Is Phnom Penh Southeast Asia’s Most Underrated Capital? Here’s Why It’s Time To Visit

Imagine this: you’re at a rooftop bar, sipping an artisanal gin cocktail as soft jazz plays in the background. Below you, 37 floors down, the glittering lights of a city wink away. You’ve spent the afternoon wandering its streets dotted with art galleries, independent boutiques and whimsical cafes before joining the fashionable folks around you for a drink. It almost feels like Bangkok or Bali – except there are no overwhelming crowds of tourists or aggressive touts. Sva kum (welcome) to Phnom Penh.

Phno way, you say? You’d be forgiven if the Cambodian capital has so far flown under your long-weekend radar. After all, it’s most often remembered for its dark past and Communist history, with a long-drawn civil war that only came to an end in the 1990s.

But things are changing. For the first time, the city has a young generation of citizens who haven’t grown up surrounded by war, while expats are moving into the dynamic and increasingly tourist-friendly destination to start businesses. New hotels, edgy cocktail bars, indie boutiques and art galleries are popping up quicker than you can say “fresh start”, transforming it into one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-rising creative hubs. (For proof on how quickly things are changing, check out the LGBTQ+ scene, where a new annual Pride festival now draws thousands of people every year – more on that later.)

All of which means that while Phnom Penh may be underrated for now, it won’t stay that way for long. So go while you can – and while it’s still much more affordable than nearby popular destinations. Here’s where to eat, drink, stay and play in the Cambodian capital.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal offers old-school glamour. | IMAGE: LARTISIEN.COM

Where to stay: Luxe towers, historic legends and riverfront retreats

To experience Phnom Penh’s glow-up in style, check into the Rosewood Phnom Penh. Sitting on the top floors of the city’s tallest skyscraper, this gorgeous hotel has the best rooms in town and serves up sweeping Mekong views, an art-filled lobby, and some of the city’s best cocktails.

If old-school glamour is more your thing, head to Raffles Hotel Le Royal, the grand dame of Phnom Penh hotels. Opened in 1929, it’s all black-and-white tiled corridors, leafy courtyards and history-soaked bars.

For something with more of a boutique vibe, the stylish Hotel KVL in the heart of the tourist district offers minimalist luxury, with views that overlook the intersection of the great Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers.

Yummy flavours and gelato. IMAGE: FACEBOOK/@KOKIKITCHEN.240

Where to eat and drink: Modern Khmer food and creative cocktails

Phnom Penh’s food and drink scene is levelling up fast, with international restaurants mushrooming across the city. The best place to start your culinary adventure is Bai Sor, with its modern Cambodian dishes, like Kep crab with Kampot pepper and charcoal-grilled stuffed frogs, and a focus on fresh, local, seasonal produce.

For a casual, cosy meal (not to mention yummy gelato), head to Koki Kitchen, where Southeast Asian flavours come together in dishes like the spicy tuna tartare and curry noodles.

And don’t sleep on Phnom Penh’s bar scene, which is surprisingly extensive and sophisticated for a city that only recently entered the landscape. The understated speakeasy Kravat is where the cool kids (and stylish grown-ups) sip cocktails crafted with Cambodian ingredients. Meanwhile, laidback Pomelo, a Scandinavian-style cocktail bar hidden down a laneway, offers classic drinks with chilled-out vibes.

Whether or not you’re up for a drink, save time for Sora, the award-winning rooftop bar at the Rosewood. Here, the seasonal menu of fabulous cocktails is just half the draw — its open-air terrace also offers jaw-dropping unblocked views across the city.

What to do: Sustainable shopping, art-hopping and creative festivals

Phnom Penh is a playground for creative, planet-conscious souls right now. For shopping, skip the malls and head to the fair-trade fashion boutique A.N.D, where you’ll find handwoven textiles and ethically made fashion pieces – some created, incredibly, from rags dredged from the Mekong River. Or visit Nary – which employs women from the community to produce its clothes – for breezy, sustainable resort wear.

Over at Interwoven Atelier, there are light, easy-to-wear dresses and separates that are perfect for our region’s tropical weather, while Paradise is the best place for beach-esque decor pieces. Nearby Shade, meanwhile, offers artisanal accessories and standout menswear by longtime Phnom Penh resident Ryan Drewe Taylor.

The city’s art scene is thriving, too. The Gallerist is one of the best places to view the increasingly admired work of Cambodia’s contemporary artists. And if you’re into theatre, The Last Stage by The Acting Art Academy is where Phnom Penh’s next-gen playwrights and actors are telling new, exciting stories.

Time your visit right and you can also catch Phnom Penh Designers Week, a city-wide celebration of Cambodian creativity, or Pride Fest Cambodia, the highlight of which is a concert and an Amazing Race-style tuk tuk race across the city.

Now is the time to go

There’s a young energy to Phnom Penh at the moment that feels like the capital is on the cusp of becoming the next Bangkok. Yet traffic still trundles along the roads like it’s in no hurry to become the next big thing, and the city’s attractions are blissfully uncrowded.

In a few years there will be many more major hotel chains (several are already under construction), and things will no doubt be different. But for now, this is Southeast Asia’s most underrated, under-the-radar capital, and there’s no better time to visit.

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