Phnom Penh tour, Cambodia travel

Phnom Penh was founded in the mid-14th century by the Khmers as a monastery, but didn't become the capital until 1866 when Cambodia became a French Protectorate. The city has long been a vital trading hub at the confluence of three rivers: the Mekong, Tonle Sap, and Bassac.

The 20th century was a difficult one for Phnom Penh and Cambodia: it was occupied by the Japanese in WWII, then sided with the North Vietnamese against the Americans, resulting in them dropping bombs on Cambodia and causing a flood of refugees into Phnom Penh.

The most dramatic history of Phnom Penh was when it lay vacant; the leader of Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, made an eviction order in 1975, the city was deserted in a period of hours, almost all of Phnom Penh's residents moved to the countryside. They didn't return until 1979 under the authority of Vietnamese troops.
 
The invasion by the Vietnamese in 1979 started the very slow recovery of the city and country and it endured political turmoil until UN-backed elections in 1993 and the crowning of King Sihanouk the same year.

Those who take time to visit Phnom Penh will find a bustling city, emerging with renewed confidence from troubled times. Much of the city was badly damaged and its treasures thrown into the river in 1975 by the Khmer Rouge, and when its citizens returned in 1979 they found just shells of buildings in which to live.

Decades later, city life has improved and there is optimism in the air, with the expat community and visitors providing employment opportunities for many.

Since the late 1990s, when the Khmer Rouge were totally disempowered, political life has settled down to a certain extent and 2004 saw a new king, Sihamoni, take up residence in the Royal Palace following the abdication of his father. They city is now dynamic and evolving all the time, with stylish restaurants, bars, shops and hotels opening, and there is a new found confidence in its future.

Cuisine:
Between remnants of French colonialism and the recent influx of humanitarian aid workers, international cuisine abounds in Phnom Penh. Some restaurants themselves are actually NGO (nongovernmental organization) projects designed to raise money for local causes or provide training. Ask Khmer folks where to eat, and you will be pointed to any of the street-side stalls or storefront Chinese noodle shops south of the Central Market. Good eats can also be had on riverside or in and among the lazy alleys of the town center.

Sights to see& to shop:
All downtown attractions of Phnom Penh can be reached on foot along or close to the river. You won't miss the glittery downtown campus, the ostentatious jewel in the crown of Cambodia's monarchy: Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Built in the late 1860s, the site comprises many elaborate gilded halls, all with steep tile roofs, stupa-shaped cupolas, and golden temple nagas denoting prosperity. The facade of the neighboring Royal Residence is just as resplendent and is still the home of the now abdicated King Sihanouk and his son and successor.

The Silver Pagoda is just south of the palace; entrance is included with the Royal Palace ticket. The floors of the grand temple are covered with 5,000 blocks of silver weighing more than 6 tons. In the temple houses, there is a 17th- century Buddha made of Baccarat crystal, while the other one made almost entirely of gold and decorated with nearly 10,000 diamonds. The temple courtyard is encircled by a covered walkway with a contiguous mural of Cambodia's history and mythology.

Built in the late 1950s to commemorate Cambodia's independence from the French on November 9th, 1953, the Independence Monument is crowned with Khmer nagas and is reminiscent of Angkor architecture and Hindu influence.

The National Museum opened in 1920 by King Sisowath is to the statuary of Angkor Wat. This important storehouse holds artifacts and statuary from all over the country, they are a beautiful and informative collection of Khmer pieces. A clockwise loop around the central courtyard walks you through time, from static, stylized pieces of stiff-legged, stranding Buddhas, to contra-posed and contorted forms in supplication. There are good accompanying descriptions in English, but it is not a bad idea to have a knowledgeable guide.

Central Market is an Art Deco behemoth built in 1937. It's a city landmark, and on any given day, a veritable ant hill of activity. The building has a towering rotunda with busy wings extending in four directions. Almost everything is on sale in this market, and spend some time wandering the nooks and crannies, you are sure to come across something that strikes your fancy. Be sure to bargain for any purchase.

Russian Market is in the south end of town is comparable to the Central Market and equally worthy of a visit. The real deal on souvenirs can be had here. It's a good stop on the return trip from the Killing Fields; otherwise, go by cab.

Toul Sleng (Museum of Genocide) and Killing Fields can be visited together. The ground of Toul Sleng, the high-school-turned-prison-and-touture- chamber are like they were in 1979 at the end of Cambodia's bloody genocide. A stop here is a visceral revisiting of some very horrible events, and you will certainly want to have a guide in this place. From 1975 to 1979, an estimated 17,000 political prisoners, most just ordinary citizens, were tortured at Tuol Sleng and died, or were executed in the nearby Killing Fields, which was a Chinese cemetery before. The site is now a collection of mounds, mass graves, and a towering monument of catalogued human skulls.

Wat Phnom is Cambodia's "Church on the Hill". It is a standard Southeast Asian wat, with naga (snakes) on the cornered peaks of the roof and didactic murals of the Buddha's life done in day-glow allegories along interior walls.
Shops and galleries are growing in number in the developing capital. The best shopping in town, for everything from souvenirs and trinkets to the obligatory kitchen sink, is at any of the large local markets.

Nightlife:
Phnom Penh is notorious for some of the seedier nightlife in all of Southeast Asia. There are some good, friendly bars in town, though many are of the "hostess bar" variety. The downtown area along the riverside is chockablock with small storefront bars and a few upscale spots.