Interesting Place

National Museum

Located near the Royal Palace, Cambodia's National Museum offers a charming setting for a stunning collection of ancient Khmer art. Predominantly constructed of sandstone, the sculptures date from both the Angkorean and pre-Angkorean eras. These exhibits are complemented by more recent examples of Cambodian art. The museum is housed in a terra-cotta-roofed structure of traditional Cambodian design, which was built between 1917 and 1920.
Apart from artistic treasures, the building is also home to a large colony of Cambodian freetail bats. The colony has lived

Royal Palace

Situated on the site of the former Citadel, it was built by King Norodom in 1866 on the banks of the Mekong River. Inside its gleaming yellow walls are the Throne Hall; the Chan Chaya Pavilion, specially made for performances of classical Cambodian dance; the Napoleon III Pavilion, offered to King Norodom by Queen Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, and the King's and Queen's residential quarters. Nowadays, only the Silver Pagoda can be visited.

(Sothearos between Street 240 & 184 - $6.25/person, Open from 7:30-11:00 / 2:00-5:00 except Monday)

River Front

A stroll or cyclo ride along the park lined riverfront is a must - pubs, restaurants, shops and tourist boats line the way. The view of the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap is geographically unique. Early risers, check out the spectacular sunrise over the river in front of the Royal Palace.

Toul Sleng

Prior to 1975, Toul Sleng was a high school. When the Khmer Rouge came to power it was converted into the S-21 prison and interrogation facility.
Inmates were systematically tortured, sometimes over a period of months, to extract confessions, after which they were executed at the killing fields of Choeung Ek. S-21 processed over 17,000 people, seven of whom survived. The building now serves as a museum, a memorial and a testament to the madness of the Khmer Rouge regime. Much has been left in the state it was when the Khmer Rouge abandoned it in January 1979. The prison kept extensive records, leaving thousands of photos of their victims, many of which are on display. Paintings of torture at the prison by Vann Nath, a survivor of Toul Sleng, are also on display. The museum's famous and controversial “skull map” has recently been dismantled.

(Corner of Street 113 & Street 350 - $2.00 - Open everyday, including holidays, 8AM-5PM Closed for lunch)

Choeung Ek

From 1975-1979 the ultra-Communist Khmer Rouge regime, led by Pol Pot, controlled Cambodia. During their short reign, between 1 and 2.5 million Cambodians perished, some killed outright, others dying from disease, malnutrition and mistreatment. Many of the dead ended up in “killing fields” I that can be found across the country. The memorial at 1 Choeung Ek just outside Phnom Penh was an orchard! and a Chinese cemetery prior to 1975. During the Khmer Rouge regime it became one of the killing fields the site of the brutal executions of more than 17,000 individuals, most of whom first suffered through torture and deprivation in Toul Sleng Prison. Choeung Ek is now a group of mass graves and a memorial stupa containing thousands of skulls. Combine with a visit to Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.