Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, was a very brief stop on our tour of Southeast Asia. It was really just a layover point for us while traveling from Siem Reap in the north to Kampot in the south. Phnom Penh contains many of the same things we have seen in other Southeast Asian cities…temples, night markets, and museums. Once again we need a break from all of that. We used our two days to walk the streets of this city…what a great place for people watching. The four of us also visited the Killing Fields and learned about Pol Pot.
Here are some of my photos as we walked along the streets around our hotel (these were taken in 2015). The streets were crowded and congested, but the people are so friendly and have a great sense of humor here. And like I said earlier…this is a great place for people watching.
The Streets of Phnom Penh
This is 13th street in Phnom Penh, not far from the Royal Palace and our hotel, The Artist Guesthouse.
Motorbikes in Phnom Penh
Most of the people here get around by motorbike. Motorbikes are cheap and fuel efficient. For much of the year it rarely rains and it is always warm, further eliminating the need for a car.
We saw motorbikes going down the road with four and five people on them. It is not unusual to see a man and woman on a motorbike with a toddler sandwiched in between them. We have also seen ten year old boys riding solo on motorbikes, their backpack on their backs, traveling to or from school. Almost no one here wears helmets. They should because crossing the intersections are insane!
Our favorite mode of transportation here is the tuk tuk. In Phnom Penh we could hire a tuk tuk driver for the day for only $15. It’s hard to beat that!
People on the Streets
The Interesting Things You See
This was another common sight, a cart filled with some sort of produce, maybe lemongrass, again I am not really sure. This is being pulled by a man driving a scooter.
How many monks can you fit in a tuk-tuk?
King of Cambodia
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy, with the King as the head of the state and the Prime Minister the head of the government. The current Prime Minister, Hun Sen, is a former Khmer Rouge member and one of the longest serving Prime Ministers in the world.
The Local Market
We toured a local market, one of our favorite activities when we travel. This is the place to go to purchase meat and eggs, freshly beheaded fish, and so much more.
And finally, one of Phnom Penh’s many pharmacies.
This concludes our photo tour of the streets of Phnom Penh. From here, we travel south to Kampot and then on to Vietnam.
More Information about Cambodia & Southeast Asia
SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA: One of the best things to do in Siem Reap is to explore Angkor Wat and the nearby temples. Don’t miss our guides on Ta Prohm and Bayon, two beautiful temples that are well worth your time.
LAOS: Learn more about how we spent one week in Luang Prabang, Laos.
BEST OF VIETNAM: For a list of the best experiences in Vietnam, check out our Vietnam Bucket List.
BANGKOK, THAILAND: For a list of top experiences, check out our article Best Things to Do in Bangkok. We also have an article about where we ate and drank in Bangkok.
TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY: For more information about the camera gear we carry, check out our Travel Photography Gear Guide.
Are you planning a trip to Cambodia? Read all of our articles about Cambodia in our Cambodia Travel Guide.
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Comments 8
Hi Julie!
I’m going to be traveling to Phnom Penh for a week and I have a very severe allergy to peanuts!
Would there be any restaurants you could recommend?
I don’t mind eating a typical western diet for the whole duration. I saw that Burger King is available, would that be my safest option?
Thanks in advance!
Hello. In Cambodia, we never ate at a Cambodia restaurant because of Tyler’s peanut allergy. In Phnom Penh, we ate at Cocina Cartel twice (I just looked it up and it looks like it’s still open). This is Mexican restaurant similar to Chipotle in the US. It’s decent Mexican food, considering you are in Southeast Asia. But yes, Tyler ate at a lot of McDonalds, Subway, and Burger Kings in Southeast Asia and China. Cheers, Julie
Hi: Interesting about the eggs. Good photos. In hiring a tuk tuk driver for a day, how do you go about doing this? Do you ask your hotel to arrange one, or do you just go out on the street and if someone looks good you select him? Where all did you go and see on your tuk tuk day in Phnom Penh? Thanks
You can do either…have your hotel arrange it or just grab one off the street. If we needed a tuk-tuk all day, we usually hired one through our hotel, negotiating the entire price for the day. If you get one on the street, negotiate your price before you get into the tuk-tuk. How much you can talk them down depends on the country you are in, so you can always ask at your hotel for ballpark prices so you know what to expect.
In Phnom Penh, we took a trip out to Tuol Sleng Prison and the Killing Fields. I highly recommend it. It’s a similar experience to visiting Auschwitz, so be prepared for thought-provoking, heartbreaking stories.
Cheers, Julie
Julie, I don’t know if you know this or not, but as long as you don’t wash eggs after they have been laid, they do not need refrigeration. Now, the meat…I don’t think I would eat it, but the eggs won’t hurt you.
Cheers, Pat
Yes, we have learned that about the eggs while traveling. Still, the first time you see it, especially coming from the US, it looks crazy! Now I wonder why we go through all of that trouble to wash the eggs and refrigerate them?! It seems like a waste of time and energy for nothing.
Wow, Julie your pictures are phenomenal! I loved the school boys + the black + white guys on their motor bikes. It’s so cool to see the crowded street scenes. I love farmers markets + always check them out when I travel, so seeing all the Cambodian food- in close up, was a treat! God speed!
the scene is pretty much alike our city’s daily fresh food market, but there are several large supermarkets such as Wal-Mart chain store built signally in main streets as well.