Exploration of Khmer Rouge Era: A Half-day Tour to Cambodia’s Shocking Historical Sites
4.6
14 Ratings
Phnom Penh
Embark on a half-day tour to Cambodia's shocking historical sites from the Khmer Rouge era. Explore the dark past and witness the remnants of a tragic period in Cambodia's history.
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - Pick up from your Phnom Penh hotel by your guide and driver and transfer to the Tuol Sleng Museum (Prison S21). During the Pol Pot regime, Tuol Sleng, formerly a high school (Tuol Svay Pre School) was converted to a detention centre known as S21. After interrogation and often torture, prisoners were transferred to The Killing Fields, where they were tortured again and brutally killed. Today the building houses exhibit paintings and photographs of many of the victims. Visitors can see the crude cells built in the classrooms and the torture devices used to extract confessions in Stalinesque purges of the regime in the late 1970s. Do expect a sobering visit, where the building houses exhibits, paintings and photographs of many of the victims indicating its harrowing past.
  • Choeung Ek Genocidal Center - We end the morning/afternoon at the Killing Fields at Cheung Ek, located just outside the city centre, seen as a depressing experience of the harsh reality of this part of Khmer history. It was a Chinese Cemetery before it became the Khmer Rouge’s best known Killing Field. The remains of almost 9,000 bodies have been excavated from mass graves in this area. A memorial stupa has been erected and displays over 5,000 human skulls, bones and clothes of the victims. During the Khmer Rouge years, thousands of Cambodians were tortured and imprisoned in detention centres around the country. A visit to this sobering site reveals the photos documenting its checkered past, and the pagoda that was converted into a prison during the regime that is now a monastery.

We return you to your hotel either at around noon (in case you have chosen the morning tour) or at around 6 pm if you decide to book this tour in the afternoon. The total duration of this tour is approximately 4 hours.

What's Included
  • Transport via car, mini-van or coach with a professional driver.
  • All taxes and service charges included.
  • Admittance and donation fees included for all attractions in the tour description.
  • Half-day guided tour with an English-speaking professional.
What's Not Included
  • Tours, inclusions of any kind and other services that are not outlined in the tour description
  • Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, shopping, portage fees and optional tours.
  • Compulsory Christmas, country-specific festival and/or New Year dinner at included hotels
  • Travel insurance coverage for customers (highly recommendable)
Additional Information

Since its inception, Cambodia has endured a great deal of turmoil and suppression. Despite the grandeur of its historical crown jewel, Angkor, the present Kingdom remains deeply intertwined with the memory of the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal reign under the infamous Pol Pot. These indelible remnants of a tragic past serve as constant reminders of a period that must not be revisited. This half day exploration reveals two of the most startling locations in the nation’s history, in the heart of the capital.

  • This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request subject to availability and supplementary charges may apply.
  • Return transfers for this excursion apply only are inclusive for customers staying in and inside Phnom Penh.
  • Transfers outside these areas, including any accommodation outside this area such as Koh Dach, Tonle Bati, and Oudong, any of the river and cruise ferry terminals and Phnom Penh International Airport are excluded. Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions.
  • This excursion includes obstacles of various kinds that may not make this excursion suitable for wheelchair users. The obstacles comprise of unpaved roads, small boats and cruise embarkation and disembarkation and insufficient facilities to provide a comfortable sightseeing tour.
  • To avoid any issues pertaining obtaining an arrival visa at the airport, please ensure that your passport contains at least two empty pages. Failure to do so may result in not gaining entrance into the Kingdom of Cambodia.
  • To allow entrance into the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) in Phnom Penh, visitors are obliged to uphold a very strict dress code to respect the premises and the victims who lost their lives here. It is essential that you dress modestly and appropriately during this excursion by wearing clothes that cover shoulders and fall below the knees. Customers wearing shirts with obscene and disrespectful prints and pictures and brightly-coloured clothing may be refused entrance.
  • We always will make efforts to confirm the exact pick-up time upon reservation. For any operational issues in which are not able to confirm the exact pick-up time in advance, we reserve the right to inform you the day before the departure of the tour.
  • Please note pickup and drop-off services may not be confirmed for customers staying at private residences, apartment complexes, or other non-registered tourism accommodations. Customers may be asked to meet at a nearby hotel for pick-up and drop off.
  • Natural elements of any kind have a destructive effect on electronic equipment.
  • It the customer’s own responsibility to ensure that any camera, mobile telephone or other device is properly wrapped and protected against these elements. We cannot be held responsible in any way for negligence and/or not following suggestions for any damage related to this.
  • It is the responsibility of the customer to provide us with the correct hotel information, should pick-up and drop-off services be included in the package. Any changes in accommodation outside 24 hours will be handled accordingly: changes within 24 hours may be on request.
  • In the event of no-show or change of accommodation without prior consent and confirmation from us within 24 hours may result in the applicable cancellation charges as outlined in the terms and conditions.
  • This tour is not recommended for families with children under the age of 12 years old.
Location
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Corner of Street 113 & St 350, History Museum
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(14 Ratings)
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Rdelvalle81
Oct 27, 2019
Must Visit to understand the violent past in Cambodian History - We walked 2 blocks from our hotel to the Toul Sleng Museum and were the first to walk thru the gates at 8am (opening) we took the voice recorded guide to the Museum which was a very solemn guide. You get to walk thru small but somewhat terrifying area which was a school before the horrors of murder of thousands of Cambodians who were detained and horrendously tortured by the Khmer Rouge. It was a difficult thing to listen to the stories which were told and hard to grasp how Cambodians were murdering their own people. The Killing fields are less than 15km south by tuktuk or grab(we used grab because it works out to be the same price but with some comfort) there were several Senior Citizens with us so that was another point to take grab. The Killing fields again offered voice recorded guide to an area less than a football field which was the location of many of those who were detained in the Genocide Museum 15 km north who were then mustered out on 6x6 trucks then were held in small sheds until they were marched out into open pits where they were killed with metal spikes and other objects before their throats were slit (as what the guide said, this was done in order to save bullets). more than 40 years later, its hard to imagine the death which happened in such a beautiful location. You can't help but feel sad, and shed a tear -when you see the killing tree. Its something that other countries may try to erase from history, but the cambodian government and people embrace thisdark past and use it to share with the rest of the world and visitors of from all walks of life an insight to the history of Cambodia.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Harrietk40
Sep 14, 2019
A must see - This is an experience not to be missed, however it is also very sad and heartbreaking as to what these people went through. There are photos of all the people lost and stories from survivors that leave you in disbelief as to what one human being can and did to another. They are still finding bones and clothing at the grave sites which wash to the surface with the rains.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thenehprofessor
Aug 18, 2019
Heartbreaking but essential - I first visited the Tuol Sleng Museum (the "Genocide Museum") and the Killing Fields separately, but went back again and did the half-day tour that covers both. It really is impossible to understand present-day Cambodia without facing it's horrendous history with the Khmer Rouge. It also makes it easier to appreciate the present day efforts in Cambodia to revive the country's culture and arts which were almost wiped out by the Khmer Rouge. For both the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, recorded guide is really essential and is superbly done and is easy to use. It's available in 14 languages.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steve
Aug 8, 2019
A very sombre and chilling experience - What an amazing country Cambodia is, and while the population admirably look forward and not backward, it is such a humbling tour to take, be prepared to learn of horrors that are in some cases are unbelievable in this age, but happened just short years ago. I thoroughly encourage you take the Tuol Sleng or S21 Museum tour first, you can even meet a rare survivor or two... and you simply must use the accompanying audio guide. The audio will even inform you before entering an area that it may be too horrific and you may wish to stay outside and just listen to the audio. The Cheung Ek Killing Fields are 30 minutes away by Tuk Tuk, but compared to what awaited the many others who took this journey is a breeze through the crowded streets of Phnom Penh, you are met with a preserved area that while sobering is a place of remembrance in a garden style setting. Be prepared to face some horrendous stories told on the Audio tour, and I would recommend you do press the 'extra' button when there is an 'extra' to the story... I allowed myself plenty of time... but I would advise you also to allow some 'cool down' or reflective time for yourself after the tour concludes, yes, I was in tears, and needed the time to adjust back into the present day...
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cp076
Jun 8, 2019
Great tour - This was a somber tour but gives you insight and understanding in some of Cambodia’s history. I was fortunate as I was on the tour alone, and my guide (sorry, can’t remember her name, starts w S and means “lucky”, I believe!) was excellent. Though there are audio guides available at these places, I appreciated her personal stories. Would recommend this for anyone who visits Phnom Penh.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brian
May 27, 2019
Eye opening experience - A must see for us to get a little understanding of the reign of terror undertaken by Pol Pot .The cruelty of this regime is really beyond our comprehension.The museum is a must see place even if only to be amazed as to how Cambodians could be forced to murder their own people. .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P_b
Mar 19, 2018
The tour was a sober expose of the... - <p>The tour was a sober expose of the sad recent history of Cambodia, and important for anyone who wants to understand a little of the country's past. The tour guide, Sony, was excellent - knowledgeable, friendly and considerate.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Vanessa
Jun 16, 2016
Shocking, emotional, disturbing... - <p>Shocking, emotional, disturbing however very worth while to learn of the sad and barbaric history of this amazing country. Our guide and drive were excellent, so much information shared. An excellent tour that still has us talking about it and following the local news closely as Mr Duch is still under going prosecution.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Robertwe4813pd
Jan 15, 2020
VERY SAD BUT INTERESTING - Would recommend this tour. Was very interesting but was great having a guide and not just a set of headphones at the venues. Almost every Cambodian is personally affected by what happened during this period, so being with a guide made it hit home even more.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James
Aug 2, 2016
There were times before buying this... - <p>There were times before buying this when I questioned whether it was worth the extra money to have a dedicated guide rather than using the audio guides available at both locations but the personal context our guide had been affected by the events that shaped these two locations and the depth of knowledge as well as the insights on how Cambodia has transformed since were invaluable. In short, well worth paying more to have someone to speak with when exploring these fascinating but tragic locations.</p>
Review provided by Viator
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