Phnom Penh With Kids
Things to do – What to Expect – Where to Stay
Visiting Phnom Penh with kids is an amazing cultural experience for both them and yourself! Cambodia’s bustling capital has everything you expect in a South East Asia capital.
Despite the fact the streets are a chaos of motorbikes and tuk-tuks who seem to have no thought for pedestrians, strolling around and taking in the sights and sounds is a whole lot of fun.
There’s enough sights to see to allow a few days here and there are plenty of restaurants and accommodation options. Highlights included the Royal Palace, The National Museum, the mighty Mekong and a Tuk-Tuk tour around the local temples.
Things to do in Phnom Penh With Kids
Visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
The Royal Palace looks similar to the Grand Palace in Bangkok but doesn’t take as long to get around. The Silver Pagoda is within the Royal Palace grounds.
The Royal Palace is the official residence of the king so parts are closed to the public. Visitors can see the throne hall and surrounding buildings and the Silver Pagoda.
The Silver Pagoda (aka Wat Preah Keo or Temple of the Emerald Buddha) features a floor covered in five tons of shiny silver and an Italian marble staircase leading up to it. There is all sorts of goodies in here including a life-sized solid-gold Buddha covered in 2086 diamond, the largest weighing 25 carats.
Shorts that reach the knee and shirts that reach the elbow should be worn to visit the Royal Palace. Unfortunately, photography is not permitted inside the Silver Pagoda.
If visiting the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh with kids, they may get a little bored of a guided talk. I found it easier to walk around at our own pace and read the signage for information. Your hotel will be able to help you out with a guide if you really want one.
Be Inspired at the National Museum
Families can stroll around at their own pace to view the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture. Pieces date back to the 6th century as well as pottery from the 4th – 9th centuries.
It’s not far from the Royal Palace so you can manage both in one long morning.
Take a Tuk Tuk Tour of the City and Temples
There are plenty of Tuk-Tuk drivers around who will happily show your family the sights. This is a great way to save tired legs and kids will love the novelty of riding in the Tuk-Tuk!
You can find a driver on most streets (especially around the River Front and Royal Palace) and there is a good chance they will yell out and ask you first. Your driver will know all the great spots and will happily stop for ice-cream and drinks if the kids need a break.
Your hotel can also organize a driver for you but it will most likely be at a higher price.
Cruise the Mighty Mekong
A sunset cruise along the Mighty Mekong is a must in Phnom Penh. The sunset cruise by Cambo Cruise has an option of a buffet dinner. Although the buffet may be changed to a set menu if not enough people have booked the buffet.
There is a bar on board and nice wooden seating. All in all, it’s a relaxing experience which finishes around 7 pm.
The cruise goes for around two hours and children under four years of age are free.
Don’t Miss The Golden Temple
The Golden Temple (Wat Kean Kleang) is just as its name suggests, a gilded, gleaming temple complete with monks in flowing orange robes. Make sure to check out our You-Tube clip further down to catch a glimpse of it!
Our Tuk-Tuk driver suggested a visit here and it turned out to be a highlight. The inside is covered wall to ceiling in bright, detailed murals. Don’t forget to look up as some of the ceiling are too!
Make sure to take your shoes off before going inside the temple and like most temples, respectful clothing should be worn.
Walk the Streets
Walking the streets and experiencing the chaos of Phnom Penh is an enjoyable experience. However, if the kids are young, hold their hand on or near the road as the traffic heeds no thought to pedestrians.
The riverfront is a more peaceful experience and around the Central Market is more exciting, with plenty of shops and cafes.
The Central Market and the Russian Market
The Russian Market is supposed to be the place to shop for souvenirs and knock-off name brand clothing. Like most Asian markets, it’s tightly packed, extremely hot and you will need to haggle. Our Tuk-Tuk driver advised not to eat here as our ‘foreign’ stomachs might get upset.
The Central Market (aka Psar Thmei) is a landmark domed hall with more air-flow than the Russian Market. There are four wings full of jewellery, watches, clothing, souvenirs, beauty products, luggage and everything else you can think of.
Genocide Museum and Killing Fields
Most families choose not to take younger kids to the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields. However, if you have older children there is a hop-off-hop-on bus available.
I personally don’t usually shield the kids from stuff like this but we didn’t visit because I wasn’t feeling up to the emotional impact of the visit.
Expect a stark reminder of the atrocities committed from 1975 to 1979 during the Khmer Rouge regime when over 17,000 people were taken to the killing fields of Choeung Ek to be killed. Much like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge leaders kept meticulous records of their atrocities.
YouTube Clip of our Visit to Phnom Penh With Kids
Accommodation in Phnom Penh With Kids
When we first arrived in Phnom Penh with kids, we stayed at the VMansion Boutique Hotel. This hotel is really lovely with spacious and clean rooms, lovely staff and hand-painted wall art. I would stay here again in a heartbeat! The food was great and a lot of things were eco-friendly such as bamboo straws and cups.
We stayed in Phnom Penh again for a couple of night before we flew home and were fortunate enough to experience absolute luxury and the iconic Raffles service at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal. If you love luxury or you just want to try it out, this hotel is just perfect for families.
The epic kids’ menu, shallow pool, amazing food and warm welcome all contributed to the positive experience. Raffles was just an amazing experience that I would love to repeat again all over the world!
Need to Know Before you go to Phnom Penh With Kids
What to Expect
Cambodians love children and welcome them everywhere. However, if you’re the type of traveller that needs dedicated change tables, high chairs and can’t do without a stroller, Phnom Penh (and Cambodia in general) is probably not for you.
Supermarkets stock all the necessities required for kids in Phnom Penh.
Visas and Passports
Like most countries, you will need a passport valid for at least six months. A one-month tourist visa is required, which can be obtained upon arrival but you will need to supply a passport-sized photo.
Apply for the visa in advance online via the Cambodian Government E-Visa website. We used the E-Visa website and had zero problems.
Health
The Smart Traveller website has updated advice for health considerations when travelling to Cambodia.
Like most Asian countries (Singapore excluded), don’t drink the tap water under any circumstances and follow the safe eating practice of “cook it, peel it or forget it.”
General Information on Visiting Phnom Penh With Kids
Weather: Most of the rainfall occurs in Sep-Oct and hotels are cheaper. Wet season is June to October. Jan – Feb is nice as the holiday rush is over and a northeasterly breeze occurs on the riverfront. March to May is hot.
Language: Khmer, English and French.
Currency: Cambodian Riel and US Dollar. The USD is accepted everywhere. ATMs give USD to those with foreign cards, but you will most likely get a mix of USD and Riel when receiving change at the shops.
Power: The two-prong round sockets were the most popular outlets here therefore you will need to bring a converter plug with you. The standard voltage is 230 V so if coming from Australia (which has the same) you shouldn’t need a voltage converter.
Getting to Phnom Penh With Kids
Phnom Penh is the main international airport. Check out skyscanner to find a great deal.
If heading to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor Temples next, there are plenty of options for making your way from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap . Book your public transport here, or organise a private driver here. We used a private driver so that we could request to stop for a toilet when needed.
Although it’s possible, I have no experience crossing any land borders from neighbouring countries into Cambodia so I can’t offer any advice.
Looking for More Awesome Family Holiday Destinations?
For more information on visiting Cambodia, head on over to our Cambodia page. For other destinations both in Australia and worldwide, head on back to the home page.
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Resources for Booking a Family Holiday to Cambodia
Flights
Most international flights will land in Phnom Penh although you may get one to Siem Reap. Try searching on Trip.com for a great deal on flights.
Activities and Tours
Viator is a trusted source when it comes to booking activities and tours. Alternatively, your hotel will be able to help you out.
Accommodation
- VMansion Boutique Hotel – Phnom Penh
- Raffles Hotel Le Royal – Phnom Penh
- Ibis Styles Hotel – Siem Reap
- Raffles Hotel d’Angkore – Siem Ream
- Sok San Beach Resort – Koh Rong Island
