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Phnom Penh Information
Phnom Penh is the modern capital of Cambodia. A mixture of Cambodian hospitality, Asian exotica and Indochina charm await the visitor to this busiest and largest of Cambodian cities. Situated at the confluence of three great rivers (the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac Rivers), it is known as 'Chaktomuk' (four faces) or 'Quatre Bras' (four arms). Phnom Penh is a city of more than 2 million people, and is also the country's commercial, economic and political center. It is a comparatively new travel destination and is developing from where it was just a decade ago. Phnom Penh is now the center of diverse economic and urban development, and is quickly changing, with an air of edgy chic with bistros and boutique hotels lining the riverfront. It now has smart little silk boutiques and galleries dotting the side streets, along with a budding arts scene, and a vibrant dusk-to-dawn nightlife.
Compared to other capital cities, Phnom Penh is fairly young, only becoming the capital in 1866, but it is still steeped in history, and offers several cultural and historical sites. It was under French colonial rule from 1863 to 1953, and flourished with independence in the 1960s. It was tragically completely evacuated under the Khmer Rouge in the late 70s, but has now been revitalized. Much of the central city including the Royal Palace and National Museum was built during the French colonial period. Both are open to visitors, and The National Museum is the best in the country, displaying important Angkorian artifacts and rare pieces from later periods. Historical sites from the Khmer Rouge era include the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Memorial (Killing Fields).
There is a lot of Cambodian history within a daytrip of Phnom Penh. For example, the pre-Angkorian and Angkorian temple ruins in TakeoProvince may not be as impressive as the temples near Siem Reap, but they rank among the most historically and archaeologically important Khmer ruins in Cambodia. The picturesque 17th & 19th century ruins of Oudong west of the city allow you to explore a period of Cambodian history neglected by most tours. And just the act of getting to these sites provides a good glimpse of Cambodian country life.
Phnom Penh is the gateway to Cambodia. From Phnom Penh you can travel to the fabulous temples of Angkor at Siem Reap in the west, relax on the beaches of Sihanoukville and see the coastal towns along the southern coast (Kampot, Kep and Koh Kong), visit the minority hill tribes, and trek the jungles of the northeast with abundant wildlife and wide-open, unspoiled countryside. Where ever you go in Cambodia, there are rice paddies, little villages and lost temples all along the way.
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and galleries dotting the side streets, along with a budding arts scene, and a vibrant dusk-to-dawn nightlife.
periods. Historical sites from the Khmer Rouge era include the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Memorial (Killing Fields). 
fabulous temples of