Bophana Center

Founded by acclaimed Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh (whose documentary about “The Missing Picture” was nominated for the 2014 Oscar for best foreign language film) in 2006 to preserve and conserve the country’s pictures, movies and songs from the last 150 years, Bophana is a cinema as well as an audio-visual archive. Check the website for their hours and a listing of current screenings, which are mainly held on Saturdays.

Art at Cambodia Living Arts,Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Cambodia Living Arts

Dedicated to reviving traditional Cambodian performing arts, Cambodia Living Arts trains local artists in music, dance, and theater. Their troupe performs regularly at the National Museum, putting on a different show each night (except Sundays) starting at 7pm. The Children of Bassac (currently performed on Mondays and Thursdays) is a snapshot of Cambodia through dance. Check the website for current schedules and to purchase tickets.

Aerial View - Independence Monument,Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Courtesy of Mao Piseth

Independence Monument

Also known as “Victory Monument,” this Angkor-style tower was designed by renowned Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann to celebrate Cambodia’s independence from foreign rule. Built in 1958, the monument’s distinctive form suggests a lotus flower bud and is adorned with Naga heads (multi-headed snakes), a tribute to the motifs found on the towers of Angkor Wat.

Interior View - Sa Sa Bassac Gallery,Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Sa Sa Bassac Gallery

Those interested in Cambodia’s contemporary art scene can check out the current exhibition at this commercial art gallery, which is dedicated to supporting local emerging and mid-career artists. Founded in 2009 by American art historian, Erin Gleeson, Sa Sa Bassac presents quality monographic exhibitions with explanatory materials available in Khmer and English.

Exterior View - The National Museum,Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The National Museum

Next to the Royal Palace, the National museum displays a treasure trove of Khmer art dating from prehistoric times to the present in its distinctive red-sandstone building. Guided tours can be arranged for individuals or groups at the museum entrance. (A one-hour group tour costs $3.)

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Exterior View - The Royal Palace,Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The Royal Palace

Built on the site of King Norodom’s Palace, the Royal Palace is now home to the current King (Norodom’s great-great-grandson) and Queen of Cambodia. The palace grounds, which include several glorious Khmer-style golden-roofed buildings and a tranquil garden dotted with lotus flowers and topiary trees, can be visited when the Royal family is not in residence. Topped with a striking four-faced tower, the most impressive building is the Throne Hall, which dates from 1919 and is a faithful representation of Norodom’s original wooden palace. It’s worth taking off your shoes and checking your camera to enter the Silver Pagoda (so-called because of the 5,000 plus silver floor tiles), at the center of which an emerald Buddha statue sits atop a five-tiered dais.

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Aerial View - Tonle Sap Riverfront,Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Courtesy of Werner Pauwels

Tonle Sap Riverfront

The heart of Phnom Penh’s tourist scene hugs the banks of the river, where you will find lots of Western-style bars and restaurants in restored 19th century colonial villas. But locals also flock to the quay for the cool breezes and food stands that set up in front of the Royal Palace at the end of each work day. One of the nicest ways to enjoy the riverfront is to hire a boat for a magical sunset cruise.

Exterior View - Tuol Sleng Genocide MuseumPhnom Penh, Cambodia - 

Courtesy of Clay Gilliland

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

From 1975 until 1979 this former high school was used as a grisly Khmer Rouge prison known as S-21, through which more than 13,000 people passed before being brutally killed. The museum, where visitors can enter the classrooms-turned-cells (some of which still contain the iron shackles used to contain prisoners), is a difficult but important part of any trip to Phnom Penh. The ground floor displays thousands of black-and-white ID photographs taken of victims who passed through S-21.

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Statue at Wat Phnom,Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Wat Phnom

Not far from the riverfront and built on the city’s highest artificial hill, this active wat (pagoda) marks the legendary founding place of Phnom Penh. The current temple was rebuilt in 1926 on the site where, as legend has it, a temple was constructed in 1434 to house four Buddha statues found in a tree on the flooded banks of the Mekong River. Today, in addition to a steady stream of pilgrims, Wat Phnom is home to elaborate shrines, opportunistic fortune tellers, and frisky monkeys. Vendors sell small birds from cages, which are meant to bring good luck to the person who buys and releases them.

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