Phnom Penh
Riverside
Bars, MixedSisowath Quay — the riverside strip running along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers — is Phnom Penh's most scenic and tourist-friendly bar area. The bars here are more varied than Street 136: some are straightforward tourist bars serving Western food and Angkor beer, others have entertainment and female staff. The atmosphere is generally more relaxed than Street 136.
The riverside is the right starting point for a first night in Phnom Penh — get oriented, have a drink at sunset, get a feel for the city before moving into the more specific zones. Several bars have rooftop terraces with river views that are genuinely excellent regardless of other interests.
The riverside peaks from 6pm to midnight. It's better lit, more policed, and safer than Street 136 in terms of petty crime. A good base for food and drink with the option to move to Street 136 later in the evening.
Venues in Riverside
Duplex Rooftop Bar
BarsPhnom Penh, Cambodia
Rooftop bar and club on the riverside — two levels with river views, DJ nights, cocktails, and a crowd that mixes Phnom Penh's young affluent Khmer with expats and visitors. The most polished rooftop option on the riverside strip. Open daily from 5pm.
📍 Sisowath Quay, Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
FCC Phnom Penh
BarsPhnom Penh, Cambodia
The Foreign Correspondents' Club — a colonial-era building on Sisowath Quay with a rooftop terrace, river views, and the best sundowner setting in Phnom Penh. More of a restaurant and bar than a nightlife venue; peaks at sunset. The building and the view are the draw. Open daily from 7am.
📍 363 Sisowath Quay, Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
Heart of Darkness
BarsPhnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh's most famous nightclub — operating on Street 51 since 1993, surviving coup attempts, government crackdowns, and decades of Southeast Asian nightlife evolution. Multi-room club with DJs, a mixed local and expat crowd, and an atmosphere that's genuinely its own thing. Not a lady bar — a real nightclub. Open nightly until 4am or later.
📍 Street 51, Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
Martini Bar
Lady BarsPhnom Penh, Cambodia
One of Phnom Penh's most notorious and longest-running lady bars — a large open-format venue near the riverfront with a high volume of female staff, pool tables, and the direct atmosphere that defines the Phnom Penh scene. Survived multiple crackdown periods. Pricing transparent and negotiated at the venue. Open daily from 5pm.
📍 Street 95, Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
Pontoon Club
BarsPhnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh's most well-known floating club — moored on the Tonle Sap river, open-air deck, DJ nights and live acts, mixed crowd of locals, expats, and visitors. The riverside setting distinguishes it from every other nightlife option in the city. Open Thursday to Sunday from 9pm.
📍 Sisowath Quay riverside, Phnom Penh
Seeing Hands Massage
MassagePhnom Penh, Cambodia
Legitimate massage operation employing blind therapists — a Phnom Penh institution with multiple locations. Traditional Khmer and Swedish massage from well-trained staff. From $6 per hour. Not a gray-area venue; included as the most consistently recommended legitimate massage option in the city.
📍 Multiple locations, Phnom Penh
Street 104 Bar Strip
BarsPhnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh's main nightlife street with a cluster of bars, hostess venues, and late-night spots.
📍 Street 104, Phnom Penh