PNH to Phnom Penh City Centre (Riverside)

The riverside area along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers with the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and National Museum.

Phnom Penh's Riverside district (Sisowath Quay) stretches along the western bank of the Tonle Sap River where it meets the mighty Mekong. This 3-kilometer promenade is the city's social heart, lined with restaurants, bars, guesthouses, and street food vendors. The Royal Palace, with its silver-floored Pagoda and throne hall, anchors the southern end of the riverside and remains an active royal residence with graceful Khmer architecture and manicured gardens.

The city is experiencing rapid modernization while retaining its French colonial charm — yellow-painted colonial buildings along the riverside and in the BKK1 neighborhood mix with traditional Khmer architecture and modern towers. The National Museum, a beautiful terracotta-red Khmer building, houses the world's finest collection of Khmer sculpture spanning the Angkorian period. The nearby Wat Phnom temple on a small hill is the city's namesake and spiritual center.

Phnom Penh's food scene is one of Southeast Asia's most exciting, blending traditional Khmer flavors (amok fish curry, lok lak beef, num banh chok noodles) with French-influenced cuisine and a growing wave of modern restaurants. The night market near the riverside and the Phsar Thmei (Central Market) in its Art Deco dome are must-visit shopping and food experiences.