5 Hidden Gems In Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh’s headline sights, the Royal Palace, the National Museum, the memorial sites, cover most first-time visits. These five are the stops that don’t make the standard list, but reward the time if you have an extra afternoon.
Wat Ounalom
Phnom Penh’s Buddhist headquarters, seat of the Supreme Patriarch, sits quietly on the riverside a short walk from the Royal Palace, and most visitors walk right past it toward the more famous Wat Phnom. The temple is said to enshrine a hair from the Buddha’s eyebrow, and its riverside courtyard is a genuinely calm counterpoint to the crowds a few minutes away. Entry is free, though a small donation is customary.
The old railway station
The French colonial-era railway station on Monivong Boulevard is easy to overlook, but it’s worth a stop for the building alone; passenger rail still runs from here on Cambodia’s two main lines, to the coast at Sihanoukville and toward the Thai border via Battambang. Even if you’re not taking a train, the station forecourt and clock tower are a quiet slice of the city’s colonial-era architecture without a ticket required.
Independence Monument
Built in 1958 by architect Vann Molyvann, this 37-meter lotus-shaped stupa commemorates Cambodia’s independence from France. It’s less a destination than a photo stop most visitors pass without pausing at, on the wide roundabout south of the Palace grounds, but it’s genuinely one of the more distinctive pieces of mid-century Cambodian architecture in the city, especially lit at night.
Aeon Mall, Sen Sok
Not the obvious pick for this list, but a tuk-tuk ride out to Aeon Mall in Sen Sok is a useful reset after a few days of heat and temple-hopping: air conditioning, a food court, and an indoor ice rink that surprises most first-time visitors. It’s a genuinely popular spot with local families on weekends, not just a tourist stop.
The riverside backstreets
Away from the main Sisowath Quay promenade, the backstreets running parallel to the river are worth a slow walk, especially in the late afternoon, for a look at daily Phnom Penh life that the riverfront itself, geared heavily toward visitors, doesn’t show. Bring small USD bills if you want to stop for a coffee or fruit shake along the way, since smaller vendors rarely break large notes.
For the sights everyone sees first, the Phnom Penh travel guide covers the Royal Palace and the memorial sites, and the best photo spots guide has more on framing the Independence Monument and the riverside at golden hour.