A guide will pick you up at your hotel and drive you to Phnom Penh City. Your first stop is Wat Phnom, a 14th-century Buddhist temple. At 27 meters, it is the highest religious structure in the city. Your next destination is the Royal Palace (under renovation) – a majestic building constructed in 1866 by King Norodom. Stroll through its beautiful gardens while admiring the various pagoda style structures. The silver pagoda is named after its floor, which comprises of 5,000 silver tiles. Inside, it houses a gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds. Finally, you will visit the National Museum – a museum dedicated to preserving the Khmer art. Among the hundreds of pieces are examples of pre and post Angkorian art.

See the highlights of Phnom Penh and learn more about the history of Cambodia, starting with the Royal Palace, built by the French in 1866 after King Norodom relocated the royal capital from Oudong. Explore the palace complex to admire the Khmer architecture on the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong River. See the magnificent Silver Pagoda made of 5,329 silver tiles, and hear about different Khmer kings, resident at all times, except during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. Gaze in awe at the jeweled Buddha statues and the Angkor Wat-style Bell Tower. Learn about the turbulent years of the Khmer Rouge at the infamous Tuol Sleng Museum, located in a former high school that was used as the notorious Security Prison 21. See exhibits that tell the stories of some of the estimated 20,000 prisoners murdered and dumped on the notorious Killing Fields.

At 8:00 AM, start your tour of the charming capital with a visit to the city’s namesake, Wat Phnom. The pagoda was built to house Buddhist relics washed ashore by the river. After, you will visit the Royal Palace built in 1866 by King Norodom. See the different structures of this pagoda-style compound and stroll in its beautiful garden. Visit the Silver Pagoda named because of it’s floor that is comprised of 5,000 silver tiles. A gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha are also housed here. Continue to the nearby National Museum. Built in 1917, it is an exceptional example of traditional architecture and is exclusively devoted to preserving and displaying Khmer art and sculptures. Hundreds of pieces are housed here including both pre-and post-Angkorian pieces. At 12:00 PM, your tour will come to an end and your guide will transfer you back to your hotel.

Explore the troubled, but fascinating history of Cambodia on a 6-hour sightseeing tour in Phnom Penh, and visit some of the city’s most beautiful pagodas and palaces, as well as the infamous genocide museum of Tuol Sleng. Following a hotel pick-up, your guide will take you to the Royal Palace, built in 1866 by the French after King Norodom relocated the royal capital from Oudong. Located on the western banks of the Tonle Sap River and Mekong River, the palace complex features stunning Khmer architecture, divided into 4 main compounds. The grounds of the Palace are also home to the Silver Pagoda, which received its name because its floor is made of 5,329 silver tiles. Learn about the Khmer kings, resident at all times, with the exception of the period when the Khmer Rouge took control in 1975. See gold and jeweled Buddha statues in the Silver Pagoda, and the Angkor Wat style Bell Tower. Then, learn about the turbulent years of the Khmer Rouge at the infamous Tuol Sleng Museum. Located in a former high school that was used as the notorious Security Prison 21, the Genocide Museum traces the story of the Killing Fields and the torture and executions that took place from 1975-79. See exhibits that tell the stories of some of the estimated 20,000 prisoners that were killed. Return to the city center for a drop off at your hotel, or a riverside café or bar if you want to take in the sunset.

08:00 AM: Pick up from disembarkation point in Phnom Penh by Cyclos. Visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. Located within the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5,000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90 kilograms and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. Then walk to the National Museum, also called Musee des Beaux-Arts. A French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The museum contains a collection of Khmer art - notably sculptures - throughout the ages. Continue by walk to the restaurant. Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch, continue to visit by Tuk Tuk the notorious Tuol Sleng Museum (S 21 prison). This former school was used as a prison by Pol Pot’s security forces and became the largest center for detention and torture during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. If time permits, end your afternoon with a visit to Wat Phnom temple, Phnom Penh’s namesake. Founded in 1373, the pagoda was built to house Buddhist relics washed ashore by the river.