I will spend two nights (one full day) in PP. Unfortunately, my schedule is tight and I'm not able to spend longer in the city.

I will fly to PP from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I have a choice of a flight that arrives at 10.50 am or a flight that arrives at 4 pm. I'm not a morning person and the airport in KL is far from the city I would have to get up at 6 am or 6.30 am for the earlier flight. At times my day isn't as productive as I'd like if I have a super early start. I am also worried about reports of pickpockets, bag snatching, etc in PP and am aware I need to be aware of my surrondings. Ideally, I'd rather take the later flight with a 4 pm arrival time.

These are the sights I'm interested in in PP:- the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Central Market, Russian Market, Independence Monument, Vietnam Friendship Monument and the building facades in Colonial Square (not sure if this is it's official name, it's where the Main Post Office is). I have no interest in the Killing Fields.

Assuming I take the flight from KL that arrives at 4 pm, this is the sightseeing schedule I have worked out:-

Day 1 - arrive 4pm, travel to hotel, see Independence Monument , Vietnam Friendship Monument and Colonial Square.

Day 2 - Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda early am. National Museum. Lunch break. Central Market than the Russian Market.

I plan on staying in the Riverfront area, which is why I prefer to start sightseeing at the Royal Palace and Silver Pavillion.

Is this sightseeing itinerary doable? Not sure if I have allowed enough time at the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum.

If this sightseeing schedule isn't suitable the only way to pull this off is to take the earlier flight and cover some sights on day 1 (and drink loads of coffee!).

How bad is theft and bag snatching in PP? That is what worries me the most about taking the earlier flight on day 1, it's no fun to be in an unfamiliar place, need to be on top of things and are feeling up to par.

Any advice on PP will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

While I'd say theft and bag snatching in PP isn't bad, I may have just been lucky! Put it this way, in 4 or 5 visits I've never felt uncomfortable or as if i was being targeted. I have my money in a money belt around my waist and move my back pack to my front in markets. Camera is around my neck and I keep a hand on it as well. I don't want a 5D Mk 2 snatched! In tuk tuks I make sure my back pack is between my legs with a strap around my leg. Just take the same precautions you'd take if you were going out for a night in a city in your own country.

Keep flexible with regard to the Royal Palace. We were going one day and it was closed in the morning as Hun Sen was visiting. However the Russian Market in particular gets fairly hot so a morning visit would not be the end of the world.

Without knowing the depth of your interest, I wouldn't like to comment on whether you are allowing enough time at the Royal Palace etc.

You sound if you are interested in architecture, if so I have a feeling that you can download a map with a walking tour of buildings dating from the French colonial era.

I have been to PP several times over the last 15 or so years and have never had a problem with street theft but, like silverwool, I may just have been lucky. I totally agree with silverwools advice re safety, with one exception. I always carry my camera over my shoulder across my chest. That way if someone does make a grab for it, I won't get half strangled!

On day 2 I would be inclined to swap things around and go to the markets in the morning when there is more activity and it is a little cooler. We too found the Royal palace closed when we first tried to visit but I can't recall whether that was am or pm. Cambodia can be a bit hit and miss at times!

I agree -- you have enough time to see the sights you want to see, even with a 4 pm arrival. Personally I would skip one of the markets. Maybe I had been in SE Asia for too many weeks, but I found the Russian market claustrophobic, out of the way, with little of interest (nothing "Russian" about it, by the way). If you do decide to keep it on itinerary, I second the recommendation to do it in the morning. You may want to add a sunset river cruise on day 2 -- not expensive, easily arranged at riverside, and gives a different perspective on the city.

Thanks for the replies.

I too take the same safety precautions when I travel.

The guidebook I'd read had stated that the Throne Room of the Royal Palace could close to visitors, but didn't mention that the entire complex might close. This is why I never solely rely on information in guidebooks snd like to check things online for the most up to date information.

It would be a disappointment if the complex is closed on the only day I have in the city.

I am interested in architecture. I get the impression the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are similar to sights in Bangkok which I have seen. when I write I'm not sure if I have allocated enough time for these sights, it's because I don't know how large the Royal Palace complex and National Museum are.

I can't do any sightseeing on day 3 as I depart for SR by bus in the morning.

Realistically I won't return to PP anytime soon, maybe I should reconsider the earlier flight on day 1. I will be staying in the Riverfront area so I won't be far from the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda or the National Museum and could visit some of these sights on day 1.

aprillas, we were typing at the same time. The sunset cruise sounds interesting, I would like to do include a sunset cruise time permitting.

Wish I had an extra day in PP.

Hi RJames,
The Silver Pagoda is within the Royal Palace grounds, just a short way down from the Riverside, and the National Museum is within walking distance of the Riverside, if you don't mind the heat. But tuk tuks are fairly cheap you can hire one for usually $12-$15 for a full day or just pick one up for short trips and negotiate the price before you go.

Neither of the sites are that large, so I think you'll have the time. Like crellston said I too would switch day 2 with the markets in the morning and then after lunch strait to the
National Museum for a couple hours since it does not close down for "siesta" and then the to Royal Palace it does close mid day, it is open everyday from 0730-1100 then closes and opens again from 2pm until 5pm.

I personally would want to take the earlier flight but you could pull off your schedule if you came in at 4pm. They have the Independence Monument lit up very nicely at night but it will only take a few minutes to see it also the Vietnam Friendship Monument it is a monument with nice statues on it in the middle of a promenade.

As far as the markets, I think the Russian market is fascinating, you get to see all the real locals buying their meat hanging on racks, live fish ready for you to pick out and have cleaned I think they have the best selections of souvenirs. It is heck-tick and confusing trying to find your way around but that can be fun if you just go with it.
It's called the Russian market because in the 80's a lot of expats live in that area and they were mainly Russian.

The central market, has just been redone the architecture is great well worth going to but is just so sterile and touristy than it was years ago.

The Official Cambodia .gov website is great, this has all the info on the sites you want to see the opening/closing times/cost, etc. I put the link below.

I've lived here for 7 years, and have never had anyone try to steal something but I do take all the precautions. Most people I know here have not had problems.
It seems to happen most to people that have been drinking late into the night and then walking around town plastered.

Hope you have a wonderful trip here!


http://www.phnompenh.gov.kh/phnom-pe...alace-125.html

CanbyPublications is a great web site for info on tons of things here is the link to Colonial architecture
http://www.canbypublications.com/phn...chitecture.htm

Well, I bit the bullet and choose the earlier flight on day 1 (an early morning start....urgh). That way, I have the chance of visiting the Royal Palace on either day (in case it is closed during my stay I felt it's best to have another afternoon to visit the conplex).

Will visit the markets in the morning on day 2 and visit the sights I didn't cover on day 1 in the afternoon of day 2.

Thank you all for the helpful replies and the links.

Count us more who were among the lucky ones, in that we didn't experience or see any street crime in PP. Good advice above. And I too liked the Russian market. Though I usually do like the local market experiences for the types of things such as chiang describes more than for what we might be hoping to purchase ourselves.

If you find yourself tourist-ed out on that first night, consider finding a comfy chair on the terrace of the FCC, under the ceiling fans. Very old French colonial to sit up there with a cold cocktail and watch the geckos on the walls or the nightlife below on the street. Or, go plant yourself on the wall along the quay opposite, a little before twilight. It turned out to be a pretty cool way to end up chit chatting with local people (without actually trying...)