Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia, located at the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers. Despite its reputation as a 'rough' city, Phnom Penh is easy to get around and is a great introduction to Cambodia.
For western visitors, even those who have visited other Asian cities, Phnom Penh can be a bit of a shock. It can be very hot and (in the dry season) dusty, its infrastructure is lacking, and it is very poor - much poorer than, for example, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Visitors who cannot adjust to rubbish-filled streets, constant harassment from tuk tuk drivers and touts, and large numbers of beggars, may not enjoy the city.
But things are changing, and Phnom Penh is becoming more pleasant and relaxed, especially over the past four or so years. It is striving to architecturally become more of a 'developed capital', including highrise buildings, while still retaining much of the beauty that made it a Paris of the East before 1970. The city's French colonial buildings are beautiful, so its streetscapes make for a pleasant contrast to the concrete ugliness of Thai cities.
Cambodia's Department of Land Management still allows many architectural horrors to be built, though a determined group of Khmer architects is fighting the trend. Unhappily there are few green spaces as yet.
PLACE TO VISIT
Sisowath Quay (often known as Riverside) is an attractive boulevard running along the banks of the Mekong and Tonle Sap. It is normally fronted by a pleasant park, however this has been torn up for floodworks and re-landscaping for most of 2008. The built-up side of the street is home to cafés and shops and the better class of bar, and is popular with tourists and expat Westerners prepared to run its gauntlet of touts selling drugs, girls and tuk tuk rides. (Unhappily there is no police presence in Cambodia's prime tourist stretch.) The esplanade along the river is equally popular with Cambodians, who come here in the cool of the evening to enjoy the quasi-carnival atmosphere. It begins at the Royal Palace (or rather, at the river-front park opposite the Palace), and is perhaps best experienced in the early evening. See A Stroll on Sisowath Quay for a self-guided tour.
The Royal Palace and the two magnificent pagodas in the Palace Grounds, the Silver Pagoda and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, are among the few public buildings in Phnom Penh really worth seeing. They were built in the 19th century with French technology and Cambodian designs, and have survived the traumas of the 20th century amazingly intact. See them early before it gets too hot. They are in any case closed 11:00-14:00, when all sensible Cambodians take a nap. Entrance fee is US$6.25 (25000 riel) for both. No extra fee for camera. No photography is allowed inside the Silver Pagoda and some of the Palace buildings. You're expected to dress decently (no bare legs or shoulders), but you can rent sarongs and oversized T-shirts for a token 1000 riel (plus US$1 deposit) at the entrance.
The National Museum (opposite the Royal Palace; admission US$3). Contains an excellent collection of art from Cambodia's "golden age" of Angkor, and a lovely courtyard at the center. Main attraction is the statue of King Jayavarman VII (1181-1219) in mediation pose. Unfortunately, no photos may be taken. The pleasant little park in front of the Museum is the site of the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony, at which the success or otherwise of the coming harvest is determined. You may have heard stories of sightseers carrying umbrellas inside to avoid showers of bat droppings, but alas (?), the bats moved out after the renovation of 2002.
Wat Phnom (admission US$1) is on a hill at the center of a small park near Sisowath Quay, on St. 94. The temple itself is notable more for its historic importance than what you'll see there today, but the park is a pleasant green space and a popular gathering place for locals. A few monkeys keep quarters there as well and will help themselves to any drinks you leave unattended. If you like, take a ride on the elephant there. His owner is kind of inventory of Wat Phnom and always nice to tourists. However one circuit of the wat costs $US15, so this attraction is apparently pitched at wealthier tourists. Wat Botum, about three kilometres south near the Royal Palace, was historically the wat favoured by royalty. In the 1930s it housed a charming young novice named Saloth Sar, who "never caused anyone any trouble, never started fights - a lovely child". Later in life he changed his name to Pol Pot.
Independence and Liberation memorials - impressive Buddhist-style Independence Memorial, commemorating the departure of the French in 1953, dominates the centre of the city. Nearby is the very ugly Stalin-style Liberation Memorial, marking the Vietnamese capture of the city in 1979. Although the Cambodians were glad to see the back of the Khmer Rouge, they don't like the Vietnamese much either, and have demonstrated this by neglecting the memorial for 20 years. It seems to be used mainly as a convenient urinal.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum was a school converted into Cambodia's most important prison in 1975. More than 14,000 people were tortured here before being killed at the Killing Fields south of Phnom Penh; only 8 prisoners made it out alive. The museum is easily accessible and a must-see for everyone interested in Cambodia's horrific recent past. The infamous "skull map" has been dismantled, although there are still skulls stacked in cabinets, implements of torture and disturbing photographs. For a introduction and further reading, try David Chandler's "Voices from S-21" (ISBN 0520222474). Documentary movie "S-21" can be purchased throughout Phnom Penh for US$1.50-2.
The Documentation Center of Cambodia manages the museum as part of its mission to record the history of the Khmer Rouge, and gather evidence against Khmer Rouge leaders.
The Killing Fields at Cheoung Ek (entrance fee US$2), about 17km south of Phnom Penh, is where the Khmer Rouge killed many thousands of their victims during their four-year reign of terror. Today the site is marked by a Buddhist stupa packed full of human skulls - the sides are made of glass so the visitors can see them up close. There are also pits in the area where mass graves were unearthed. It is a serene yet somber place.
The Olympic Stadium Built in the 1960s for an Asian Games that never happened, this interesting complex in the Modern style has been sold off to the Taiwanese, in a murky deal by the Cambodian government. The new owners have not kept to pledges to renovate it, thus it remains a shabby shadow of its former self. However in the evenings a walk around the top perimeter is worthwhile: you can see hundreds attending exercise and dance classes, and get a view of the abandoned track below.
Stung Meanchey Garbage Dump, where hundreds of the poorest of the poor, including many small children, swarm over the refuse (which includes burning plastic and syringes) hoping to find anything of value. In addition to - or instead of - visiting the dump, you can stop by the impressive French NGO, "Pour sourire un enfant" nearby, which takes in thousands of adolescents from the dump and its surrounding areas, and sends them out into the world two or three years later fluent in English and French, and more sought-after by employers than university graduates. PSE staff will give you a guided tour of their learning centre on request. PSE is also in need of foreign volunteer teachers who can commit a little time.
Phnom Penh's many orphanages are frequently visited by foreigners wanting to help out with time, money, food, school books, etc. But many are exploitative and poorly run. (Your money goes to the owner rather than the kids.) Try to get a reference to a 'legit' orphanage before showing up; and preferably phone first to learn a non-disruptive time to drop in. Cambodian childen are sheer delight, and none more so than its orphans. For many Westerners, time spent hanging out with orphaned kids is the high-point of their visit to Phnom Penh.
WHAT TO DO
Hash House Harriers running club meets every Sunday at 2.45pm at the railway station.
Khmer massage, US$3 for 1 hour Beware: although the price had an official quote in English, you may have to bargain to get the real price. Offers the local Khmer massage - a relaxing form distantly related to Thai massage. The massage environment is extremely cosy and you will even get a free platter of fruit after your massage is over.
Lighthouse Orphanage, Around 25 minutes from the center of Phnom Penh lies this small orphanage housing 70-80 Khmers aged from 1 year through to 18 years. Visitors are always extremely welcome at this completely independent organisation - expect to be greeted with smiles and handshakes from staff, quickly followed by a tour. However one should take some form of donation, ideally a bag of rice (ie. 50kg). (Sweets are not allowed.) If using a Tuk Tuk to get out there, the driver will be more than happy to show you something to pick up along the way. The children at Lighthouse love nothing more to have a chat and practice their english/french/japanese with you, have a game of soccer, or even just pose for a few photos. Do however think about the consequences of visiting an orphanage as a "tourist attraction". Respect the children's privacy and do not disturb their lessons.
Mekong Cruises - boats leave every evening for a river cruise. Many provide snacks or dinners at sunset.
Mekong Island - a nice trip across Phnom Penh to enjoy rural life and see weaving households in a rural area.
Meta House Art gallery, bar, mini-cinema and production house. Shows free, high quality foreign and Cambodian films Tuesday to Sunday nights at 7pm, in the bar-lounge on the roof. N° 6, Phuong (St. 264), opposite Wat Botum.
French Cultural Centre movies - Less English subtitles than there once were, plus an incomprehensible schedule and website (even the CCF staff can't decipher them), have now put these excellent movies out of reach of all but the most determined Anglophone.
Thunder Ranch shooting range, near Cheoung Ek. Moto drivers, apparently oblivious to the reaction most visitors have, will try to include this in a trip to the killing fields. Rumors abound that cows and other farm animals used to serve as targets, but this is probably no longer the case. Prices range from US$40 for an AK-47 to US$200 for a rocket launcher.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Phnom Penh International Airport (IATA: PNH | ICAO: VDPP) is the largest of Cambodia's two international airports (the other is at Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat). There are daily flights from all major regional airports (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Luang Prabang in Laos, and Hanoi via Vientiane, Laos). Airlines include Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Korean Air, Lao Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Thai Airways, Silk Air, Dragonair, amongst others. The Malaysian low-cost carrier Air Asia [2] has daily flights from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The new terminal is a thoroughly pleasant and modern facility, and features a post office, bank (including ATMs), restaurants, duty-free shop, newsstand, tourist help desk, and business center.
By bus - There are bus services to Phnom Penh from Poipet (on the border with Thailand) and from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam (US$8-10, 5-6 hours), as well as from points throughout Cambodia. Two of the largest bus companies, Sorya (formerly Ho Wah Genting) and GST, both arrive and depart from the rather chaotic "station" at the southwest corner of the Central Market. Capitol Tours runs buses throughout Cambodia and onward to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, where they link up with Vietnam travel giant Sinh Cafe. Advance bookings are advisable, and can also be sorted out by most travel agents and guesthouses for a token fee.
By boat - Ferries connect Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and usually take 4-5 hours; tickets for foreigners typically cost US$20-30. Many (but not all) of these ferries offer the option of sitting on the roof, which makes for a much more scenic, albeit less comfortable ride than the bus; take sunblock, a hat, and enough water to last you for several hours just in case the boat gets stuck.
Fast boats leave every morning around 8am from Chau Doc in Vietnam's Mekong Delta and take 5 hours to reach Phnom Penh. The boats make the return journey the same day and leave Phnom Penh around 1 PM arriving in Chau Doc in the early evening.
By train - There is a very slow, once-weekly passenger train service between Phnom Penh and Battambang via Pursat. The journey is scheduled to take 14 hours but may be much longer, even though the distance by rail is only 275km. It costs US$5 one-way for foreigners.
