Phnom Penh's riverfront was once a place where regular port activities performed, and ship travelling was supplied along the Mekong River. However, today this place draws the attention of tourists from all over the world with restaurants, bars and small hotels competing with beggars and book sellers.

This Riverfront Area, along Sisowath Quay from the Street 104 Area to the Royal Palace area near Street 178, is famous with both domestic people and foreigners. Sisowath Quay, the riverfront road, is connected with dozens of restaurants and bars and a number of hotels and guesthouses, some of which afford wonderful riverside views. These days, the road is much busier with some of the best bars and restaurants erecting on the riverfront. It is hard to see a tourist departing Phnom Penh without a visit to the Foreign Correspondents Club – a very common place for people to have a stopover in the late afternoon. In addition, so many other places such as several silk and souvenir shops, massage shops, internet cafes, travel agents, and a few ATM has opened interacting with restaurants with the aim to serve every tastes of people. In spite of warmly welcoming strollers at any time of the day, the riverfront is particularly popular in the early evening. Tourists would love to have a meal or just a snack, relax in a riverfront cafe and watch the riverfront street life, do a bit of shopping or simply explore the side streets. You can find the best shopping streets radiating off the river at Street 178 and Street 240 on either side of the Royal Palace and National Museum. A pair of the city’s best bar streets are just off the riverfront. Both Street 104 at the northern end of the riverfront area and Street 136 in the middle are full with restaurants, little bars and guesthouses.

However, the riverfront hasn’t been totally invaded by outsiders. The residents gather in large number each morning and afternoon to promenade along the Ton Le Sap or partake in exercises. This scene is more and more popular with visitors. The large parks that front to the river outside the National Museum and the Royal Palace are also well patronized by locals.