Phnom Penh around the fights

Wat Phnom

Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple on a hilltop in the Doun Penh district, and it gives the city its name. A legend dated to 1372 tells of a wealthy woman, Penh, who found a floating koki tree holding Buddha statues and had villagers build a hill and a small temple for them. Wikipedia gives the total height as 46 metres. A stairway leads to the pagoda, where murals show scenes from the Reamker, and a shrine to Lady Penh at the southwest corner is often crowded with worshippers. A statue of King Sisowath and a spirit house stand on the site too.

The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace is the residence of the King of Cambodia, on Samdech Sothearos Boulevard, on the western bank where the Tonlé Sap and Mekong meet. King Norodom built the original palace between 1866 and 1870, and it was largely rebuilt in the early twentieth century. The cross-shaped Throne Hall was inaugurated in 1919, and the Silver Pagoda stands in the same complex. The Throne Hall and the Silver Pagoda are open to visitors, while the King's private quarters take up about half the grounds and are closed to the public.

The riverside

Phnom Penh sits where the Tonlé Sap and Mekong rivers meet, and Sisowath Quay runs along the Tonlé Sap for roughly five kilometres, lined with restaurants, bars and hotels. It is an easy place to sit with a drink before your pickup and to watch the city move. Since your driver collects you from your accommodation, you do not need to be near the river at the end of the day; the riverside is simply a calm way to spend the hours before.

The Independence Monument

The Independence Monument is a 37-metre monument shaped like a lotus-form stupa in Khmer temple style, on a roundabout where Norodom Boulevard meets Sihanouk Boulevard. It commemorates Cambodia's independence from France in 1953 and was begun in 1958, with the architect Vann Molyvann working to Prince Norodom Sihanouk's instructions. It is the centre of activity at national celebrations, and locals and foreign visitors both come to see it. The Norodom Sihanouk Memorial, built in 2013, stands behind it. It is quick to see, so it fits a short stop between sights.

Choosing between them

Choose by interest, not by checklist. Wat Phnom is the short stop with a legend and a stairway. The Royal Palace takes longer and rewards anyone who likes ceremonial architecture. The riverside suits a slow afternoon with a drink, and the Independence Monument is a photograph and a few minutes. With a fight night ahead, one major sight plus the riverside is a comfortable day, and it leaves you rested for an evening that is loud and busy.

Getting around

Phnom Penh's auto rickshaws are known locally as tuk-tuks, and cycle rickshaws are called cyclos. The ringside ticket arrives by tuk-tuk or van, so you will already be in one for the evening. For the day, agree the fare before you set off, keep your valuables close and give yourself a generous margin on the way back so that you are at your accommodation well before your pickup. Be at the pickup point a little early.

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After the last bout

The ticket covers the ride back to your accommodation, so no one has to line up a taxi at the end of the night. That makes it easy to plan the next morning too. A fight night ends with the photos with the boxers, a step into the ring and the ride back, so leave the next day's first appointment for later in the morning and let the evening run as long as it runs.