Menu
Expat.com

Things to do alone, with family and friends or with a partner in Phnom Penh

leisure in Phnom Penh
Shutterstock.com
Published on 04 November 2019
Updated byAnne-Lise Mestryon 04 November 2019

There are many things in Phnom Penh that you can do alone, with friends and family, or with a partner, but they aren't as obvious as in other cities. Read this article to understand the variety of choices that you have for activities in this city.

Phnom Penh offers a wide range of things to do on weekdays and weekends. Everyone can find something that they will enjoy doing. There are lots of options for things to do by yourself, with family, friends, or with a partner.

Things to do alone in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is a great city to explore by yourself. If you have the morning free, why not wander through one of the local markets. Try going to Orussey to witness the beating heart of the city. You can spend hours exploring the alleys spreading out from the city, which hide everything from fantastic local restaurants to ice block manufacturers. Or you can take a morning stroll by the riverside and enjoy the cool (by Cambodian standards) morning air.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to meditate? Embrace the local culture with free meditation classes offered four days a week at Wat Langka. Another interesting way to embrace the local culture is to learn the local language, Khmer. Resources for Khmer are hard to come by, but thankfully Eleven One Kitchen offers free language classes every Sunday afternoon. So swing by for tasty brunch and a great resource for being able to communicate better with locals.

Things to do with your family in Phnom Penh

You may think that there are not many kid-friendly activities in Phnom Penh, but you would be wrong! There are plenty of fun things to do with your family in the city.

Zoos are one of the most family-friendly things out there, but unfortunately, Phnom Penh doesn't have one. Thankfully, it has the next best thing: a spectacular wildlife reserve. The Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre is located 41 km south of the city and includes over 1,000 Cambodian animals that have been saved from poaching. Over this sprawling 6,000 acre plot, you can see crocodiles, deer, elephants, gibbons, leopards, lions, tigers, sun bears, and many more kinds of animals. Treat your kids to a veritable safari!

If you want to stay in the city, and out of the heat, try Kids City, one of the best children's play centres in Southeast Asia. This centrally located entertainment complex has something for every age of children. Toddler townhouses activities for kids under four and is the best place to let your toddler run around under the watchful eye of well-trained staff. Older kids can check out the trampoline park, bouncy slides, discovery centre, or rock climbing walls. Entry costs start at USD 5.

The AEON mall is another great place to take kids. With a kids park, ice skating rink, and a laser tag arena, you are bound to keep your family busy for hours.

Things to do with friends in Phnom Penh

There are many things to do with your friends in Phnom Penh. It all depends on what your interests are.

Do you like to go shopping? Phnom Penh has some great places to get some new clothes. If you are after a bargain, head to the Russian, BKK1, or Olympic Market. Just be sure to haggle down the prices. If you want to find high-end brands, head to the AEON Mall, which houses the most luxurious brands in the city. Street 240 is packed with boutique shops and is really exciting to walk down to see a different part of the city.

Feeling tired of the city and want to be more active? Join the Phnom Penh Hike Group which hosts semi-regular hikes out of the city. Transportation is arranged for you and small groups are encouraged. It is free, but a donation of around $15 is heavily encouraged.

Maybe you want to do something relaxing with your friends. Head to The Flicks, which often hosts movie marathons, where you can watch as many movies as you want for $3.50

Things to do with your partner in Phnom Penh

Romantic evenings out with your partner are essential for keeping your relationship healthy. Thankfully, Phnom Penh has a variety of activities to do with your significant other.

There are plenty of fantastic restaurants that would be a perfect date night restaurant. Afterwards, you can have some high-class drinks at the Sora sky bar.

Why not enjoy watching the sunset over the beautiful Tonle Sap river? You can stroll along the riverside and have a picnic with some street food offerings, or you can opt to do a sunset cocktail cruise down the river. Either way, you can enjoy the cool night air and watch the sun go down in the big city.

We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.

About

Anne-Lise studied Psychology for 4 years in the UK before finding her way back to Mauritius and being a journalist for 3 years and heading Expat.com's editorial department for 5. She loves politics, books, tea, running, swimming, hiking...

List of Phnom Penh's guide articles

Comments

See also

  • Eating out in Phnom Penh
    Eating out in Phnom Penh

    Cambodian food tends to get overlooked in favour of its much more famous neighbours, Vietnam and Thailand. Many ...

  • Sports in Phnom Penh
    Sports in Phnom Penh

    Sports and fitness are generally very popular in Western countries, but they are not as big of a priority in ...

  • Things to do on weekdays in Phnom Penh
    Things to do on weekdays in Phnom Penh

    Phnom Penh is rapidly developing into an international capital city. While it used to be a literal ghost town, it ...

  • Leisure and lifestyle in Cambodia
    Leisure and lifestyle in Cambodia

    The expat scene in Cambodia is thriving with interesting people of all ages from all corners of the globe. Read ...

  • Working in Phnom Penh
    Working in Phnom Penh

    When it comes to expat living, Phnom Penh has it all. Thanks to an influx of foreign investment over the past ...

  • Living in Phnom Penh
    Living in Phnom Penh

    Before going to anywhere in the world, people always try to find out about those places first. Likewise, before ...

  • Student life in Phnom Penh
    Student life in Phnom Penh

    Adjusting to life as a student can be difficult. Even more so if you are trying to do it in a new country, but ...

  • Popular neighbourhoods in Phnom Penh
    Popular neighbourhoods in Phnom Penh

    As a new expat in Phnom Penh, you are going to need to know the best neighbourhoods to live in for your budget, ...

All of Phnom Penh's guide articles