Pchum Ben is Cambodia’s biggest annual religious ceremony, marking the 15 days each year that Yama, the King of Hell, opens the gates to his realm and allows spirits to roam the land of the living.
While the first 12 days of Pchum Ben are relatively subdued, the country grinds to a halt during the final three days of the festival (October 13-15 this year), when Cambodians flock to the countryside to visit their families and make offerings at the local pagodas. If you’re staying in Phnom Penh during these three days, you’ll find the roads eerily quiet, tuk tuk drivers scarce, and most business and restaurants shuttered or operating with a skeleton crew.
CamboKidz checked around town to see what’s open during Pchum Ben. Here are a few fun ideas on how to enjoy the holiday weekend with your kids.
Go Swimming:
Escape the heat and cool off in one of the city’s hotel swimming pools. Many of Phnom Penh’s hotels offer pool day-passes to non-guests (often at a small charge, or with a minimum purchase of food and drink). If you’re looking to make an entire day out of it, you’ll want to pick a swimming pool that has cabanas or shaded loungers, a wading area for the kids, and a bar or cafe attached that will deliver food and drinks to you poolside.
Recommended:
Make an Even Bigger Splash:
For an even wetter Pchum Ben weekend, head to one of the city’s water parks. Garden City Water Park is a bit of a hike, but well worth the effort for its giant twisting and turning slides, speed slides and lazy river. For something a bit closer to home, head to Water Garden at Aeon Mall Sen Sok, where they turn on the taps at 10 am sharp and crank up the foam cannon once it gets busy. Both water parks have wading areas suitable for smaller children.
Chill Out in the Park:
Take in the fresh air and greenery at one of the city’s parks, which remain open throughout the entire holiday. Keep in mind that parks with pagodas or shrines – such as Wat Botum Park – will be buzzing with vendors selling food, flowers and incense to Cambodian worshippers. Visiting during the morning rush will help your kids better understand Pchum Ben and Khmer culture.
For a bit of serenity, head to the multi-use green spaces on Koh Pich, which also have food and activities for the whole family.
Hit the Mall:
While the city might be a ghost town during Pchum Ben, its major malls teem with life. Families – often in groups three generations thick – arrive early and spend the day in the air-conditioned food courts, arcades, indoor playgrounds and cinemas – which remain open throughout the entire holiday.
Recommended:
Dive into a Ball Pit:
Most of Phnom Penh’s indoor playgrounds are located in malls and will be open during Pchum Ben, so all your kids really need is a pair of socks to have fun. They’ll have a blast climbing the padded equipment, scurrying through tunnels and sliding into ball pits.
Recommended:
Putt Putt for Fun Fun:
Birdie’s, the outdoor mini golf course in leafy Treellion Park, is fun any day of the year, but come during Pchum Ben and you’ll enjoy a 15% discount. Sink a hole-in-one on any of their 18 par-3 holes and you’ll win a free drink (that’s a beer for mommy and daddy, or a soda for the kids). After the game the family can hang out by the club house and play boardgames or try out their giant Jenga set.
The regular ticket price is $6 for adults and $4 for kids, but if you’re heading there during Pchum Ben you can get in on their special offer: $15 for one round of mini golf and all-you-can-eat brunch at The Glasshouse restaurant (Sat & Sun only).
Tuck into a Sunday Brunch:
The Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh is offering 50% off Sunday family brunch at its Market Cafe Restaurant & Lounge during the month of October. And yes, the offer includes the final day of Pchum Ben, October 15!
The buffet-style brunch is more than just an impressive spread of Western and Asian dishes in stylish surroundings. It includes free admission to a children’s play area operated by Funderland, with hilarious clowns, and free balloons and face-painting for the kids.
The brunch runs 12pm – 3pm, giving you plenty of time to fill your tummy and relax to live music while your kids play. After discount, the net cost is adults $40, kids $12, and free for children 5 years and under.
Call or message (phone/Telegram) +855 23 600 1234 for details or to make a reservation.
Cast a Line:
The fish are biting throughout the Pchum Ben holiday, so why not take the family out and cast a line? Phnom Penh Fishing Tours still has a few spaces on its charter boat, which leaves the city around 9 am and heads upriver to all the best fishing holes, returning by 5pm. The cost depends on the size of the group, and includes fishing rods and equipment, bait and beverages.
For a relaxed fishing experience within the city limits, head to picturesque Samathi Lake Resort, where tilapia and carp can be fished from the resort’s dock. It’s $5 to fish, including a rod and bait, and you only pay for the fish you keep.
Come Face to Face with a T-Rex:
If your child’s first big word was “Tyrannosaurus” you owe it to them to visit Dinosaurs Alive, a fun and educational dinosaur themepark just across the bridge in Chroy Changvar. Walk, hop on a toy train, or peddle a boat to see the life-sized dinosaurs that populate this jungled park. We have been assured that the dinosaurs are staying in for the holiday, and ticket prices remain the same: Adults $8, Children $5, and kids under 90cm free.
Mix it up a Little:
Urban Space & Playground will stay open during the Pchum Ben holiday, giving you one destination with a bit of everything for your kids to try. There is a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating where parents can relax while keeping an eye on their kids. Your little ones will want to explore the whole complex, which includes an indoor playground full of toys, an outdoor playground with slides and a tree fort, and a swimming pool.
Dance on Wheels:
Bring the whole family to the CIS Roller Dome on Koh Pich during Pchum Ben for public skate sessions that pay homage to the roller discos of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Lace up a pair of retro-cool four-wheeled rollerskates and glide around the air-conditioned rink. The groovy tunes, colorful lights and rink-side snack bars add to the fun and (for some parents) nostalgia. Public skates are set for 12pm to 6 pm on Oct. 13, and 12pm to 6:30pm on Oct. 14-15.
Workshop by the Park:
Head over to the Ground Market on October 14-15 where dozens of local and artisanal vendors are set up along pathways in a landscaped urban park, and a series of special Pchum Ben workshops will be held in its indoor space. Bond with your kids by enrolling together in the fun and interesting DIY crafts workshops (some are free) that will show you how to make your own scented candles, soap, origami and sleepy elephants chandeliers. Check the schedule for workshop times and fees – and to see what goodies you get to make and take home.
Stick around till evening for the free jazz performances. There will also be station with free activities for the kids from 10am – 9pm on both days.
Learn to Fly:
If your kids are bouncing off the walls at home, then you’ll love this. Fly Phnom Penh, the capital’s premiere trampoline park, is staying open for all of Pchum Ben. So let your kids jump, bounce and fly for an hour, or all day long if you like. A one-hour pass for “Little Flyers” under 120 cm is $6, and an unlimited day pass costs $12 during the holiday.
Comments