What do you have in mind, when you think about Cambodia? The first thought that comes to your mind is probably Angkor Wat. An amazing temple complex that has become popular among tourists from all over the world.

You’re not wrong!

Angkor Wat is the most visited tourist attraction in Cambodia, and the largest religious temple complex in the world. Surrounding  area exceeds 160 hectares, and there are more than 250 temples here. Starting with the smallest and less popular, ending with the largest where countless tourists will emerge from every corner of the temple.

Angkor Wat is a must-see in Cambodia, and the nearby town of Siem Reap itself is an amazing base, full of friendly locals, street food, numerous stores selling souvenirs and a busy Pub Street.

Seeing the sunrise at the Angkor Wat temple is an amazing experience worth waking up at 4 in the morning. It’s a dream we managed to fulfill. It is something that will remain in our memory forever. It is difficult to find words to describe the feelings that accompanied us during the three days when we were visiting Angkor Wat, it really has to be experienced.

#1 Angkor Wat Temple

This amazing, huge temple, which is also on the flag of Cambodia, is the most popular among tourists. Built in the 12th century, the temple was originally a Hindu temple, built in honor of the god Vishnu, but by the end of the 12th century it was transformed into a Buddhist temple.

The building was built in the classical style of Khmer architecture, with five towers in the center, which look magnificent against the backdrop of the rising sun. Inside, you’ll find several pools, countless corridors, and a plethora of arcades. Get up early, get on a local tuk tuk, and head out for an unforgettable spectacle – sunrise.

Although waking up at 4 may seem silly, it’s something you can’t miss! Once you are there, believe it, you will forget all the inconveniences. After sunrise you can admire all the beauts behind the walls of the Angkor Wat temple.

#2 South Gate

Before continuing your journey, stop for a moment at the gate. The entrance is guarded by numerous statues of giants. This is a truly amazing place, worth at least a short stop.

#3 Bayon Temple

This is the second most popular temple, smaller than Angkor Wat, but considered by many to be the most beautiful. It is characterized by amazing towers whose tops are decorated with faces carved in the rock. The outer walls of the temple are covered with numerous bas-reliefs, depicting scenes from the life of the Khmers.

#4 Victory Gate

Another gate on your way at which short stop is mandatory. Here the entrance is narrow, it feels as if only a tuk tuk is able to squeeze through it. The top of the gate are three towers, each with a carved face.

#5 Ta Prohm Temple

Famous from the Tomb Rider movie, the temple is amazing proof of how nature can prevail over man-abandoned buildings. The entrance to the temple is guarded once again by faces carved in stone, and the temple itself is overgrown with numerous trees. It is only when you look at their size that you realize how old these temples are.

One of the coolest places where you can see the numerous branches overgrowing the buildings is, unfortunately, fenced. But nevertheless it is a wonderful place that allows you to move to ancient times in your imagination.

#6 Preah Khan Temple

This temple is a small labyrinth. From one room you pass through a corridor into the next, to emerge into a large open space with the remains of buildings that have not withstood the passing of time and those over which the overgrowth of trees has taken over. This temple is not high, with numerous reliefs and a large square in the middle.

#7 Neak Pean Temple

To get to this temple you have to cross a long bridge located on the lake. Numerous water lilies are in bloom all around, and dried tree branches can be seen in the distance.

The temple itself also stands in the middle of a small lake. It is believed that it was originally designed for medical purposes. This is evidenced by a snake emerging from the water. The entrance to the water surrounding the temple was supposed to be medicinal.

#8 Ta Som Temple

To enter this temple you must pass through a forest and several other buildings, but the wanderer is rewarded, as the exit of the last building is beautifully overgrown with a tree that grows above the temple. Both sides of the entrance are overgrown with branches, which gives an amazing visual effect.

#9 East Mebon Temple

This is one of the last temples visited only by a few tourists. Its distinctive feature is the elephants that are located on the corners of the temple, each of the elephants facing a different direction of the world.

#10 Pre Roup Temple

Built of orange stone, the temple is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. It is surrounded by several meters high walls with several towers. In the middle stands a temple with five high towers, to which a high staircase leads.

#11 City of Siem Reap

Located about 6 kilometers from the Angkor Wat temple complex, the town of Siem Reap is a great base and quite a charming town to stay in for at least a few days. Locals living in the city are very friendly to tourists.

In the city you will find numerous hotels, restaurants, bars, street food, souvenir stores, laundries. It is a great city prepared for tourists.

#12 Pub Street

In the middle of town is a place that attracts every tourist visiting Siem Reap. Full of loud music, lit up like Times Square, with restaurants serving delicious dishes of both local cuisine and beloved western food. Unfortunately, prices here are high, but this absolutely does not deter visitors who want to drink a cold beer accompanied by deafening music.

A stone’s throw away are numerous stores selling souvenirs, clothes, handbags and all kinds of handicrafts such as baskets, paintings and wooden figurines.

#13 Street Food

Along the Siem Rap River (Steung Siem Reap) you can encounter numerous street food stalls. Mostly meat dishes are served from hot, steaming pans, but you can also find rice noodles with egg and vegetables, and delicious pancakes with banana and condensed milk.

Some places also serve tofu with rice or noodles. If you’re looking for a place to eat cheaply and locally at a tiny table, sitting on a tiny plastic chair, this is the place for you.

#14 Wat Preah Prom Rath

Wat Preah Prom Rath in Siem Reap is definitely an interesting and surprisingly colorful place. The small pagodas are painted in strong maroon and gold colors, sometimes gray. In front of several tombstones stand plastic cows, others have the shape of boats.

If you are in the area, do not skip this place!

#15 Royal Independence Garden

In the middle of the busy streets of Siem Reap stands the quiet oasis of Royal Independence Gardens with its many trees, statues and a temple where locals pray. In front of the temple ladies sell flowers, which will later be sacrificed in the temple, as well as numerous fruits.

The place smells of incense, there is music played by locals, which encourages even more fervent prayers. Candles are burning, someone is releasing birds just bought for a dollar. Participating in this ritual, even as a observer from afar, is definitely amazing.

Angkor Wat in Siem Reap is a popular destination, so you can easily get here both by bus from neighboring towns or countries, and by air. If you are traveling from Europe or the United States, you should expect at least one stop along the way, but more often two.

If you are traveling from Asia you can get to Siem Reap by a direct flight from major cities in Asia. A much cheaper option is by bus. From the surrounding Thailand you will get here in about 6h to 9h with the help of a comfortable minibus.

You can also travel to Siem Reap from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, but this route will take a minimum of 14h on the road. About all the other conections, you can find all the information here.

Getting around Siem Reap

The easiest and fastest way of transportation in Siem Reap is the Tuk Tuk. Local transporters will take you almost anywhere within the city for about $2. However, if you want to save a few dollars over the course of a few days, we recommend the Grab or PassApp, with which you will travel around the city much cheaper.

How to get to Angkor Wat

The best way is to agree with a Tuk Tuk driver for a specific day and time. We used the services of Tom, who was our driver for three days of exploring Angkor Wat. He drove us for $15 per day from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat and waited patiently on us while we’ve visited the temples.

He is an incredibly friendly man who will be happy to talk to you about life in Siem Reap, as well as give you a little insight into each of the temples visited in Angkor Wat. Contact Tom for a Tuk Tuk Ride in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap .

Download QR-Code

‎Grab: Taxi Ride, Food Delivery

Developer: Grab.com

Price: Free

Download QR-Code

Grab - Taxi & Food Delivery

Developer: Grab Holdings

Price: Free

Download QR-Code

‎PassApp Taxi and Delivery

Developer: PASSAPP TECHNOLOGIES CO.,LTD

Price: Free

Download QR-Code

PassApp - Transport & Delivery

Developer: PassApp Technologies

Price: Free

Next to some street food, Siem Reap also offers numerous restaurants. The prices are not high, but definitely a little bit higher then street food. For Street Food we paid about $1.50 per person, while dishes in restaurants cost about $5 for a dish without meat.

Our favorite restaurants in Siem Reap were:

• Banalle | Delicious vegan burgers and Luk Lak
• New Leaf | Great avocado toast, burgers and wraps
• Little Red Fox | Vegan scrambled eggs and toast
• Hanuman`s | Great Fish Amok

For your visit of Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples, you will stay in Siem Reap. It is located a few kilometres from the temple complex and offers many hotels and restaurants.

Siem Reap is geared towards tourists from all over the world, so there is something for everyone. Starting from budget hostels to the most luxurious hotels. If you are looking for something on the middle price range, we can recommend you the hotel we booked in Siem Reap .

The best time to visit Angkor Wat and Siem Reap is between November and April. This is the dry season, so temperatures drop a bit.

If you take a bus to Cambodia, you have to cross the border on foot. On the spot just head in the same direction as other pedestrians. Often the border crossing for locals and foreigners are two different places. However, it is nothing terrible and it is easy to be organized.

Remember to first go to the border of the country you are leaving, and then to the border of Cambodia. At the border you will be given several documents to fill out, have your photo taken, and be fingerprinted. You will also get a visa on arrival. One of the documents is left at the border, the other you take with you. Do not lose it, because the loss when leaving Cambodia will cost you $10.

Already on the Cambodia side you will be surrounded by taxi drivers who will be willing to give you a ride to Siem Reap for about $50. But if you are traveling with a transportation company, on the other side someone should be waiting for you, who will put you on another bus, which will take you safely to your destination – Siem Reap.

To enter Cambodia, you will need a visa in most cases. You can apply for a Cambodia eVisa  ($36) in advance or apply for a visa on arrival ($38) on the day of arrival. Check the visa requirements for Cambodia for your passport in advance.

The prices are per person, except for the accommodation and Tuk Tuk, which we rent for 2 people.

Accommodation: $13 / night

Restaurant: $6 – $10 / meal

Snack: $1 – $4 / meal

Pleasure: $2 – $4 / event

Tuk Tuk: $15 / day

Activity: $37 – $72 / event