The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

I walked through those golden gates and honestly just stopped. The Royal Palace sits there gleaming white and gold under the Cambodian sun, and it’s almost too much to take in at once.

The Silver Pagoda floor is made from actual silver tiles—over 5,000 of them. I kept thinking about how wild that is while trying not to slip. The gardens gave me a quiet moment away from the street noise, just me and the temple dogs lounging in the shade.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)

This one gutted me. I’m not going to sugarcoat it—walking through a former school turned torture prison is heavy. The empty classrooms, the photos on the walls, the shackles still bolted to bed frames.

I went because I wanted to understand Cambodia beyond the temples and markets. This place forced me to sit with that history, even when it was uncomfortable. It’s not easy, but it matters.

Sunset Cruise on the Mekong River

After S-21, I needed this. I grabbed a cold Angkor beer, hopped on a boat, and just watched Phnom Penh turn pink and orange as the sun dropped behind the Mekong. No agenda. No deep thoughts. Just the river, the breeze, and that feeling of finally exhaling.

Russian Market (Toul Tom Poung Market)

Hot, loud, and completely chaotic—I loved it. I wandered through narrow aisles crammed with silk scarves, knock-off sneakers, and street vendors frying up noodles right there on the spot. I haggled for a scarf I didn’t need, ate soup I couldn’t pronounce, and left sweaty and smiling. That’s the Russian Market.

Wat Phnom

I needed a breather, so I climbed the steps up to Wat Phnom. It’s not a mountain—more like a hill—but it’s quiet up there. Incense, temple bells, locals praying.

The story goes that a woman named Penh found sacred statues washed up by the river and built this temple to house them. The city’s named after her. I sat there for a bit, just watching the city move below.

Rooftop Bars

I’m not usually a “fancy cocktail” person, but Phnom Penh’s rooftop bars got me. Eclipse Sky Bar or Sundown Social Club—pick one, grab a drink, and just watch the city light up as the sun drops.

I spent one night up there laughing with strangers, sipping something with too much fruit in it, and feeling like I had the whole city spread out below me.