Most weekends at the orphanage we went to Phnom Penh to have a break, get resources to take back and some food that couldn't be bought in the village. We would book into a hostel dorm and some of the weekend would be spent chilling or wandering round the city streets; soaking up all the Cambodian culture Phnom Penh has to offer or browsing boutique fair trade shops as well as the markets. We also enjoyed stumbling upon nice cafes and restaurants to eat & drink in.
A visit to Phnom Penh however, would not be complete without a little sightseeing. The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda is set just off the river front in Phnom Penh and is completely enclosed by an ornate gated wall with guards at set stations outside. There is a small entry fee and visitors are charged to take a camera inside - I think it was $5 altogether. It's also a good idea to wear appropriate, respectful clothing covering shoulders and chest otherwise you will be asked to purchase a tee-shirt at $3 (although it does double as a nice Cambodia tee-shirt souvenir if you so wish).
It is also possible to hire a tour guide - there are many waiting outside speaking a variety of languages. We decided that since it was scorching hot we'd be frazzled enough without hearing all the ins and outs of the Cambodian Royal history - usually I'm all for learning, but it really was incredibly hot and I felt happy enough just to wander round and take pictures.
So here they are!...
The surrounding wall:
Some of the many Buddah's around the Royal Palace:
Tara:
I've heard mixed reviews about Phnom Penh's Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda - travelers coming from Bangkok are somewhat underwhelmed because Phnom Penh's Palace is much smaller in comparison to Bangkok's, however not having been to Bangkok yet I didn't have this problem and thought the Asian architecture was beautiful and ornate.
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