Amanjaya
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Activities
- Visit Wat Ounalom, 50 paces from the front door. One of
Buddha’s eyebrows is stored in a stupa here!
- The Royal Palace is a must-see, for its tumbling golden
roofs and well-kept gardens. It dates to 1866 (and replaced the
original of 1434) and highlights include the Throne Room, the
Silver Pagoda and a 17th-century emerald Buddha. Visitors must
dress conservatively
- Pay your respects at S-21, also known as Tuol Sleng.
This erstwhile high school has a bloody past as the prison where
the Khmer Rouge tortured many of its inmates before sending those
who survived to their death in the Killing Fields. It’s not a
happy place, but it is an important one, and it survives pretty
much as it was 30 years ago
- Take a tuk-tuk to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. Just
14km southwest of the town, this was the final resting place of
S-21’s prisoners. 17,000 people died here and you'll see mass
graves plus a memorial tower filled with skulls. It's a shocking
reminder of Pol-Pot's regime and well worth going to
- Visit the Russian Market. Not a place to pick up an
AK-47, but just about everything else you can think of. Hardcore
shoppers will love it
- Don't miss the National Museum for its fine collection
of Khmer sculpture and friezes. Its magnificent terracotta exterior
elates
- Take a motorbike tour around town and experience the frenetic pace of life in Phnom Penh. Vast portraits of the royals are everywhere and there's no such thing as a Highway Code - it's pretty exhilarating
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Historical sites
- Museums/galleries
- Nightlife
- Shopping/markets
- Traditional cultures
