Kambol F1 Go Karts
This is not really suitable for young children but teenagers will love it. Just 8 kms south of the city centre in neighbouring Kandal province, this go-kart track is nearly a kilometre long and features 200cc karts that reach about 50 kms per hour. Be warned that payment is expected in US dollars for every 10 minutes, and credit cards are not accepted.
Phone: +855 12 804 620

Phnom Tamao Zoo
Located 40kms outside of Phnom Penh, Phnom Tamao Zoo is one of the few venues in Phnom Penh that makes a great day out for children. The tigers, lions, elephants and other species here are mostly those that have been rescued from maltreatment and their enclosures are large. The bears here are one of the highlights and can be very playful in their compounds which include tyre swings and all manner of other contraptions to keep them amused. Plan a trip here from Phnom Penh that includes a vehicle for the day as the park is spread out and cannot be done on foot.

Souvanna Poum Theatre
Puppet theatre, popular across certain parts of Southeast Asia, was threatened with dying out in Cambodia following the Khmer Rouge purge of artists and performers but is now enjoying a resurgence. This theatre offers music, dance and traditional Khmer puppetry on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Phone: +855 23 987 564

Phnom Penh has certainly increased its repertoire when it comes to cultural goings-on around the city. Still the focus is on the life and times of the Khmer Rouge, including documentary showings that make a good introduction to the subject. However, there are also plenty of galleries and traditional dance theatres for those who want to get a feel for Khmer culture.

Artist Street
This popular strip that is actually named Street 178 is crammed full of local artists trying to make a buck and many of them are very talented. Take a look at Kravan House for some exquisite Cambodian silk products and other handmade items and then head to Stef’s Happy Painting just off the street itself for the brighter, non-Khmer Rouge side of life in Phnom Penh.

Chatomuk Theatre
Situated on busy Sisowath Quay, an area popular with tourists, this theatre makes for an intriguing introduction to Khmer song and dance. You won’t understand what they are saying unless you speak Khmer but the costumes are colourful and the jangling music style exotic to the unfamiliar ear. 
Phone: +855 23 725 119

Le Cinema
Once you’ve had your fill of French cheese, baguettes and Bordeaux, this is the place to go for a diet of French films, some with English subtitles. Le Cinema is located at the French Cultural Centre.
Phone: +855 23 721 383

Mekong River Event Movie
Located right on the quayside, this movie theatre-cum-French-restaurant regularly shows a documentary on the Khmer Rouge in the context of 20th century Cambodian history that helps explain or at least give background to the reign of Pol Pot. If you are planning a trip to the Killing Fields or S-21, then this makes a good place to start. 
Phone: +855 23 991 150

National Museum
Right by the Royal Palace, this recently renovated museum features a wealth of art pieces from Angkor’s golden past. This is also where the Royal Ploughing Festival takes place ahead of the harvest, so time your trip here to do both at once.

Most first-time visitors to Phnom Penh, especially fans of French food, are likely to be very pleasantly surprised by the great choice of dining venues around town. If there is one legacy that has endured in the more than half a century since France released Cambodia, it’s the cuisine. Few other cities serve up tasty steak frites for US$3 aside from Phnom Penh, and there is no shortage of restaurants to try.

For an introduction to the French restaurants along with more touristy Cambodian places and a handful of other culinary genres, head to Sisowath Quay. La Croisette is a good lunchtime place, serving wholesome French and Western food along with a varied drinks menu. Not far down the road, the Jungle Bar & Grill mixes Western food with a French flavour along with Khmer dishes and there is a daily happy hour.

Along the same drag, Bali Café is up a flight of stairs inside a stunning Old World style French colonial building with breathtaking views out over the Tonlé Sap river. The views are equally impressive down at the Foreign Correspondents Club, also on Sisowath Quay; and the food is excellent, if a little pricey. This is another colonial-era building but it has been done up nicely with a good range of Western/Asian salads and hearty meat-based main courses.

If you are looking for a mid-range place that does Western food equally as well as Khmer classics, then Riverside Bistro makes a good choice. Here you’ll find creamy amok, a fish coconut curry, on the same menu as beef stroganoff and bratwurst; main courses start at just a few US dollars.

For a real splurge Phnom Penh style that will seem remarkably reasonable when the credit card bill arrives back at home, try the simply named 102. This is generally considered the best French place in the city with a classic French menu starting with onion soup and ending with crème brulée. 

Most shopping in the Cambodian capital revolves around the many markets about the city. Street 178, or Artist Street, makes a good place to browse for little knick-knacks, paintings and handicrafts or just to window shop if you don’t have the space in your luggage.

The two main shopping destinations in Phnom Penh are the Central Market, a wonderful 1930s art deco building from the French days, and the so-called Russian Market which actually has little to do with the Russians and was instead founded under the Vietnamese shortly after the end of the Khmer Rouge. Both are laden with fake designer goods, pirated DVDs and software along with clothes, shoes, food and just about anything you might need to get through the day.

A few Western-style shopping centres have sprung up, such as Sorya close to the Central Market, but many are not very exciting. Stick to the traditional markets instead.

Cambodia Golf & Country Club
Fifty kilometres south of the capital in Kandal province, this 18-hole golf club is one of the best in the country and makes a relaxing escape from the city for those who enjoy the sport. All necessary equipment can be hired onsite. Expect to pay a hefty sum per round for non-members including shoe and club hire. A restaurant at the clubhouse serves very good local and Western cuisine. 
Phone: 855 23 363 666

Dirt-biking
Quite a popular activity, dirt-biking is done along many off-road trails in the region that are reputably the best in the world. There is also a motocross track in Phnom Penh with races held every month.

Sihanouk Boulevard
Phnom Penh’s only fun park might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, not least because all of the rides look well past their sell-by date. Even if you don’t end up trying out the bumper cars or big wheel, it makes for an interesting insight into the city and a great place for people-watching. Rides are paid for on an individual basis meaning entrance is free of charge.

Sisowath Quay
When it’s hot and humid in Phnom Penh, take a scenic stroll along Sisowath Quay, a sizeable stretch of promenade overlooking the Tonlé Sap river. With the water on one side and impressive colonial relics on the other, there is plenty to see and as well as many photo opportunities. When you start to get a bit sticky, you won’t be far from a café ready to serve a cool drink to keep you going.

Thunder Ranch
If you head over on a tuk-tuk to the Killing Fields site outside of the city, it is highly likely the driver will enquire as to whether you might like to also visit this place. Located near Cheoung Ek, this shooting range allows you to fire off all kinds of weapons including an AK-47. Rumours had circulated it would be closed down but it’s still going. Plan on bringing a lot of US dollars as the ammunition is not cheap.