Cambodia 2026 Day 5 Phnom Penh

January 13, 2026

National Meseum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh

Time to leave Siem Reap. I flew in from Phnom Penh, now I take the bus back to Phnom Penh to see what it look like in the country side.

Bus company is Giant Ibis

The Giant Ibis is the national bird of Cambodia. We have two drivers and one steward on the bus. Pretty much all tourists. No local face at all. Going from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh in 6 hours. Travel three hundreds some km plus 30 minutes break.

I want to show the map, so you can see the big lake - Tonle Sap. The Tonle Sap (literally "Great Lake") is often called the "beating heart" of Cambodia. It is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia (much bigger than Lake Tahoe) and is famous for an unique natural phenomenon: it reverses its flow twice a year.

The Tonle Sap is connected to the Mekong River by a 120 km-long channel.

Wet Season (June–October): The Mekong fills with monsoon rain and snowmelt from the Himalayas. The volume is so great that it actually pushes the Tonle Sap River backward, forcing water into the lake.
Dry Season (November–May): As the Mekong level drops, the lake begins to drain back out toward the Mekong Delta and the sea.

Unknown little town

Highway?

Traffic jam up when the bus reach the city. The bus stop is at the Night Market. I book the hotel close by, so I can just walk and not getting the tuk-tuk.

First stop, National Meseum of Cambodia.

I hate to say there aren't much to see here, so I should say not that much I am interested in. But I do learn these figures, Naga, Garuda, Apsara and Vishnu.

Garuda

Naga

Painting on the window panels - something similar to what we have in Taiwan.

There is one gallery contributed by China. Main focus on the interaction between China and Khmer Empire in the history. I'm amazed how far they travel without airplane!

Chinese coins are found in Khmer

After the meseum, Royal University of Fine Art is right next to it.

Royal University of Fine Art

And Royal Palace of Cambodia is right behind it. Although the Royal Palace of Cambodia is open to the public, it remains a working royal residence. Visitors can explore a significant portion of the compound, including the iconic Throne Hall and the Silver Pagoda. However I couldn't find my way in. Only to walk around the compound on the outside.

Royal Palace of Cambodia

After Palace is Wat Botum Park. Wat Botum Park is a long green space with pigeons all over and people are feeding them. At the center is the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument - a large concrete landmark built in the late 1970s.

Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument

Continue south is another green where Statue of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk the "father king" of Cambodia is situated.

Statue of the Father King of Cambodia

Right after that is Independence Monument.

I really don't know if I can walk up to the Monument and did not see any person there. So I turn around and walk toward the river bank on the east. Shortly I reached the Chaktomuk Walk Street.