Explore “the hidden pearl of Asia” with a guided tour of the city. Stop at sites of interest along the way, including the spectacular Royal Palace (a classic example of Royal Khmer architecture), Silver Pagoda (Emerald Buddha), newly erected statue commemorating the late King Father (Sihanouk), the pagoda at Wat Phnom, the Silver Pagoda and Independence Monument. After lunch, you will continue your tour of Phnom Penh by taking a sobering walk through the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21). Here there are stark and moving reminders of Cambodia’s recent tragic past. Your expert guide will explain the historical, political and social context of the bleak period of Khmer history which followed the fall of Phnom Penh in April 1975. Continue on to Choeung Ek Memorial, one of the infamous killing fields where the Khmer Rouge executed around 17,000 of the estimated 2 million Cambodians who perished under the Pol Pot regime.