Phnom Penh Named One of BBC Travel's Best Places to Visit in 2026

Property Hub Cambodia

BBC Travel's 2026 list puts Phnom Penh on the global stage. For property investors, that recognition signals something more than tourism momentum.

Global Recognition for Phnom Penh

BBC Travel included Phnom Penh in its Best Places to Travel for 2026 — placing Cambodia's capital alongside destinations that attract international attention, investment, and long-term visitor growth. For travellers, it's a recommendation. For property investors, it's a data point worth paying attention to.

Tourism recognition and real estate fundamentals are not the same thing. But they are connected. Cities that earn a place on global travel lists tend to see stronger short-term rental demand, rising hospitality investment, and increased awareness among the international buyers and expats who become long-term residents. Phnom Penh is experiencing all three.

What's Driving Phnom Penh's Moment

The city has changed meaningfully in the past five years. BKK1 — the district that houses much of the expat community, the best restaurants, and the majority of premium residential stock — has matured into a walkable, self-contained urban quarter. New coffee culture, internationally-backed F&B, and a concentration of co-working spaces have made it a genuine destination for digital nomads and long-stay visitors.

The Royal Palace, the riverfront, and Phnom Penh's French colonial architecture have always drawn visitors. What's newer is the city's growing reputation as a liveable, modern capital — not just a stopover on the way to Siem Reap's temples. That shift matters for the residential property market.

What It Means for Property Investors

Tourism growth translates into rental demand in two ways. First, short-term: platforms like Airbnb see stronger occupancy in well-positioned central apartments, particularly in BKK1 and the Tonle Bassac riverfront corridor. Second, long-term: cities with growing international profiles attract more expat residents — employees of multinationals, NGO workers, diplomats — who typically lease at the upper end of the residential market.

Phnom Penh's expat population has grown steadily over the past decade. The BBC recognition will not change that overnight, but it reinforces a trajectory that is already visible in rental demand data and new project launches from regional developers.

BKK1: Still the Core Investment District

For investors considering Phnom Penh exposure, BKK1 remains the anchor district. It combines the highest concentration of premium strata-titled stock with the strongest rental absorption — from both expat tenants and Cambodian professionals who want proximity to the commercial core.

Neighbouring districts — Tonle Bassac, Boeung Keng Kang 2 and 3, and the emerging riverfront corridor — are attracting new development as BKK1 prices have appreciated. Each offers a different risk-return profile, and each is walkable from the amenity infrastructure that makes Phnom Penh attractive to the international tenants who drive yields.

Our Take

Global travel recognition matters because it accelerates awareness. Investors who have been watching Cambodia — who know the yield story, who understand the ownership framework — use moments like this as confirmation that the market they've been tracking is moving into a broader spotlight.

We've been advising buyers in BKK1 and across Phnom Penh for years. If you'd like to understand which projects currently have foreign quota available, which developers have the strongest completion track records, or what realistic yields look like by district, we're here to help.