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Angkor Wat is a must visit site when visiting Southeast Asia. The Angkor Wat Archeological Park is a temple complex located just outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia, and is one of the top tourist destinations in Cambodia. During it’s prime from the 9th to the 15th century, the city of Angkor was the capitol of the Khmer Empire (now Cambodia). Now, the ruins of the city can be visited at one of the largest and oldest temple complexes in the world. There are hundreds of temples still standing in the area. Many are still in good condition that can be climbed and wandered through while others are crumbling ruins found between trees in the jungle.
Planning to visit Cambodia? Use these 5 tips to help plan your visit to Angkor Wat.
1. Purchase Your Entry Ticket in Advance
As a major tourist attraction, the ticket line can get long as all visitors wait to get in. Tickets can be purchased either the morning of your visit or the day before, both in person or online. I found it easiest to purchase tickets in person the day before I planned to visit Angkor Wat. It’s easy to get a tuk-tuk from town to the ticket office which is only about 5 km away.
The ticket office is open daily from 5:00 am – 5:30 pm. Purchasing the day before means you don’t have to wait in line the morning you plan to visit, and the line can get pretty long. If you plan to visit for sunrise, it’s definitely best to purchase in advance to ensure you have time to get a ticket at 5:00 am, get into the park, and find a sunrise viewing spot. Ticket prices when purchased in person are:
1 Day Pass – $37
3 Day Pass – $62
7 Day Pass – $72
2. Plan to Spend at Least 3 Days Exploring Angkor Wat
The Angkor Wat Temple Complex is HUGE! The complex spans more than 400 square kilometers (162 hectares) and has hundreds of temples all throughout the area. Tickets are sold for either 1 day, 3 days or 7 days. With hundreds of temples to see, 1 day is just not enough time. I found 3 days to be the perfect amount of time. Even though there were still temples I didn’t get to see, I got to see a great collection of temples ranging from huge and great condition to small crumbling ruins.
If you have limited time, you can definitely only spend 1 day exploring Angkor Wat. In 1 day you will have the opportunity to visit some of the most well-known and largest temples, like Angkor Wat and Bayon. With extra days, you can see all of the most well-known temples as well as some of the more distant temples and ruins surrounded by jungle.
3. Prearrange Your Tour Guide/Transportation in Advance
The Angkor Wat Park is not walkable and you will need to book either a driver or a tour to get explore the park. At the entrance to Angkor Wat you will find guides selling spots on tour buses as well as tuk-tuk drivers offering more personal tours. Although you should be able to find a tour guide that morning, booking in advance saves a lot of time and hassle from negotiating at the entrance. I was able to book a tuk-tuk driver through my hostel.
The driver picked me up at my hostel each morning and dropped me off back at the hostel at the end of each day. Not having to worry about how I was going to get to and from took a lot of stress away. With a private tuk-tuk I was also able to spend as much time as I wanted at every temple. The driver would drop me off and wait until I was done exploring. On a larger tour bus I would have has more time constraints and limited exploration time.
4. Bring Appropriate Clothes
Angkor Wat is a religious sight, and therefore has a dress code. Many of the temples require long pants and shoulders be covered. If you don’t meet the dress code requirements, you won’t be allowed to visit all of the sites. Cambodia is a hot country, especially in summer. As such it can be very tempting to wear shorts, tank tops or dresses. However, this isn’t allowed at all temples. I packed a pair of elephant pants and a light sweater in my day pack and carried this with me. That way, I could throw these items on over my shorts/tank top at the temples where it was required and could take them off at the temples without the requirement.
Although not required, close-toed shoes are also a must when visiting Angkor Wat! With the amount of ruins to explore and stairs to climb, having sturdy, closed-toes shoes are much more comfortable and sturdy for days of exploration.
5. Be Prepared for Crowds at Sunrise and Arrive Early
One of the most popular activities to do at Angkor Wat is to watch the sunrise. It is a stunning show with the sky lighting up in different shades of pinks, purples, and oranges with the temple silhouette in the background. Many tours agree that this sunrise is worth seeing so there are always crowds even at 5 am in the morning. Getting to Angkor Wat a little before opening is best. This will provide more time to enter the complex, get to the temple, and secure a sunrise watching spot is essential. I was so surprised at how many people were around before dawn but the sunrise was absolutely worth it!
