Question 1

Phnom Penh on Your Own

Accepted Answer

If your ship moors on Sisowath Quay, the Royal Palace and the National Museum stand close together near the riverfront, which makes a morning on foot straightforward. Plan around the palace's midday closure and the heat, and use a tuk-tuk for anything further. The Royal Palace: It opens in two sessions, 8:00 to 11:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, and visitors must cover their elbows and knees. The Silver Pagoda stands in its own compound on the south side of the palace. The National Museum: Just north of the palace, the museum's visitor entrance is at the corner of Streets 13 and 178. Its collection of more than 14,000 objects runs from prehistoric times to the periods before, during and after the Khmer Empire. Wat Phnom: The temple that gave the city its name stands on a small hill, on the spot where, by legend, Lady Penh built a shrine in 1372. Tuk-tuks and bags: The most common theft is bag and phone snatching by thieves on motorbikes, including from passengers in tuk-tuks. Carry little, keep bags on the side away from the road, and choose tuk-tuks with metal grilles where you can. Getting back on time: Your ship posts the time to be back on board, and it will not wait for passengers touring on their own.

Question 2

What to Eat

Accepted Answer

Fish amok, a curry served with jasmine rice, is one of Cambodia's national dishes. Rice noodles and a fermented fish paste turn up across the rest of the menu. Beef lok lak is a stir-fry thought to have come to Cambodia from Vietnam. Num banhchok, a lightly fermented rice noodle, also gives its name to a popular curry. Kuyteav is a rice vermicelli noodle. Prahok, a fermented fish paste, flavors almost every Khmer dish.

Question 3

Tipping and Currency

Accepted Answer

In Cambodia a small tip is often appreciated in cities such as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, though outside the cities it may not be expected at all. Check your bill first, because some places add a service charge of around 5 to 10 percent. Where no charge is added, around 10 to 15 percent is a general guide in restaurants. For a short taxi ride, rounding up is enough. Cambodia uses the riel, and the US dollar is used alongside it for everyday buying. The riel has stayed at about 4,100 to the dollar for many years. People often prefer tips in riel, so keep small notes such as 1,000 and 5,000 riel.

Question 4

The Royal Palace and Tuol Sleng

Accepted Answer

The Royal Palace, the official residence of Cambodia's king since the 1860s, and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum both ask visitors to dress modestly. Khmer is the official language, and English and French are also used in the city. In the Silver Pagoda, the most important statue is a small green crystal Buddha, and the cloister walls carry a mural of the Reamker 642 meters long, painted in 1903 and 1904. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum opens every day, public holidays included, from 8:00 to 17:00. In October 2026 foreign adults paid USD 5, in cash in riel or dollars, and an audio guide cost another USD 5. Check before you go. At Tuol Sleng, mobile phones may not be used inside the exhibition buildings, and shorts and sleeveless tops are not considered respectful dress.

Question 5

History

Accepted Answer

Phnom Penh was a royal capital in the 15th century and again from the 1860s, and it grew into a modern city under French rule and after independence. In 1975 the Khmer Rouge emptied it, and people returned only after 1979. Lady Penh: By legend, in 1372 a wealthy woman named Penh pulled a floating tree from the river, found bronze Buddha statues inside, and built a shrine for them on a hill. Wat Phnom, the hill temple, and Lady Penh gave the city its name. First capital: The Khmer court moved here after the fall of Angkor, and Phnom Penh was the capital from 1434 to 1497. The court returns: The capital was re-established here in 1865, and King Norodom built the first Royal Palace from 1866 to 1870. His successor, King Sisowath, had most of it rebuilt in the early 20th century. French rule: After Phnom Penh became the capital of the French protectorate in 1867 the city grew fast, and the art deco Central Market, with its 26-meter dome, was finished in 1937. The National Museum: The museum's building, modeled on Khmer temples, was inaugurated at Khmer New Year on 13 April 1920. Pearl of Asia: In the years after independence from France, the city earned the nickname Pearl of Asia for its colonial, New Khmer and art deco buildings. War and refugees: During the Vietnam War refugees poured into the city, and by 1975 its population had reached 2 to 3 million. The Khmer Rouge: The Khmer Rouge took the city on 17 April 1975 and forced its entire population out. A former high school became the S-21 prison, where an estimated 20,000 people were held between 1976 and 1979. Return: Vietnamese-backed forces drove the Khmer Rouge out in 1979, people began to come back, and the prison reopened as a museum soon afterward. To learn more ashore: The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, on Street 113 at the corner of Street 350, records the Khmer Rouge years, and the National Museum of Cambodia, north of the Royal Palace, covers the centuries before.

Question 6

With Children

Accepted Answer

Phnom Penh's riverside sights suit children of most ages, while Tuol Sleng, a former prison where thousands were tortured and killed, is a visit to weigh carefully for older children and teenagers. Plan outdoor time for the morning, before the palace closes at midday. Younger children: At Wat Phnom, a small shrine to Lady Penh, the city's founder in legend, stands at the southwest corner of the temple. School age: In the Silver Pagoda, a gold Buddha weighing 90 kg is set with 9,584 diamonds. The Central Market, a bright yellow art deco hall from 1937, has a 26-meter dome over four long arms of stalls. Teenagers: At Tuol Sleng, visitors aged 10 to 17 paid USD 3 in October 2026, and children under 10 enter free, with a passport or ID to show each child's age. Check prices before you go. Strollers: Strollers are allowed on the Tuol Sleng grounds but not inside the buildings.

Phnom Penh

Good to know

Where Ships Dock

Phnom Penh on Your Own

What to Eat

Tipping and Currency

The Royal Palace and Tuol Sleng

History

With Children

Port crowds

Photos from travelers

Traveler reviews