Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace gleams beside the Tonle Sap River while just a few kilometres away S-21 stands as one of the most sobering memorials on earth — no other city walk carries such emotional range. This phnom penh walking tour companion is paired with “PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Riverfront Walk – 4K 60fps” — a walk along the Sisowath Quay riverfront that captures the city’s contemporary vibrance alongside its architectural and historical heritage.

About This Walking Tour

This 4K 60fps walking tour covers the Sisowath Quay — the main riverfront promenade of Phnom Penh running along the Tonle Sap River where it meets the Mekong. The promenade is lined with colonial French-era buildings now housing cafes, restaurants, and guesthouses, and faces a wide river where cargo boats, tourist vessels, and traditional fishing craft move constantly. The Royal Palace compound, whose golden spires are visible from much of the riverfront, is directly accessible from the Quay.

The full Phnom Penh heritage walk begins at the Royal Palace complex — built under French supervision by King Norodom in 1866 and still the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni — and extends to the Central Market (Phsar Thmey) with its remarkable Art Deco dome designed by the French architect Van Molyvann in 1937, Wat Phnom hilltop shrine, and the National Museum. For many visitors the walk also includes Tuol Sleng S-21 Genocide Museum approximately 2 kilometres south — the former high school converted to a torture prison by the Khmer Rouge, where the weight of what occurred there is profound and should not be rushed.

Highlights of Phnom Penh

The Royal Palace’s Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo) takes its name from its floor of 5,329 silver tiles weighing one kilogram each. Inside is a Baccarat crystal Buddha seated on a gold throne, a life-size gold Buddha set with 9,584 diamonds, and a 1904 Emerald Buddha. The palace compound includes the throne hall (Tinnokor Vinicchay) with its distinctive spire, and an impressive mural in the gallery depicting the Reamker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana.

The Central Market’s central hall is a 1930s Art Deco masterpiece — a dome surrounded by four wings extending into the open market, the whole structure in cream-yellow stucco. The market sells jewellery, watches, clothing, electronics, and street food and operates from early morning to evening. Phsar Nath (also called the Psar Nath) market nearby is more locally oriented and good for fresh food and household goods.

Tuol Sleng S-21 was a high school converted to a detention and torture centre by the Khmer Rouge in 1975, operating until Vietnamese forces liberated Phnom Penh in January 1979. Of the estimated 17,000–20,000 people detained there, only 12 survived. The museum preserves the cells, interrogation rooms, and the systematic photographic record the Khmer Rouge kept of all prisoners. The museum is important but deeply disturbing; plan sufficient time and emotional preparedness.

A Brief History of Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh became the capital of the Khmer Empire after the fall of Angkor in the 15th century and has been the Cambodian capital almost continuously since. The city was developed substantially by the French colonial administration from 1863, which imposed a grid of wide boulevards and built the administrative buildings that define the riverfront character. Independence from France was achieved in 1953 under King Norodom Sihanouk.

The Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot captured Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975 and immediately evacuated the entire population of approximately 2.5 million at gunpoint, declaring “Year Zero” — a complete erasure of the existing social order. The city stood almost empty for four years until Vietnamese forces drove out the Khmer Rouge in 1979. The period 1975–1979 killed an estimated 1.5–2 million Cambodians — approximately a quarter of the country’s population. Modern Phnom Penh has rebuilt and grown to a population of approximately 2.2 million.

Practical Tips

Phnom Penh International Airport is 10 kilometres west of the city centre; tuk-tuks and Grab are widely available. Cambodia uses the US dollar alongside the Cambodian riel. Royal Palace admission is $10; Tuol Sleng admission is $3 for the museum, more for audio guides. The riverfront walk from the palace to the northern end of Sisowath Quay is approximately 3 kilometres. All sites can be reached by tuk-tuk for approximately $2–5 per journey.

Best Time to Visit

November through April is the dry season and most comfortable for walking. The Bon Om Touk (Water Festival) in November draws massive crowds to the riverfront for boat races on the Tonle Sap. The late rainy season (September–October) sees the Tonle Sap River flow at its most dramatic.

Watch & Explore More

The full 4K riverfront walk is embedded above. Find more Cambodia and Southeast Asia content at the @walkingtoursvideoscom channel. Related posts: Siem Reap’s Angkor Wat temple complex walk and Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 walk.