Phnom Penh,Siem Reap
 

WE can fly to PP from Bkk spend a day and then fly to SR. Is PP a worthwhile stop?
We can also fly directly to SR from Bkk.
Any advice and opinions greatly appreciated

I will probably be in the minority but I think that PP is well worth a visit for a day or two. The National Museum, Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and Wat Phnom are the main tourist stops. Visit the two markets (central and russian) and the new Sorya Mall for shopping. To understand a little about what Cambodia has gone through in the past and why it is so poor visit both the Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide) and the Choeung Ek (The killing Fields) outside of town. A very sobering experience. At night have a drink or a meal at the famous Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) or one of the many other good eating places. You will find that PP and SR are entirely different and many do not like PP at all.

If you have the time, sure, do it. But if you are pressed for time or it would take time away from Siem Reap, then skip it. You can't really do/see much in one day.

from everything i read PP is not worthy of anyones time, unless time is of no consequence....more time in SR would be more beneficial i feel or more time in bkk...

I agree with Scotters. Phnom Penh is worth a short stop for a day or two. Actually I enjoyed PP a lot and it's too bad many travelers limit their experience of Cambodia to one place (SR/Angkor) and think that's the whole country. You will get a very different and interesting perspective if you visit PP too. To me, Siem Reap is like a tourist bubble, whereas PP is the real Cambodia with far less tourists.

I stayed only one night, arriving late afternoon the first day from SR, having a full day in PP to explore the next day, and flying to Bangkok late that same evening. It was a very good stop and well worth it. A day longer would have been interesting, but you can get a flavor of the city on a short visit too.

I recommend the new Amanjaya hotel, a boutique property right by the river and within walking distance of the Royal Palace. From your balcony you can look out over the river and temples. Perfect. www.amanjaya.com

Then I would recommend getting an early start the next day and visiting the Royal Palace and the National Museum. Both are great. There's some really interesting colonial architecture and leafy green streets if you know where to look. One particular street is full of stylish shops and cafes that are popular with local expats. Good stop for lunch and people watching.

I think it's important to visit the Tuol Sleng museum. I don't know how someone can visit Cambodia and not experience this very important part of the history. It is necessary. Go to the Killing Fields as well if you have time.

There are markets in town and plenty to keep you busy. There are a few very good antique shops in PP. In fact one of them, Hanuman Antiques, is one of the very best antique shops I've see in all of SE Asia. It is far superior to any of the shops in Siem Reap. The high end shopping in SR is also very overpriced. I found out about Hanuman Antiques from "The Pleasure and Treasures" shopping guidebook series. The authors said it was an excellent shop and I can confirm this. I would go back to PP just to visit this shop again. It is full of treasures you won't be able to resist. So, for all of these reasons, I would say do plan on a short visit to PP if you possibly can. Also, when in SR, try to venture beyond the usual tourist center.

I have to agree with Scotters and Mealea. I thoroughly enjoyed Phnom Penh when I was there. We spent a full day and evening there. The royal palace and silver pagoda were beautiful. The Russian market was full of interesting items. I too am glad I saw Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields. Although not an easy afternoon, I feel like I have a better understanding of the people and their history. Also spent a most enjoyable evening on bar balcony people watching. I found it to be just an interesting place overall. I would like to go back to see some of what I missed, like Wat Phnom and do a little more shopping and exploring.

Yes, I agree with you guys. Phnom Penh is worth to visit. You just spend 2 days you can feel how Cambodian people live.

Places to visit
-Royal Palace
-National Museum
-Killing fiel
-Koh Dach where people do their traditional clothes

You can enjoy the night life around the riverside.

I thoroughly enjoyed the four days I spent in Phnom Penh.

The Toul Sleng Prison and Choeng Ek Killing Fields were harrowing yet an essential part of understanding Cambodia.

We were fortunate as we timed our visit to coincide with the annual Bon Om Tuk festival so the city was buzzing on the first night to landed.

It was great to see the future of Cambodia, the kids, having such a great time.

I kept a travel journal of my visit. Feel free to read my thoughts on Phnom Penh as well as Siem Reap and Angkor.

_________________________________
Cambodia Trip Report
http://www.colin-julie.com/travel.htm

the website you recommend is a commercial website for tours.

For excellent (non-commercial) information on Cambodia, I recommend www.talesofasia.com This is THE best resource for people wanting to overland from Thailand to Cambodia.

Hi Katie

Were you responding to my website recommendation ?

My travelogues are certainly not a "commercial website for tours" ?
Where did you get that idea from??


I totally agree with your recommendation though ! :)
Tales of Asia is a great resource on Cambodia.

Colin, I wasn't responding to your post, I was responding to a post that was removed. Of course, now that the offending advertising has been removed, it looks like I was responding to your post!

I don't just recommend Phnom Penh, I consider it a MUST in order to get a true Cambodian experience, in particular see Toul Sleng and the Choeung Ek.

Yes it is a shame most people fly from Bangkok to SR and then just leave and think they have seen Cambodia. :(

I definately agree with everyone here who has actually been to PP and can speak from person experience that it is well worth a visit. As someone said it has things that will really enhance your understanding of Cambodia as a country and its people. I do also agree with Kathie that you really have to take into account the total length of your visit to decide if you really have time to visit both places.
Happy travels.
j

I agree that PP is a worthwhile stop. Although we haven't been yet, I'm researching our trip for next summer, and I've found that there is a lot to see and do in PP. There are some great posts already here that have very good ideas.

I think that seeing only Siem Reap for the temples provides a very limited view of the country

It may not be the nicest place in the world to go, and there are as many people who love it as those who don't.
Our party of 4 was split in opinions, all 4 of us disliked it on arrival, and by the end, 2 loved it, 2 of us said we'd never go back.
But, I am glad I went. I felt it was very important to see the city, talk to the people, go to S21 etc, in order to get a better idea about what the country has gone through. Cambodia is so much more than the temples at Angkor, and to say "you've done Cambodia" by soley going to Angkor is a huge disrespect to the country and the people.
We stayed 3 nights, 2 days. 1 day we went to s21, killing fields, royal palace/silver pagoda, national museum. the next day, 2 of us went to cooking school, and the other 2 wandered around the markets and took a boat trip.

if you fly to both siem reap and pp, then you should be able to get the discovery pass, and save a few $.

Aha, .. thanks for your explanation Katie! :)