climate
As with most Asian cities, Phnom Penh undergoes two major seasons a year, the cold season and the hot season. The cold season is from November to January while the hot season runs from February to May gone.

getting around
Getting around in Phnom Penh is easy. You have the option of hiring a taxi or renting a car. For the budget conscious traveller, there is always the option of the Motorcycle taxis, commonly known as the “Motodup” and the Cyclos. Cyclos are slower in speed compared to the Motodup, but it is certainly safer.

dining
Food in Phnom Penh is almost similar to those found in Thailand minus all the extravagant spices. The staple food of Cambodia is rice, thus it is not surprising that most of their food comes with rice. Typically you can find rice-based chicken, pork and fish dishes with some local fruits and vegetables. This is the most routine set for a meal. Do also try soon bok yue (elephant fish), chhnang dei, which is meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot at your table and the hot fish soup.

attractions
the National Museum in Phnom Penh houses a wide display of Khmer sculptures, from pre-Angkor period to post Angkor period. The building itself is built with red bricks and has a huge courtyard

the Royal Palace is a must see attraction. It was built in 1813 and it contains several buildings within its grounds. The Throne Room of Prasat Tevea Vinichhay is used for coronation of Kings, official receptions and traditional ceremonies. The Chan Chhaya Pavilion is used as a venue for dance performances. The other buildings within the palace grounds are The King’s residence, otherwise known as the Khemarin, The Napolean Pavilion and the Silver Pagoda. The Silver Pagoda is an attraction of its own. This famed pagoda houses an emerald Buddha, which is the pagoda’s main attraction and the floor of the pagoda is covered with 5000 silver tiles, hence the name “The Silver Pagoda.” The walls of the pagoda are filled with murals from the Ramayana era

Wat Phnom is located on a hill 30 metres high. It is the first pagoda to be built in Phnom Penh. It originally houses four statues of Buddha which was found by a woman named Penh by the Mekong River

Wat Ounalom is the center of Cambodian Buddhism. It was originally built in 1443 to store a stand of hair from Buddha’s eyebrow. It also serves as the library of the Buddhist Institute but unfortunately it was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge. Luckily, the institute has been revived and recently moved to a bigger building

Tuol Sleng Museum , also known as the Museum of Genocide, was set up in 1979. It was once a high school but served as Security Jail 21 when Khmer Rouge took over the city. It was here that many people were tortured. The walls are filled with photographs of murdered prisoners. The instruments that were used to torture the prisoners can also be seen here

Choeung Ek, more commonly known as the Killing Fields, was the extermination camp where prisoners from Jail 21 were murdered. Here, you can find numerous mass graves where the murdered victims are buried. There is a memorial stupa which was built to remember these victims. 8000 skulls and remains of 10000 victims were preserved and displayed behind a glass panel

festivals and events
Cambodians are rich in tradition and they celebrate many festivals. Among those worth noting is the Chaul Charm which is the traditional Cambodian New Year and the Prachum ben. Celebrations for Chaul Charm usually last up to three days while the Prachum Ben is to commemorate the dead and the ancestors.

the other most celebrated festival in Phnom Penh is the Cambodian Water Festival. During this time, the people of Phnom Penh gather on the river banks of the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap River to watch traditional boat races during the day and beautiful floats in the evening. This festival marks the changing of flow of the Tonle Sap River and is also a symbol of thanksgiving to the Mekong River for blessing the people of Phnom Penh