Guide to the temples of Angkor: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Bayon and more

I’ve been hearing about Angkor Wat continuously since my first visit to Southeast Asia, which was via Bangkok, from where it is quite a short drive. I didn’t pay enough attention to it to add it to my bucket list and purposefully make a trip here. But as chance would have it, I found myself in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and of course I didn’t miss it.

Quick overview:

• you definitely want to see: Angkor Wat (the most famous temple and sunrise), Bayon (giant heads), Ta Prohm (overgrown trees),
• My favorites outside the top temples: Baphuon, Pre Rup (both for nice views from above),
• Tickets: they’re expensive, $37 a day, but it’s worth it and you can do a lot of temples in a day,
• clothes: cover shoulders and knees.

Tickets, tours and experiences at Angkor Wat

The temples of Angkor Wat have a limited daily capacity and especially at sunrise is usually crowded. Tours with a tuk-tuk or guide are worth booking in advance so you don’t have to deal with logistics on the spot.

• Angkor Wat: two-day tour with sunrise and sunset – The two-day ticket is worth it if you want to see more than the main temples. This will cover both tours and sunset.
• Kampong Phluk Floating Village – A trip outside the temples. Boat capacity is limited, usually sold out in high season.
• A trip to Kulen Mountain – Kulen Mountain is further away from Siem Reap. It is logistically more difficult without an organized trip.

Why you must see Angkor

Angkor Wat is the largest temple complex in the world. Angkor is not just about one temple, although the main one – Angkor Wat – is iconic. The whole complex is huge, covering an area of over 400 square kilometres. There are dozens of temples and each one has its own charm, each one is different and special in some way, but I’m not going to lie, after the fifth temple you’ll be a bit overwhelmed anyway.

Angkor means “city” and Wat means “temple”, which is why these two words are repeated in several places.

Angkor is a UNESCO heritage site and when you think why this is not one of the 7 wonders of the world, it couldn’t even be on the original list, it was written by the ancient Greeks and the monuments on the list were from 500 BC, while Angkor is from the 12th century. On the modern 2007 list of 7 Wonders of the World, Angkor was nominated and shortlisted, but it just didn’t get enough votes to fit in. It is said that this may be because the voting was done online and Cambodia had worse internet.

Well, I’ve only seen 4 of the 7 Wonders of the World so far, and as such a large complex, I think for me it surpasses the “individual” monuments like the statue of Christ in Rio or the Colosseum in Rome. However, in 2015 Angkor was included in the New 7 Wonders of Nature & Heritage list, which is such an addition.

In 2024, more than one million people visited the Angkor complex.

Where to stay at Angkor Wat

The base for visiting the temples of Angkor Wat is the town of Siem Reap, which lies about 6 km south of the main temple complex. There is no accommodation directly at the temples, so everything revolves around Siem Reap. The town is very touristy by Cambodian standards, but accommodation prices are still really reasonable. You’ll pay a fraction of what you’d pay in Europe for a good hotel with a pool and breakfast here.

Most of the hotels are around Old Market and Pub Street, which is also where most of the restaurants, bars and shops are. It’s handy because in the evening, after climbing the temples all day, you want everything within easy reach. If you prefer quiet, look for hotels a little further away from the centre towards Charles de Gaulle Boulevard or along Sivatha Boulevard. A tuk-tuk from your hotel to the temples costs a few dollars, so distance doesn’t play a big role.

What to see in Angkor

There are a lot of temples here, so it’s good to make a plan based on what you want to see. The three I’d say are the most sought after destinations are Angkor Wat itself where people go for the iconic sunrise, then Bayon with its stone heads and Ta Prohm, famous from the movie Tomb Raider for the overgrown trees into the temple (no, you didn’t have to have seen the movie to find this one divine).

Angkor Wat

It’s a beautiful temple, it has nice lakes and the sunrise over Angkor Wat is a treat. I admit I was expecting a bit more though, its significance is mainly historical and religious, otherwise it doesn’t really stand out above the other temples for me for the wow effect (which is not to say it isn’t pretty, but so are the others!)

What to expect when visiting:

• there are clouds of tourists here – which is a bit strange, because almost nobody goes “just to Angkor Wat”, but it’s also a bit due to the fact that locals actually come here as a religious place and a functioning temple (especially during holidays and weekends),
• traffic jams around Angkor Wat – on the access road from the south and at the main (western) gate there are quite a lot of traffic jams, especially during the day and in the afternoon before sunset (in the morning when you go to the sunrise it is still completely free),
• The 5 towers of Angkor Wat – although many pictures depict Angkor Wat as 5 towers side by side, in reality the towers are built in a cross like other Buddhist temples and from most views you can’t see all the towers at the same time, getting them in line requires a bit of an optical illusion that can only be achieved from a certain angle and in certain light (across the main pool and when shooting the silhouette against the sun, typically just at sunrise),
• opening hours – in the morning the opening of the entrance to the complex (to the lakes) differs, it is officially at 5.00, to the temple itself (6.00) and to the central tower Bakan (6.40, but there they were more benevolent and let us in a few minutes earlier).

Sunrise over Angkor Wat

What makes Angkor Wat famous and special is the sunrise. You go to see it in front of the pools where Angkor Wat is reflected in the water. The northern one (on the left as you approach from the main gate) is supposedly better, but it tends to be more crowded for that reason.

The drive from the centre takes plus or minus 15 minutes and is easily passable, although you will meet a few other tuk tuks with tourists heading there too. I didn’t have any problem with ordering a Grab at 5am either. Allow less than 10 minutes to walk from the entrance to the ponds. There is quite a bit of variation in sunrise times in Cambodia, from about 5.50am in April to 6.25am in December. This is the time when the sun has already risen on the horizon, so the previous hour is relevant for the sky colours before sunrise (I think half an hour is enough).

What to see in Angkor Wat

Apart from the 5 towers themselves and the different angles of viewing them, don’t miss this in Angkor Wat:

• bas-reliefs – engravings in stone on the walls, for example, there are some of the “famous” ones: the battle of Kurukshetra from the Mahabharata, the myth of the Churning of the ocean milk with gods and demons, the march of the army of King Suryavarman II (the creator of the temple),
• libraries – two symmetrical buildings, originally for holy texts,
• Bakan central tower – at the top is the symbolic centre of the Mount Meru universe and 360° views of the entire complex.

East or West Gate

Unlike Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat has only two entrance gates, the east and west, the others do not have a canal around them. There are generally two recommendations:

• Go early in the morning to the west (main gate) for a sunrise experience,
• go to the east gate (death gate) early in the morning and avoid the tourists.

From the eastern gate, you’ll be able to take pictures of Angkor Wat in the morning sun, which also has something to it (and you don’t have to be there for the hour before sunrise, because that won’t be as interesting). Although the second choice sounds like a good hack to avoid the crowds, I still couldn’t resist choosing the west gate in the end. They’re not that far apart, so if you really get up early you won’t have both experiences at once.

Anghor Thom

The former capital of the Khmer. It is north of Angkor Wat and the site is similarly rectangular, bounded by a water channel. Only it’s more than twice as big and accessible from all 4 sides. In the middle is the famous Bayon and around it are a few other temples, terraces and lakes, such as the Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Baphuon, the Temple of Phimenakas.

Which way to Angkhor Thom and Bayon: Angkor Thom has 4 entrance gates and if you live in Siem Reap and Bayon is your first morning stop, the southern gate is the closest. However, to get to it you have to take the road around Angkor Wat and if it’s a holiday, Khmer New Year or high season, it can be very jammed and it’s better to avoid part of the road and go to the west gate. From the gate, it’s about 1.5 kilometres to Bayon (i.e. the centre of Angkor Thom).

Bayon (Angkor Thom)

A temple in the centre of the former capital of Angkor Thom. Here you will find giant stone faces looking at you from all sides. There are said to be perhaps 200 of them on 54 towers, but the truth is that many are so crumbled you can’t even recognise them.

Bayon was built in the 12th century and (unlike Angkor Wat) was built as a Buddhist temple.

On the walls of the temple are carved reliefs with images of everyday Khmer life (festivals, markets, battles, construction, fishing). These have already been restored using both traditional and modern techniques to the original painting, but apart from being suspiciously perfect, one would probably not know it.

Baphuon (Angkor Thom)

Monkeys can sometimes be seen in Angkor, often along the road near Angkor Wat. But the most I’ve encountered were on the road at the back of Baphuon Temple, where at least 30 of them crossed my path.

It is a temple mountain, a style that symbolizes the mythical Mount Meru, the center of the universe in both Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. Like many temples in Angkor, it was originally Hindu, later converted to Buddhist. It has the shape of a pyramid with several terraces and staircases (but the way up is not by the original staircase, but by an added wooden one).

The interesting thing is that when the temple was restored in the 20th century, they basically had to put it together like a puzzle. Because first the temple was taken apart, but in the war the documentation on how to put it back together was destroyed.

The view is made beautiful by the fact that there are lakes in front of the temple and a long bridge over them, which leads to the temple.

Terrace of Elephants (Angkor Thom)

It used to be a ceremonial platform, the king and his court watched military parades, welcoming armies or festivities in the centre of Angkor Thom from here. It’s a kind of elevated walkway that runs a short distance from Baphuon Temple. The wall is decorated with reliefs of elephants.

At the end (further away from the Baphuon Temple) the Terrace of Elephants is adjacent to the Terrace of the Leper King.

Ta Prohm

The temple made famous by the movie Tomb Raider is definitely the most interesting, especially for those who are not really big fans of temples and history. What draws people here are the iconic giant trees that grow through the ruins.

Trees with massive trunks and roots are tetrameles nudiflora. Then there is the ficus gibbosa (choking fig tree), which typically starts growing on other plants and gradually encircles them with its roots.

Banteay Kdei

Translated as citadel of monks. Probably the most peaceful of the temples, quite large, but with no view. There are also interspersed trees like at Ta Prohm, but much less (fewer trees and less overgrowth).

It may not be quite the top, but the location is fine. Directly across the street from the east entrance is the Srah Srang, the royal pool, a man-made reservoir of water. Kings and monks used to bathe in it. Nowadays, it’s more of a nice place to chill, with steps leading down to the water all around, a perfect place to sit. I hear it’s got a nice sunrise, too.

On this side of the lake and on the side of the road leading towards Pre Rup, there are also many small cafes and restaurants where you can eat in peace.

For Rup

Brick church from the 10th century. Of the ones close to Siem Reap, this is the more remote, but I think the drive to it is worth it. I rank it among the best, it goes all the way to the top and has a beautiful view (again, just of itself and its own towers, jungle and rice paddies). It’s also a popular spot for watching the sunset.

Practical information

Some practical tips that may come in handy.

Tickets

They can be bought on the spot at the ticket office, but ideally you can buy them online at the official website. You’ll need a photo to purchase (yes, a selfie against the wall in your accommodation will suffice). You’ll get a PDF that has a QR code on it, and at each of the temples there’s a “guard” at the entrance way who will scan the code and let you in.

The ticket is valid not only for Angkor Wat, but for most of the temples within the Angkor Archaeological Park (Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei, Preah Khan, Roluos Group, Beng Mealea). Not valid for some of the more remote sites, such as Phnom Kulen National Park, where a separate ticket is required.

You can buy a ticket for 1 day ($37), 3 days ($62) or 7 days ($72). The 3 day ticket is valid for any 3 days within a 10 day period (it starts with the purchase of the ticket and you don’t have to define the 3 days in advance), for example I had April 15-24 and went on the 15th, 17th and 18th. The 7 day ticket is similarly valid for any 7 days within a 30 day period.

For how many days to buy a ticket? It depends on how big of a temple fan you are and how much you want to get away. I think a one day ticket is enough for most people, if you want it more casual, 3. You can get the main stuff done in one day, but I wouldn’t go all the way to ten. If you’re spending roughly a whole month in Siem Reap, I’d consider the 7 day one, as you’ll probably do more sightseeing.

Transport to the temples

I guess it depends on how old you are (and how much you want to save). You can get to Angkor Thom by any means of transport up to the centre (to Bayon) and on the roads inside, there are also parking lots.

• motorbike – a great option if you want to be flexible, have an international driving licence and drive a motorbike, about $8 per day.
• by bike – it depends on how much of a cyclist you are and whether you start at sunrise or later. Angkor Wat itself is fine, it’s about 5km outside the city, the other temples and it’s quite a distance to get around more if you’re riding in the heat of the day (but if you’re well stocked with water and sunscreen, why not. The road to Angkor is on a kind of cycle path through the forest right next to the road, so it’s not even in direct sunlight. However, they do rent nice, good quality, modern bikes. About $3 a day.
• tuk tuk for the whole day – a cheaper option than a car, it is useful when you are traveling in two, the disadvantage compared to the car is the lack of air conditioning, but if you are not stuck in traffic, it is fine even in the heat, the advantage is that you can take pictures easily even while driving. The tuk tuk is slower than the car, but in traffic cars will pass you on the shoulder or in the middle.
• car and driver for the day – ideal if there are more of you, prices are negotiable, but can be $50+ per day,
• tuk tuk via Grab – a good option if you want to be a bit flexible (and maybe exit the complex through a different gate than you entered). This is what I opted for, I even walked between some of the temples. It’s great for Angkor Wat, but there can be longer commute times for Angkor Thom or Pre Rup Temple. But it’s fine, the only small hitch I had was at Pre Rup Temple where I couldn’t catch the internet and order (I had to go back to the temple and order from there).

Clothes for temples

Buddhist temples, therefore, apply veiled knees and shoulders (just short sleeves) and no transparent clothing. I think they can be a bit more benevolent here, and you don’t always walk past anyone at all who is somehow watching or noticing. Technically, the strict rules don’t even allow a scarf over the shoulders (because it can slip off and no one is watching), but it wasn’t a problem at all in the temples here.

Itinerary for 1 day in Angkor

I’m putting the order as it seems logical to me in sequence and in places I think it’s good not to leave out and what I think is the best thing about the place, but of course you can smudge, add slide whatever else.

• start about 4.45 from the centre of Siem Reap (if you don’t go at sunrise, later, but the earlier the less crowded and less hot),
• Angkor Wat – sunrise,
• Bayon (Angkor Thom) – stone heads,
• Baphuon (Angkor Thom) – view of the temple and the bridges and lakes near it from above,
• Ta Prohm – giant trees growing into the temple,
• chill / late lunch at Srah Srang lake (we were at Chita’s cafe, but there’s a lot there),
• Pre Rup – view of the temple from above.

Other temples of Angkor

The whole of Angkor includes about 1000 temple structures, including small shrines. UNESCO itself mentions dozens of major temples and hundreds of smaller monuments. In the so-called “small circle” it’s up to about 20 temples, so don’t expect a complete list, there are too many.

• Preah Khan – a vast, atmospheric complex surrounded by jungle, a former Buddhist monastery and university, famous for its corridors and mysterious courtyards.
• Banteay Srei – a small but detailed pink sandstone temple, known for its reliefs, often dubbed the “Jewel of Angkor”.
• Ta Keo, a massive temple mount with almost unadorned walls, looks raw and monumental – perhaps the first Angkorian temple built entirely of sandstone.
• Neak Pean – a unique temple in the middle of the pond, built as a healing sanctuary – four small pools symbolize the elements, connected by water channels.
• East Mebon – a temple built on an island in the middle of a former water reservoir, with beautiful statues of elephants on the corners of each terrace.

• Phnom Bakheng – very popular at sunset, a temple on a hill overlooking Angkor Wat. It’s logically a bit of an uphill climb, but nothing terrible. However, it’s quite a long way from both Angkor Wat to the south and Angor Thom to the north – and more importantly, neither of those places actually face west, so I honestly couldn’t decipher why it’s such a famous sunset spot. With locals I guess I can understand it along with the religious sense, but from a tourist perspective and if you’re expecting a beautiful view to the west over Angkor Wat, I guess not.