Siem Reap Itinerary & Travel Guide: 3 Days+ (Cambodia)

Explore the ruins of the Angkor Archeological Park

Not a lot of people know this but Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer Empire and the popular Angkor Wat is just one of the thousands of temples in the huge expanse of the Angkor area — which mind you, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Now, unless you’re a Cambodian, you need to buy an ‘Angkor Pass‘ to visit the Angkor Archaeological Park’s temples (which as I said encompasses Angkor Wat, as well as the equally famous Bayon temple, Ta Prohm, and many others).

• Where to buy the Angkor Pass? At the Angkor Ticket Centre which is found on the corner of Road 60 and Apsara Road. If you’ve booked a tour or a tuk-tuk charter, they know where it is and they’ll bring you there before entering the park. (Please keep your tickets with you at all times since if you’re caught without them, you’ll be prosecuted and handed to the police with fines that can reach up to $300).
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• How much is the Angkor Pass? It depends on how many days you’ll need it for but most of the time, you’ll only need just the 1-day pass. (Children under 12 years old don’t need these passes; also take note that you can pay with your credit card or with cash in Khmer Riel, US Dollars, Euros and Thai Baht; but they will only give you change either in $ or riel).
  • 1-Day Pass: $37 ^{(if purchased after 5PM, it’s only valid for the next day)}
  • 3-Day Pass: $62 ^{(valid for 10 days, so you don’t have to plan your visits consecutively)}
  • 7-Day Pass: $72 ^{(valid for 1 month, so you don’t have to plan your visits consecutively)}
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• At what time of the day can I use the Angkor Pass? Most temples inside the park can be visited from7:30AM to 5:30PM except for…
  • Angkor Wat and Srah Srang: open from 5AM to 5:30PM to make way for sunrise viewing
  • Phnom Bakheng and Pre Rup: open from 5AM to 7PM to make way for sunrise and sunset viewing

“Do I need a tour guide?” You can easily explore Angkor Wat on your own; however, if you want to enhance your visit even further, I suggest booking an Angkor tour with a licensed guide so that you can get a deeper understanding of the temple complex’s history and background. (Beware of people or even children who offer their ‘touring services’ at the temples because they are mostly charging high fees — plus, they’re not even proper licensed guides).

Also, as I said, there are over a THOUSAND of temples in Angkor but below are some of the top picks that you must check out for your Siem Reap…