We spent our first full day in Cambodia exploring the metropolis of Phnom Penh, starting with a 20-minute cyclo ride around the city. Our first stop in the capital city was the large Royal Palace with beautiful gardens and ornate examples of Khmer architecture, including Throne Hall and Silver Pagoda. Afterward, we visited the National Museum which houses many of the large statues from the Angkor period and other treasures.
We had lunch ashore at Topaz Restaurant, one of the city’s premier fine-dining restaurants. Then we visited the sobering S-21 Genocide Museum, a former high school that served as an interrogation center by the Khmer Rouge. After the museum, one part of the group visited the killing field of Choueng Ek, while another visited the Central Market and Wat Phnom, the only hill in the city. The temple rests on a 27-meter-high tree-lined hill and has balustrades lined with naga, mythical serpent creatures.
We had a lovely barbecue dinner on deck followed by a traditional Apsara Dance performance from Cambodian Living Arts, known for intricate finger movements. During dinner, The Jahan cruised around the Phnom Penh waterfront.
