As explained in our main guide to Cambodia’s capital, any first-time visit to Phnom Penh will be underpinned by a sense of grief and melancholy.
Through the brief yet barbaric actions of the communist Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, Cambodia was devastated. It’s estimated that 1.7 million (or 21 per cent of the population) lost their lives during their genocidal four-year reign of mass torture, starvation, and murder.
Some studies put that figure even higher, at around 2.2 million.
Learning about the dark underbelly of Cambodia’s relatively recent past is therefore not simply an optional activity in Phnom Penh – it is absolutely vital.
Its scars, both seen and unseen, continue to shape the country’s narrative, demographics, and its ability to move forward. As a visitor, we must learn and reflect upon this period during our time exploring Cambodia.
No matter your age, your background, your budget, your travel style, two sombre sites in and around Phnom Penh should be visited across a single morning and afternoon – the killing fields at Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre and Tuol Sleng S-21 Prison (also known as the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum).
Both convey a sombre, sobering, and shocking experience upon visitors.
In this article, we’ve shared all the necessary details to help you plan and prepare for your visit to the killing fields outside Phnom Penh, including information on transport, what to expect, tours, and how to act respectfully once there.
You can find all the necessary details to plan your visit to Tuol Sleng S-21 Prison in our other post, 13 Things To Do in Phnom Penh.
Travel Tip // If you’ve come to this post because you’re looking for a Phnom Penh Killing Fields tour, this is an excellent option that also includes the S-21 Prison plus a knowledgeable guide and round-trip transport.
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Long-time readers of Along Dusty Roads may be a little surprised that this post contains no photos. The truth is that during our visit to both Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng S-21, we had absolutely no inclination to take out our cameras, let alone take any photos.
It didn’t feel appropriate, it didn’t feel right, and it just didn’t feel necessary.
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What Are The Phnom Penh Killing Fields?
There are thought to have been 300 ‘killing fields’ across Cambodia, but the figure is likely higher.
Each served as an execution site for the Khmer Rouge during its four-year reign of terror (1975-79).
Due to its proximity to the capital city, Choeung Ek is the most…
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