Angkor, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument ever built, and the photograph you’ve seen from drone footage gives you no real preparation for standing in front of it. The outer wall alone encloses around 200 hectares. The central towers rise above galleries covered in bas-relief carvings – scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the churning of the cosmic ocean – that extend for nearly 800 metres if you follow them wall to wall. Most people see it in two hours and leave. Two days is more honest.

The broader Angkor Archaeological Park covers over 400 square kilometres north of Siem Reap: temples, reservoirs, and the ruins of the Khmer Empire’s capital city built between the 9th and 15th centuries. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the genuinely significant archaeological sites in the world.

Pass Prices and Practicalities

The Angkor Pass is purchased at the Angkor Enterprise ticket office on Road 60, about 4km from central Siem Reap. As of 2026, a 1-day pass costs $37, a 3-day pass (valid across any three days within 10 days) costs $62, and a 7-day pass (valid across any seven days within a month) costs $72. Prices have not changed in seven years, which is unusual for a site this popular. Children under 12 enter free but need a passport to confirm age. Since January 2025, self-service kiosks accept credit cards and dispense tickets in under two minutes.

The pass is required for entry to all temples in the park. Do not try to enter without one; checkpoints are staffed and the fines are real.

What to Visit

Angkor Wat

The temple was built in the early 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu monument dedicated to Vishnu, and later converted to Buddhist use – the religious shift preserved it rather than destroying it. Sunrise from the front reflecting pool is iconic and genuinely beautiful, but by 7am the pool is crowded and the photographic reality falls short of the idea. Go for sunrise if you’re a dedicated photographer; go midday or late afternoon if you want to spend time in the galleries without being swept along in a crowd. Return a second time at a different light – the sandstone changes colour between morning and afternoon in ways worth seeing.

Bayon

Bayon stands at the centre of Angkor Thom, the walled royal city built by Jayavarman VII at the end of the 12th century. Its 54 towers carry four large carved faces on each face, widely believed to combine the features of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with the king’s own likeness. Walking among these faces on the upper level is the experience that separates Angkor from everything else in Southeast Asia. The lower galleries show naval battles on the Tonle Sap and scenes of everyday Khmer life – markets, cooking, fishing – that give a ground-level view of a civilisation that the religious monuments above don’t provide.

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm was left deliberately unrestored after its rediscovery, and the silk-cotton and strangler fig trees that grew through the walls and towers over centuries have become structural elements. Roots spread across stone doorways and collapse galleries in ways that make the boundary between ruin and jungle uncertain. It is the most photographed site in Cambodia and is accordingly crowded between 10am and 2pm. An early morning or late afternoon visit is different enough to justify the timing adjustment.

Banteay Srei

Located 25 kilometres northeast of Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei is a 10th-century temple built in pink sandstone with decorative carving of exceptional fineness. The lintels and pediments show Hindu mythology surrounded by dense floral patterns at a level of detail that exceeds anything in the main complex. The temple is small, but the extra distance reduces the crowds to manageable levels and the carving rewards close attention. This is not an add-on for enthusiasts; it is one of the best things in the park.

Preah Khan

Built by Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and teaching centre, Preah Khan is partly unrestored and quieter than Ta Prohm. Long corridors lead through a series of courtyards. The atmosphere here – collapsed stones, encroaching vegetation, authentic disuse – is closer to what the experience of rediscovery must have felt like.

Where to Eat

Siem Reap’s restaurant scene has grown substantially and now goes well beyond tourist staples. The food to know: fish amok (steamed in coconut milk with kroeung spice paste, served in a banana leaf) is the most characteristic Cambodian dish and worth ordering even if you’ve read that it’s the thing everyone orders. Nom ban chok – thin rice noodles in green herb-based fish broth with fresh vegetables – is the proper breakfast. Lap Khmer, a fresh salad of lime-marinated beef with lemongrass and galangal, is the best argument for eating local rather than defaulting to Western food.

The streets south of the Old Market (Phsar Chas) have smaller restaurants with lower prices than the Pub Street zone. Night market stalls along the river are reliable for street food at end of day.

Where to Stay

Accommodation in Siem Reap runs from basic guesthouses (most with breakfast and bicycle rental, $10-20) to international luxury brands. The mid-range boutique options – small pools, genuine character, Khmer-influenced design – are the best value by a significant margin, and Siem Reap has more good examples of this category than most Southeast Asian cities. Book from November through February, the dry peak season; the wet season (June through October) brings far fewer crowds and prices drop.

Getting Around

Tuk-tuks are the default. Negotiate the full-day rate before you get in – a standard day covering the main circuit runs around $15-25 depending on what you want to cover. Cycling is practical; the roads between major temples are flat and distances are manageable. Private car is worth it in the heat of April and May or if you’re moving a group.

Practical Notes

Cover shoulders and knees for every temple – a loose long shirt and light trousers handle the dress code and the heat. Carry more water than you think you need in hot months. A licensed guide who specialises in Angkor adds substantial depth at Bayon and Preah Khan especially, where the iconography is complex. Photography without restriction at most temples; tripods may require a permit. The Phare Circus, run by a non-profit arts school, performs on most evenings and is worth an advance booking.

The Landmine Museum northeast of Siem Reap, founded by a former child soldier who spent years clearing ordnance from the countryside, is sobering and important. The entrance fee supports ongoing demining work. Allow an hour.