Cambodia is a strange country in that it doesn’t necessarily have a “primate city” (like Thailand has Bangkok, or France has Paris). Rather it has a “primate attraction” in the form of Angkor Wat temple, which is the reason a majority of people come to the country.
This hasn’t, unfortunately, translated to much love for Siem Reap, the city where you find the temple. Which would be fine, if Cambodia’s other major city (Phnom Penh) were well-loved at all. (Spoiler alert: It isn’t.)
Unlike some of my other posts in this series, then, I’m not helping you decide between Siem Reap or Phnom Penh because I think you’ll love both and can’t choose between them. Rather, I want to explain the virtues and merits of both destinations, which often get a much worse rap than they deserve.
How Most Cambodia Trips Go Down
Indeed, most visitors to Cambodia end up visiting both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh during their trips. After flying from Bangkok to one of these cities and staying for 2-3 days, they end up traveling overland to the other. While some continue onward to another country (usually Laos via Don Det/4,000 Islands, or Vietnam via the Mekong Delta), others fly down to Sihanoukville and take a ferry over to Koh Rong island.
Other travelers take advantage of Cambodia being one of the only countries in Southeast Asia with a plethora of gambling options, whether by making casino $1 deposit online, or by visiting an in-person casino in Poipet on the Thai border. But at no point, at least in my experience, do travelers intentionally spend time in either of the country’s main cities.
Ways to Compare Phnom Penh and Siem Reap
Attractions
Siem Reap is all about Angkor Wat, although there are some other nearby temples to visit—and, within town, Pub Street and its many dining and drinking establishments. Within Phnom Penh, meanwhile, you have a wide variety of options. After you finish exploring traditional tourist attractions like the Royal Palace and S-23 Prison, you can enjoy an evening stroll or even dinner along the Mekong River.
Excursions
To me, this is the place where the Phnom Penh vs Siem Reap really ceases being a competition. Angkor Wat is essentially in Siem Reap’s city center; you don’t need to go there on a day trip so much as your temple visit will devour your day. With Phnom Penh, meanwhile, you can make bonafide excursions to the Killing Fields or even to Ta Prohm, the city’s own Angkor-era ruins (which, somewhat confusingly, shares a name with a temple on the outskirts of Siem Reap).
Cityscape
Siem Reap is a dusty, nondescript town that would be utterly forgettable were it not for the fact that Angkor Wat is nearby. Phnom Penh is comparatively eclectic. If you aren’t impressed by structures such as the Art Deco Central Market or ancient Wat Phnom, the skyscrapers rising behind both provide a striking contrast you simply can’t find in Siem Reap (even if they are Chinese-built and not very attractive).
Geography
While both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap sit along rivers, the Mekong as it passes by Phnom Penh is much more dramatic and therefore a much more integral part of the surrounding geography. Indeed, Siem Reap is defined more by the lush jungles you might associate with the Tomb Raider film franchise, which was filmed at Ta Phrom temple (I referenced this in an earlier paragraph) near Angkor Wat.
Price
The good news, no matter which place you end up preferring, is that both of Cambodia’s cities are very affordable. With that being said, I do think Phnom Penh is slightly cheaper. Siem Reap accommodation, resorts and higher-end hotels in particular, tends to be slightly more expensive due to the sheer amount of people who come to the city in order to be able to visit Angkor Wat.
How Many Days Do You Need in Cambodia?
I briefly alluded to how many days in Cambodia most people spend earlier in this post, but I’d like to revisit that question in earnest now. Obviously, if you’re just taking a city trip to Cambodia from a neighboring country, this is an irrelevant question. If, on the other hand, you really want to get to know Cambodia, there are a few suitable answers.
If you plan to visit both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and nowhere else, I’d say that a week in Cambodia is a fair amount of time to spend. Adding Koh Rong island to that, meanwhile, would mean you need to spend a minimum of 2-3 more days—maybe 10 days in total, if you travel all or most of the way by land. You could spend two weeks in Cambodia, meanwhile, if you want to visit secondary cities like Battambang, or off-the-beaten path destinations like Preah Vihear temple, across the Mekong from Thailand’s Isaan region.
Other FAQ About Siem Reap and Phnom Penh
Which is better, Siem Reap or Phnom Penh?
Most travelers prefer Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, primarily owing to Siem Reap’s proximity to Angkor Wat. On the other hand, if you look at these two cities for what’s within their centers, Phnom Penh is doubtlessly more interesting. It’s also a great deal larger, with a glut of Chinese-funded development to make sure that continues into the future.
Is it worth visiting Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh is absolutely worth visiting—and not just for Khmer Rouge-related attractions like the Killing Fields and S-23 prison. The city center is a wonderland of architecture, from French-colonial residential buildings to the Art Deco Central Market. The Mekong Riverfront is also charming, particularly at night when it comes alive.
Is Phnom Penh a modern city?
Phnom Penh is an increasingly modern city, with Chinese-built skyscrapers quickly outnumbering the traditional palaces and turn-of-last-century architecture that dominated the cityscape before about 10-20 years ago. Importantly, Phnom Penh is also a relatively cosmopolitan city, being Cambodia’s capital and all.
The Bottom Line
Should you visit Siem Reap or Phnom Penh? On one hand, a large number of travelers “visit” Siem Reap by default, if only because they need somewhere to sleep en route to Angkor Wat. Phnom Penh, by contrast, has fewer obvious tourist draws, even if the somber Killing Fields is a place that I personally believe everyone should visit at least once in their lives. My advice would be to visit both cities if you can, and more broadly to spend longer in Cambodia than you’re planning. Hire me as your Travel Coach if you want personalized assistance planning your Southeast Asia adventure.
