Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia, a city of 2.3 million at the point where the Mekong, the Tonle Sap and the Bassac rivers meet. The Khmer capital moved here from Angkor in 1434; the French colonial period left the city wide boulevards, yellow painted villas and an Art Deco central market, and in the 1960s Phnom Penh was counted among the most elegant capitals in Asia. The Khmer Rouge regime of 1975 to 1979 emptied the city and killed a quarter of the country; Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek are the memorial sites of that period. Today the riverfront, the royal palace, lively markets and a young population greet the visitor in a city changing fast, and Angkor is a bus ride or a short flight away.
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See flights to Phnom Penh →When to visit Phnom Penh
November to February is the easiest period: the dry season, days of 29C to 32C, cool nights and boat races on the river at the Water Festival in November. March to May is dry but oppressive, with 36C to 38C in April and the city empty for three days at Khmer New Year. June to October is the rainy season; the rain mostly lasts an hour or two in the afternoon, the greenery is at its fullest and prices at their lowest, and September and October are the wettest months.
Things to do in Phnom Penh
Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
The palace complex on the riverfront was built in 1866 for King Norodom and is still the residence of the royal family; visitors see the throne hall, the gardens and the pavilions with golden roofs. The floor of the adjoining Silver Pagoda is laid with five thousand silver tiles, and its gold Buddha of 1907 is set with about ten thousand diamonds. Shoulders and knees are covered and it closes at midday. With the National Museum opposite it fits into one morning.
National Museum of Cambodia
The terracotta red building just north of the palace was built in 1920 on the model of Khmer temple architecture and holds the largest collection of Khmer art in the world: Vishnu statues of the 6th century from the pre Angkor period, an eight armed Vishnu brought from Angkor and the seated portrait of King Jayavarman VII. The galleries surround a tropical courtyard. It gives the context before a trip to Angkor and an hour and a half is enough.
Wat Phnom
The temple on the 27 metre artificial hill that gave the city its name stands, according to legend, on the site of the first pagoda built in 1372 by a woman named Penh to house Buddha statues she found in the river. The present building dates from 1926; the stairway is lined with naga serpents and inside are murals of the life of the Buddha. The park around the hill fills with families and vendors in the evening, and the great clock and the French era buildings lie just below. It is within walking distance of the riverfront.
Central Market
The Central Market, known as Phsar Thmei, sits under an Art Deco dome built by French architects in 1937; four halls radiate from the 26 metre yellow dome, and at the time it was counted the largest market in Asia. Beneath the dome are jewellers and watch sellers, in the wings clothing, electronics and souvenirs, and in the outer courtyard fruit and street food. Early morning is the coolest and easiest time. Bargaining is expected, starting from half the first price.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
The former high school in the south of the city was the Khmer Rouge prison known as S-21 between 1975 and 1979; of the roughly 18,000 prisoners who passed through it, only a handful survived. The classrooms remain as cells and the photographs of the prisoners are displayed on the walls; the audio guide makes the visit calm and comprehensible. The Choeung Ek memorial 15 kilometres south of the city, with the fields where the victims were buried and the stupa that holds their bones, is the second half of the visit. It is a heavy but unavoidable half day for understanding Cambodia.
Sisowath Quay
The quay stretching three kilometres along the western bank of the Tonle Sap is where the city gathers in the late afternoon: families picnic on the lawn in front of the palace, and at sunset river boats set out on hour long cruises to the point where the Mekong and the Tonle Sap meet. The cafes and restaurants along the quay occupy French era buildings. This is where hundreds of boats race at the Water Festival in November. It is walked between the palace and Wat Phnom.
Flights from Turkey to Phnom Penh
Flights to Phnom Penh from Turkey leave Istanbul Airport on Turkish Airlines; the route opened in December 2025 and runs three days a week on a Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft makes a short stop in Bangkok, passengers stay on board and the total time from Istanbul to Phnom Penh is about 13 hours. Flights land at Techo International Airport (KTI), opened in September 2025 and now the city's only airport; it lies about 20 kilometres south of the centre and a taxi takes 40 to 60 minutes.
Phnom Penh FAQ
How many days do you need in Phnom Penh?
A day for the palace, the National Museum and the riverfront, half a day for Tuol Sleng with Choeung Ek and half a day for the markets and Wat Phnom fill two days. For most travellers the city is the gateway to Angkor: the six hour bus or one hour flight to Siem Reap stretches a Cambodia holiday to a week, and the Kampot and Kep coast to ten days.
How far is the airport from the city centre?
Techo International Airport is about 20 kilometres from the city centre. A taxi or a car called on the Grab app takes 40 to 60 minutes depending on traffic, and a bus service links the airport and the centre. The old Phnom Penh airport closed to commercial flights in September 2025 and all flights now land at the new airport.
Do you need a visa for Cambodia?
A Turkish passport needs a Cambodian tourist visa; the 30 day visa is issued on arrival at the airport or in advance through the official e-visa site and costs 30 US dollars. For the visa on arrival keep a passport photo and dollars in cash ready. The passport must be valid for at least six months, and the visa can be extended once inside the country.
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