Phnom Penh in a day: palace, museum and memorial sites
A private day in Phnom Penh: the Royal Palace, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek memorial, with entry fees, hours and dress rules.
Riverside Park, Phnom Penh
On request: we confirm a local operator and price for your dates
In short
A guided day in Phnom Penh usually combines the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda with the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek memorial, about 15 km south of the centre. Tuol Sleng officially charges US$5 entry and US$5 for the audio guide; the palace is usually cited at about US$10, cash only. Guide and transport are quoted for your date.
Price and booking
This is planned on request. For each enquiry we find and confirm a suitable local operator, the price and the details below before anything is booked.
Ask about this experienceIncluded
- A licensed English-speaking guide
- Private car or tuk-tuk with driver for the day
- A route timed around the palace’s split opening hours
Not included
- Entry fees and audio guides (paid at each site)
- Meals and tips
The usual order
Start at the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda in the morning session, then continue to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the former S-21 prison, which the museum says is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00. After lunch, drive about 15 km south to the Choeung Ek memorial. The order can flip depending on the palace’s hours that day.
Some travelers prefer to split the day: the palace and the riverside one day, and the memorial sites on another, with time to reflect in between.
Why on request
Licensed guides in Phnom Penh are easy to find, but quality and English vary, and the palace’s hours and closures change. For each enquiry we confirm a licensed guide and vehicle for your date and check the opening hours, then name them in your proposal.
Dress and conduct
Shoulders and knees must be covered at the palace, and staff check clothing after you buy a ticket. At the memorial sites, dress modestly and keep voices low. Photography for personal use is permitted at Tuol Sleng, according to the museum.
What to bring
- Clothes covering shoulders and knees (strictly enforced at the palace; scarves are not accepted)
- Cash in US dollars for entry fees
What we confirm before you book
- A licensed guide and vehicle for your date, and the total price
- Royal Palace opening on that day (it closes for state events and some holidays)
- Current entry fees at each site
Questions travelers ask
Is it appropriate to visit Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek?
Yes, when done respectfully. Both are memorials to the victims of the Khmer Rouge and explain a history that shapes Cambodia today. They are distressing; many visitors take a quiet break afterwards, and they are not suitable for young children.
When is the Royal Palace open?
Sources describe two sessions, roughly 8:00 to 10:30 or 11:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, with closures for state functions and some holidays. We check the day before planning around it.
Sources and checks
Time-sensitive details on this page (prices, schedules, travel times, access) were last checked against the sources below on 12 October 2026. They change, so any proposal reconfirms them with the provider first.
Tell us what you want from eastern Cambodia
Share your dates, what you hope to see and how you like to travel. We reply with a first view of the route and, when you are ready, a written proposal with the price, what it includes and who provides each part of the trip.
