Asia: Plan your trip to Cambodia

Phnom Penh City - Capital of Cambodia

Phnom Penh, the Capital of Cambodia, was established in 1434 by King Ponhea Yat after leaving the Nagkor town in 1431. The capital was called "Chaktomuk" or four faces for several centuries and has been known as Phnom Penh since 1866. It is situated at the confluence of four rivers: the upper Mekong river, the lower Mekong, the Tonle Sap and the Bassac. Phnom Penh is a major political, economic, cultural, communication and tourism area. It is also a gateway to marvelous temples of Angkor - to the nice beaches and the International Seaport of Sihanoulville - to the ethnic minority people and the jungle wildlife of the northeastern mountains.

Phnom Penh City infrastructure has been restored step by step, making Phnom Penh a charming mix of avenues, gardens, and cultural heritage which attract more and more visitors from the world every year. Phnom Penh is also a location where traditional festivities and international events take place and foreign visitors are invited to share these occasions.

About Phnom Penh - Capital of Cambodia

Area: 375 sq.km
Population: 1,184,945, comprising 571,356 males and 613,589 females
A major political, economic, cultural, communication and tourism center for home and world service.
7 districts with 76 communes, and 637 villages and 4,320 groups.
Household: 236,989 people, average household size of 5.
Economically active population: the number of economically active persons in the municipality is 423.74 of which 191.92 or 45.3% are female. The employment rate is higher for females.
Distribution of employed person by sector shows that about 9.9% of them are in the primary sector. The secondary and tertiary sector account for 22.2% and 67.9% respectively.

Getting Around Phnom Penh

Many kinds of transport are available for travelling in the city. There are taxis, rental cars, busses, motorbike or cyclos. The tours by cyclo provide a good opportunity to explore the city at leisure.

Cars and Taxis: small meter taxis services available on call. Or you can rent a car with a driver for $20-$35/day.
Motorcylce taxi: called motodups are the most common form of public transportation. For a trip around town, it may cost $5-$8/day. Price goes up at night.
Cyclos: the humble cyclo can be a romantic and practical form of transport.
Buses: many buses available. Buses depart the station at the southwest corner of the central market for: motorcycle (100cc-650cc) rental - $5-$9/day. Or bicycle rental: $1.00/day. Or you can buy a new one for $50.00 and resold it for $30.00.

Restaurants in Phnom Penh

There are number and variety of very nice eateries in town. Many of the other international restaurants in Phnom Penh have a continental flare - German at Wilhelm Tell and Riverside, Italian at Pop Cafe, Mediterranean at Riverhouse and Tamarind. There are many diverse restaurants serving Thai, Chinese, Indian, and Vietnamese food. Pizza parlors are plentiful. However, Western places are more upscale and more expensive.