Phnom Penh - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Angkor Wat, islands. For in and around Phnom Penh, the highlight is the food scene and nightlife. - May 2024
It's tough now with so many places not operating due to the pandemic. - Jul 2021
Cycling across the river, weekend escapes, restaurants, art workshops. - Nov 2020
Kampot is a beautiful little coastal city and you should definitely spend some time there. Siem Reap is touristy but a can't-miss place. Sihanoukville has some nice beaches but can be a little seedy. I hear wonderful things about Mondulkiri but haven't been myself. - May 2017
One of the most memorable things we did was to rent boats and cruise on the Mekong River with friends. Many wonderful memories! - Oct 2016
There's some temple on a mountain on the outskirts of town. The only hidden gem in Phnom Penh would be the latest hidden bar or expat restaurant. - May 2015
Hum...Phnom Penh doesn't have a lot going on and is pretty much an open book in terms of activities to do. I think Wat Phnom is one of the nicest spots in the city and many people give it a miss. Weekly foot massages and pedicures are a nice treat. Siem Reap/Angkor Wat is a 45-minute flight away and is great for seeing the temples and is a fun city to visit. Bangkok is a 1-hour flight away; many other vacation spots are in easy flight distance. Beaches are a 3-4 hour drive, too far for me for a weekend, but great for a 3-day trip. - Feb 2015
In Phnom Penh there are movie theaters, lazer tag, ice skating, rock climbing, lots of cafes and malls to hang out at, markets, historical sites and spas. Just outside of Phnom Penh there is Oudong, and a couple hours away is Kep where you can see the ocean and explore the crab market. About 7 hours away there are more beaches with sand, and a little further are the Wats. There are lots of Wats though, so definitely make several trips up there because each one is unique. - Aug 2013
There are a great many opportunities in Cambodia, a place which most tourists come to only for Angkor Wat. The coast is great, whether it be Kep, Kampot, Sihanoukville, Koh Kong, Ream National Park, or the islands. Each place has a slightly different speed. For the more adventurous, there are places like Mondulkiri, Rattanakiri, Preah Vihear, Kratie, etc. There aren't really any blockbuster tourist attractions outside Angkor, but if you can get over that, traveling around the country is great fun. Cambodia is also smack in the middle of Southeast Asia, though air connections leave something to be desired. They're starting to pick up. A connection to Myanmar was just added in 2011. Bangkok and KL are regularly served, as are places like Korea, Taiwan and China. You can also go overland quite easily to Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. - Jan 2012
Swimming & Parks - Aug 2011
Traveling, volunteering opportunities. - Aug 2011
Tuol Sleng (the school turned torture prison where the Khmer Rouge brutally murdered tens of thousands of people), Killing Fields, Royal Palace. After the aforementioned places, there is not much to do besides drinking. It is nice to get out of the city once a month. - Oct 2010
Boat trips on the Mekong, elephant rides in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri, explore Angkor Wat on a bicycle, motorcycling (dirt biking) in the countryside, bicycling along the upper Mekong, take a boat from Lao border to Stung Treng and ST to Kratie (Ramsar wetlands), see the Dolphins in Kratie and Stung Treng, go overland from Koh Kong to Pursat (experienced and adventurous travelers only), travel overland from Phnom Penh to Laos, travel overland from Ratanakiri to Mondulkiri, visit the protected areas in Koh Kong, Mondul Kiri, Ratanakiri. Weekends in Kirirom, Kampong Som, Kampot, or Battambang. Sit by any river anywhere and have a fresh coconut, cold beer, grilled squid or other delicacies. Sit by the river or a park and watch life go by. Get a motorcycle and cruise around town. Eat great and cheap seafood in Kampot, Kampong Som, Phnom Penh or Koh Kong. Go to a spa in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Get a massage. - Feb 2008
