Silver Pagoda

The best time to visit Silver Pagoda is early in the morning or late afternoon when the weather is pleasant.

As with the other temples in Cambodia, it is expected that tourists dress appropriately. Women need to cover their shoulder at all times and wear knee-length attire. Sleeveless shirts and shorts aren't also allowed for both men and women. The rules are strictly followed, and you might be denied entry by the guards if you fail to obey them.

Buddha Maitreya - Next to the emerald Buddha is a life-sized golden Buddha Maitreya, also known as the Buddha of the Future. This statue was created in the adjacent Royal Palace as a part of conservation workshops during the years 1906 and 1907. The beautiful Buddha is made of 90kg pure gold, decorated with over 2,000 diamonds, a 25-carat diamond crown adorns the head, and a 20-carat diamond gleams in the chest of this Buddha, making it the richest and the most spectacular Buddhist statue in Cambodia.

Preah Vihear Preah Keo Morakot - At one end of the complex stands the Silver Pagoda or Preah Vihear Preah Keo Morakot.  The temple was built between 1892 and 1902 during the reign of King Norodom, made entirely of wood and brick in the typical Cambodian architectural site. It is a unique pagoda which has seen no monks in its entire history, although one of the kings became a monk after his reign and resided here for a year. Today, it is the place where the King of Cambodia attends sermons and rituals conducted by the monks periodically.  It is also a venue for royal processions, meetings of delegates and Buddhist religious ceremonies. 

In front of the marble staircase leading to this Silver Pagoda is a miniature stupa made of gold and silver, which contains a relic of Buddha brought from Sri Lanka by the monks.

The walls of the Silver Pagoda are stunning consisting of intricately carved golden Buddhas,  masks used in classical dance forms and many other elements of the Khmer culture. The courtyard outside the pagoda also houses hundreds of murals depicting scenes from the Hindu epic Ramayana. Nearby, there is a monastery consisting of a library with thousands of palm-leaves Buddhist inscriptions that have been well-preserved.

Phnom Mondap - Another area of attraction within the premises of the Silver Pagoda is Phnom Mondap. It is an artificial hill with a pavilion at its top consisting of a bronze Buddha footprint, a gift from Sri Lanka.

Outside the Silver pagoda, there are more than 1000 objects and structures, including gardens, library, shrines, and stupas. Most of them are many statues of Buddha in various sizes and shapes made of gold, silver and bronze, some even decorated with diamonds. Many of these Buddha statues have been received as gifts from the royal families, officials and dignitaries from around the world.

Statue of Napoleon - In front of the pagoda, there is a statue of a man riding a white horse, which was initially Napoleon Bonaparte of France. The figure was a gift to King Norodom from a French military commander during the French colonization period, which was later modified to resemble the features of a Cambodian King.  Other prominent monuments are many grey-coloured stupas lined up at various locations within the temple premises, which contain ash remains of members of the royal families including kings and queens.

Silver Pagoda is located next to the Royal Palace, close to the city centre of Phnom Penh and takes about 25 to 30 minutes to reach. You can reach by foot and plan covering this pagoda with the Palace and the museum, which are closeby. You can rent a motorbike for about 5 USD per day to get there. Or you can hire a Tuk-Tuk for about 10 USD for a round trip, which can be shared. The price also includes waiting charges.