Compare Prices from All US Cities
| From | Airport | Est. Price | Flight Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BESTSeattle | SEA | $687 | ~16h | View → |
Portland | PDX | $694 | ~16h | View → |
San Francisco | SFO | $727 | ~17h | View → |
Salt Lake City | SLC | $751 | ~17h | View → |
Los Angeles | LAX | $758 | ~17h | View → |
Las Vegas | LAS | $762 | ~17h | View → |
San Diego | SAN | $768 | ~18h | View → |
Minneapolis | MSP | $774 | ~18h | View → |
Denver | DEN | $777 | ~18h | View → |
Phoenix | PHX | $785 | ~18h | View → |
Chicago | ORD | $800 | ~18h | View → |
Detroit | DTW | $803 | ~18h | View → |
Boston | BOS | $804 | ~18h | View → |
New York | LGA | $815 | ~19h | View → |
Newark | EWR | $816 | ~19h | View → |
New York | JFK | $816 | ~19h | View → |
St. Louis | STL | $816 | ~19h | View → |
Philadelphia | PHL | $821 | ~19h | View → |
Baltimore | BWI | $825 | ~19h | View → |
Washington D.C. | DCA | $827 | ~19h | View → |
Dallas | DFW | $836 | ~19h | View → |
Nashville | BNA | $837 | ~19h | View → |
Charlotte | CLT | $849 | ~19h | View → |
Austin | AUS | $849 | ~19h | View → |
Atlanta | ATL | $855 | ~20h | View → |
Houston | IAH | $857 | ~20h | View → |
Orlando | MCO | $891 | ~20h | View → |
Tampa | TPA | $893 | ~20h | View → |
Fort Lauderdale | FLL | $907 | ~21h | View → |
Miami | MIA | $909 | ~21h | View → |
San Juan | SJU | $950 | ~22h | View → |
About Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is one of Southeast Asia's most underestimated capital cities — a gritty, fast-changing metropolis on the banks of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers that rewards travelers willing to sit with its complexity. This is a city that rebuilt itself after the Khmer Rouge genocide of the 1970s, and that history is inescapable and important: the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21 prison) and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields are emotionally devastating but essential visits that reframe everything else you see here. Don't skip them, and don't rush them.
Beyond the heavyweight history, Phnom Penh has become genuinely exciting to explore. The riverside promenade fills with locals at dusk. The street food scene — particularly around the Central Market and along Street 278 — is outstanding and very cheap. A generation of young Cambodian chefs and entrepreneurs has opened craft cocktail bars, French-Khmer fusion restaurants, and specialty coffee shops that would hold their own in any major city. The colonial French architecture layered over traditional Khmer style gives the city a distinct look that Siem Reap, for all its Angkor glory, doesn't have.
For Americans, Phnom Penh is logistically friendly despite requiring a long-haul connection. US dollars are accepted (and often preferred) everywhere, which eliminates the usual currency headache. Tuk-tuks and Grab (the regional Uber) are cheap and ubiquitous. English is widely spoken in guesthouses, restaurants, and tourist-facing businesses. The E-visa process is straightforward. Budget travelers can live extraordinarily well here for $40–60 a day; mid-range travelers can eat and drink at genuinely excellent places for $80–120 a day without trying.
The honest warning: Phnom Penh has real safety concerns around bag-snatching, especially on the riverside at night, and traffic is chaotic enough that pedestrian crossings are aspirational rather than functional. The city also has a visible sex tourism underbelly concentrated around Riverside bars that you'll inevitably brush up against. None of this should stop you from coming — the city's energy, affordability, and historical weight make it one of the most meaningful stops you can make in Southeast Asia — but go in with eyes open.
Best Time to Fly to Phnom Penh
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Track Phnom Penh flights →Airport to City: How to Get There
Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) is only 7km from the city center — one of the most painless airport-to-city commutes in Southeast Asia. Option 1: Official airport taxi counter in arrivals hall charges a flat $12 to downtown and takes 20–25 minutes — pay at the counter before getting in the car, don't negotiate with touts outside. Option 2: Grab app (book before you exit arrivals) runs $5–7 to Riverside or BKK1 neighborhoods and is the best value; tuk-tuk via Grab is about $4 but adds 10 minutes. Option 3: PassApp taxis (Cambodian-owned competitor to Grab) are equally reliable and sometimes 10–15% cheaper — download before landing on US wifi.
Neighborhoods & Where to Stay
The tourist hub running along the Tonle Sap River — walkable, bar-heavy, and central to the Royal Palace and National Museum. FCC (Foreign Correspondents' Club) building is here for colonial-era cocktails with a river view. Increasingly touristy and bag-snatching from motorbikes is a real issue at night, so keep bags on the wall side, not the river side.
The expat and NGO worker neighborhood with the best concentration of international restaurants, craft coffee shops like Brown Coffee, and rooftop bars. Street 278 and Street 57 are lined with genuinely good options at every price point. Safer and calmer than Riverside at night, and where most savvy repeat visitors choose to stay.
The historical downtown core centered around Central Market (Phsar Thmei) — the art deco yellow dome is unmissable. Budget guesthouses cluster here around Street 172; you're walking distance to the major sights. Noisier and more chaotic than BKK1 but genuinely local and cheaper, with street food stalls operating well past midnight.
Named for the Soviet-era expat community that once lived here, now home to the best market for knockoff goods, silk, and genuine local crafts. The surrounding streets have some excellent local noodle shops and Cambodian barbecue spots that serve the local workforce — meals for under $3. A 15-minute tuk-tuk from the center but worth the trip.
The emerging upscale district south of BKK1 where Raffles Le Royal and several boutique luxury hotels are located. The Bassac Lane alleyway (off Street 308) has become the city's best cocktail bar strip — Sundowner, Elephant Bar at Le Royal, and Score Bar are all within walking distance. Quieter and more residential, but Grab gets you anywhere in 10 minutes.
Daily Budget: What to Expect
$8–12 dorm bed at Mad Monkey or Eighty8 Hostel, $12 food (street pho/lok lak/bánh mì-style sandwiches), $5 Grab rides, $10 site entry fees (Tuol Sleng is $6, Choeung Ek is $6), $6 drinks (local Angkor beer runs $1 at restaurants)
$45–60 guesthouse or 3-star hotel in BKK1, $30 food (breakfast café, sit-down Khmer lunch, one nice dinner at a place like Romdeng or Mahob), $15 Grab rides, $10 activities/entry fees
$150–180 at Rosewood Phnom Penh or Raffles Le Royal, $60 food (dinner at Topaz or Malis restaurant, cocktails at Elephant Bar), $20 private car/driver for the day, $20 spa or premium experiences
What to Eat in Phnom Penh
Lok Lak at Bai Thong restaurant on Street 63 — the definitive Cambodian beef stir-fry served on a bed of lettuce with a fried egg and tangy lime-pepper dipping sauce; this is the national comfort food and Bai Thong's version costs $5–6 and is consistently excellent
Fish amok at Romdeng (Street 174, run by Friends International, trains at-risk youth) — Cambodia's national dish of coconut-steamed fish mousse in banana leaf; Romdeng's version is a benchmark and the tarantula spring rolls nearby are genuinely worth trying if you're feeling bold
Num Banh Chok (Khmer noodles) at the Central Market food court before 9am — rice noodles topped with green fish-based curry sauce and fresh herbs eaten by virtually every Cambodian for breakfast; costs about 3,000 riel (under $1) and is gone by mid-morning when vendors pack up
Kuy Teav (Phnom Penh pork noodle soup) at Kuy Teav Phnom Penh on Street 488 — the city's signature noodle soup with pork bone broth, pork meatballs, and crispy shallots; locals eat it for breakfast but it's served all day and the $2 bowl will ruin you for ordinary pho
Sunset cocktails and amuse-bouches at Elephant Bar inside Raffles Le Royal — yes, it's a splurge at $12–15 per cocktail, but the 1920s colonial room is extraordinary, the bartenders have been making the Femme Fatale cocktail since the 1930s, and it's a once-per-trip experience rather than a daily budget item
Flying from the US to Phnom Penh
Airlines & Routes
- →No airline operates a nonstop flight from any US city to PNH — all routing requires at least one connection
- →Korean Air via Seoul Incheon (ICN) — excellent option from LAX, SFO, JFK, SEA; Seoul layover is 2–4 hours and Korean Air's service to PNH is reliable
- →Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong (HKG) — strong option from LAX, SFO, JFK, ORD; HKG to PNH is about 2.5 hours
- →Vietnam Airlines via Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) — good budget-friendly routing from LAX or SFO via partnered carriers; adds a chance to do a Vietnam leg
- →China Southern via Guangzhou (CAN) — cheapest fares from West Coast, typically $600–900 round trip, but Guangzhou layovers can be long
- →Thai Airways or Bangkok Airways via Bangkok (BKK/DMK) — easy connection from multiple US cities; Bangkok-Phnom Penh is only 1.5 hours and there are many daily flights
- →Singapore Airlines via Singapore (SIN) — premium routing from JFK, LAX, SFO, IAH; Silk Air/Scoot operates the SIN-PNH segment
- →ANA via Tokyo Narita (NRT) — solid option from West Coast cities with short Narita layovers
Flight Duration
Safety Tips
Bag snatching from passing motorbikes is the most common crime against tourists — thieves target people walking along Riverside at night, especially those with crossbody bags on the river side of the pavement. Always wear bags across your body with the bag on your building side, not street side. Never have your phone out while walking in any area after dark. Grab and PassApp are far safer than hailing random tuk-tuks at night; agree on the fare before getting in any non-app vehicle. The Riverside bar strip has significant drug activity — avoid anyone who approaches you offering anything outside bars. Drink spiking does happen at some bars; never leave your drink unattended. Traffic is genuinely dangerous: motorbikes run red lights routinely, and jaywalking requires walking slowly and confidently (not running). Scam-wise: any tuk-tuk driver who insists your intended destination 'is closed today' is lying and wants to take you to a commission-paying shop — insist on your destination or get out. Fake gems and 'factory' textile scams targeting Americans exist; buy textiles at Artisans Angkor shop where prices are fixed and quality is certified. Standard US travel insurance with medical evacuation is essential; Calmette Hospital handles emergencies but serious cases are evacuated to Bangkok.
Buy your Choeung Ek (Killing Fields) and Tuol Sleng tickets separately rather than on any combo tour package — both sites charge $6 entry and you can rent audio guides ($3 each) that are far more detailed than what any budget tour guide provides. More importantly: go to Tuol Sleng first thing in the morning when it opens at 8am, before the tour groups arrive around 9:30am. The silence in the early hours at S-21 is part of the experience, and you'll want unobstructed time in the cells and documentary photography rooms. Then Grab to Choeung Ek for late morning. Budget a minimum of 4 hours total for both sites and don't plan anything demanding for that afternoon — most people need decompression time. Skip the genocide museum combo tours from Riverside that cost $20–30; they rush you and add unnecessary narration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to fly to Phnom Penh?
The cheapest route to Phnom Penh from the US is typically from Seattle (SEA), with estimated round-trip prices around $687. Prices vary significantly by season and booking timing.
What is the best time to visit Phnom Penh?
The best time to visit Phnom Penh is November, December, January, February. November-February is dry season (75-85°F). March-May is brutally hot (95°F+). June-October is wet season (rain, flooding). Best weather is December-January.
Do US citizens need a visa to visit Phnom Penh?
US passport holders can get visa on arrival for $30 (tourism, 30 days). Bring passport photos. E-visa available online ($36, processed in 3 days).
How long is the flight from the US to Phnom Penh?
Flight time from the US to Phnom Penh (PNH) is approximately 16 hours from Seattle. Flight times vary by departure city — eastern US cities are typically shorter to their destination.
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