Phnom Penh

Cambodia’s riverside capital is a compelling mix of old and new, where gilded palaces and French colonial villas meet bustling boulevards, artistic revival and deep-rooted history.

Phnom Penh is a city that surprises. Sitting at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers, Cambodia’s vibrant capital blends cultural richness with an unhurried charm. Parisian-style cafes line wide, leafy boulevards, while gilded stupas and saffron-robed monks signal the enduring presence of Khmer tradition. The Royal Palace and famous Silver Pagoda dazzle with regal majesty, while the National Museum houses one of South-East Asia’s finest collections of Angkorian art and sculpture.

Visits to the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum offer sobering insight into Cambodia’s recent past under Pol Pot’s regime. Although sombre, such sites are essential to understanding the capital’s fierce spirit of revival and recovery, a spirit beautifully embodied in Plae Pakaa, a series of spellbinding performances curated by Cambodian Living Arts, celebrating the country’s artistic resurgence.