Angkor Wat Tour, Cambodia : All Must-See & Hidden Gems, Sunrise, Sunset

Begin your cultural adventure in Siem Reap, the gateway to the stunning Angkor temple complex. After being picked up at the airport, you will immediately enjoy the uniqueness of Kompong Khleang Floating Village on Tonle Sap Lake-houses floating on the water, authentic local life, and stunning sunset potential. Day two takes you to the highlights: watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat, exploring the mysterious faces at Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom, and exploring the exotic jungle-swallowed ruins of Ta Prohm, just like in the movie Tomb Raider.

The journey continues on the Grand Circuit route, exploring hidden gems like Ta Som choked with giant fig trees and Neak Pean with its history of ancient medicine. You’ll also witness magical sunsets from Phnom Bakheng. Day four takes you far outside the city to Banteay Srei, a tiny pink temple with the best carvings in Cambodia, and Beng Mealea, an exotic, unrestored jungle temple. The tour concludes with a comfortable transfer to the airport, leaving a lasting impression of the beauty and rich history of Angkor Wat.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Day 1 Arrive in Siem Reap, Cambodia | Airport Pick-up, Floating Village, Tonle Sap Lake

Welcome to Siem Reap, your gateway for the Temples of Angkor. When you arrive at Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport (SAI), your tour guide and driver will meet you at the exit and then escort you to the hotel in downtown Siem Reap.

Siem Reap is a city in northwestern Cambodia, best known as the gateway to the Temples of Angkor, including the iconic Angkor Wat, which is just 6 kilometers away. The city has transformed into a major tourist hub, with a diverse range of accommodations, and bustling nightlife with numerous restaurants, bars, and night markets.

In the afternoon, you will travel to Tonle Sap Lake to visit the floating village of Kompong Khleang. Known as the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, Tonle Sap is home to numerous floating villages. These are unique for their stilted houses, which are built on platforms supported by wooden poles or tethered to boats, adjusting to the lake’s changing water levels. The villages also have floating schools, shops, and even churches.

Enjoy a boat ride (about 1.5 hours) to observe the residents’ unique lifestyle and the region’s rich biodiversity. If it happens to be dusk, you will appreciate the beautiful sunset on Tonle Sap Lake.

Optional Activity: In the evening, you can join an optional sumptuous welcome dinner buffet. While dining,you’ll be treated to a captivating hmer traditional dance performance, featuring elegant movements and vibrantcostumes set to melodious traditional music.

Arrival Ideas:

Siem Reap Airport: Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (REP) is the main airport in Siem Reap, located about 45 kilometers from downtown and approximately 50 kilometers from the Temples of Angkor.

Flights to Siem Reap: For internal flights, the most common routes are from Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and occasionally from Sihanoukville, especially during the tourist season. For international flights, it is well connected with major cities in Asia, making it relatively easy to find direct flights from places like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and various cities in China.

Day 2 Angkor Archaeological Park (Small Circuit)

Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Angkor Archaeological Park is a vast and impressive complex. It spans an area of roughly 400 square kilometers and contains the magnificent remains of the various capitals of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The park encompasses Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, Banteay Srei, and many other surrounding ruins and relics. Over the next three days, we will take you to explore the Temples of Angkor for a comprehensive experience.

On your first day exploring Angkor Archaeological Park, follow the Small Circuit, a route that takes you to some of the most iconic temples and structures within the park.

Scenic Spots You will Pass:

Sunrise → Angkor Thom → Ta Prohm → Angkor Wat → Get back to your Hotel

Start your day early with a sunrise viewing at Angkor Wat. Arrive at Angkor Wat in time to find a good spot to watch the sunrise. Tips: The sun rises between 5:30 AM and 6:30 AM, depending on the time of year. The silhouette of Angkor Wat’s iconic spires stands sharply against the lightening backdrop, creating a stunning contrast that slowly fills with color. The temple’s vast moat reflects this magical scene, doubling the beauty in a perfect mirror image that enhances the surreal atmosphere. After the sunrise, head back to your hotel for breakfast and a short rest.

After breakfast, head to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII in the late twelfth century. Angkor Thom means “Great City” in Khmer. Set over 10 square kilometers, the aptly named last great capital of the Khmer empire took monumental to a whole new level.

Enter through the South Gate and proceed to the Bayon Temple at the city’s center. This temple is known for its numerous smiling faces carved into its towers. Each of its 54 Gothic towers is decorated with 216 gargantuan smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara. The temple also features 1.2km of extraordinary bas-reliefs, incorporating more than 11,000 figures. Take your time to marvel at these detailed bas-reliefs, which portray historical events and scenes from daily life in the empire. A short walk northwest from the Bayon will bring you to the Baphuon Temple. This temple, which predates Angkor Thom, was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva.

Next, visit the Terrace of the Elephants. King Jayavarman VII used this terrace as a viewing platform to observe his victorious returning army. You’ll find it adorned with carvings of elephants and other animals, providing excellent photo opportunities. Continue to the nearby Terrace of the Leper King. This 7-meter high laterite platform features multiple tiers of meticulously carved walls depicting nagas (serpents), demons, and various mythical beings. Conclude your visit to Angkor Thom by exiting through the Victory Gate on the east side of the city.

Later, proceed to Ta Prohm (Jungle Temple). Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it has been swallowed by the jungle, and looks very much the way most of the monuments of Angkor appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. It was also featured in the movies “Tomb Raider” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, which adds to its popularity. After exploring Ta Prohm, enjoy a relaxing lunch at one of the local restaurants nearby.

In the afternoon, return to Angkor Wat for a more detailed tour of this iconic temple. Uniquely designed with a westward orientation, Angkor Wat is best viewed in the afternoon light. Angkor Wat, the largest monument of the Angkor group and the best preserved, is an architectural masterpiece. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, relief, and sculpture make it one of the finest monuments in the world.

Angkor Wat is surrounded by a vast moat, 190 meters wide, forming a rectangle of 1.5 by 1.3 kilometers, which symbolizes the mythical oceans surrounding Mount Meru, the center of the universe in Hindu cosmology. Visitors can enter through the west-facing main gate, which leads directly into a long causeway lined with naga balustrades. Spend time in the galleries which feature extensive bas-reliefs depicting epic stories such as the Battle of Kurukshetra from the Mahabharata, the Judgment by Yama, the Hindu god of death, and scenes of heavenly nymphs (Apsaras) and everyday life in the Khmer Empire. At the heart of the temple complex is the central sanctuary surrounded by four smaller towers, forming a quincunx. The central sanctuary, rising majestically above the forested landscape, symbolizes the mythical Mount Meru and offers a unique perspective on the temple’s layout and the geometric precision with which it was built. Climb up to the central tower, a privilege that offers not only a closer view of the intricate lintel carvings and sculpted friezes but also panoramic views of the entire complex and its surroundings.

Note:

• To visit the Bakan tower of Angkor Wat temple, visitors are required to wear proper attire, covering shoulders and knees to show their cultural respect, as this temple is still considered as a sacrificial site for the Khmer people (no short miniskirt nor short trousers).
• Children under twelve years old are restricted not to climb up the tower. The tower will be closed on the Buddhist Sabbath Days, the Buddhist religious days and four days a month in accordance with Lunar Calendar.

After the tour, drive back to your hotel. Stay overnight in Siem Reap\

Day 3 Angkor Archaeological Park (Grand Circuit)

On the second day of your exploration of Angkor Archaeological Park, embark on the Grand Circuit, a route that takes you to some of the less-traveled but incredibly fascinating temples and historical sites beyond the main Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom complexes.

Scenic Spots You will Pass:

Prasat Kravan → Banteay Kdei → Srah Srang → Pre Rup temple → Eastern Mebon → Ta Som → Neak Poan → Preah Khan → Sunset at Phnom Bakheng → Get back to your Hotel

Begin your day at Prasat Kravan, a small 10th-century temple known for its unique brick sculptures depicting Vishnu and Lakshmi that are remarkably well-preserved Next, visit Banteay Kdei, a sprawling Buddhist monastery from the mid-12th century, often referred to as “Citadel of Monks’ cells”. Explore its serene and less crowded corridors which are surrounded by four concentric walls with beautifully carved lintels. Stop at Srah Srang, also known as the “Royal Bath”. It was used for ritual bathing in ancient times. Today, it’s a picturesque and tranquil spot, perfect for reflection with its serene waters and the remnants of old stone landing platforms.

Then, head to Pre Rup, which is another pyramid-style structure built during the same period. It was likely used for royal funerary rites, as suggested by its name, which loosely translates to “turn the body,” referring to the traditional method of cremation. Due to its red brick structure, it glows with a warm red hue under the sunset. Coupled with its open vistas, it attracts many visitors to watch the sunset here.

Enjoy a relaxing lunch at one of the local restaurants nearby. Continue to Eastern Mebon, another temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and built on what was once an island in the East Baray reservoir. Admire the elephant statues at each corner of the temple, which stand majestically as guardians of the past. And visit Ta Som, a smaller but enchanting temple dedicated to King Jayavarman VII’s father. The temple is especially famous for the large strangler fig tree growing out of one of its entrance towers, creating a picturesque and iconic image.

Next, make your way to Neak Pean, a unique artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a circular island in Preah Khan Baray, originally designed for medicinal purposes as it is believed that waters combined here from four rivers had healing properties.  Explore Preah Khan, a large monastic complex full of carvings, passages, and photo opportunities. This extensive site was once a city, school, and Buddhist monastery, serving as a hub of religion and learning.

Conclude your day with a climb up to Phnom Bakheng to chase the sunset view. The climb takes about 15-20 minutes. Arrive early as this popular spot can get crowded at sunset. From here, watch the sky change colors over the main temples of Angkor and the surrounding forests – a perfect end to a day of exploration.

Day 4 Angkor Archaeological Park | Banteay Srei & Beng Mealea

On your third day exploring Angkor Archaeological Park, take a journey beyond the main temple complexes to discover the enchanting and less frequented outlying temples. Banteay Srei, renowned for its intricate carvings and unique pink sandstone construction, and Beng Mealea, a temple shrouded in mystery and overtaken by the jungle, offering a more adventurous experience.

After breakfast, head northeast from Siem Reap to Banteay Srei, which is about 35 kilometers away, approximately an hour’s drive.

Your first stop is Banteay Srei, often celebrated as the “Jewel of Khmer Art”. This 10th-century temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Banteay Srei stands apart for its small size and the exquisite quality of its ornate carvings, which are the finest found in Cambodia. The stone’s pink hue and the elaborate decorative wall carvings of deities and mythical creatures make it a photographer’s paradise.

After exploring Banteay Srei, make your way to Beng Mealea, situated about 50 kilometers further, approximately an hour’s drive. The drive itself offers a scenic view of the Cambodian countryside. Have lunch at a local restaurant nearby.

Explore Beng Mealea, a temple that offers a completely different experience from the more restored sites around Angkor. Much of Beng Mealea has been reclaimed by the jungle, with trees and vines breaking through the stone blocks. The temple’s untouched appearance makes it feel like you’re discovering it for the first time. As you walk through its corridors and climb over rubble, you’ll discover hidden carvings and collapsed galleries. The nature-infused ruins will leave you marveling, reminiscent of an Indiana Jones adventure.

After exploration, head back to Siem Reap (about 1.5 hours’ drive). Stay overnight in Siem Reap.

Tips for Angkor:
1. The Cambodian climate can be very hot, especially around midday. Starting early will help you avoid the hottest part of the day and the largest crowds.
2. Shoulders and knees should be covered when visiting the temples as a sign of respect. Lightweight, breathable clothing that covers these areas is ideal.

Day 5 Siem Reap Departure | Hotel Check-out and Airport see-off

It is time to end your 5-day In-depth Angkor Wat Tour. Today, you’ll be driven to Siem Reap – Angkor International Airport for your departure. The drive takes approximately an hour.