Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The single best tip for visiting Angkor Wat: buy your pass after 4:45pm on the day before you plan your main visit. The ticket office allows same-evening entry with a new pass, which effectively means free access to the temple for sunset – and then your full-day pass begins the following morning. For a 3-day pass at USD 62, that free sunset entry is real value, and seeing Angkor Thom or Pre Rup at golden hour without the dawn crowd is a genuinely different experience.

Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century under King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, later converting to Theravada Buddhist use. It is the largest religious monument ever constructed, covering more than 162 hectares within its moat alone. The Angkor Archaeological Park around it – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992 – contains dozens of other temples spread across the jungle north of Siem Reap.

Ticket Prices (2026)

One day: USD 37. Three days: USD 62. Seven days: USD 72. Passes are sold only at the official ticket office on Road 60. Children under 12 enter free. Photography at dawn at the main Angkor Wat temple requires no special permit.

The 3-day pass is almost always the right choice. Most visitors who buy a 1-day pass wish they had the flexibility of a second morning.

The Temples

Angkor Wat itself rewards multiple visits at different times of day. The sunrise reflection of the central towers in the western pool is the most photographed image in Cambodia; arrive by 5:15am to be in position before the organised tours. Return in the afternoon when the crowd thins and the light hits the sandstone from a different angle. The bas-reliefs on the third gallery stretch over 800 metres and depict scenes from Hindu mythology, including the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Spend serious time with them; they are the finest ancient carved narrative art you will likely see.

Angkor Thom is a walled city roughly 9 square kilometres in area. The Bayon temple at its centre has 216 giant stone faces carved on 54 towers, and they look different at every hour of the day. Allow at least two hours here. The South Gate entry causeway – flanked by rows of devas and asuras pulling a serpent – is one of the most powerful architectural approaches anywhere in Asia.

Ta Prohm was deliberately left partly unrestored so the relationship between nature and architecture remains visible. Enormous silk-cotton trees have grown through the stonework over centuries, roots splaying across galleries and towers. Visit early or late in the day; it is popular and can feel crowded mid-morning.

Banteay Srei, 38 km northeast of Siem Reap, contains the finest stone carving at Angkor. The pink sandstone is intricately carved with floral patterns and narrative panels at a level of detail that smaller temples rarely match. Allow half a day for the round trip.

Beng Mealea, 70 km east, is largely unrestored and feels genuinely remote. Wooden walkways navigate through collapsed galleries and overgrown courtyards. Visitor numbers are a fraction of the main park.

Getting Around

Tuk-tuks wait outside every hotel and at the main park entrance; negotiate a full-day rate before setting out. Bicycles are a rewarding option – the roads between major temples are flat. Electric bikes work well for covering longer distances to outlying sites.

Where to Eat

Cuisine Wat Damnak offers a set tasting menu using local Cambodian ingredients; it has appeared in multiple international best restaurant lists and reservations are essential. Marum is a social enterprise training restaurant with genuinely good food at moderate prices.

For street food, the Old Market area in central Siem Reap has evening stalls serving amok (fish steamed in coconut milk and lemongrass in banana leaf), nom banh chok (rice noodles in a green fish broth), and lok lak (stir-fried beef with lime and pepper).

Practical Notes

The dry season (November through April) is the standard visiting period; temperatures from November to February are 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. The wet season (May to October) brings afternoon rain, lush green vegetation, and far fewer tourists – some photographers prefer it. Dress code: shoulders and knees covered at all temple sanctuaries. Cash in US dollars preferred; most transactions in Siem Reap are priced in dollars.