Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Between 1975 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge evacuated the entire population of Phnom Penh on the first day of their seizure of power. Two million people were forced from the city on foot. What followed was four years of genocide in which approximately 1.7 million Cambodians died, around 25 percent of the country’s population. The city rebuilt over four decades; it now functions as a fast-developing Southeast Asian capital of around 2 million people with a young population and a food and cafe culture that has grown remarkably quickly. Most visitors experience both the historical weight and the current energy within the space of a single day.

What to See

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is the former secondary school that the Khmer Rouge converted into Security Prison 21. Around 17,000 people were processed through S-21; seven survived. The classrooms were divided into small brick cells; the courtyard exercise bars became gallows. Photographs of the prisoners, taken systematically at intake, line the walls. Admission around USD 9. Allow two to three hours and expect it to be difficult. This is not optional if you are trying to understand Cambodia.

Choeung Ek Killing Fields, 15 kilometres south of the city centre, is where the majority of S-21 prisoners were executed and buried. The memorial stupa contains thousands of skulls, sorted by age and sex. The audio guide (included with USD 8 admission) is exceptionally well-produced, using survivor testimony. Budget a full morning for both sites, not a rushed afternoon.

National Museum of Cambodia holds the best collection of Khmer sculpture in the world. The pre-Angkor statues from the 5th to 7th centuries and the Angkor-period bronzes are the highlights. Entry USD 10. Significantly less crowded than Siem Reap and, arguably, the better place to engage with the sculpture before seeing it in its original context at Angkor. The building, a French-colonial reconstruction of Khmer architecture around a central courtyard, is itself worth seeing.

Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda: Entry to the compound is USD 10. The Silver Pagoda takes its name from the 5,000 silver tiles on its floor; the main Buddha is set with over 9,000 diamonds. The palace grounds are worth the visit but midday tour groups make timing important.

Eating

Malis on Norodom Boulevard is the best-regarded Khmer restaurant in the city: elevated versions of traditional dishes including amok trey (fish curry steamed in banana leaf), kting kong (stuffed crab claws), and various kampot pepper preparations. USD 15-25 per head.

Romdeng on Street 174 is run by an NGO training former street children in hospitality. The menu focuses on regional Khmer specialties including fried tarantulas (not for novelty; the arachnids from Skun have been eaten in Cambodia for centuries). USD 10-15 per head in a colonial villa setting.

Night market on Street 136 near the Old Market: bai sach chrouk (rice with pork and ginger), nom ban chok (rice noodles in herb curry), and grilled corn. The cheapest and most honest eating in the city.

Kampot pepper, grown two hours south of Phnom Penh, is one of the finest peppers in the world. The BKK1 neighbourhood has shops selling authenticated product.

Staying

Raffles Hotel Le Royal, opened in 1929 and fully restored, is the grand dame: the Elephant Bar, the pool garden, and the colonial architecture are the reasons. Doubles from around USD 200.

The Pavilion in BKK1 is a colonial villa converted to boutique hotel, around USD 90-120 per night.

Practical Notes

US dollars and Cambodian riel circulate interchangeably. The Grab app works for tuk-tuks and taxis. The airport is 8 kilometres from the city centre; taxis run USD 12-15. November through February is the coolest and driest window; March through May is extremely hot.