A perfect way to explore Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. The temple complex is massive, and there are many different ways one could explore it. If you are a history buff, archaeologist, a temple addict who wants to see the Angkor Wat temples and the complex in detail or someone who doesn’t know what a budget is, please stop right here. This article is not for you! For those who want to explore this ancient wonder without breaking the bank or getting templed out, read on. In this article we suggest a route that will take you to the most famous temples in the complex while avoiding herds of tourists. We also list tips and detail logistics that will help make your visit a lot more enjoyable.
Make sure you read the sections at the end for general information about visiting the temples. To experience what we did and where we went, watch our 2 part video of Siem Reap and Angkor Wat: Part 1 and Part 2.
Suggested Itinerary
If you are only visiting the temples, we would recommend staying 2 nights and 3 days in Siem Reap and getting a 1 day pass when visiting the temples. This should give you enough time to visit the temples, explore Siem Reap and travel in and out of the city.
Day 1: Watch the Sunset at Angkor Wat
Once you arrive and settle in to your hotel, you can hire a tuk tuk driver to take you to the temple complex to buy your day pass. The ticket counter closes at 5:30 pm so make sure you are there by 5:00 pm. If you buy a day pass at 5:00 pm you can use it to enter the temple complex the same day and also use it the next full day. Watch the sunset at Angkor Wat by the reflection pool (stand at the extreme left of the pool) to get a picture postcard shot. After sunset, explore Pub Street, the night markets in Siem Reap, enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants (refer to our guide to eating vegetarian in Cambodia for restaurant suggestions in Siem Reap) in the area and retire early so you feel well rested to visit the temples the next day.
Day 2: Visit the Big 3
Angkor Wat
Wake up early, have a good breakfast and start the day by 7-7:30 am to beat the heat and get the most out of your day. Whether you are on a Tuk Tuk or a scooter, start with Angkor Wat. Make sure to walk around the Bas Reliefs that are in the outer perimeter of the main temple complex. Read about the different carvings online or in the guide book as you roam around, it will make for a very enjoyable experience. In size alone, Angkor Wat is breathtaking and the outer walls is where you will spend most of your time. After that you can head towards the inner temple and ascend to the central sanctuary. This will also help to avoid the post sunrise crowd that goes straight for the central sanctuary. We followed the route provided in the “Angkor Wat” article on Travelfish.org and were grateful for the tips and recommendations. Thanks to the article we sometimes felt like we had the entire place to ourselves.
You may have noticed that we don’t mention anything about the sunrise. Should you wake up at 4 AM, get to the temples super early, be one of the thousands of people to witness the beautiful sunrise? Our simple answer is NO. We did it and we were heavily underwhelmed, especially after viewing the sunset. You would be better off spending your energy exploring the temple complex instead. If you do decide to go for the sunrise, make sure to be at the temple by 4 AM, secure a spot to the left in front of the reflection pool.
Ta Prohm
After Angkor Wat, we recommend going counter-clockwise and seeing Ta Prohm next. Ta Prohm, featured in the tomb raider movie, is a fascinating temple with the most amazing ruins largely because the trees are uncut. The trees are now as much a part of the temple as the stones used to build them. One can easily get lost and spend an hour or two here. (Ta Prohm can also be visited in the afternoon, because it’s mostly shaded)
Bayon and Angkor Thom
From there head to Bayon within the Angkor Thom complex. On your way to Bayon you can explore other attractions within the Angkor Thom site such as Baphoun, Elephant terrace and Leper King. This area is mostly shaded and will help during the intense heat of the day (assuming you get here after lunch). The larger than life carvings have a lot of character and really draw you in. Take plenty of pictures, and maybe spend sometime meditating in the shade of the temple.
Sunset at Pre Rup or Phnom Krom
If you linger till sunset, you can go to Pre Rup or Phnom Krom (recommended by other travelers we met). During this time most other tourists will be trying to make it to Bakheng Hill (which we would skip altogether) as it can get too crowded and requires one to reach the top by 3:30-4pm. If you do decide to go, note that there is a limit to the number of people allowed to the top so you may have to stand in line for your turn.
We really hope you enjoy your time at Angkor Wat and don’t get templed out. There is always a “fear of missing out” but in this case less is more. The key is to take your time and not be in a rush, it will make your visit to the temples a lot more enjoyable. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.
Things to note and remember
- Take exact change with you to purchase the pass. The day pass costs $20 per person (prices are set to increase to $37 after Feb 1, 2017).
- If you want to tour the complex by your self, buy the book “Ancient Angkor” by Michael Freeman. You will see many vendors on the street selling reprints outside the counter or even in Siem Reap.
- If you are vegetarian, like us, arrange for a packed lunch for the day. It takes some effort but you will thank yourself later. There are vendors selling fruit, food and other knick knacks by the temples if you don’t want to deal with carrying food.
When taking a tuk tuk …
Tuk Tuk drivers are plenty in Siem Reap. Consider these guys just as your means of transport to and from the temple complex. They know the route and will take you from one temple to another. Apart from that, don’t expect any history lesson or guidance from them. If you do find such a driver, hold on to him coz you just got lucky!!
They should charge you around $8-$10 to take you to buy the tickets and see the sunset (day 1 of our suggested itinerary). To tour the small or grand circuit you will be charged around $15-$20. The temples we recommend on day 2 are all on the small circuit.
Note, it is sometimes not very easy to find your tuk-tuk after you are done. Also for some temples, such as Ta Prohm, the pickup and drop off spot is not the same. Talk to the driver before hand to figure out EXACTLY where he will wait for you. Take a picture of the tuk tuk, write down his name and if you can, get his phone number. There are so many tuk tuk’s we lost our driver at one spot and spent almost 15 to 20 minutes looking for him.
More recommendations …
- If you can ride a bike, we would recommend renting a scooter and exploring by yourself. With Google maps or even a map of the temples, you can get around fairly easily. Use a scarf or cap to cover your head before wearing the helmet (it’s overuse is pretty evident) and make sure you check the bike, mirrors, brakes and lights before heading out. We paid $7 for a one day rental and loved the experience. It allowed us to get off the standard routes to see other temples or just meander along the side streets of Siem Reap. NOTE: You will have to leave your passport with the company that you rent the bike from. If you are wary about leaving your passport with some local transport company, you might be able to leave your drivers license and a $50 deposit. Either way, it seems to be the norm there and we got ours back without any difficulty.
- Carry lots of water with you, preferably in a recyclable water bottle. There is a lot of walking and climbing stairs, and you will be grateful later in the day.
- You will see monks at the Angkor Wat. You can get a water blessing from them for a small donation.
To experience what we did and where we went, watch our 2 part video of Siem Reap and Angkor Wat: Part 1 and Part 2.
There is a lot more to Cambodia than the temple complex in Siem Reap. You can head to Phnom Penh to know a little bit more about the history of Cambodia. Read our article “Tuol Sleng & Killing Fields: Cambodia’s dark side” on our thoughts of these very somber sites.
Other things to do in and around Siem Reap:
- Tonle Sap / Fishing village
- Thousand Lingas
- The Cambodian Circus
- Battambang