Phnom Penh has a lot to offer a tourist. Sisowath Quay runs the length of the river and is full of cafes and bars serving excellent Khmer food, European food and beer from the region. To buy locally made silks and Buddhas go to the Russian market or the Central market. For temples go to the Wat Phnom and be chased by monkeys.
For history go to the National Museum, Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the Toul Sleng Museum. This last Museum was a secondary school called Tuol Svay Prey and was turned into a prison in April 1975 during the Khmer Rouge rein. It is said that the prison had more than 14,000 victims. The playground equipment was turned into equipment of torture in between gigantic frangipani trees, where the photographs taken of each prisioner will haunt you for life.
A mass grave was found fifteen kilometers outside of Phnom Penh in the village Chhoeung Ek and some of the human skulls are kept in a glass container in the Toul Sleng Museum. Across the road from the Museum is a lovely café, Boddhi Tree where you can lounge under the canopy of a Bougainvillea Tree and be surrounded by palms and bamboo as you eat a lemon squid baguette and fried rice.
[tags]Cambodia, family holiday, travel guide[/tags]