Today we began our trip in Phnom Penh, it is Christmas but the majority of Cambodian are Buddhist, so there are only few decorations and christmas tree present. I set up my alarm at 6 am, but snooze it and slept until 7 before showering. We had breakfast at the rooftop bar, which is windy but offers great view to the city. The sun was shining through at still low level, creating shadows among the trees on the riverside. People were cycling and vehicles started to crowd the street.

Morning View from Harmony River Hotel, Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh Cityscape from Harmony River Hotel
The first site we visited today was the Grand Palace, where the King still lives on the complex until today. It was built in the 14th century and has been renovated in the late 90’s. There are three main buildings in the main complex and another big temple on the side. As in Thailand, there are lots of Buddha statues and stuppas on the site.

Grand Palace Complex, Phnom Penh

Grand Palace Complex, Phnom Penh

Then we continued our trip for 30 minutes to Choeung Ek, or known as the “killing fields”. It is where thousands of people are battered, slaughtered, and killed by the Khmer Rouge regime. There is a big stuppa containing the bones of the deceased and story around the fields. If you are traveling without a tour guide, there is an audio tour. We also watched 15 minutes film about the genocide

Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument

Khmer Rouge Victim’s Skull displayed in Choeung Ek

Monument in Choeung Ek (Killing Fields)

Killing Fields Complex
We drove back to the city afterwards to visit S21, a high school that was converted into prison, where people that is a potential opposition of Khmer Rouge is interrogated and tortured before being sent to the killing fields. We have lunch at David’s Noodle, a small restaurant recommended by TripAdvisor. It was great, we tried pork dumplings and the noodle soup with vegetables, both of them delicious

S21 Prison or also known as Tuol Sleng Detention Center

Regulation in Tuol Sleng Detention Center

S21 Detention Center Barbed by Wire

David’s Noodle

Nearby David’s Noodle, there is a museum of art. We walked there and spent 30 minutes around the museum, inside there are stupas, statues, and artefact from Pre and Post Angkorian era. The next stop was Central Market where there are gold and silver jewellery sold, watches, salon, and everything you could imagine. There is not much to see in the Central Market, but it is a large complex, so it might take 30-50 minutes to walk around. Afterwards, we were dropped at Sorya Shopping Small, a small and old shopping mall with nothing worth to see.

Phnom Penh Museum of Art

Monks at Phnom Penh Museum of Art

Phnom Penh Central Market

So we took a tug-tug and take a ride around the city, including to Diamond Island where new constructions are being build. We stopped at Aeon shopping mall, a luxurious (by Asean standard) mall with lots of foods inside. It was on par with shopping malls in Jakarta. It was around 4 when we finished touring the mall, we took another tug-tug to Frangipannie hotel, which has a rooftop bar and offers great view for sunset

Riding a Tug-tug in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh Cityscape from Frangiepannie Hotel

Crowd outside the Grand Palace, taken from Frangiepannie Hotel, Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh Cityscape at Sunset

Phnom Penh Cityscape at Sunset

We visited Wat Phnom after dark, a large stupa illuminated by tungsten light. Then we headed to Nagaworld and gamble for couple hours. I lost $6.75 this night, inside they have luxury boutique (Rolex, Omega, Cartier) in the hotel and also many affordable restaurants.

Wat Phnom at Night, Phnom Penh