Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh
By SmileJet Editorial Team · Updated May 2026
The ceremonial heart of Cambodia: the residence of King Norodom Sihamoni, with the adjoining Silver Pagoda housing the Emerald Buddha. The most-visited site in Phnom Penh and an essential 90-minute stop for dental tourism patients on day 3+ of recovery.
Visit details
Practical
- Address
- Sothearos Boulevard, opposite the riverfront
- Hours
- 7:30am to 11am, 2pm to 5pm (closed during royal events)
- Admission
- US$10 per adult, includes Silver Pagoda
- Time required
- 90 minutes self-guided
- Audio guide
- US$5 hire (English, French, Khmer)
- Photography
- Permitted in courtyards; not inside throne rooms or Silver Pagoda
Dress code
- ✓ Shoulders covered (no sleeveless tops)
- ✓ Knees covered (long pants or skirt below the knee)
- ✓ Light fabric recommended in dry season heat
- ✓ Shawls available for hire at the entrance (US$2)
- ✗ No revealing clothing, no torn jeans, no shorts
Visitors not meeting the dress code are turned away. Hire a shawl at the gate if needed.
What to see
Throne Hall (Preah Tineang Tevea Vinichhay): The ornate audience hall where the King receives ambassadors and conducts state ceremonies. The throne dates to 1916. Photography is not permitted inside.
Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo): The royal temple, named for its silver-tiled floor (5,329 silver tiles, each 1.125kg). Houses the Emerald Buddha (a 17th-century crystal Buddha) and the Maitreya Buddha (a 90kg solid gold figure encrusted with 9,584 diamonds).
Napoleon III Pavilion: A gift from France in 1876, dismantled and shipped from Egypt. Currently undergoing restoration.
Royal Treasury Pavilion: Royal regalia, ceremonial swords, and state gifts.
Murals around the Silver Pagoda courtyard: A near-complete cycle depicting the Reamker (the Khmer Ramayana) painted by 40 Khmer artists between 1903 and 1904. Photography permitted.
Recovery suitability
Day 3+ post-op
90 minutes of mostly outdoor walking on flat stone paths in 28 to 32°C heat. Suitable from day 3 post-op for most patients (single implants, veneers, crowns). All-on-4 patients usually wait until day 4 to 5. Bring water (sold at the entrance for US$1), wear a soft hat, and pace yourself between covered courtyards. Sit-down rest areas exist at the Silver Pagoda terrace.
Plan your Phnom Penh trip
Free quote. Your coordinator helps fit cultural visits around your treatment timeline.
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