Killing Fields of Choeung Ek

Killing Fields of Choeung Ek

The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, around 15kms outside Phnom Penh, are where most of the victims of Tuol Sleng S21 prison were slaughtered and dumped in makeshift shallow graves. For many travellers, a visit to Choeung Ek completes a harrowing journey into a dark not so distant past in which 1.7 million Cambodians perished.

The award winning 1984 David Puttnam film, The Killing Fields about the Khmer Rouge reign of terror, provided a ready made name for the human dumping grounds around Cambodia that are now known as Khmer Rouge Killing Fields. The most famous of these are the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, around 15 kms from Phnom Penh.

It makes good sense to visit Tuol Sleng before heading to the Killing Fields as Tuol Sleng is both more profound and more informative than Choeung Ek. And be warned, like the Tuol Sleng Museum, a visit to Choeung Ek is distressing.

The Khmer Rouge slaughtered around 17,000 of their countrymen and women here between 1975 and 1979. A number of foreigners were also imprisoned at S21 and later murdered here.

The site now consists of shallow graves and a memorial to the victims that includes hundreds of skulls, many smashed by clubs in order to save bullets. Fragments of bone and clothing are still visible in the area.

The Khmer Rouge tyranny was characterised by ideological lunacy and extreme paranoia.  Cambodia’s educated class - doctors, professors, engineers, teachers, lawyers, linguists and others - were targeted with precision and few educated Cambodians survived the Khmer Rouge reign - a loss from which the country still suffers.

As time passed, the regime became increasingly paranoid and began to turn on its own. Many of the victims of S-21 and Choeung Ek were themselves former Khmer Rouge.

The Killing Fields at Choeung Ek are now privately managed and while it is a tasteful memorial, there is something disconcerting about a commercial operation commemorating mass murder.


Travel tips:

Choeung Ek is 15kms and 30 - 40 minutes from Phnom Penh by car or tuk tuk. Some choose to cycle out. The road is quite busy however there are some nice views along the way.

Other articles

Central Market

Central Market

The dark-yellow Art Deco Phsa Thmei (New Market) is also referred to as the Central Market, a reference to its ...

Chaktomuk Conference Hall

Chaktomuk Conference Hall

The Chaktomuk Conference Hall is located at Preah Sisowath Quay, Sangkat Chaktomuk, Khan Daun Penh. It designed by renowned architect ...

Chroy Changvar Bridge

Chroy Changvar Bridge

Cambodia-Japan Friendship Bridge - It was constructed in 1966. During the war from 1973 to 1975 the Khmer Rouge forces ...

 Independence Monument

Independence Monument

An Angkorian style tower, the inimitable place in the whole city, located in the heart of the capital. It was ...

National Museum

National Museum

The NATIONAL MUSEUM has a good collection of Khmer sculptures dating from the pre-Angkor period (4th century) to post-Ankgor period ...

Old Market in Phnom Penh

Old Market in Phnom Penh

Old Market (Phsar Chas) is a local market that is not at all geared to the tourist. It carries such ...

Orussey Market

Orussey Market

Orussey Market is Centrally located, Orussey Market is much more geared towards locals than tourists; hence you will not find ...

Ounalom Pagoda

Ounalom Pagoda

Wat Ounalom is another of Phnom Penh's five original monasteries (1422). it housed the Institute Bouddhique and library. On the ...

Relaxing Places

Relaxing Places

In additional to the main tourist attractions above, Phnom Penh offers a number of other cultural sites and place to ...

Riverfront Park

Riverfront Park

A stroll or Cyclo ride along the park-lined riverfront is a must pubs, restaurants, shops and tourist boats line the ...

Royal Palace

Royal Palace

Gleaming in gold, the Royal Palace is one of Phnom Penh?s most splendid architectural achievements. It is home to His ...

Toul Sleng Genocidal Museum

Toul Sleng Genocidal Museum

In 1975, Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's security force and turned into a prison ...

Silver Pagoda

Silver Pagoda

Silver Pagoda (or the temple of the Emerald Buddha), formerly a wooden building, was rebuilt in 1962 in concrete and ...

Toul Tom Poung Market

Toul Tom Poung Market

So-named because of the prevalence of items from the Eastern Bloc in past times, the Toul Tom Poung Market today ...

Wat Phnom Hill

Wat Phnom Hill

Set on top of a tree-covered knoll 27m high, Wat Phnom is the only hill in town. According to legend, ...

In association with
Asta  Pata  Vista  vietnamtourism  footprint  Tripadvisor