Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia. It is also the capital of Phnom Penh municipality.
The name of the city is derived from the Wat Phnom Daun Penh, which is now as just Wat Phnom or Hill Temple. Earlier, the city was known as Krong Chaktomuk meaning “City of Four Faces”. In 1920, the city was known as the Pearl of Asia. It is the commercial, political and cultural hub of Cambodia. After the king of Khmer Empire fled Angkor Thom, Phnom Penh became the capital of Cambodia. During the course of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army used Cambodia as its base. Phnom Penh is now the largest city of Cambodia.
Area & Location: Lies on the south-central region of Cambodia, the city is located at 11.55º Latitude North and 104.91667º Longitude East. Sits at the confluence of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, Phnom Penh occupies a total area of 290 sq. km. The city has a population of one million, making it the most populous city of Cambodia.
Tourist Attractions: The city is home to many historical and cultural monuments that draw in tourists from far and wide.
Transportation: Pochentong International Airport, the largest airport in Cambodia that handles both passenger as well as commercial traffic serves the city. Angkor International Airport is the second largest airport that serves the city. There are also buses and taxis that ply to Thailand and Saigon. Buses are the most frequent mode of travel in the city. Automobiles, motorbikes and cycle rickshaws constitute the pubic transport system of the city.
Hotels: The city hotels, that are unique in its quality, offers friendly reception to its guests. The outstanding services and the neat and tidy environment make the stay in the hotels worth. Amanjaya Pancam Hotel, New Star Hotel, Embassy Place Apartments, Raffles Hotel Le Royal, FCC Phnom Penh, Himawari Hotel Apartments, Billabong Hotel and Phnom Penh Hotel are such hotels that serve as host to the tourists visiting the city.
Places of Attraction: Palaces and museums include the tourist attractions in the city. Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, Independence Monument, the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Wat Phnom are the interesting sites in Phnom Penh. It is a major domestic and international tourist destination of the country. As a city known for traditional Khmer and French influenced architecture, Phnom Penh possesses much cultural and historical architecture that catches the interest of the tourists. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum-a museum dedicated to the victims of the Khmer Rouge, Phnom Chisor Temple-the hilltop temple of Phnom Chisor that offers a glimpse of the surrounding countryside and Heart of Darkness-a dark bar one of the more popular nightlife attractions are the other tourist visited spots in the city.
