Wat Phnom Location Profile

Overview

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Wat Phnom is located in the northern part of the capital of Phnom Penh and is one of 11 Sangkats that form Daun Penh.

The area around Wat Phnom is dominated by the temple and surrounding gardens but there are also a growing number of retail shops, restaurants, offices and government buildings in the vicinity.

It’s also part of the core tourism hub and the riverside area, while renovations of older style housing and colonial villas are ongoing. The area is home to key international embassies, schools and some landmark buildings in the capital.

Wat Phnom is also seeing its landscape being transformed with new developments, city planning, and infrastructure upgrades.

Key Information

Daun Penh is named after the legendary tale of Lady Penh. The story goes that a wealthy widow named Lady Penh found a huge ancient tree at the end of the river after the storm. Inside the tree, she found four bronze statues of Buddha and a stone Buddha. She asked the people in the village to build a temple on the mountain to protect the sacred statue. Ultimately, it became a holy place for Cambodians to pray and take refuge and is today where Wat Phnom is located.

Numerous Cambodian government buildings are in Wat Phnom. These include:

General Department of National Treasury
Cambodia Post Office
Electricity of Cambodia
Phnom Penh Autonomous Port.

Daun Penh is a commercial and tourist hot spot, but also one of the most concentrated areas of government administration, Cambodian culture and history. Wat Phnom is an integral part of this.

Some of the easily identifiable business hubs in Daun Penh include the 32-storied Canadia Bank Tower, located at Ang Doung Street. The Vattanac Capital Tower is one of the most prestigious locations for businesses in Phnom Penh and at 187.3 meters high (with 39 storeys of commercial space) is one of the tallest buildings in Cambodia.

Wat Phnom has a small section of riverside along Sisowath Quay - which overlooks the Tonle Sap River. This has been earmarked for a massive development project.

There is also a diverse selection of restaurants and bars, and the night market means it's one of the most popular tourist areas in the city.

Khan Daun Penh is one of the most heavily populated districts in Phnom Penh.

In 2019, Phnom Penh had a total population of 2.13 million with a population growth rate of 3.92%. The total population density in 679 square kilometres (262 sq. mi) is 3,136 inhabitants per square kilometre. According to the statistics of 2008, the total population of Khan Daun Penh was 126,550,

Wat Phnom has a healthy mix of Cambodians and international expats and it remains a popular area to live and conduct business in. There are also several schools in this central part of the city and there can be congestion problems when the schools dismiss in the afternoons.

The latest census figures in Cambodia should be released by 2021.

Things To Do in Wat Phnom

Several of the capital's most well-known markets and shopping centres are located in the Wat Phnom.

The Night Market in Phnom Penh is popular on the weekends and it is only open in the evenings. The food area is in the section farthest away from the riverside and it has large floor matting for shoppers to sample local food and unwind. It's also great for people watching. Otherwise the market has mostly clothes and some souvenirs for sale as it caters for tourists, both domestic and international. There is a central stage in the maret for performers, mostly singing Khmer songs.

The selection of shopping malls is large with local, modern and boutique malls in Daun Penh. Vattanac Capital Mall is located within the iconic Vattanac Capital building and has a select number of exclusive and high-end brands and some F&B outlets. Some of the highly regarded brands to have featured are Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo, as well as other high-end cosmetic and clothing brands.

Exchange Square is a mixed commercial and retail shopping mall which opened in Phnom Penh in 2017 There are food and drink outlets, grocery stores, a Legend Cinema and some international brands at the mall in Daun Penh. The Phnom Penh Hard Rock Cafe is also located here.

Daun Penh is also host to an impressive array of retail shops and supermarkets selling everything from jewellery, handicrafts, artwork, souvenirs, footwear and clothing.

There are a number of historical, cultural, governmental and commercial landmarks in Wat Phnom.

Built in 1372, Wat Phnom Penh is a historic hilltop temple sitting in the centre of Phnom Penh. Wat Phnom is the tallest religious shrine in the city, standing some 27 metres above the ground. It serves as a venue for major religious ceremonies during Khmer New Year and Pchum Ben. Wat Phnom is visited by foreign tourists every day while many locals visit Wat Phnom to pray and seek divine intervention.

Other iconic landmarks are the Raffles Hotel Le Royal, and the Phnom Penh Central Post Office which are both French colonial buildings.

Sisowath Quay, which in essence is the riverside, has undergone several upgrades and beautification projects over the years and is popular for exercising and or simply taking a stroll along the riverbanks in the morning and around sunset. The embassy of the United States of America and the Lycée Français René Descartes de Phnom Penh (French International School) are within close proximity in Wat Phnom.

You find restaurants serving various cuisine from France, Italy, the USA, as well as many Asian specialties like Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Singaporean and Malaysian, Indian, Mexican and even Middle Eastern food in Wat Phnom in addition to many many Khmer eateries.

Close to the Post Office and Sisowath Quay, some of the most popular dining and drinking options are, Hummus House, Khmer La Poste, Oskar Bistro, and Larry’s Bar and Grill on St 110. Brown Coffee is also situated near the river, north of the Night Market.

Armand’s Bistro is an iconic destination in Phnom Penh and is located along St 108 serving French cuisine and is well known for its steak.

Throughout the area of Daun Penh,there are some top notch hotels which are also known for their dining options. These include Raffles Hotel, the range of classy restaurants at Rosewood Hotel and more.

Popular brands such as Brown Cafe, Café Amazon, KFC, and Lucky Burger are also found in the area.

Daun Penh, especially the area along the river, is well-known for having a vibrant entertainment scene.

While Daun Penh is generally a safe place, phone snatchings and other petty crimes targeting foreigners do happen from time to time in the district, especially in the area close to the riverside. Serious crimes, however, are rare.

There are great live music options in the form of Oscars Upstairs on St 104 and Garage Bar on St 110. A number of other bars also host open mic nights and live music sessions.

Oskars on the riverside has in house DJs and amazing cocktails and it remains a constant popular expat hub.

104 street and the intersecting alleys are popular at nighttime with clubs, bars, karaoke and massage parlours. They are considered as less family-friendly but remain very popular throughout the week nights and on weekends and open til the early hours of the morning.Quite a few of the places already mentioned also have fantastic rooftop dining and drinking options, most notably Sora Sky Bar on the top of Rosewood Hotel.

It is easy to reach Wat Phnom from the Phnom Penh Airport. These are numerous options which include by bus, train, taxi, car or tuk-tuk.

The most economical way is to take a bus, which can be taken for just $1 and takes around 30-45 minutes depending on the traffic. There is a direct bus from Phnom Penh International Airport to Kuntha Bopha Children’s Hospital, which is scheduled to depart every hour.

The fastest way is to take a taxi or tuk-tuk. It takes only 20-35 minutes to get from Phnom Penh Airport (PNH) to Wat Phnom, and the most popular way is to book by one of the ride-hailing apps. The apps are the best to get around the city and can be linked to your bank card or you can pay by cash. Remember to carry small denominations of Riel and US Dollars.

There is also a direct train from the Phnom Penh International Airport to the Phnom Penh Train Station, although the schedule and timeframes have been less consistent. The station is located on the western border of Wat Phnom.

Other terminals in Daun Penh include popular taxi and bus ranks by the night market.

Wat Phnom is a premier residential area and an undeniable tourism hub. Its location close to the center of the city and proximity to many amenities and the rivers makes it popular among many locals and expats.

There is a growing great selection of condos and apartments in Daun Penh, some of which are considered high-end, but many budget options are available.

Daun Penh is home to some of the highest-grade office space in the capital. Canadia Tower, Vattanac Capital, Exchange Square. For now, Vattanac Tower and Exchange Square are the only property developments in Cambodia that offer Grade A office space.