Phnom Penh Travel Guide
Emerging Again as a Pearl of Indo-China
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One time jewel of Indo-China, Phnom Penh is a lovely, laid-back old city still with a crumbling grace and beauty not often found in other Asian capitals. Wide boulevards, wats, markets and the city’s riverside frontage combine to give it much appeal and a reason to linger longer than the usual day or two.
Said to be ‘founded’ in the 14th century by a rich widow who created a shrine for 4 Buddha statues she found on the banks of the Tonle Sap the city is relatively young.
It sits at the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Tonle Bassac rivers and became capital in 1432 when the then king was fleeing Angkor and the invading Siamese. Wats were built as was the Royal Palace – all can still be seen today – before in 1505 the capital was moved to Lovek and Phnom Penh became a backwater again.
By the 17th century it had once again thrown off its shackles as a fishing town and was a hive of activity with traders from China, India and Europe all to be seen here. It passed variously between Siamese and Vietnamese hands until in 1863 King Norodam signed the treaty that allowed the French to take control of their new protectorate. A grand colonial town emerged, the decaying yet beautiful remnants of which can be seen today.
The country and Phnom Penh gained independence in 1953 but in 1975 the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot began their eviction of the population and a 3-year destruction of the city. By the 1990’s the Vietnamese who followed the Khmer Rouge had left and UN UNTAC force was here inadvertently fuelling a massive building program as hotels and bars opened to ‘service’ the troops.
Today the infrastructure is still poor but work is going on to repair and restore buildings and roads. It remains a battered and yet somehow appealing capital with a distinct atmosphere of optimism.
Attractions in Phnom Penh
At the end of Norodom Boulevard in the north of town stands Wat Phnom where the city is supposed to have been founded. Close by is the old French Quarter, boasting some of town's most impressive surviving colonial architecture.
The National Museum behind the Foreign Correspondents' Club is worth a look whilst west of Monivong Boulevard is Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), a morbid and yet essential visit to the city, as are the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek.
In central Phnom Penh is Psar Thmei, the famous Central Market and to the east the Tonle Sap river where there are bars and restaurants and is a highlight of the city. Don’t miss the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the imposing pagoda of Wat Ounalom, one of the oldest in Phnom Penh.
Activities in Phnom Penh
Allow two days in the city and more if you can. You can easily explore by moto, however a guided tour will add much to your experience.
Relaxing
There’s one place that draws visitors and locals alike as moth to a lamp and that’s the riverfront – the perfect place to relax with great bars and eateries that come alive at night.
Getting Around
The riverbank is a great place to stroll and indeed the city is foot friendly to an extent. Best however is the moto and cyclo – the Cambodian cycle-rickshaw. Remorque-mots – tulk tuks – are a new addition to the transport scene but are justifiably more expensive than the humble moto.
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