Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia, its main urban center and one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the country, for its growing commercial activity and for preserving its Asian roots so attractive to the Western world.
For us, the best areas to stay in Phnom Penh are the areas of Daun Penh and Chamkar Mon , strategically located on the east side of Phom Penh, next to the Tonle Sap River, where the most emblematic historical and cultural sites of the city are concentrated, such as the Royal Palace, the National Museum of Cambodia, the Wat Phom Temple and the Independence Monument.In these areas, you can also find the picturesque Central Market and Preah Sisowath Avenue, the most chic and touristic area of the city, as well as a wide range of hotels for all tastes.
Enjoy your stay in Phnom Penh and do not miss the opportunity to live a fascinating experience in the best Cambodian style.
If you are interested in knowing where to stay in Phnom Penh , you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in Siem Reap and where to stay in Hanoi.
Daun Penh and Chamkar Mon, the best areas to stay in Phnom Penh
Between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City is the cosmopolitan city of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, considered one of the most beautiful French cities in Indochina in the 1920s and commonly nicknamed the “Pearl of Asia”.At present, Phnom Penh is the first urban center of Cambodia, its rapid economic growth and its development as a political, cultural and diplomatic center, have made the city an ideal destination for business, it is also a river port with access to the sea of South China, with a strategic geographical position that has enabled it to become a major commercial center in Southeast Asia.
Phnom Penh stands out for the pleasant walks along the Tonle Sap River, the villas from the French colonial period, the street food and the hundreds of motorcycles that pass through its streets.Being a small city, you can walk to many places, but if you prefer, you can take the popular “tuk tuks” to move around easily and cheaply. The most attractive areas of the city are on the east side, next to the Tonle Sap River, Daun Penh to the north and Chamkar Mon to the south.
One of the most popular stops for tourists is the famous Phnom Penh Central Market, also called the Psar Thmei, is a historic building in colonial art deco style that stands out for the great dome of its central hall, one of the largest in the world.In the Central Market you can find: gold and silver jewelry, clothes, shoes, electronics, books, replicas of Khmer pieces and all kinds of articles. It has some circular corridors that make the walk through the enclosure very pleasant. It is a picturesque place where you can appreciate the lifestyle of the locals. For its part, Preah Sisowath Avenue (or Riverside) is the most important of the city and runs along the Tonle Sap River. It is one of the busiest areas because there are many restaurants, shops and hotels.’, ‘At the beginning of the avenue, there is a food and clothing market with a stage where they sing Cambodian pop music.
Among the main attractions in the area of Daun Penh is the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, a series of nine buildings where the Kings of Cambodia live since its construction in 1866.To the north, the Silver Pagoda is located, where the royal temple is located and contains national treasures such as gold Buddha statues inlaid with precious stones, a glass statue known as the Emerald Buddha and a statue of Maitreya Buddha with diamonds, and its floors are made of solid silver tiles; to the southwest is the Khemarin Palace, the residence of the king of Cambodia; and in the center, is the Throne Room, which houses the royal throne and busts of the kings of Cambodia.The Royal Palace is open to the public and is worth visiting to admire its European and Asian style architecture; opposite the Royal Palace is the National Museum of Cambodia, with its pointed red roofs; this museum houses more than 14,000 pieces, one of the largest art collections of the Khmer culture, with sculptures, ceramics, bronzes and crafts from prehistoric times; the main attraction of the museum is the so-called “treasures of Cambodia”, as well as the central gardens of the complex.The main attraction of the museum are the so-called “treasures of Cambodia” and the central gardens of the complex.Originally built in the 14th century, it houses an altar with a large bronze statue of Buddha.Wat Phnom is the centre of the Cambodian New Year celebration and another place of interest is the Independence Monument, built in 1958, which is situated southwest of the Royal Palace and represents Cambodia’s independence from the French.It’s very visited by tourists, who take the opportunity to take some spectacular photos of one of the symbols of the city.it stands in a large roundabout at the confluence of two major avenues of the capital: Sihanouk and Norodom, on the border between the areas of Daun Penh and Chamkar Mon.
