Royal Palace (Phnom Penh)

The Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is not only the Royal Residence but also one of the capital’s most popular attractions. The site was founded in the 1860s and served the monarchy ever since with continual development and restoration over time. It features grand pavilions, pagoda, gardens, small museums, art galleries, and more. The grounds are quite large, spread over four compounds with over 50 noted points of interest.

(history section to come)

Visiting the Royal Palace

The ticket booth and only entry is located midway along the southern section of the east wall along Samdach Sothearos Boulevard (3) (Google Map). At the ticket booth, there are also multi-lingual guides available to give comprehensive commentary on the history, local culture, and significance of the points of interest spread over the grounds.

• Ticket Price: $10 USD
• Optional Guide Service: $10 USD
• Open Hours: 8:00 – 11:00 & 14:00 – 17:00
• Best time to visit: early morning to avoid the heat, or late afternoon for nice photos as the sky softens around 4 pm. There is a bit of walking through the large open grounds while moving from one compound to the next so be sure to have a hat. In the cooler months of September to early January, any time is OK.
• Time to explore: between 90 mins and 2 hours
• Visiting tips: Take a bottle of water; take off your shoes before entering shrines; do take a hat but take it off before entering inside shrines and especially the pagoda; moderate dress (elbows and knees covered as you would when entering a monastery); be mindful of sections where photos are not allowed; don’t touch the murals and glass cabinets; no smoking,

Gallery (Aug 2023)

Attractions Nearby

Nearby within walking distance, you will find the National Museum of Cambodia, Sisowath Quay, and 500m to the north is Wat Ounalom, and 500m to the south is Wat Botumvatey, two of the older pagodas in Phnom Penh. At night the large Royal Palace Park fronting the palace and river is a hugely popular place to stroll around and get some great photos of the palace lit at night, and street food stalls of all types are not too far away.