Advertisement
Choeung Ek Genocidal Center

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center
4.5
About
These were the execution grounds for the Khmer Rouge.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Plan your visit
See what travellers are saying
  • Ana-Maria B
    Cluj-Napoca, Romania
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Heartwrenching
    Not sure what else I can say, just go see it, ideally after the Tuol Sleng Museum as they tell the whole story together. Get the audioguide to get the entire story. It is very well made and tells a very moving story. There were some folks with an actual guide and I felt the audioguide told more. Of course, I am sure there are all sorts of quides, but just so you know. It hits quite hard to also see the places after reading about them. The nature around can help you clear your mind. I just took a long walk and thought. As for getting there, just any tutktuk driver will be happy to take you, wait for you and come back.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 December 2023
  • AGuide
    South West England, United Kingdom
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Will we ever learn?
    Part of me says this shouldn't be a tourist destination, but at the same time we must all learn what went on in this country in the past. It's pretty harrowing in places and not the place for taking pictures. Just wander quietly around the graves and contemplate what's going on in the world at the moment.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 January 2024
  • DotsGirl2
    Vancouver, Canada
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Such a Sad Place that must be Remembered
    This place is so sad. Seeing what was done to the Cambodian people is heartbreaking. We saw the film first and then our guide took us around the grounds and to the stupa. We saw lots of people with headsets so if you don’t have a guide that would be a good option. Walking around the site and seeing the mass graves and bones is very sobering.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 1 February 2024
  • Trevor N
    Jersey, United Kingdom
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Difficult to believe this could have happened - but it did
    Whilst I remember seeing news items and reading reports about the horrors of this period in Cambodia’s recent history, visiting one of the killing fields to have been discovered around Phnom Penh was a very moving experience. The similarities to the holocaust atrocities inflicted by the Nazi regime on Jews and others, was only too apparent but the various means of execution seemed even more brutal in Cambodia with our guide explaining that this was to save bullets. It was shocking to hear that many of those responsible have not been punished and some even hold senior posts in the community. A very moving experience
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 February 2024
  • b2run
    Ontario, Canada
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Emotional
    Also known as the killing field, this is one of more than 300 sites in Cambodia where the Khmer Rouge killed and buried masses of people. We chose to do it on our own with an audio guide because the guides talking disturbed the reverence of the place. It is not an easy place to visit, but definitely worth going. The audio guide was really good, mixing stories with the history. We loved that there were a lot of places to sit in the shade to listen to the recording or just contemplate the enormity of what happened here.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 February 2024
  • KMLondon22
    London, United Kingdom
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Understanding the Cambodian genocide
    Try and avoid the tour groups and walk round at your own pace listening to the audio guide, visualising and contemplating what once happened here. It is a story of a genocidal regime and an important part of recent history, not unique to Cambodia, that needs to be understood if the world is ever going to become a better place. If you have the opportunity a visit here should definitely be on your list and I would say gives a better understanding of events than the interrogation centre at S21. The central stupa is unique as a memorial to the dead.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 6 March 2024
  • TheLush101
    Cardiff, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Harrowing but necessary
    We visited here as part of our organised trip and had a local guide with us. We entered and our guide took us around and showed us the earth with some of the fragments of clothing is being revealed, the mass graves where bones were excavated etc. It's all quite hard to hear and harrowing, but has to be seen to be understood and rightly remembered for being utterly heartbreaking.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 31 March 2024
  • Bart
    The Netherlands
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An impressive must-do when visiting Cambodia
    Impressive experience. A must-do when visiting Cambodia. Tip 1: I would recommend first visiting this prison museum before heading out to visit the Killing fields. This provides a better chronological explanation. Tip 2: There really is no need to book an organised tour. Just take any tuk tuk to easily get there and back.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 22 July 2024
  • r2thebizel
    Pattaya, Thailand
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Killing Fields: Mist Visit
    As others have said, audio guide is worth it though there is small information signs. The route can be a little disconnected but they’ve done an amazing job of preserving this heartbreaking place. Wasn’t too crowded and eerily quiet - a place to reflect, be grateful, gain perspective and hope it never happens again.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles12,647 reviews
Excellent
9,192
Very good
2,821
Average
485
Poor
86
Terrible
63

Alex H
Port St. Mary, UK
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
After visiting the museum in town, we came here afterwards. We arrived at 3:50pm and left at around 4:55pm. The tuktuk was $25.00 round trip, which you can get cheaper if you negotiate but we really liked our tuktuk driver.
The entry to this place is $5.00 each I think, and our clothes weren’t an issue. For the entry you are given the audio tour which is essential to understand what you are looking at.

The actual killing fields are very chilling and you can still sense the horrific history that took place here. Lots of the items, buildings and vehicles here have been removed, but the graves remain along with the bones / clothes of those who were executed. This was really harrowing and it really makes you realise just how terrible these events were.

Would absolutely recommend coming to see this place for yourself and experiencing the awful history.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tomer
Tel Aviv, Israel
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This museum is telling the stories of those who were the victims of Pol Pot's khmer rouge. Not for the faint of heart as there are human remains shown, but overall tells the sad history of the khmers. I'd recommend to also have the S21 museum for those who really want to know more about this events
Written 17 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jessica B
Northampton, UK
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Heartbreaking memorial of what happened to so many. Definitely a place I won't forget visiting. The audio guide is brilliant and listening to the stories of survivors and their families experiences helped to build an understanding of what went on during this horrific period of time
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

eastland
Swanbourne, Australia
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
... in a strangely peaceful setting.

We'd been warned that this would be a traumatic visit, however having some prior knowledge of the atrocities committed during the Pol Pot years made things a little easier.
Non the less listening to the first hand accounts of survivors will leave you with, at the very least, damp eyes.
The setting is peaceful, and appropriate as a memorial. Plenty of shady spots to stop and contemplate.
Recommend an early start when it is cool and uncrowded. This is one location where I'd suggest the excellent audio guide might be better than an actual guide. You will need "quite time" alone to assess what you learn.
Written 6 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JayRae1
Glasgow, UK
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
Visiting Choeung Ek is not a warm experience but, like most such places, it is essential if you want to understand what happened in Cambodia during the time of the Pol Pot regime. I foolishly took my camera with me but, once inside, I felt it would be disrespectful to take photos in such a place. Others did take photos, but that is a matter for their own conscience.

In spite of what I write here, I would recommend that anyone visiting the area should include a tour of Choeung Ek.
Written 4 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
An emotional place to visit but very well done and good place to learn about what happened in Cambodia in such recent history. Good value for money, entrance fee includes an audio guide which is excellent. Glad we got our own tuktuk from our hotel using Passapp (for $4) This meant we could spend more time here (we spent over 2hrs). Some of the tours give you less time and you wouldn't have had the same time to reflect and listen to all the stories on the audio guide. I don't think having a guide rather than the audio guide would have added anything. We then got a passapp tuktuk on to S21, again less than $4.
Written 30 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andy
Kingston-upon-Hull, UK
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
This was the main trip I wanted to do visiting Phnom Penh and we were pleased that we went.
Other than the stupa containing the bones and skulls there is not that much to see however with the benefit of the audio guide you began to realise the horrors that had taken place there. It was not too busy when we visited and there was little noise which added to the experience.

We sat by the small lake and listened to some of the stories of survivors / family members of victims, the whole experience was incredibly moving.

Seeing the killing tree was horrific when coupled with the audio commentary.

It really is a must do if visiting Phnom Penh.

Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dbraga5150
Dumaguete City, Philippines
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
As others have said, it seems wrong to give this place a rating, however it is a must see place when visiting Cambodia. We had a tour guide who shared his knowledge with some personal family background, it was very touching. There is an audio guide that you can rent that I understand is worth the price.
This is a history lesson that many of us don’t remember hearing or it was never talked about. It is history we should know as it is something that wasn’t long ago and can happen again.
This is a place you must visit at least once.
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
The audio gude here is really interesting and informative without going over the top. The small museum is interesting and insightful without being boring. Very sad place with some very important history.

Fair way out of town but a grab should be about $5 each way. Must visit if you're going to Phnom Penh. $6 for entry including the audio guide makes it one of the best attractions in PP.
Written 21 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Beth
Bristol, UK
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
So desperately sad to see, all the mounds of mass graves but its preserved in a peaceful and kind way. A bit of a drive out of the main city. But still no more than a few dollars on a tuktuk. We think it was 6 dollars for an adult with an audio guide which was well worth it.
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

…
Showing results 1-10 of 10,365
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, Phnom Penh

All Phnom Penh HotelsPhnom Penh Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Phnom Penh
All things to do in Phnom Penh
Amusement Parks in Phnom Penh
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars