Phnom Penh turns upbeat as tourism infrastructure grows

Phnom Penh is still defined by its Khmer Rouge past, but the city’s day-to-day experience has shifted: temples, street art, cafés, and rooftop views now share the same map as the genocide museums. A new international airport, changing transport logistics, and

By the time the morning light reached the riverside, Phnom Penh felt like a city trying to breathe again. Not the easy kind of cheer, not the kind you can buy—more like something patient and deliberate. That contrast stayed with me after my return: I’d visited several times last decade and always carried away a heavy melancholy rooted in the Khmer Rouge era. This time, the mood was different. The city felt more optimistic and forward-looking. as if Phnom Penh’s population had collectively decided it was time to stop mourning and step into the 21st century with both eyes open.

The painful experiences are still there. The genocide museums are still the kind of visits that ask something from you. But around them. the city’s tourism looks noticeably lighter in tone: temples. rooftop bars. street-food stops. and mural-lined walks do much of the work. And if you’re lucky enough to be in Phnom Penh at the right time. the city can turn celebratory too—during the Khmer New Year water-slinging festivities. which falls in only a few days in April.

For travellers, though, Phnom Penh comes with a clear reality check. The city. as described by the guide. still isn’t ready for long stays because the tourist infrastructure is “in its infancy.” The practical consequence is a trip shaped for a short window: 3 to 4 days. with enough structure to keep the heat manageable and the days from turning into guesswork.

The itinerary starts early for a reason. It places breakfast near Wat Phnom at 8:00. lunch at a nearby local shop at 11:15. and then a hotel reset at 3:30 before the day’s more spread-out stops begin. At 5:00. the plan is to head to Street 93—the so-called “magic street” near Al-Serkal Mosque—then walk it and check out the mosque’s exterior at 5:30. The first day ends with a night walk along the riverside at 8:00 and a return to the Caravan Hotel at 10:00.

Day two shifts into Khmer Rouge history with Tuol Tom Poung built around it. Breakfast at a local café near Tuol Tom Poung is scheduled for 8:00. and at 9:00 the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum visit begins with an audio guide. Lunch follows at 11:30 at a nearby local restaurant. After that. the plan turns quieter: a calm café or walk around the Tuol Tom Poung area at 8:30 is paired with another morning and market-focused block the next day.

On day three. the schedule keeps coming back to Tuol Tom Poung with purpose: breakfast and coffee near Tuol Tom Poung Market at 8:00. then exploration of the market interior and surrounding streets starting at 8:45. At 1:30 it’s back to a café for downtime, and at 3:00 the plan is to return to Parc21 to rest. The day closes with a 9:30 return to the hotel—sleeping at Parc21.

There is another thread running beneath the guide. one that doesn’t let the reader forget the city isn’t moving forward on everyone’s terms. The guide describes Phnom Penh’s “development problem” and says it’s still an issue. with huge swaths of the city being sold off to private developers. The writer frames it as a long-running situation that had already been described in an earlier 2019 piece: “the regime is oppressive. ” and “just about everything seems up for sale to the highest bidder. no matter the human or environmental cost.”.

That political and economic pressure shows up in tourism indirectly. The guide suggests it doesn’t encourage travellers to stray far off the map. and it explains why: many off-map parts of Phnom Penh are “a little boring from the perspective of a tourist. ” even an adventurous one. In other words, the city may feel emotionally complex, but the visitor experience is still catching up.

Getting there has changed, and this guide leans on that shift. Phnom Penh now has a brand new international airport called Techo International, which opened in September 2025. Flights to Techo are described as available from major domestic cities across Southeast Asia, including cities within Cambodia. The airport is described as modern and designed to accommodate future growth rather than current demand. giving it an oversized feel.

The logistics carry their own small frustrations—like the 30 to 60 minute walk from gates to exit doors through huge and mostly empty hallways—but the facilities are described as nice and easy to navigate. Visa on arrival waiting time is said to usually be 30 to 60 minutes. though the guide stresses that Cambodia’s online e-visa application can speed the process if you apply in advance.

From Techo International to the city, the guide puts the taxi ride at 45 to 75 minutes depending on traffic. It also notes that, as of May 2026, there is not yet any bus or rail link connecting the airport to the city.

For those taking the bus, the guide provides quick-reference travel times and costs. From Siem Reap, it lists a 50-minute journey by air costing $100 and a 6-hour bus ride costing $20. From Bangkok. air is listed as 1 hour 15 minutes costing $100. with bus described as not available “currently.” From Ho Chi Minh City. air is listed as 1 hour costing $160. and bus as 6 hours 30 minutes costing $20.

It also spells out one of the most consequential bus journeys: travel from Ho Chi Minh City involves stopping at the Moc Bai/Bavet border crossing to exit Vietnam and buy a Cambodia visa. Even though bus staff help passengers navigate the border. the guide says travellers must exit the bus at the border for 30 to 60 minutes—walking. waiting. and paying—before boarding again. The visa fee is $40 for three months, the only length available.

Once you’re in Phnom Penh, the guide makes one recommendation with real force: use a tuk-tuk booked on Passapp. Passapp is described as a Cambodian version of Uber or Grab, but it requires a Cambodian phone number. The ride cost is described as around $1 for 10 to 20 minute trips and $2 to $3 for cross-city rides. The guide says Passapp tuk-tuks are cheaper than Grab, drivers are reliable, and they are less scam-prone than freelance drivers.

It also explains why you shouldn’t plan on walking as your default. Phnom Penh’s heat is described as even more intense than in other parts of Southeast Asia, and the city is spread out—travelling between neighbourhoods might take hours on foot.

Where you stay shapes the whole visit. The guide says the writer stayed in a different hotel in a different neighbourhood each day during their recent trip, and it lays out top picks—plus one to avoid.

Daun Penh is offered as best for first-timers and central access. described as the centre of Phnom Penh north of Wat Phnom. Locals consider it the heart of the city. and the guide claims it has clean. walkable sidewalks. calm traffic. and reasonably priced goods at family shopfronts. It’s described as within walking distance of many nice monuments without being loud or touristy like the area south of Wat Phnom.

In Daun Penh. the guide highlights hotels including The Eighty8 PP near Wat Phnom. described as a social. well-located hostel with pod rooms. a saltwater pool. and a bar-restaurant. It also lists LCS Hotel and Apartments as a riverside 4-star with French colonial bones. dark wood interiors. and Tonle Sap views. For luxury. it names Raffles Hotel Le Royal. described as the best luxury hotel in Phnom Penh. with the guide putting its price at $216.

Tuol Tom Poung is called the personal favourite neighbourhood—epic for street food—with plenty of street food. a nice market. tree-lined streets. and a bohemian vibe. The guide describes it as comfortable rather than sterile. noting international restaurants. quaint B&Bs. and the presence of students and digital nomads in cafes. It says Tuol Tom Poung doesn’t feel expat-dominated like neighbouring Boeng Keng Kang.

It recommends Vanny’s Peaceful Guesthouse as the best budget accommodation. naming it as possibly the best sub-$10 stay the writer has ever had. and says the couple running it is helpful and kind. with their daughter speaking perfect English. For location. it names Parc21 Residence as best-located. describing it as right next to the bohemian Tuol Tom Poung but across a canal. while warning the canal smells awful. It also lists La Chronique as a boutique French-colonial hotel with spacious rooms and a peaceful setting just outside Phnom Penh’s busiest districts.

For backpackers and local life, the guide turns to East Olympic Stadium. It describes local camaraderie just east of the stadium. where local people are described as super helpful and where street life creates a vibrant atmosphere. The area is also described as one of the cheaper ones for food, goods, and hotels.

It recommends Caravan Hotel as best value. highlighting its lobby. rooftop pool and bar. restaurant. and café as delivering a “5-star boutique hotel” feel. It also lists Villa Papillon as a budget-friendly boutique guesthouse and Courtyard by Marriott as a mid-to-upscale option with sleek rooms. reliable service. and a rooftop infinity pool.

Then there’s Riverside—specifically, the guide says to avoid it. The neighbourhood, described as the most talked about in tourism guides, is framed as massively overhyped. It’s described as not culturally authentic and instead as carrying a sleazy, manufactured backpacker vibe. While it says the actual riverside is walkable and near monuments. it claims land developers have ruined parts of it and that the stroll has gone from pretty to slightly sad. Noise and chaotic traffic are given as reasons it’s a bad place to stay.

What to do in Phnom Penh, according to the guide, is spread out and comparatively fewer organized attractions compared with other regional capitals. It nonetheless assembles a full set of options.

Museums include the National Museum of Cambodia, described as a museum of Khmer history with sculptures, paintings, and other artifacts. The guide notes that surprisingly few pieces are labelled. but says wandering through the rows helps take in the vibe of Cambodia’s pre-colonial legacy. It calls the building a highlight too—black-and-red Khmer architecture with exhibit halls connected by open-air corridors around a serene courtyard with lush greenery and ponds. Admission is listed as $10 for adults and $5 for an audio guide, recommended. It says you can spend 90 minutes there or take a 4-hour tour guiding visitors through the National Museum and Royal Palace for $155.

SOSORO Museum is described as focused on postcolonial Cambodian culture. specifically examining the use of money throughout Cambodia’s years as a lens for history. The guide calls it the writer’s favourite museum in Phnom Penh and possibly in all of Southeast Asia. It describes well-designed exhibits with clear English labels and interactive videos. Admission is $5, with the audio guide $3 extra, though the guide says it isn’t necessary. It recommends three hours.

DinArt Gallery is described as a small contemporary art museum and a break from heavier attractions. Entry is free and the suggested visit time is 45 minutes.

Religious sites begin with Wat Phnom, described as the nicest green space in Phnom Penh. It’s said to have shaded tree pathways. sitting areas. benches. and structures including small pagodas and a jet black statue of Lady Penh. the city’s namesake. The steps up from the park to the city’s central pagoda are described as peaceful and elegant.

Al-Serkal Mosque is described as perhaps the nicest mosque in the city. The guide describes the exterior as striking, with two imposing towers topped with Muslim moons over white stonework. It says the inside is well-designed and that an English-speaking staff member told the writer about Cambodia’s Muslim community.

Wat Langka is described as a temple where visitors can participate rather than only observe. Free guided meditations take place Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 6:00 PM and Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM. The guide warns the sessions are “a bit sporadic. ” advising travellers to check in advance and ask monks about the next session. noting many speak English. It also calls the cats hanging around the back “super-cute.”.

Wat Tuol Tom Poung is described as having the most impressive pagoda interior the writer saw in Phnom Penh, comparing its grandeur to cavernous chapels and amphitheaters in Western Europe, but with gold trim and Buddhist iconography.

The guide makes room for hands-on cultural immersion through craft workshops. Essential Oil Workshop is priced at $31 and includes a farm visit to gather ingredients. Chocolate Bar Workshop is priced at $7 and includes watching chocolate being made. choosing a bar type. flavoring it with Cambodian fruits and spices. and taking it home. The Khmer Cooking Class costs $35 and includes a market trip. a prep session in fluent English in a well-equipped kitchen. and cooking Cambodian-style spring rolls. curry. and desserts. with a cookbook to take home.

The guide also includes a Siem Reap Lotus Silk Weaving Workshop priced at $40, describing it as rare elsewhere and including rowing to the middle of a river to collect lotus, spinning it, and watching professionals work.

For a sense of local rhythm, it highlights Olympic Stadium. The guide says it was built in the 1960s and was. at that time. the nicest stadium complex in Southeast Asia. It says much of it was later sold off to land developers and transformed into apartments. but that community spirit couldn’t be fully demolished. It describes the stadium as still great after sunset for locals destressing. with running tracks. pilates classes. volleyball and basketball and petanque courts. and laughter and chatter. It says it’s free, immersive, and a good way to meet locals if you join in.

Street 93 is singled out again. described as a “magic street” lined with shopfronts. street art. old apartments. and local scenery that makes the street feel emblematic. It says Street No. 93 is right next to Al-Serkal Mosque. with colorful art depicting Cambodian people and animals. family-run convenience stores. and charming impoverished homes mixed with vine-choked tenement apartments. The street is described as a dead end that takes about 10 minutes to walk each way. with motorbikes and tuk-tuks passing quietly.

The guide also includes street food—but with caution. It says the writer didn’t care for Phnom Penh’s street food scene despite trying it across five major Cambodian cities and looking for dishes they liked. aside from fresh seafood in coastal towns. It adds a tip: sauces that come with street food are often very good. but many places won’t give sauce unless asked.

For nightlife. the guide describes a street food safari built around exploring after dark. riding a vintage Vespa. passing through local markets and hidden side streets. and sampling dishes. It notes the Vespa format covers more ground than a walking tour and doubles as a fun way to see the city after dark.

And then, unmistakably, Khmer Rouge history. The guide says these two sites are extremely well-done and extremely disturbing. and that they are the reason the writer titled the guide “Southeast Asia’s Most Impactful Capital. ” saying the sights and audio accounts witnessed there made them tear up constantly and will impact them forever. It says these experiences shouldn’t be expected to feel “fun.”.

For both sites, it repeats that the audio guide is necessary. It says the one at Tuol Sleng is worth the extra fee. while the audio guide at Choeung Ek is free. and that the audio is strong enough to allow independent exploration by tuk-tuk without needing a tour. It also mentions that some people may still prefer group tours. and points readers to a free “Echoes of the Khmer Rouge” walking tour of both sites.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is described as built in what used to be the Khmer Rouge’s S21 torture camp. and before that a public high school. Admission is $5 and the audio cassette guide costs an additional $5. The guide describes the layout as moving through the first block. where prisoners were tortured on bare beds; the second block. with tiny cells and many photos of victims; and the final block. with torture devices and techniques used. It says it avoids going into details about particularly upsetting facts—like airflow intentionally blocked and prisoners having salt rubbed into their wounds by sadistic interrogators “supposedly in the name of the country”—but calls the audio recording fantastic. featuring subject experts and family members of victims.

Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre. the Killing Fields. is described as having a serene feel that contrasts chillingly with atrocities explained in detail by the audio guide. It says it’s more visceral than Tuol Sleng and highlights sights such as a head-bashing tree and a stupa full of victims’ skulls. Admission is $5 and the audio guide is included.

It’s a long list for a city that the guide insists still isn’t built for long stays. But that contradiction—small window, heavy past, and a newer, lighter everyday life—seems to be the point. Phnom Penh, in this telling, is not asking visitors to forget what happened. It’s asking them to understand that the city’s forward motion is real. and that even when the ground is steeped in tragedy. people are still living. building. eating. walking. and creating art in the streets around it.

Phnom Penh travel guide Techo International airport Khmer New Year Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum Choeung Ek Killing Fields Wat Phnom Al-Serkal Mosque Tuol Tom Poung Street 93 Passapp tuk tuk Cambodia visa on arrival SOSORO Museum National Museum of Cambodia