Phnom Penh Tour: Royal Palace, Museums & Markets

Eight stops across Phnom Penh's temples, palaces and the weight of recent history

A full-day private tour of Phnom Penh with hotel pickup, English-speaking guide, and all entrance fees included. You visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the National Museum's Khmer sculptures, Wat Phnom and Wat Ounalom temples, and two genocide museums that document Cambodia's 1975–1979 civil war. The day ends at Russian Market, where you can browse local goods before returning to your hotel around 6pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Royal Palace1h · entry included
2. Silver Pagoda1h · entry included
3. National Museum of Cambodia1h · entry included
4. Wat Phnom1h · entry included
5. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum1h · entry included
6. Choeung Ek Genocidal Center1h · entry included
7. Wat Ounalom1h · entry included
8. Russian Market1h · entry included

Full day Phnom Penh city tour

• Pick up from hotel
• Visit Royal Palace
• Visit Silver Pagoda
• Visit National Museum
• Visit Wat Phnom
• Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
• Lunch at own cost
• Visit Choeung Ek Genocidal Center
• Visit Wat Ounalom
• Visit Russian Market
• Return to hotel

The experience

The Royal Palace stands as one of Phnom Penh's most significant architectural achievements, home to the Cambodian monarchy. Next door, the Silver Pagoda holds centuries of historical treasures and sculptures within its grand structure. The National Museum, built between 1917 and 1920 in traditional Cambodian design, houses ancient Khmer art carved from sandstone, spanning both Angkorean and pre-Angkorean eras alongside more recent works. Wat Phnom, the temple that gave the city its name (Phnom Penh means "the hill of Ms. Penh"), carries deep significance to Cambodia's founding.

The tour includes two museums documenting the Khmer Rouge period of 1975–1979. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum occupies the former high school S-21, where the regime detained and interrogated thousands. Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, where an estimated 20,000 Cambodians were killed, has been converted into a visitors' center. The ground itself carries the weight of this history, and after heavy rains, fragments of clothing and bone still surface from the soil. Wat Ounalom, the oldest Buddhist foundation in the city, serves as home to the Buddhist patriarch and offers a quieter spiritual space within the day's itinerary.

Russian Market closes the tour: the most popular market among tourists and expats, known locally as Phsar Toul Tom Poung. It earned its English name from Russian expats who frequented it during the 1980s, and today it's the best place to pick up souvenirs and local goods. Pickup from your Phnom Penh hotel happens in the morning, and you return around 6pm after the market visit, traveling in an air-conditioned private vehicle with your guide throughout.

What’s included

• Your tour includes an English-speaking experienced guide and transport by air-conditioned private vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off within the Phnom Penh city area.
• and all entrance fees to the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Wat Phnom, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, and Wat Ounalom.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Child (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearby

Operated by Mam Holidays

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't need to arrange transport or navigate to the starting point yourself, and the private vehicle keeps the group just your party, so the pace and stops stay under your guide's control rather than a shared schedule.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Royal Palace like when you visit it on this tour?

The Royal Palace is one of Phnom Penh's most splendid architectural achievements and serves as the residence of Cambodia's monarchy. It is included as the first major stop on the full-day itinerary.

How long does the tour take from hotel pickup to drop-off?

The full-day tour runs approximately 10 hours, with pickup from your Phnom Penh city area hotel in the morning and return around 6pm.

What do the two genocide museums cover?

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum occupies the former high school S-21, where the Khmer Rouge detained and interrogated thousands between 1975 and 1979. Choeung Ek Genocidal Center marks the site where an estimated 20,000 Cambodians were killed during those four years. It now functions as a visitors' center documenting this period of Cambodia's history.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included and is at your own cost. The tour resumes after you eat.

What can you do at Russian Market at the end of the day?

Russian Market is the most popular market among tourists and expats in Phnom Penh, known locally as Phsar Toul Tom Poung. It's the best place to pick up souvenirs and browse local goods before returning to your hotel.

Does the guide speak English?

Yes, your guide is an English-speaking experienced tour guide who leads the full day with you.