Explore Highlight of Capital city Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh - Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s busy capital, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and more, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market.

Royal Palace - The Royal Palace is one of Phnom Penh’s most iconic landmarks. The construction began in 1886 after King Norodom relocated the royal capital to Phnom Penh and was completed before World War I. Up until today, the palace is the primary residence of
The King of Cambodia. While parts of the palace with its golden roofs are closed to the public others like the elegant Throne Hall can be visited. Topped by a 59m-high tower that was inspired by the Bayon in Angkor Thom, the Throne Hall is used for coronations and other ceremonies. Besides the Throne Hall, visitors may also visit the graceful open-air Chan Chaya Pavilion, also called Dancing Pavilion. It was formerly used for classical Khmer dance performances. The pavilion also served the Cambodian kings as a platform to see parades passing by the palace. Today, on certain occasions, the pavilion is lit up in the evening.

Silver Pagoda - The beautiful Silver Pagoda is located next to the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. With its beautiful garden, it is a perfect get away from the busy streets of Cambodia’s capital. The inside of the pagoda is equally stunning as countless handcrafted silver tiles are covering the floor. The pagoda is also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha because the primary Buddha statue is made of emerald or baccarat crystal. The other Buddha is a golden life-sized Buddha Maitreya which is also known as the Buddha of the Future. The statue is made of 90kg pure gold and is adorned with over 2,000 diamonds, including a 25-carat diamond in the crown as well as a 20-carat diamond in the chest. There is also an eye-catching bronze statue, featuring the late King Norodom on horseback that visitors may admire. Besides, several stupas, also called Buddhist shrines, have been erected around the pagoda to honour the deceased members of the royal family and house their remains

Wat Phnom - Wat Phnom : Set on top of a tree-covered knoll 27m high, Wat Phnom is the only hill in town. According to legend, the first pagoda on this site was erected in 1373 to house four statues of Buddha deposited here by the waters of the Mekong and discovered by a woman name Penh. The main entrance to Wat Phnom is via the grand eastern staircase, which is guarded by lions and naga (snake) balustrades.

Independence Monument - The Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, was built in 1958 to memorialize Cambodia’s independence from France in 1953. It stands on the intersection of Norodom Boulevard and Sihanouk Boulevard in the centre of the city. It is in the form of a lotus-shaped stupa, of the style seen at the Khmer temple at Banteay Srei and other Khmer historical sites. The Independence Monument was designed by the Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann. It stands 37 meters tall. During national celebrations, The Independence Monument is the center of activity. A ceremonial flame on the interior pedestal is often lit by a royal or high official on these occasions, and floral tributes line the stairs. Every year, The Independence Monument is visited by foreign tourists and locals alike. Behind the monument is the Norodom Sihanouk Memorial, constructed in 2013.

Statue of King Father Norodom Sihanouk - The Norodom Sihanouk Memorial is a monument commemorating former King Norodom Sihanouk located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The bronze statue is 4.5 meters tall and is housed under a 27 meter high stupa in the park east of the Independence Monument. The statue depicting the late king wearing a business suit cost about US$1.2 million and took about 8 months to complete. During the day the statue was inaugurated, public access to the statue was tightly monitored while armed military police were stationed near the statue in October 2013.

Wat Ounalom - Wat Ounalom is another of Phnom Penh’s five original monasteries (1422). it housed the Institute Bouddhique and library. On the riverfront about 250 meters north of the Royal Palace, facing the Tonle Sap River near the Royal Palace, this pagoda serves as the headquarters for one of Cambodia‘s most revered Buddhist patriarchs . Ounalom Pagoda, Phnom Penh is one of the major tourist attractions in Phnom Penh. With respect to the numerous pagodas, parks, monuments and museums, the city of Phnom Penh in Cambodia is an idea destination for the vacationers. A visit to the Ounalom Pagoda, Phnom Penh will render a pleasurable experience to your trip to this city.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a museum in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, chronicling the Cambodian genocide. The site is a former secondary school which was used as Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. From 1976 to 1979, an estimated 20,000 people were imprisoned at Tuol Sleng (the real number is unknown). Tuol Sleng means “Hill of the Poisonous Trees” or “Strychnine Hill”. Tuol Sleng was just one of at least 150 torture and execution centers established by the Khmer Rouge though other sources put the figure at 196 prison centers. On July 26, 2010, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia convicted the chief of Tuol Sleng Prison, Kang Kek Iew, (alias Duch) for crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and sentenced him to life imprisonment

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center - Choeung Ek is the site of a former orchard and mass grave of victims of the Khmer Rouge killed between 1975 and 1979 about 17 kilometers south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It is the best-known of the sites known as The Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge regime executed over one million people between 1975 and 1979. Mass graves containing 8,895 bodies were discovered at Choeung Ek after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime. Many of the dead were former political prisoners who were kept by the Khmer Rouge in their Tuol Sleng detention center and in other Cambodian detention centers. Today, Choeung Ek is a memorial, marked by a Buddhist stupa. The stupa has acrylic glass sides and is filled with more than 5,000 human skulls. Some of the lower levels are opened during the day so that the skulls can be seen directly. Many have been shattered or smashed in. Tourists are encouraged by the Cambodian government to visit Choeung Ek. Apart from the stupa, there are pits from which the bodies were exhumed. Human bones still litter the site.

Central Market - The Central Market is a large market constructed in 1937 in the shape of a dome with four arms branching out into vast hallways with countless stalls of goods. Initial designed by Jean Desbois (1891 Cherbourg -1971 Lorient). Construction works were supervised by French architect Louis Chauchon (1875 - 1945 Saigon) and the ingénieur Wladimir Kandaouroff. It is located in Cambodia’s capital city, Phnom Penh. When it first opened in 1937, it was said to be the biggest market in Asia; today it still operates as a market. From 2009 to 2011, it underwent a US$4.2 million renovation funded by the French Development Agency. The unique Art Deco building is a Phnom Penh landmark. Before 1935, the area was a lake that received runoff during the rainy season. The lake was drained and construction began in 1935. Since its completion in 1937, wet season flooding around the market has remained a problem and is vestigial evidence of the old lake. The entrance to the market is lined with souvenir merchants hawking everything from T-shirts and postcards to silver curios and kramas. Inside is a dazzling display of jewels and gold. Electronic goods, stationery, secondhand clothes and flowers are also sold. During the Franco-Thai war the market was bombed heavily by Thai aircraft, causing heavy damage, and it had to be temporarily closed. After the end of World War II the market was rebuilt in the modern style.

• Sightseeing entrance fees included
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off
• All service charges and government VAT tax included
• Private air-conditioned transfers
• Professional English-speaking tour guide

• All other accounts are not mentioned in the above inclusion
• Tip for tour guide and driver