Discover Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh – a completely different side of Cambodia

After a few days among the temples of Siem Reap, it was time to continue south towards Phnom Penh. It was quite a noticeable change. From the quiet areas around Angkor Wat, I returned to a real capital city with much more traffic, people and noise. Phnom Penh immediately felt more intense, but at the same time there was something exciting about returning to city life.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived was the traffic. There were scooters, cars and tuk-tuks almost everywhere and it felt like the city was constantly moving. After the quiet days on Koh Rong and the more peaceful areas around Angkor Wat, it took some time to get used to the pace. At the same time, these are exactly the kinds of contrasts I like about travelling. One day you can be lying on a beach and the next day you can find yourself in the middle of an Asian capital.

I actually found it quite enjoyable to simply walk around Phnom Penh and see what happened. It was not always the major attractions that were the most interesting. Sometimes I could walk along a smaller street and discover little shops, food stalls or restaurants I had never heard of before. It is often during these kinds of walks that a city starts to feel more real.

The heat did make me slow down a little, though. It was hot and humid and after a longer walk you could feel your energy disappear quite quickly. I therefore learned fairly quickly not to try to walk around all day without breaks. A cold drink, some shade and some time at a café made a big difference.

One of the places I visited was the Royal Palace. It was interesting to see the more historical and royal side of Phnom Penh. The buildings and detailed roofs were quite different from what I had seen earlier during the journey. It was also a good contrast to the more hectic city life just outside the area.

I also walked around the Silver Pagoda and thought the area had a very special atmosphere. There were many details to look at and it was clear how important religious culture is in Cambodia. After seeing all the temples around Siem Reap, it was interesting to experience another type of religious architecture, this time right in the middle of the capital.

Another part of Phnom Penh that I really appreciated was the area along the Mekong River and Tonlé Sap. Towards the evening it became much more lively. People came out to walk, exercise or simply sit and talk. I enjoyed walking along the river and watching everything happening around me. It was a simple activity, but it gave me a good feeling for what everyday life in the city looked like.

Food was also a big part of the stay. Phnom Penh had a much larger selection than Koh Rong and it was fun to try different Cambodian dishes. I ate at both simple local restaurants and slightly more modern places. What I appreciated most was that you could find really good food without it having to be particularly expensive.

I also tried to eat at smaller local places whenever I could. There it often felt like you got a more everyday view of the city. It was not always the most comfortable restaurant or the nicest interior, but the food could be really good. Personally, I think these kinds of experiences often become more memorable than simply going to restaurants designed for tourists.

Phnom Penh was also a city where I felt I needed to be a little more alert than in the quieter places I had visited earlier. With lots of traffic and people, it is important to keep an eye on your belongings and be careful when crossing roads. Tuk-tuks were an easy way to get around when the heat became too much and the distances felt too long to walk.

Something that made one of the biggest impressions on me was that the city is not only about attractions and restaurants. There is also a very heavy history here. I visited Tuol Sleng and got a much darker picture of Cambodia's history than I had experienced during the rest of the journey. It was a difficult but important visit and it made me think a lot about how quickly a country can change and how much history still affects the people who live there.

After such a visit, it was almost nice to walk back out into the city and simply continue walking. Phnom Penh continued as usual around me. People were eating, riding scooters, talking to each other and continuing with their everyday lives. That contrast made the visit even more thought-provoking.

I also enjoyed the evenings in Phnom Penh. When the temperature dropped a little, it became much more pleasant to walk around. I could go out for food, walk along the river or simply sit at a café and watch people. There was much more to do in the evening than I had initially expected.

What I mainly take away from Phnom Penh is the contrast. It is a city that can feel very intense, but at the same time there are quiet places where you can relax. There are modern areas, old buildings, markets, temples, restaurants and the river – all relatively close to each other. I think it is this combination that makes the city interesting.

After a few days, it was time to leave Cambodia. I had now travelled through several different parts of the country and seen the beaches of Koh Rong, the temples of Siem Reap and the city life of Phnom Penh. The next stop would be Varanasi in India, which felt like another major step in the journey.

It felt almost a little special to leave Cambodia because the country had been so varied. I had experienced relaxing beach days, some of the world's most impressive temples and a lively capital city all during the same trip. Now India and Varanasi were waiting, a place I knew would be something completely different.