Phnom Penh has been the national capital since French colonisation and sits on the banks of the mighty Mekong River. Once known as the &ldquo;Pearl of Asia&rdquo; it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina. The city only has one large bridge spanning the river, which is a side shoot from the main Mekong and most of the city life is based on the west bank.

Royal Palace

I spent a few hours sightseeing around the Royal Palace, one of the tourist highlights here and a magnificent complex of buildings serving as the royal residence for the king of Cambodia. Built in 1860 the palace is a good example of Khmer architecture featuring a defensive wall, throne hall, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, stupas, towering spires and mural paintings. Definitely the main attract is the Silver Pagoda adorned with over 5,000 silver tiles.
