Phnom Penh

Map of Phnom Penh

One of the better preserved French relics in Southeast Asia, the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh has a lot more to offer travellers than a quick, depressing swing through Tuol Sleng and a run out to the Killing Fields. Cambodia's history stretches far back beyond the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. As far as Phnom Penh goes, legend has it that its beginnings stretch back to the late 14th century, when an old woman named Penh found a tree with a handful of Buddha images lodged in one of its nooks. She retrieved the images and had a hill (phnom) built to house them: Penh's Hill, or Phnom Penh, was born.

Established at the crossroads of the Bassac, Tonle and Mekong Rivers, Phnom Penh remained little more than a large village and didn't become the permanent capital until the late 19th century during the reign of King Norodom I. On April 17, 1864 Norodom agreed

River Front

 to make Cambodia a French protectorate in an attempt to keep the bellicose Vietnamese and Siamese at bay. In the years following, the construction of Phnom Penh proper began. Interestingly, 111 years to the day after King Norodom I signed his first treaty with the French, the Khmer Rouge entered, took control and totally emptied Phnom Penh.

By the time Cambodia became a part of French Indochina in 1884, Phnom Penh had developed into a sizeable, largely French-designed city, and by the 1920s it was considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Southeast Asia, earning it the moniker Pearl of Asia.

A few decades of optimism -- some overseen by then King Norodom Sihanouk, a charismatic arts-loving playboy -- were finally interrupted by war. Historically Cambodia had been a battleground between the Thais and the Vietnamese, but through the late 1960s and early 1970s, Cambodian fought Cambodian as a brutal civil war engulfed the country. By the time the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975 and evacuated the city, Phnom Penh became a ghost town, and it was but a shadow of itself when the Khmer Rouge were finally evicted by a Vietnamese invasion in 1978-79. 

Independence

People trickled back to Phnom Penh and the city slowly returned to life. However, it wasn't until the 1990s when UN-sponsored elections took place (accompanied by a slew of aid) that the city really began to develop anew. The new century has seen considerable financial investment from China and South Korea and an onslaught of new construction projects have resulted in many of Phnom Penh's French relics as well as its unique 1950s and 1960s architecture falling to the wrecking ball, only to be replaced by characterless glass and brass affairs. The result is a hodge-podge of stunning French colonial buildings and concrete egg-carton eyesores.
And as the money has flowed, so have the people. The once sleepy streets are developing into a chaotic mess of motorcycles, cars, minibuses, ox carts and remorques battling for space. Urban migration continues apace and it's not unusual to see entire families camped out on footpaths. Poverty is endemic and one not well addressed at all by the country's largely dysfunctional government, despite Prime Minister Hun Sen long being a darling of the international aid community.

Phnom Penh and Cambodian history is well documented at the National Museum, S-21 and the Killing Fields. Other attractions include the Royal Palace, temples, markets and boat tours and a bountiful supply of excellent cafes and restaurants for gourmands, bars for night owls and spas for those who need to unwind. Phnom Penh is a charming spot, so don't make the mistake of allowing just a day or two here. 

1. Phnom Penh International Airport

Phnom Penh International Aireport

Reaching the Cambodian capital by air is without a doubt the best way to get here. Phnom Penh International Airport is a convenient 11kms from the heart of the city and the busiest air hub in the country with flights to major cities across the region. A number of Cambodia-based airlines operate from here to both domestic and international destinations. Siem Reap Airways and Angkor Airways both head north to Siem Reap's Angkor International Airport. Siem Reap Airways also flies to Taipei, while Angkor connects to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport and to Hong Kong. Royal Khmer Airlines links Phnom Penh to Seoul in South Korea along with Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam. With roughly 1.1 million passengers a year, Phnom Penh International Airport has seen remarkable growth in the past decade during which time it has doubled tourist traffic, suggesting capacity may have to be increased beyond the current two million to keep up with demand.

 The airport is split into two terminals, one international and the other a much smaller domestic terminal which mostly services Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, a popular beach resort in the south. Facilities in the international terminal are as you would expect of any major air hub. Banking services including exchange kiosks and ATM machines are readily available. There is also a VIP lounge, numerous shops including duty-free and restaurants and cafes which serve Khmer and international cuisine. Passengers should make sure that they are ready to pay the standard Cambodian departure tax when taking a flight from the airport; payment is permitted in US dollars only. The international terminal offers visa-on-arrival to nationals of most countries including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand passport holders. Make sure to have a passport photo handy along with the application fee in US dollars. Options for getting between the airport and the city are limited to official taxis or motos. A taxi requires paying a flat fee in advance at a booth outside arrivals with motos much cheaper. Either way, both forms of transport should get you into the heart of Phnom Penh in around 15 minutes.

2. Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Cambodia

Royal Palace

Built in 1866 by King Norodom the Royal palace is now home to His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia,and Her Majesty Preah Reach Akka-Mohesey Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, the Queen of Cambodia. The Palace grounds are opened to the public except when the King is in residence.Within the palace compound are the coronation hall; the entrance, which houses an open-air theater for the Royal Dance Troupe, and a balcony for Royal appearances; an open-air pavilion often used for entertaining and viewing of the King's movies; and the King's private residence, which houses a collection of Cambodian artwork from artists around the world, and his office, where he actively pursues Royal duties. The architecturally incongruous Napoleon III pavilion shipped and reassembled in Cambodia was a gift of the French Empress Eugenie in the early 20th century. Outside the southeast wall of the palace is the house of the white elephant traditionally used for special regal occasions including Royal births, deaths or weddings.  

3.  National Museum of Cambodia

National Museum of Cambodia

Located just north of the Royal Palace, the National Museum of Cambodia is housed in a graceful terracotta structure of traditional design (built 1917 - 1920), with an inviting courtyard garden. The museum is home to the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture a millennium’s worth and more of masterful Khmer design. The museum comprises four pavilions, facing the pretty garden. Most visitors start left and continue in a clockwise, chronological direction. The first significant sculpture to greet visitors is a large fragment including the relatively intact head, shoulders and two arms of an immense bronze reclining Vishnu statue recovered from the Western Mebon temple near Angkor Wat in 1936.

 Continue into the left pavilion, where the pre-Angkorian collection begins. It illustrates the journey from the human form of Indian sculpture to the more divine form of Khmer sculpture from the 5th to 8th centuries. Highlights include an imposing eight-armed Vishnu statue from the 6th or 7th century found at Phnom Da, and a staring Harihara, combining the attributes of Shiva and Vishnu. The Angkor collection includes several striking statues of Shiva from the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries, a giant pair of wrestling monkeys, a beautiful 12th-century stele (stone) from Oddar Meanchey inscribed with scenes from the life of Shiva, and the sublime statue of a seated Jayavarman VII (r 1181-1219), his head bowed slightly in a meditative pose.
The museum also contains displays of pottery and bronzes dating from the pre-Angkorian periods of Funan and Chenla (4th to 9th centuries), the Indravarman period (9th and 10th centuries) and the classical Angkorian period (10th to 14th centuries), as well as more recent works such as a beautiful wooden royal barge.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to photograph the collection – only the courtyard. English-, French- and Japanese-speaking guides (US$5 to US$7) are available. A comprehensive booklet, The New Guide to the National Museum, is available at the front desk (US$10), while the smaller Khmer Art in Stone covers some of the signature pieces (US$2).

4. Wat Phnom

Wat Phnom

Wat Phnom (The Mountain Pagoda in Eglish, because it is on the only hill of Phnom Penh) is a Buddhist temple (wat). It was built in 1373 and stands 27 meters above the ground. It is the tallest religious structure in the city. The pagoda was given the name of Wat Preah Chedey Borapaut. There are Buddha statues and very touching paintings in the temple. Again some legends. The Legend tells that a wealthy widow, Daun Penh, found a large tree from the river. Inside the tree there was four bronze statues of the Buddha. Lady Penh constructed a small shrine on an artificial hill made by the people living in the village to keep the sacred statues safe. This became a sacred site and sanctuary where people would make blessings and pray as we did with our trip. This is very nice area, as from photo you can see, there is a large watch with at least 6 meter long second pointer, you can wonder the time and life just watching it and there is about 10 meter long Cobra like snake, made of rattan or something like, guarding the temple and the watch also.

 

5. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

In 1975, Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's security forces and turned into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21). This soon became the largest centre of detention and torture in the country. Between 1975 and 1978 more than 17,000 people held at S-21 were taken to the killing fields of Choeung Ek. S-21 has been turned into the Tuol Sleng Museum, which serves as a testament to the crimes of the Khmer Rouge. Like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge leaders were meticulous in keeping records of their barbarism. Each prisoner who passed through S-21 was photographed, sometimes before and after torture. The museum displays include room after room of harrowing black-and-white photographs; virtually all of the men, women and children pictured were later killed. You can tell which year a picture was taken by the style of number-board that appears on the prisoner's chest. Several foreigners from Australia, New Zealand and the USA were also held at S-21 before being murdered. It is worth paying US$2 to have a guide show you around, as they can tell you the stories behind some of the people in the photographs.

As the Khmer Rouge ‘revolution’ reached ever greater heights of insanity, it began devouring its own. Generations of torturers and executioners who worked here were in turn killed by those who took their places. During early 1977, when the party purges of Eastern Zone cadres were getting underway, S-21 claimed an average of 100 victims a day.

When the Vietnamese army liberated Phnom Penh in early 1979, there were only seven prisoners alive at S-21, all of whom had used their skills, such as painting or photography, to stay alive. Fourteen others had been tortured to death as Vietnamese forces were closing in on the city. Photographs of their gruesome deaths are on display in the rooms where their decomposing corpses were found. Their graves are nearby in the courtyard. Altogether, a visit to Tuol Sleng is a profoundly depressing experience. The sheer ordinariness of the place makes it even more horrific: the suburban setting, the plain school buildings, the grassy playing area where children kick around balls juxtaposed with rusted beds, instruments of torture and wall after wall of disturbing portraits. It demonstrates the darkest side of the human spirit that lurks within us all. Tuol Sleng is not for the squeamish.

Behind many of the displays at Tuol Sleng is the Documentation Center of Cambodia DC-Cam was established in 1995 through Yale University’s Cambodian Genocide Program to research and document the crimes of the Khmer Rouge. It became an independent organisation in 1997 and researchers have spent years translating confessions and paperwork from Tuol Sleng, mapping mass graves, and preserving evidence of Khmer Rouge crimes. French-Cambodian director Rithy Panh’s 1996 film Bophana tells the true story of Hout Bophana, a beautiful young woman, and Ly Sitha, a regional Khmer Rouge leader, who fall in love but are made to pay for this ‘crime’ with imprisonment and execution at S-21 prison. It is well worth investing an hour to watch this powerful documentary, which is screened here at 10am and 3pm daily.

6. Phsar Thom Thmei (Central Market)

Phsar Thom Thmei (Central Market)

A tourist attraction in its own right, the Phsar Thom Thmei or central market built during the French colonial era in 1937 is a strange yet impressive art deco structure that's got a hint of Khmer lotus about it. In other words, it's an artistic collaboration between French and Cambodian styles. Even if you don't plan to buy anything, you'll want to get over here to take a look.

7. Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung)

Souvenirs Shop

 This market became the foreigner’s market during the 1980’s when most of the foreigners in Cambodia were Russians, hence the name ‘Russian Market.’ It is of far less architectural interest than the Central Market but has a larger, more varied selection of souvenirs, curios and silks. Like the Central Market, there are several jewelers and gold-sellers, but it also carries huge selection of curios, silks and carvings, it is one of the best markets in town to buy fabric. Located in the south of the city off Monivong Boulevard and Mao Tse Tung, the market is about a 15-minute tuk tuk ride from riverside. Before you dive in to the bustle of stalls, it’s worth noting which entrance you are using, especially if you hope to meet your driver again. Look for an easily recognizable landmark such as one of the big shops outside the market, or the fruit and vegetable stalls. That way, if you exit in a different direction, you can walk around the outside of the market until you get your bearings.

Khmer Traditional Sculptures Store

To get the most out of your shopping experience, use the money change kiosks outside to convert big US dollar notes into riel — it’s easier to bargain when you’re not waving $50 notes around. Find a stall that has a few items you are interested in as it’s simpler to get a discount on multiple purchases. Be suspicious of “genuine” antiques, gemstones and luxury watch brands — better to pay a price you are happy with because you like something rather than because of untested provenance.

Clothing Store

Clothing brands, however, may well be genuine, due to the large number of garment factories in Cambodia. Items which have small defects and are rejected for export often find their way onto market stalls, so it's possible to pick up Gap, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein and Zara at knock down prices. We’re not sure about those Lexus boxer shorts, though...etc. 


 
8. Sorya Supper Market 

Sorya Supper Market

Sorya Shopping Center is less colourful than the traditional markets, but it is air-conditioned and contains a range of cheap fast-food outlets as well as a well-stocked supermarket named Lucky Supermarket. It is a westernized shopping center and contains a number of fast food restaurants.
If looking for Sorya Shopping Center, go south of the Central Market. It's on a north-south street on the west side. Asking anyone in the Central Market will be futile, however they do understand "Sorya". (NB: Don't leave a moto with the Sorya parking people, who are well-known for stealing helmets, and doubling the parking charges on a whim.) On the south-west edge of town is the even newer Sovanna mall. Freezing air-conditioned and modern shops make this popular too. When the gleaming westernized Soriya Shopping Center first opened in 2003, the idea of a shopping mall in Phnom Penh was still an incongruous idea. For example, it wasn't the Nordic air-conditioning or the five floors of stores that got Cambodians talking, it was the escalators. The moving stairs in the shopping center provided an endless source of humor and trepidation for locals more accustomed to the Byzantine walkways of nearby Psar Thmey. Many took one look at the motorized risers and then dashed for the stairs. Others would stretch out a nervous toe before freezing and opting out. Scrums gathered as people waited on the undecided. Soon enough, Soriya hired attendants to help visitors on and off the Kingdom's only escalators.
Now, Seven years later, the people are used to it. The place is packed every weekend.

9. Sovanna Supper Market 

Sovanna Supper Market

Sovanna Shopping Center opened in Phnom Penh 2008 five years after Sorya Shopping mall. The ground floor is dominated by jewelry stores and watch shops, and a Lucky Supermarket. The first floor dedicated to fashion, there are more than three dozen shops which sell the latest in men, women and children’s’ clothing and accessories. The second floor is home to shoes and bags. The third floor is about fun, entertainment, and electronics shops. Moreover, there’s even a drawing room where children can paint. The arcade includes a jungle gym similar to those found at Pencil and Paragon. The fifth and top floor is largely empty, but it will occasionally be used as an exhibition space or conference hall.