A Morning At The Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

 

Despite being seasoned visitors to Phnom Penh and Cambodia, we still cannot let a visit go by without spending some time at the royal palace. We last visited the royal palace in the summer of 2023, before little bean was even walking yet. I love visiting the royal palace, especially first thing in the morning when it is quiet and peaceful because it feels like you have the entire official royal residence to yourself. Plus it was only 10 minutes from our hotel via remork, which makes it super convenient and easy to get to.

A multitude of colors and unique architecture stand out from the street of the sprawling royal complex before you even set foot inside. As we drove by in our remork, I pointed out to little bean that we were about to visit this grand, royal palace. Although she is still a bit young to understand palaces and royalty, the majestic pagodas and magnificent golden roofs were enough to make her widen her eyes in astonishment.

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Situated just several meters from the Mekong River banks, the royal palace is still the official residence of the king and his mother. The western courtyard, which takes up about half of the royal complex, is always closed to the public as that is where their personal residences are. The Moonlight Pavilion, which is for performances and banquets, is also closed to the public but completely visible.

I recommend visiting the royal palace as soon as it opens, around 8 am. While there will still be some folks who have the same idea as me, it will still be mostly quiet and empty. In summer months, opening is the best time to visit due to the heat and sun that will inevitably make it a bit uncomfortable later in the day. Also most tour groups arrive at 9 am, so from 8-9 am it’s very tranquil.

On our way out of the royal palace complex, we stopped to wave hello to some of the royal cats. Cats wander around the complex, so they are a very common sight. We were lucky enough to meet a mama and her growing kittens. Little bean, who is obsessed with cats just like her mom, went nuts seeing so many cats at the palace. She would have moved in if she could!

 

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