A Sunset Cruise at the Four Faces

Drift out onto the confluence of three rivers as the sun sinks behind the palace roofs and the city lights come on.

Area

Along the Mekong

Start from

Sisowath Quay

Distance

about 1–2 hours on the water

Time needed

an evening

Best season

All year; clearest skies November – March

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Boat from the riverside

Tickets & rules

None; boat fare (often around 5–15 USD per person on shared boats, more for a private boat)

Why go

Seen from the water, Phnom Penh becomes a different city. The noise falls away, the palace spires and the long riverside line up like a painted backdrop, and the river is so wide that the far bank feels like another country. At sunset the whole confluence turns copper and pink.

Several small wooden boats leave from the riverside every evening, some shared with other travellers and some for hire by a group. They chug slowly up the Tonle Sap and across to where the rivers meet, then drift while the sun sets. Some serve cold drinks and simple snacks on board.

It is one of those things that sound touristic and turn out to be genuinely lovely, especially on your last evening in the city.

The story

The rivers here are the reason Phnom Penh exists. For centuries goods moved up and down the Mekong between the interior of Cambodia, Laos and the sea, and the confluence was a natural meeting point for traders. From the boat you can still see the river life: fishing boats with lanterns, barges loaded with sand, ferries crossing to the Chroy Changvar peninsula.

On the eastern bank you will see communities of Cham Muslim fishing families, whose ancestors came from the kingdom of Champa in what is now central Vietnam, and whose mosques and wooden houses line parts of the river. The Cham have lived along Cambodian rivers for centuries.

The Tonle Sap here is the river that reverses its flow each year, a hydrological marvel. In the rainy season, when the water is high, the river becomes huge and brown and fast; in the dry season, sandbanks appear and the colours turn clearer and greener.

From the water you can also see how fast the city is growing, with new towers rising over the old low skyline and the new bridges spanning the rivers. The contrast between the old palace and the cranes is a good image of modern Cambodia.

Getting there

Boats moor along Sisowath Quay, mostly around the northern half of the riverside between the palace and the Night Market area. Ask the boat operators along the quay in the afternoon, or book through your hotel.

Most sunset trips leave around five in the afternoon and return after dark.

A suggested plan

1. 4:30 pmWalk along the quay and choose a boat; agree price, duration and route.
2. 5 pmBoard and head up the Tonle Sap past the Chroy Changvar peninsula.
3. SunsetDrift at the confluence as the sun goes down behind the city.
4. After darkReturn along the lit-up palace and riverfront.
5. LaterDinner in one of the streets behind the river.

Where to stay

The riverside is the obvious base for this trip.

Good to know

• Bring a light layer: it is breezier on the water than on land.
• Private boats for a small group can be good value; negotiate.
• Mosquito repellent is useful after dark.
• Shared boats leave even with a few people; ask on the day.