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Phnom PenhTravel Guide

Cambodia3 stories

Cambodia's riverside capital pairs gilded palaces and French-colonial boulevards with a fast-rising skyline — and some of Asia's most storied heritage hotels at surprisingly gentle prices.

Is Phnom Penh right for you?

When to come

November to February, the dry and coolest stretch of the year

Around 35°C by day in April, 31°C in December — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

No hour-by-hour route here yet — the guides below cover it by subject instead.

Phnom Penh is inWarm in January
When to go
January: around 32 degrees by day, 22 at night, 12 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
February: around 33 degrees by day, 23 at night, 7 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
March: around 35 degrees by day, 24 at night, 35 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 35 degrees by day, 26 at night, 79 millimetres of rain, some rain.
May: around 35 degrees by day, 26 at night, 118 millimetres of rain, wet.
June: around 34 degrees by day, 25 at night, 145 millimetres of rain, wet.
July: around 33 degrees by day, 25 at night, 162 millimetres of rain, very wet.
August: around 33 degrees by day, 25 at night, 183 millimetres of rain, very wet.
September: around 32 degrees by day, 24 at night, 271 millimetres of rain, very wet.
October: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 248 millimetres of rain, very wet.
November: around 31 degrees by day, 23 at night, 121 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
December: around 31 degrees by day, 22 at night, 32 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

November to February, the dry and coolest stretch of the year

Average daily highs, recorded at Phnom Penh (temperature 1988-2013).

Where this comes from

Deutscher Wetterdienst (via Wikipedia 'Phnom Penh')

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam210 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in January, February, December · a different price level (budget)

  • Siem Reap230 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in January, February, November · a different price level (budget)

  • Bangkok, Thailand540 km

    half a day's travel · both good in January, February, November · a different price level (budget)

  • Hoi An, Vietnam610 km

    a full travel day · a different price level (mid)

Plan itWhere to stay in Phnom Penhad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Phnom Penh

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Phnom Penh

Aerial view over Phnom Penh with tree-lined boulevards, colonial rooftops and the rivers meeting beyond the city
01
Hidden Gems

Green Phnom Penh: parks, gardens and easy escapes

Between the traffic and the concrete, Phnom Penh hides real green: a sacred hill, riverside promenades, boulevard gardens and a silk-weaving island a short ferry away.

Cambodia · 2 min
Aerial view of Phnom Penh's rooftops and city lights at night, Cambodia
02
Stays

Where to Stay in Phnom Penh: Neighborhoods and Grand Classics

From a 1929 grande dame beloved by correspondents to a sky-high newcomer above the city — a neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to sleeping well in Cambodia's capital.

Cambodia · 2 min
A café table seen from above with two heart-patterned lattes and slices of berry-topped cake on white plates
03
Food

Coffee, cake and people-watching in Phnom Penh

Iced coffee thick with condensed milk, French pastry heritage and the world's best riverside promenade theater — Phnom Penh café culture is one of Southeast Asia's underrated pleasures.

Cambodia · 2 min
In pictures

Phnom Penh, framed

The Independence Monument in Phnom Penh at sunset, a motorbike passing the floodlit lotus-shaped tower
Photo: Mark / Unsplash
The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh lit gold against the night
Photo: sam onn chan / Unsplash
BKK1, Phnom Penh
Photo: CJ / Unsplash
BKK1, Phnom Penh
Photo: Pj Go / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Phnom Penh

See and do

Eat and drink

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for Cambodia

Money

Cambodian riel (KHR); US dollars circulate alongside it, though banks no longer issue $1, $2 and $5 notes and change comes in riel

Language

Khmer; English is widely spoken in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and anywhere used to visitors

Power

Type A/C/G, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

Tuk-tuks booked through the Grab or PassApp phone apps are the everyday way around town; longer hops go by coach or domestic flight.

Tipping

Not a local tradition but now normal in tourist places — roughly 10% where no service charge appears, and a dollar or two for tuk-tuk drivers and guides.

Tap water

Tap water is not safe to drink; bottled and filtered water is cheap and sold everywhere.

Driving

Right-hand side; self-drive visitors need a 1949 International Driving Permit with their national licence, and most people hire a driver instead.

Emergency

117 (police), 119 (ambulance), 118 (fire)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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