial and educational site, with a stupa filled with victims’ skulls and bones, as well as marked mass graves.

A self-guided audio tour leads you through the grounds, explaining the history, the regime’s methods and the personal stories of those affected. Combining Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek in one or two days provides a fuller, though challenging, picture of the country’s recent trauma and resilience.

5. Explore Wat Phnom and Its Hilltop Pagoda

Wat Phnom, set on a small hill in the city center, is one of Phnom Penh’s most important temples and lends its name to the capital. The leafy hill, surrounded by a park and busy roundabout, offers a small patch of greenery and elevation in an otherwise flat city.

Climb the staircase flanked by naga balustrades to reach the main pagoda, where locals come to pray, light incense and make offerings. The site is closely linked to legends about the city’s founding, and the surrounding gardens and statues are a pleasant place to pause between sights.

6. Browse Central Market and Russian Market

Phnom Penh’s markets are essential for feeling the city’s everyday rhythm. Central Market (Phsar Thmei), housed in a distinctive art deco dome with four wings, sells everything from jewelry and watches to clothes, electronics and household goods, along with fresh food sections on the edges.

Russian Market (Phsar Tuol Tom Poung) is popular for souvenirs, fabrics, handicrafts, motorbike parts and inexpensive clothing. Inside, food stalls serve local dishes, and the maze of alleys rewards patient exploration. Bargaining is expected in many sections of both markets, so approach with a friendly attitude and a rough idea of what you’re willing to pay.

7. Discover Phnom Penh’s Cafés, Bars and Food Scene

Phnom Penh’s dining scene blends Cambodian cuisine with influences from China, Vietnam, France and beyond. Street stalls, family-run eateries and modern restaurants serve dishes like fish amok, lok lak, prahok-based specialties, grilled meats and fresh salads.

Neighborhoods around BKK1, Street 240 and the riverside host a growing number of cafés, bakeries and cocktail bars. You can have traditional Khmer dishes at local spots, then move to rooftop or speakeasy-style bars for views over the city and the river. Exploring different districts through their food and drink is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience Phnom Penh.

8. Visit the National Museum of Cambodia

Near the Royal Palace, the National Museum of Cambodia houses one of the world’s most important collections of Khmer sculpture and artifacts. Its terracotta-red building surrounds a tranquil courtyard with lotus ponds and greenery.

Inside, galleries display statues from Angkor and other archaeological sites, along with ceramics, bronzes and ethnographic items. Visiting the museum before or after seeing the temples at Angkor can deepen your appreciation for the art and iconography you encounter there.

9. Take a Sunset Cruise on the Mekong and Tonlé Sap Rivers

Boat trips from the Phnom Penh riverfront offer an easy way to see the city from the water and enjoy a breeze at the end of the day. Short sunset cruises typically head along the Tonlé Sap and Mekong rivers, passing stilted houses, floating structures and views back toward the skyline and Royal Palace.

Options range from simple wooden boats with plastic chairs to larger vessels with drinks and snacks on board. As the sun sets and lights come on along the banks, the river’s shifting colors and reflections create a different, more relaxed perspective on the capital.

10. Escape to Nearby Islands and Countryside

Just across the river from Phnom Penh, islands like Koh Dach (Silk Island) and smaller sandbar islets offer a slower pace and glimpses of rural life. Ferries and local boats carry passengers, motorbikes and bicycles across the water to villages where silk weaving, farming and fishing are part of daily routines.

Spending a few hours cycling or tuk-tuking around these islands, stopping at small workshops, pagodas and riverfront spots, balances the noise and traffic of the city. For longer stays, guesthouses and eco-lodges in the surrounding countryside provide quieter bases within easy reach of Phnom Penh’s main sights.