Outside The Royal Palace

When we visit the Royal Palace with little kids, we keep it very simple and stick to the outside area rather than going in and doing the full palace tour — and honestly, for the toddler stage of life, it works so much better.

There’s loads of open space for little legs to move, plenty to look at, and nothing that feels rushed or overwhelming. We usually take it at a slow wander, let the kids lead the way, and stop whenever something catches their attention. One of our favourite things to do in the mornings is feeding the birds — for about 1,000 riel you can buy bird food from local sellers, and it’s such an easy way to stretch the outing while keeping kids completely engaged. They could happily do that for ages.

In the evenings, it feels like a totally different place. We often let the kids run around freely while they end up making friends with local children. Parents sit nearby chatting, families picnic or snack, and the whole area feels more like a big community space than a tourist attraction. It’s relaxed, social, and really lovely to be part of — especially if your kids enjoy that freedom to just run and play.

What we love most is how low-effort it all feels. You can stay for 15 minutes or an hour, grab a few family photos, then wander off to one of the nearby cafés for a drink, snack, or proper sit-down break when needed.

One thing to note is that there’s very little shade, so we tend to go early in the morning or early evening to avoid the worst of the sun. Done at the right time of day, it’s one of our go-to easy outings with toddlers — simple, calm, and always enjoyable.