How to Visit the S21 Prison and Killing Fields in Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Visiting the S21 Prison and killing fields in Phnom Penh is something I think everyone who visits Cambodia should do. Cambodia is not just about culture, cuisine, and landscapes. In my opinion it also involves confronting the painful and dark history that the country endured during the Khmer Rouge regime. Day two of my time in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia, was dedicated to understanding this history, as I visited S21 and the Killing Fields. In this blog post, I’ll share my personal experience and provide some tips for if you are planning to visit these sights.

My day began at my hostel from where I booked a tuk tuk to S21. Ordering tuk tuks myself was cheaper than booking a tour that included transportation. I needed a tuk tuk to S21, from S21 to the Killing Fields and from the Killing Fields back to the hostel. Arranging my own transportation also gave me plenty of time to see these places. Knowing that there is not a driver waiting for you was very nice, because I took quite some time at the museum and the Killing Fields.

S21, also known as the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, is a former school turned into a prison and torture site by the Khmer Rouge. The transformation of this ordinary school building into a place of horror is a dark reminder of Cambodia’s past. The prison housed innocent people, for example teachers, journalists, intellectuals, monks or people with glasses. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).