Phnom Penh itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Phnom Penh, day by day: the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum first, then the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, Wat Ounalom and the Central Market, and the National Museum and Independence Monument as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Phnom Penh in 1 day
Day 1
Choeung Ek
Former orchard 15 km south of the city where the Khmer Rouge executed thousands, with a memorial stupa of skulls and an audio guide.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Former high school turned into the Khmer Rouge's Security Prison 21 (S-21), now a museum to its victims.
Phnom Penh in 2 days
Day 1
Choeung Ek
Former orchard 15 km south of the city where the Khmer Rouge executed thousands, with a memorial stupa of skulls and an audio guide.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Former high school turned into the Khmer Rouge's Security Prison 21 (S-21), now a museum to its victims.
Independence Monument
Lotus-shaped tower of 1958 by Vann Molyvann marking independence from France, lit up at night.
Day 2
Royal Palace, Phnom Penh
The king's residence, built from 1866, with the Throne Hall and Silver Pagoda open to visitors; cover shoulders and knees.
National Museum of Cambodia
Red terracotta building of 1920 holding the world's largest collection of Khmer sculpture, including Angkor-era pieces.
Wat Ounalom
Seat of Cambodian Buddhism, founded in the 15th century, facing the river near the Royal Palace.
Central Market, Phnom Penh
Art deco domed market hall of 1937, selling jewellery, clothes, souvenirs and street food.
Wat Phnom
Hilltop pagoda marking the legendary founding of Phnom Penh by Lady Penh, in a small shaded park.
Phnom Penh in 3 days
Day 1
Choeung Ek
Former orchard 15 km south of the city where the Khmer Rouge executed thousands, with a memorial stupa of skulls and an audio guide.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Former high school turned into the Khmer Rouge's Security Prison 21 (S-21), now a museum to its victims.
Independence Monument
Lotus-shaped tower of 1958 by Vann Molyvann marking independence from France, lit up at night.
CambodiaVietnam Friendship Monument
Monument in the park by Wat Botum commemorating the Vietnamese forces that ended Khmer Rouge rule in 1979.
Day 2
Royal Palace, Phnom Penh
The king's residence, built from 1866, with the Throne Hall and Silver Pagoda open to visitors; cover shoulders and knees.
National Museum of Cambodia
Red terracotta building of 1920 holding the world's largest collection of Khmer sculpture, including Angkor-era pieces.
Wat Ounalom
Seat of Cambodian Buddhism, founded in the 15th century, facing the river near the Royal Palace.
Day 3
Central Market, Phnom Penh
Art deco domed market hall of 1937, selling jewellery, clothes, souvenirs and street food.
Freedom Park
Open plaza near Wat Phnom designated in 2010 as the city's official place for public demonstrations.
Wat Phnom
Hilltop pagoda marking the legendary founding of Phnom Penh by Lady Penh, in a small shaded park.
Watch: Phnom Penh
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Phnom Penh
November to February is the best time to visit Phnom Penh, with dry weather and the lowest temperatures and humidity. March to May is very hot, and the rainy season from May to October brings heavy afternoon downpours. Khmer New Year in mid-April and the Pchum Ben festival in September or October close many businesses as people return to their home provinces.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Phnom Penh on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Phnom Penh on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Phnom Penh on GetYourGuide
- From the airport: a private transfer in Phnom Penh with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Cambodia from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Phnom Penh with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Phnom Penh
- Choeung Ek is about 15 km south of the centre, 30 to 45 minutes by tuk-tuk; agree a return fare or book through Grab or PassApp.
- Take the audio guide at both Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng; the visits are emotionally heavy, so many people pair only these two on one day.
- Shoulders and knees must be covered at the Royal Palace and in temples; a scarf or sarong is useful.
- The midday heat is strong for most of the year; plan outdoor sights for the morning and late afternoon.
- Walk Sisowath Quay along the river near sunset, when locals come out to exercise and the riverside cafes fill.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- CambodiaVietnam Friendship Monument: Tung Duong, Public domain
- Central Market, Phnom Penh: Rik Schuiling / TropCrop-TCS, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Choeung Ek: Timgray200, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Freedom Park: crchim, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Independence Monument: Sven Ruediger, CC-BY-3.0
- National Museum of Cambodia: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Royal Palace, Phnom Penh: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum: Michael Gruijters at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wat Ounalom: VCTBR, CC BY 3.0
- Wat Phnom: Khmerloy9, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
