Sitting on the banks of the wide and languid Mekong River, a bustling trading port and capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh is a beguiling and intense addition to a South East Asia exploration. Stroll along the riverside promenade at sunset with the people of the city, call in to the profusion of small cafes and restaurants serving delicate flavours of Cambodia and Indochina as well as international cuisine. See the ornate palace, explore the central market and visit the fascinating museums and monuments detailing Cambodia’s turbulent ancient and recent history.

Phnom Penh is a fascinating city to visit for a few days, a bustling South East Asian hub. Being connected to Ho Chi Minh City via the Mekong and with links to Angor and the beach resorts of the south, Phnom Penh is a beguiling addition to any trip in Indochina. As a first taste of Phnom Penh, a stroll along the promenade which follows the curer of the wide Mekong reveals locals trading, families gathering at the end of the day and a view of this busy waterway.

Call into a café or bar and watch the world pass bay, especially in late afternoon as the sun casts and orange glow on the river. Here by the river you can see the ornate Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and some of the remaining French colonial architecture of the city. In the bustling centre, locals and tourists alike haggle for food and souvenirs in the central market, with some wonderful local artisan stalls.  

On a guided tour of the city, appreciate the ancient history of the city and experience some of the remains of the turbulent twentieth century years of war and upheaval, including the haunting Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng prison museum – a former school standing as a sober yet important testament to dark times. Phnom Penh defies conventions and creates and impression on all who visit.