A Day in Phnom Penh: What to Do
Discover what to do in Phnom Penh. In this post, we guide you through a day in Cambodia’s capital, exploring the most exciting Phnom Penh attractions.
As the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh is packed with historical attractions, parks, restaurants, bars and markets. You could spend days in the city, and still have more to see and do. But maybe you only have one day to spend in Phnom Penh. How can you get the most out of your brief visit to this bustling, vibrant city? Let’s explore an itinerary from morning to evening that will take you to the best Phnom Penh attractions.
1. Morning
Have breakfast at a local café
Starting off with a great breakfast is the first thing you need to do. Traditional breakfasts in Cambodia are very different from Western breakfasts. Instead of bacon, eggs and pancakes, typical local breakfast foods can be Bai Sach Chrouk (pork and rice), Kuy Teav (vermicelli noodle soup), Lok Lak (marinated beef, fried egg and white rice), Bobor (rice porridge), and others. That said if you are hankering for bacon and eggs, plenty of restaurants in Phnom Penh serve Western breakfasts. You can also find cafes serving vegan options.
To drink, you can order Café Toek Doh Koh Toek Gok, which is coffee with sweet milk and ice. It’s pretty strong, so just be aware of that. Here are a few recommendations for a great breakfast: Malis (Khmer), Lot 369 (Khmer), Eleven One Kitchen (Khmer), Enso Café (Western), Farm to Table (Western), Vibe (vegan), and more.
Visit the Royal Palace
No itinerary of what to do in Phnom Penh would be complete without a visit to the Royal Palace of Cambodia, known formally as Preah Barom Reacheaveang Chaktomuk Serey Mongkol. This beautiful palace complex has been home to the monarchs of Cambodia since the 1860s (except for the brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge).
While you are visiting the complex, you can explore the Throne Hall, with its dramatic golden Throne Room, the open-air Moonlight Pavilion (the site of many Khmer classical dance performances), the Silver Pagoda with its Emerald Buddha and other treasures, and more. The building the king lives in is the Khemarin Palace.
Go early in the morning to the Royal Palace to avoid the crowds and give yourself the couple of hours you will need to fully explore it.
Be aware that there is a conservative dress code for the Royal Palace. Make sure your knees and shoulders are covered, or they will not let you in when you arrive at the entrance.
Explore the National Museum of Cambodia
After you are done seeing the palace, make the National Museum of Cambodia the next Phnom Penh attraction you visit. This is the largest cultural history museum in the country.
There are over 14,000 items in the museum’s collection. The earliest artifacts date back to prehistoric times. Others cover the span of the Khmer Empire with ceramics, sculptures and bronzes.
While you are learning about Khmer history and art from the collections, you will also be able to enjoy the museum’s architecture. Constructed from 1917 to 1924, the museum is designed based on Cambodian temple prototypes that architect George Groslier saw on bas-reliefs. The courtyard features a lovely garden with ponds.
2. Lunch
After you have experienced the National Museum of Cambodia, you will no doubt be feeling peckish. Consider grabbing lunch at a riverside restaurant. As you watch boats passing by on the Mekong River or the Tonle Sap River, you can enjoy Cambodian dishes like Fish Amok or Lok Lak.
3. Afternoon
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
After lunch, we suggest paying a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - one of the most worth-visiting historical attractions of Cambodia besides Angkor Wat. Of all the Phnom Penh attractions, this one is not for the faint of heart. But it is important to understand the full history of Cambodia, including the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime during the 1970s.
The building you enter at this site originally served as a secondary school. But it was converted by the Khmer Rouge into Security Prison 21, also known as Tuol Sleng (“Hill of the Poisonous Trees”). 20,000 people were held and tortured here. Almost every single one of them was killed. There are only twelve known survivors. Today, the building serves as a museum, exhibiting photographs and paintings that capture memories of that nightmarish time. Some of the old torture equipment is also displayed here.
Wat Phnom
After you have learned about the brutality of the Khmer Rouge, you will probably find yourself needing a tranquil place where you can reflect and feel a sense of peace. To find that peace, head to Wat Phnom, the “Mountain Pagoda” in Doun Penh, Phnom Penh.
There is a legend that Phnom Penh was founded by a wealthy woman named Lady Penh. Apparently one day she hauled a Koki tree she saw floating by on the river out of the water. She discovered four Buddhist statues and one statue of Vishnu inside it.
Penh apparently commissioned the construction of an artificial hill with a temple on it and placed the statues inside. That became the site of Wat Phnom. The temple that exists on the site in modern times is not the original one. It has been reconstructed multiple times, most recently in 1926.
While the stupa is impressive, and the outside of the main temple is beautiful, the interior of this Phnom Penh attraction is breathtaking with its colorful murals covering the walls and ceiling. These murals depict stories about the Buddha, as well as about Reamker, which is the name that the Khmer use for Ramayana. You also will find a shrine in the southwest part of the temple to Lady Penh. 
4. Evening
Sunset dinner cruise on the Mekong River
As the afternoon melts into the evening, you will have experienced a full day in Phnom Penh, rich with cultural experience and history. You have been on your feet for a while, and likely are longing for some rest. But the day is not over yet.
Thankfully, our next suggestion for what to do in Phnom Penh is a relaxing one, and that is to head out on a sunset dinner cruise on the Mekong River.
There are a number of highly-rated sunset cruises you can book, which include food, beverages, guides, and sometimes even live music. Be sure to choose a cruise that offers the tone you are looking for. Your cruise will likely last 1-2 hours. As you dine, you will have a chance to marvel at the city skyline and get a unique look at local life along the river.
Explore Phnom Penh's Nightlife on tuk tuk
After you have rested and recharged while dining on the Mekong River, you can set off on one last adventure: make your way around the city’s popular nightlife districts by tuk-tuk.
This open-air vehicle makes for a pleasant ride on balmy Cambodian nights and keeps you close to the sights, sounds, and aromas of Phnom Penh.
Whether you want to drink, dine, or dance, there are plenty of bars and nightclubs in Phnom Penh that are worth a visit. Some popular nightlife spots include Shanghai Bar, Sharky’s Bar & Restaurant, Street 136, Street 308, The Heart of Darkness, Zeppelin Café, The Mad Monkey, and many others. For great views of the city, also consider The Deck at Courtyard Phnom Penh, Le Moon Rooftop, Sora Skybar, Juniper Gin Bar, and Celeste Revolving Skybar & Restaurant.
Along with bars and nightclubs, Phnom Penh also boasts some impressive markets. When people talk about the “Night Market,” they are referring to the one by the riverfront near downtown. You can visit it from 5-11 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to shop for clothes, jewelry and other souvenirs, and to grab some tasty street foods and refreshing beers.
How do you stay safe while you are enjoying the nightlife in Phnom Penh? For the most part, it is pretty safe. It is best, however, to not explore by yourself. And you should always keep an eye on your possessions and your beverages. Watch out for scams as well, and make sure you and your tuk-tuk driver agree on a price before you set out. What else should you be aware of when traveling to this country? Visit our blogs for essential travel guide in Cambodia.
Visiting more than just Phnom Penh, save this itinerary for later when you travel to Cambodia!
