The Royal Palace, in Photos
Words by Dalene Heck / Photography by Pete Heck
Exploring Phnom Penh can be an exhausting and daunting venture, especially when weaving through crowded traffic on hot and dusty days (so, essentially every day).But there are perfect spots throughout to steal away from the chaos. Wat Phnom was a favourite of ours where the noise of the city melted away up the tiny hill that made it the tallest religious structure in the city.
The Royal Palace, although a bit more overwhelming in terms of architecture and vast opulence, still felt like a delicious escape. Residence of the King, the gorgeous gardens give way to temples, immense paintings and several pagodas, one with a floor laid entirely with silver.
(In all honesty, given that it was our first exploration of modern Asian architecture, it felt almost Disneyland-ish with the bright colours and cursive edges. And the incredible wealth that exists within the walled compound was hard to take given the considerable poverty that sits right outside.)
But, so it is. And if that can be overcome, it is still a good place to spend the afternoon flexing your camera trigger finger.
And nothing says peace and serenity like monks in the gorgeous orange robes.
Your pictures keep getting better and better. This Wat looks stunning!
Thanks so much Sally!
Oh wow. Yes, talk about opulent!
And that first photo… just perfection. I will definitely have to check this out myself soon!
Hopefully you don’t get “templed out” by the time you get there. 🙂
Fantastic photos! Beautiful place! I envy you!
Thanks Kent!
Gorgeous photos! Cambodia is amazing!
Thanks Laura! It is an easy place to snap a million photos, that is for sure. 🙂
Stunning pictures of the Royal Palace! I just went last week and these pictures kind of look better than in person, haha. Great eye! It was a gorgeous and tranquil spot in an often chaotic city. Same can be said of Wat Phnom.
Great photos! I stayed in a guesthouse just across the Royal Palace. As I didn’t have much time in Phnom Penh I decided to stay very close to its landmark. Modest in comparison with its Thai counterparts, the Cambodian Royal Palace was indeed a nice place to visit and spend some time.
I loved visiting this palace! I was completely blown away by its beauty and the vast treasures of the Silver Temple. Definitely a nice respite from the chaos of the rest of the city. Great shots!
These are some gorgeous shots! I love the purple flower with the temple behind…
Wow. You are beyond talented! I am in love with all of these photos. Thank you so much for sharing these.
Gorgeous photos! Really offers up a different perspective.
A beautiful photo collection! Love all of the unexpected glimpses and framing choices.
Amazing shots! Love it.
Shaun
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