Phnom Penh 4 Day Itinerary
Four days gives Phnom Penh’s core sights room to breathe and adds a genuine day trip once the city itself is covered. Fly into Techo International Airport, budget 45-75 minutes into town, and base yourself in Riverside/Daun Penh or BKK1 for the walk to the Palace.
Day 1
Open at the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (about $10) for the 7:30am session, dress code enforced at the gate, then the National Museum of Cambodia (about $10) nearby for Khmer and Angkorian art. Lunch at Friends (215 Street 13), $10-15 per person. Spend the evening walking Sisowath Quay as the light drops over the river. Concrete tip: keep your Palace and Museum tickets until you’re clear of the grounds, since staff sometimes check on the way out.
Day 2
A solemn half-day at Tuol Sleng (S-21) (about $5, plus a $5 audio guide) followed by Choeung Ek (about $6 with audio guide), 15km south, 30-45 minutes by tuk-tuk, roughly $15-20 round trip. Give the morning fully to these two sites. In the afternoon, shift to the Russian Market for souvenirs and silk, and close with dinner at Romdeng, $10-15 per person, in a converted colonial villa. Concrete tip: build in a break, even an hour back at your hotel, between the memorial sites and the market.
Day 3
Visit Wat Phnom ($1) in the morning, then the Central Market (Psar Thmei), the 1937 Art Deco building, before the midday heat. In the afternoon, stop at Wat Ounalom, Cambodia’s Buddhist headquarters, free with a donation, and the Independence Monument. End with a sunset river cruise (roughly $15-20, an hour to 90 minutes) over the Chaktomuk confluence. Concrete tip: the Russian Market and Central Market both expect bargaining; starting around 50-60% of the asking price is a reasonable opener.
Day 4
A full-day trip to Tonle Bati, about 30-40km south, an hour’s drive, pairing a small Angkorian-era temple called Ta Prohm with a lakeside popular for local picnics. Combine it with nearby Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, home to rescued elephants and sun bears, if you have the time. Agree a return tuk-tuk fare, including wait time, before you set off, or arrange a car through your hotel. Concrete tip: bring cash in small denominations, since neither stop has reliable card payment or an ATM nearby.
For a version without the day trip, see the 3-day itinerary , or keep going with the 5-day itinerary for a highland trip to Kirirom. The day trips guide covers more options beyond Tonle Bati.