Cambodia is replete with numerous hotels, as well as attractions, so it attracts more and more tourists every year. Phnom Penh is not just the capital of Cambodia, but also one of the largest cities.
It has long been considered one of the most beautiful Asian capitals, but after the revolution and the war, many buildings of historical significance were destroyed. Now the city has been completely restored and turned into a metropolis with modern architecture.
City features
Not far from the banks of the Mekong River is the lively capital of Cambodia - Phnom Penh. It was once considered the most beautiful city built by the French before the war. The city attracts tourists with its local architecture.
Phnom Penh Airport closes at 2am and opens at 6am. This must be taken into account when planning your trip. The easiest and fastest way to get from the airport is by taxi. Its cost is 10-15 euros, it all depends on the area. Right in the parking lot you can rent a tuk-tuk for 6-7 euros or a scooter for exactly the same price.
Not everyone knows where Phnom Penh is. Initially, you need to find Cambodia on the map, and then find the largest city.
Main Attractions
There are a lot of interesting places in the city that should be visited. One of the most famous sights of Phnom Penh is the monastery. It is located on a hill near the Sisowat promenade. The cost of visiting is about $1. Tourists are also offered to rent an elephant. The cost of the walk is $15.
Another attraction of Phnom Penh, which is popular with tourists, is the palace and pagoda. However, in order to examine them, you need to dress so that your shoulders and legs are covered. If the clothes do not fit, then right at the entrance you can rent things, leaving a deposit of only $ 1. You should also visit Wat Botum, located near the King's palace.
Among the main attractions of Phnom Penh, there are many museums. They feature many different exhibits. In the national museum, the most important is the statue of King Jayavarman VII in a meditation pose.
The Tole Sleng Genocide Museum has a very tragic history. Once this historical building was the most ordinary school, which the Khmer Rouge turned into a prison during the revolution. Several thousand people were kept in this place for several years, and they were all killed. Only 8 people managed to get out alive.
Royal Palace
It is located in the heart of the city right on the Tonle Sap waterfront. It is the main residence of kings and the most valuablearchitectural monument. All the most important historical objects are collected in the Royal Palace of Cambodia. A special place is occupied by Buddha monuments carved from precious woods and monolithic boulders.
The territory of the palace is known for its garden of amazing beauty. It resembles the design of the Tuileries and Versailles parks. Everyone who enters this amazing place will forever remember this atmosphere of calm and silence.
Sightseeing should start with a visit to the Royal Palace. Solemn and official state events are still held here. If you're lucky, you can even see the crowned heads with your own eyes. You need to remember the dress code. Shoulders and knees must be covered.
Pagoda
It's just an incredible sight not to be missed. The floor of the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh is lined with silver ingots, which gave it its name. She will not leave anyone indifferent.
Here is the tomb of the king, the imprint of the Buddha, many statues of the deity in full growth, as well as a pavilion for ceremonies. Fancy golden roofs, snow-white walls and massive staircases will allow tourists to take many unique photos.
National Museum
Terracotta buildings, made in traditional style, look just grandiose. The National Museum of Cambodia has 14 thousand exhibits, namely items:
- culture;
- life;
- religions.
The fenced territory of the complex does not leave anyone indifferent. You can walk here for hours. Tourists admire ponds with sparkling fish, gardens with gazebos, shady trees.
The most valuable exhibit of the collection is an impressive collection of sculptures, which occupies 4 halls. It is best to start the tour from the last pavilion and move clockwise to see all the objects in the chronological order of their appearance.
The first exhibit is a part of the statue of the god Vishnu, which was discovered during excavations in the twentieth century. Only the head, shoulders and arms of the deity have been preserved. Another exhibit that deserves attention is the ship of the royal family, which served as a means of transportation along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers.
Many people are amazed by the design and beauty of the betel casket. It has the shape of a bird's body with a human head. The National Museum of Cambodia is open to the public daily from 8:00 to 17:00. Adults can enjoy the sights for as little as $5, while kids under 12 can get in for free.
Genocide Museum
From 1975 to 1979, when the dictator Pol Pot ruled, there was a very difficult time. Then they brutally tortured and killed a huge number of people. The exact number of dead is still unknown.
Supporters of the dictatorship have been hiding the burial places of the victims for a long time. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum used to be an ordinary school, and then it was rebuilt into a prison. According to scientific studies, in the territorymore than 20 thousand prisoners were tortured to death in this institution. They were all filmed before and after being tortured.
Now a museum has been opened at this place. Photographs of murdered people are hung on the walls of the former prison as exhibits. In addition to local residents, foreigners from New Zealand, Australia and the United States were kept in the prison.
When the revolution reached its peak, it began to gradually destroy itself. Generations of executioners who worked in the prison were killed by their successors. Approximately 100 people died daily. At the time of liberation from the dictatorial regime of Phnom Penh, only a few prisoners were found alive. And in the interior and courtyard were found the bodies of 14 prisoners, tortured to death. Their burials in the courtyard are also part of the display.
A visit to the museum is not for the faint of heart, as simple school buildings, a playground and a quiet courtyard are side by side with rusty beds, portraits of prisoners and instruments of torture.
For those who are interested in the history of the country, this excursion will be very useful. This will allow you to learn the details of terrible times and better understand the features of the amazing local culture. This nightmare will forever remain in the memory of the locals and gives a difficult lesson to humanity.
Independence Monument
This is one of Phnom Penh's brightest and most famous sights. The Monument is located on the side of the Tonle Sap embankment, not far from AEON Mall. The monument was erected in 1958 in honor of the fifth anniversary of independence.
Now this building looks quite eclecticagainst the backdrop of adjacent and under construction buildings. This is a very popular place with foreign tourists.
The monument was erected in the form of a Khmer stupa-lotus. To some, it looks more like a pineapple in shape. The style of this amazing building was not chosen by chance, as it resembles the great temple of Angkor Wat and many other historical buildings.
During the most significant public holidays, this monument becomes the main object around which all local residents and foreign guests of the city gather. Inside the pedestal, members of the royal family and high-ranking government officials light a festive fire.
Monument of Friendship
This monument is made in the spirit of the Soviet Union. The Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument is a pedestal on which Khmer and Vietnamese soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder guarding a woman.
The monument was erected in 1979 and commissioned by the Vietnamese communists in memory of the good, friendly relations between the two countries, which were established immediately after the overthrow of the tyrant Pol Pot and his dictatorship.
Wat Phnom
In the northern part of the city there is a majestic temple, about which not much is known, although this amazing monastery is considered by the locals to be the main religious building. It is located on the hill of Wat Phnom.
Here a person literally plunges into another world, as the atmosphere of peace, tranquility, silence and spirituality completely deprives negative thoughts about everyday worries and problems. A person forgets about fatigue and everything in the world. The soul is literally filled with peace, harmony and positive emotions.
Wat Phnom is a fairly popular tourist center in Cambodia. Here you can walk with children in the fresh air, learn more about the history of the city, be inspired by painting and participate in the process of offering to the spirits.
It will take at least 4 hours to fully enjoy your holiday in this unusual place, but they will fly by. The temple looks rather unusual in the evening, as lights are lit near the premises and sculptures.
The entrance to the temple is on the east side. An original staircase leads to the main gate. Bronze snakes serve as railings, and the walls are decorated with beautiful, mysterious, mystical paintings of dragons. The entrance fee is symbolic, only $1.
In the very center of the temple there is a sanctuary "Buddha Stupa", where bronze figurines are located, which, according to legend, was once found by the widow Stump. Locals still come here to pray.
Killing Fields
The policy of the dictatorial regime was not only the complete destruction of traces of power, but also all those who had anything to do with it. The future prisoner was initially given a warning, then he was taken to prison, and it all ended with the execution of the prisoner.
People were beaten out in various ways to confess to imperfect crimes, as well as revolutionary thoughts. They were then sent to Tuol Sleng, where the agonizing torture and executions continued. People died in terribletorment.
Not everyone was executed, many died of starvation and exhaustion, intestinal infections, wounds and torture. The dead were in great numbers. Every week the corpses were taken out on trucks and buried in very deep pits. The largest mass grave is the killing fields of Choeng Ek.
After some time, a temple was erected on this place in memory of all the victims. Its transparent walls are filled with skulls found in mass graves.
Getting to the killing field is quite difficult and you can only do it by taxi, as this burial is located 15 km from Phnom Penh. The journey will take approximately half an hour. The museum complex is open daily. As part of the tour, tourists are offered free viewing of a short documentary film. Taking pictures indoors is prohibited. On the territory of the killing field there are previously opened common graves of prisoners, and untouched graves.
National Park
This is the largest park in the country. It occupies approximately 3300 sq. km. The vast territory of the Viracha National Park is still not fully explored, therefore, scientists are constantly conducting their research here.
It can even take a few days for visitors to walk, so you can find entire tent cities in the park. In Virachay National Park, you can experience unique forest flora, try jungle trekking, stroll through sunny meadows and swim under a waterfall.
Local fauna simply surprises visitors, as leopards, elephants, bears, tigers live in the park. Needbe very careful and bypass the places of their accumulation, marked on the map of Cambodia. All tourists must visit it.
Lotus Temple
Wat Botum is located on Okhan Suor Srun and is a large complex consisting of several separate buildings, including a school and stupas. The facility is located on the western side of the park.
Temple of the Lotus Blooming was built by King Pon Hoi Yat and is one of the most important and original pagodas in Phnom Penh. It got its name from the fact that a lotus pond was located on this place.
For hundreds of years, high-ranking city dignitaries, politicians and monks were buried in stupas on the territory of the complex. The monastery and pagoda were completed in a modern style in 1937, and in the 70s of the twentieth century they were closed by the Khmer Rouge, but they were not destroyed. In 1979, the pagoda was reopened and is still used for its intended purpose.
On the outside of the attraction there are several quite noticeable and significant statues. To the left of the main entrance is a large stupa guarded by snakes and giants with daggers in their teeth. Inside the temple is decorated with scenes from the life of Buddha.
