Itinerary · Cambodia
How many days in Phnom Penh? A 2-night, 3-day route
Phnom Penh needs 1 to 2 nights. A 3-day route: National Museum and Royal Palace, Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek, then Wat Phnom and the Independence Monument.
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How many days: 1 to 2 nights, this route uses 2
The Phnom Penh guide suggests 1 to 2 nights. The Royal Palace, the National Museum and the riverside Walk Street sit in one neighbourhood, and the city also holds the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, which remember the Khmer Rouge years, plus Wat Phnom and the Independence Monument.
The guide's basic plan is two days. Day 1 is the National Museum → Royal Palace → on a weekend, an evening on the riverside Walk Street; Day 2 is Tuol Sleng → Choeung Ek → Wat Phnom → Independence Monument → the airport. This post keeps the same order over three days: Day 2 is just the two memorial sites, and Day 3 covers Wat Phnom and the Independence Monument before the airport.
Getting from the airport to the city has its own post, so it is kept short here.
Day 1: arrival → National Museum → Royal Palace → weekend evening on the Walk Street
Phnom Penh's flights use Techo International Airport (KTI), opened on 9 September 2025, about 20 km south of the city. Take the Airport Express Bus (daily 05:30-23:30; check the fare officially) or a taxi (about USD 10-20 to the city, depending on drop-off). Check the airport name and code on your ticket so you don't mix it up with the old airport.
After check-in, start with the National Museum. It opens daily 8:00-17:00 with last tickets at 16:30; foreign adults pay USD 10 and ages 10-17 USD 5. The visitor entrance is at the corner of Streets 13 and 178. Photography is not allowed in the galleries, only of the exterior and courtyard, and large bags go to the cloakroom by the entrance.
The museum stands right next to the Royal Palace, so walk on to the palace; check its hours, fees and dress rules officially. On a weekend, spend the evening on the riverside Walk Street, which runs up to the front of the palace, with food and souvenir stalls and performances; check its opening days and hours officially. If you arrive too late for the 16:30 ticket cut-off, move the museum and palace to the morning of Day 3.
Day 2: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum → Choeung Ek Genocidal Center
In the morning, head to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) on Street 113 in Boeung Keng Kang (BKK). A high school built in 1962, it was turned into the S-21 prison under the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979) and became a memorial museum in 1979. On 11 July 2025 it was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage together with Choeung Ek.
Then go to the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, where prisoners interrogated at S-21 were executed. The Tuol Sleng museum places it about 15 km from the city; check hours and fees officially. Use a taxi or a ride-hailing app, and confirm the fare before setting off.
Both are heavy places, so this day is kept for the two memorial sites only. If it is a weekend, the riverside Walk Street is an option for the evening.
- Tuol Sleng hours: daily 8:00-17:00 (including public holidays)
- Tuol Sleng fees: foreign adults USD 5, ages 10-17 USD 3, under 10 free (ID required); cash only (riel or US dollars)
- Audio guide: USD 5, available in Korean among other languages
- Etiquette: cover arms and legs at commemorative and religious sites; no food, alcohol or smoking on the museum grounds, and no mobile phones inside the exhibition buildings
- The museum notes the exhibits may not be appropriate for visitors aged 14 and under
Day 3: Wat Phnom → Independence Monument → the airport
Start the last day at Wat Phnom, which the Ministry of Tourism names, together with the Royal Palace and the riverfront, as a Phnom Penh highlight; the government calls it the Wat Phnom Historical Site. Check hours and fees officially, and as a religious site, wear clothes that cover arms and legs.
Next is the Independence Monument, which marks independence from France on 9 November 1953. Every year on Independence Day the King lights the Victory Flame here, and it burns for three days.
Then leave plenty of time for the airport, about 20 km from the city. The Airport Express Bus runs along Monivong Boulevard and stops at places such as in front of Royal Cambodian Railways; a taxi between the city and the airport is about USD 10-20. If you missed the National Museum or the Royal Palace on Day 1, fit them in first this morning.
Where to stay and how to get around
Pick one of the guide's three areas to match your plan: the Royal Palace and riverside for the walking-heavy Day 1, Boeung Keng Kang for an early start at Tuol Sleng on Day 2, or the Monivong Boulevard area if you will use the Airport Express Bus.
Getting around means walking, city buses, and taxis or ride-hailing apps. The National Museum, Royal Palace and riverside Walk Street are easy to link on foot, and Phnom Penh City Bus runs daily services including the Airport Express Bus (check routes and fares officially). Confirm the fare before getting into a taxi or ride-hailing car.
- Royal Palace & riverside (around Preah Sisowath Quay): first visit, evening walks. The Walk Street runs from Street 94 (Baksey Chamkrong Street) to the front of the palace
- Boeung Keng Kang (BKK): visiting historic memorials. Home to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (Street 113)
- Monivong Boulevard & railway station area: airport transfers. The Airport Express Bus runs along Monivong Boulevard and stops in front of Royal Cambodian Railways
Budget, when to go and final checks
Entry fees are USD 10 for the National Museum and USD 5 for Tuol Sleng (audio guide USD 5 extra), so about USD 15-20 for both museums. An airport-city taxi is about USD 10-20; check the Airport Express Bus fare officially. Accommodation is most of the budget, so compare prices for your dates on booking sites. Tuol Sleng takes cash only, so carry small dollar notes and some riel.
The Ministry of Tourism lists Phnom Penh as a year-round destination. During Khmer New Year (three days from around 14 April every year), New Year events are held at Wat Phnom and on the riverside Walk Street, and every 9 November the Independence Day ceremony takes place at the Independence Monument. Check event schedules and seasonal weather officially. During the Pchum Ben holiday (set by the lunar calendar, so the dates change every year; check the official calendar), roads and buses can be busy with people travelling home.
Check entry requirements officially before you travel, and check your government's current travel advice for Cambodia.
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FAQ
How many days do I need in Phnom Penh?
The guide suggests 1 to 2 nights. With 1 night you follow the guide's two-day plan as it is; with 2 nights you can give the memorial sites a full day.
How do I shorten this to 1 night?
Day 1: National Museum → Royal Palace → on a weekend, the riverside Walk Street in the evening. Day 2: Tuol Sleng → Choeung Ek → Wat Phnom → Independence Monument, then leave plenty of time for the airport about 20 km away.
Can I pay by card at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum?
No. It accepts cash only (Cambodian riel or US dollars). Foreign adults pay USD 5, and the audio guide is USD 5.
Is it suitable for children?
The Tuol Sleng museum notes the exhibits may not be appropriate for visitors aged 14 and under; entry is free under 10 (ID required). With children, you may want to spend more time around the National Museum, Royal Palace and riverside Walk Street.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Angkor Wat · LBM1948 / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Airport taxi rank (Hong Kong International Airport) · Nicolas1981 / CC BY-SA 3.0