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Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

Royal Palace, Phnom Penh: Our most recommended tours and activities

Phnom Penh: Mekong River Sunset Cruise

1. Phnom Penh: Mekong River Sunset Cruise

Start the tour with a hotel pick-up in the afternoon before transferring to the boat pier. Climb aboard the boat for a trip on the Mekong River, where you can enjoy a joint sunset cruise on the Mekong and Tonle sap rivers. Enjoy a sunset view of the colonial sights in Phnom Penh Capital City, the beautiful developing capital city of Cambodia. The riverfront offers views of some of the city’s most interesting sights including you a great opportunity to explore the Mekong. See Tonle Sap, Four Faces River, the Royal Palace, and Diamond Island. Discover the quaint fishing neighborhoods comprised of stilted houses. Relax and enjoy the sunset with free-flowing drinks (beer and soft drinks) and fruit platter, before back to your hotel.

Phnom Penh Small Group City Tour

2. Phnom Penh Small Group City Tour

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.

Phnom Penh City Tour + Mekong River Boat Trip

3. Phnom Penh City Tour + Mekong River Boat Trip

Following a hotel pick-up at 08:00 from Phnom Penh City area hotel, your first stop will be Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is one of Phnom Penh’s most splendid architectural achievements. Next, head to Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh, a phenomenal area in Cambodia filled with hundreds of years of history. You will visit Cambodia's National Museum, offering a charming setting for a stunning collection of ancient Khmer art. Next up, you visit Wat Phnom. The temple has a strong connection with the establishment of the capital city of Cambodia. The current name of the city Phnom-Penh in native language means literally the hill of Ms. Penh. Wat Phnom temple was built in 1373.  After lunch at your own cost, you will board your boat and travel down the Tonle Sap River to where it meets the mighty Mekong River. You are cruising past the floating villages and onto the first of two islands. Your boat will first dock in the village of Prek Bongkong on Silk Island. Enjoy a tour of the working silk farm known as Heng Naysim Traditional Cambodian Weaving House, to see how silks are made by tracing the steps from collecting the silk from silkworms, to crafting the final shimmering sheets. You will have the opportunity to purchase beautiful handmade silk products direct from the farm. You will spend one hour back at Phnom Phen city by the same 1-hour boat ride. You will proceed to visit the Independence Monument. Built in 1955, this symbolizes Cambodian independence gained from French colonialism in 1953. This monument is a copy of the Bakong temple (a temple from the Rolous group of the 9th century). The one-hundred Nagas and snake motif can be seen in  historical, cultural, archeological, and business contexts. At approximately 18:00, you'll arrive back at your hotel in Phnom Penh city area where the tour will end.

Half Day Royal Palace, National Musuem and Wat Phnom Tour

4. Half Day Royal Palace, National Musuem and Wat Phnom Tour

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.

Best of Phnom Penh: Half-Day Private City Tour

5. Best of Phnom Penh: Half-Day Private City Tour

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.

Phnom Penh Private Tour: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, S-21

6. Phnom Penh Private Tour: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, S-21

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.

Phnom Penh Dinner Cruise

7. Phnom Penh Dinner Cruise

Enjoy a special evening away from the hustle and bustle of central Phnom Penh with this relaxing, evening dinner cruise. Board a comfortable and cozy cruise boat to see the city from a whole new perspective: the Mekong river. Admire the sunset over the Royal Palace while enjoying a refreshing cocktail. After sundown, savor a catered dinner from one of Phnom Penh’s most established restaurants. Treat yourself with international cuisine, including vegetarian dishes. Relax and soak up the calm atmosphere on this leisurely cruise while you enjoy your meal and take in the many sights along the riverbank. Watch the evening unfold from the water and see local families and friends socializing, before cruising back to the port for a transfer back to your hotel.

Phnom Penh: Historical Guided Tour

8. Phnom Penh: Historical Guided Tour

Our driver and knowledgeable guide will be waiting for you at your hotel, ready to take you on an incredible journey. Wat Phnom is your first stop when exploring the city and it is a 14th-century Buddhist temple that stands at 27 meters tall, making it the highest religious structure in this area. This temple has a long history, offering visitors insight into the culture and religion of Cambodia. The complex features several highly decorated structures, including a large stupa at its center. Then, head to the Royal Palace are home to King Sihamoni and closed off to the public, but you will be able to visit the sacred Silver Pagoda that lies in the palace complex. This sacred site provides an opportunity to experience a unique part of Cambodian history, culture and art that no other place in the country can offer. Your included visits to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum will introduce you to the tragic legacy of the Khmer Rouge. Your expert guide will tell you the story of this period in detail, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of this dark chapter in Cambodia's history.

Phnom Penh: Guided Historical Day Tour by Cyclo and Tuk Tuk

9. Phnom Penh: Guided Historical Day Tour by Cyclo and Tuk Tuk

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.

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What people are saying about Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 173 reviews

Picked up in a tuck tuck and greeted by friendly and welcoming staff. The tour guide, on board, was knowledgeable, warm and entertaining, giving us a great insight into the different ways of life, along the river. Generous with beer and soft drinks and the fruit platter was a nice touch. Our tour guide even turned into a professional photographer! The sunset, on the Mekong, was absolutely beautiful! Lovely trip.

This tour is a great start to any trip to Phnom Penh and to Cambodia in general. Be ready to live the most intense emotional rollercoaster ever, as you’ll go from the magnificent Royal Palace to monuments that were the theater of the darkest times in human history. If you have children under 20 with you don’t take them on this tour, though. I’m an adult and some monuments traumatized me.

This cruise was excellent. We were out of the pick up zone and they still accommodated picking us up. The day was overcast, and there wasn’t much of a sunset, but you can’t pick the weather. However, the atmosphere, the tour guide, the people and overall experience was unforgettable. Highly recommend

We really enjoyed our tour. Our guide Sophy was extremely helpful, kind and very informative. He also gave us lots of nice recommendations of things to do and places to eat in Phnom Penh after our tour. We would really recommend this tour. Thanks Sophy.

Excellent guide who really brought history to life for us.