Cambodia's capital grew up at the Four Arms, where the Tonle Sap meets the Mekong and the Bassac branches off. Sisowath Quay follows the river down to the Royal Palace.
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Phnom Penh was built at the Four Arms, Chaktomuk in Khmer: the Tonle Sap joins the Mekong here and the Bassac splits off toward the delta. In the rainy season, the Mekong flood pushes the Tonle Sap back up to the Great Lake; in 2025 the Mekong River Commission recorded this reverse flow from May 29, and the water normally turns back toward the Mekong between September and October. Sisowath Quay runs along the bank from the Royal Palace to the edge of Wat Phnom, the hill that gave the city its name.
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The promenade follows the Tonle Sap to where it meets the Mekong. At weekends, from 6 pm to 11 pm, the stretch between streets 94 and 240 goes pedestrian: stalls, craftspeople and shows. On the quay, the fan-shaped Chaktomuk Conference Hall is by Vann Molyvann (1961).
The king's residence is partly open to the public, Silver Pagoda included: $10 in cash, 8 to 11 am and 2 to 5 pm according to recent guides, with closures for ceremonies. Cover shoulders and knees; suitable T-shirts are sold at the entrance.
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Next to the Palace, red Khmer-style pavilions built from 1917 to 1924 hold more than 14,000 objects from prehistory to post-Angkor: one of the largest collections of Khmer art. Entry $10, 8 am to 5 pm.
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Inscribed as World Heritage on July 11, 2025, together with the former M-13 prison. Tuol Sleng, the high school turned into S-21 prison, is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm ($5, audio guide $5). The Choeung Ek centre, 11 km south, keeps its memorial stupa ($6 including audio guide).
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On the hill stands the temple that gave the city its name: legend has it that around 1372 Lady Penh sheltered Buddha statues found in the river here. Entry $1. A few streets away, the art deco Central Market opened in 1937 under a 26 m dome.
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An island in the Mekong north of the city where silk is still woven on wooden looms, even as young people leave for the garment factories. Go by tuk-tuk via Road 6 and the Friendship Bridge, then a ferry across the Mekong.
Bags and phones: as in many big cities, thieves on motorbikes snatch bags and phones from people on foot and in tuk-tuks, especially on the riverfront and in Boeung Keng Kang. Carry your bag on the side away from the road and choose tuk-tuks with grilles.
An adults-only colonial villa near the Royal Palace, a hotel with two pools just behind it, and a neighbourhood guesthouse in Dangkao, near Techo Airport.
Photo: The Pavilion
An adults-only colonial villa with a shaded pool, spa and two bar-restaurants; the property supports urban heritage conservation.
≈ $132 a night
Photo: Plantation Urban Resort & Spa
Two outdoor pools, a spa, gym, restaurant and bar, a ten-minute walk from the riverfront.
≈ $168 a night
Photo: Stay Sweet
A neighbourhood guesthouse with a restaurant, lounge and terrace; bikes and cars for hire, paid airport shuttle.
≈ $44 a night
Booking affiliate links · average nightly price checked in October 2026
20 km south · taxi $10 to $20
Opened on September 9, 2025, it replaces the old international airport. Taxi or ride-hailing (Grab, PassApp) for $10 to $20 depending on where you go, according to the airport. Arriving by air, the free e-Arrival form is filled in within the 7 days before.
Minibus or bus · 4.5 to 5 hours
Departures from 8 am to 5 pm, then night buses, €9 to €12: Virak Buntham, Lana Express, Airbus and Capitol, among others.
Tickets and times on 12Go Affiliate linkBoat or minibus · 6.5 to 9.5 hours
The Hang Chau speedboat runs down the Mekong into Vietnam, border included: departs at 12:30 pm from Sisowath Quay, 1,580,000 dong in cash until May 2027. On 12Go, minibuses leave at 6:45 am and 8 am, €29 to €37.
Tickets and times on 12Go Affiliate linkBus · 5.5 to 7 hours
Siem Reap: vans and buses day and night, around €10 (Larryta, Ebooking, Virak Buntham). Ho Chi Minh City: buses from 4:30 am to 3:30 pm, €17 to €29 (Capitol, Airbus, Kumho Samco).
Buses and times on 12Go Affiliate linkTimes and prices checked on October 11, 2026 on 12Go and the Hang Chau website: check again before you travel.
November to January are the mildest months: 30 to 32 °C in the afternoon, 23 °C at night and little rain. April approaches 35 °C. The monsoon runs from May to October, peaking in September and October at nearly 250 mm a month.
| Month | J (current month) | F (current month) | M (current month) | A (current month) | M (current month) | J (current month) | J (current month) | A (current month) | S (current month) | O (current month) | N (current month) | D (current month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airhigh / low | ||||||||||||
| Rainmm | ||||||||||||
| Daysof rain | 3 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 11 | 5 |
| Mekonglevel | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Rising | High | High | High | High | Falling |
| Our take | Ideal | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Ideal |
| Month | Low – high | mm | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan (current month) | 15 | Low | |
| Feb (current month) | 8 | Low | |
| Mar (current month) | 38 | Low | |
| Apr (current month) | 88 | Low | |
| May (current month) | 154 | Low | |
| Jun (current month) | 156 | Low | |
| Jul (current month) | 156 | Rising | |
| Aug (current month) | 180 | High | |
| Sep (current month) | 247 | High | |
| Oct (current month) | 248 | High | |
| Nov (current month) | 77 | High | |
| Dec (current month) | 27 | Falling |
4 tours to book in Phnom Penh
Affiliate links GetYourGuide · Prices checked October 11, 2026
from$10
Availabilityfrom$23
Availabilityfrom$49
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AvailabilitySources: climate, Open-Meteo (ERA5 archive, 1991-2020 averages); Tonle Sap, Mekong River Commission (2009 and report of September 22, 2025); Sisowath Quay, CambodgeMag (February 2026); Royal Palace, Along Dusty Roads (October 2025); National Museum, Asia for Visitors; Chaktomuk Hall, National Museum and Central Market, Wikipedia; Tuol Sleng, official museum website; World Heritage, Cambodian Ministry of Culture (2026); Choeung Ek, Along Dusty Roads (2024); Wat Phnom, Asia for Visitors; Koh Dach, Move to Cambodia; Water Festival, Cambodianess (July 2026); airport, Techo International Airport; entry and safety, FCDO; e-Visa, VNA (December 2024); boat to Chau Doc, Hang Chau (2026-2027 fares); boat to Siem Reap, Move to Cambodia (March 2026); transport, 12Go (checked October 11, 2026); activities, GetYourGuide (checked October 11, 2026). Updated on October 12, 2026 by Pierre-Marie Coupry.
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