Angkor Wat Guide: Two Days in the Temples

Growing up, Tomb Raider was one of my favourite films. At ten years old, watching Lara Croft wander through jungle ruins taken over by trees and vines struck me deeply and cemented Cambodia as a must-visit place in my mind, even more than Thailand or Vietnam. Though the country is often overlooked, with visitors heading to its more popular neighbours instead, Cambodia has one major draw that brings millions of tourists every year: Angkor Wat. The largest religious structure in the world, Angkor Wat has so much cultural significance that it is featured on the Cambodian flag. Many people don’t realise that there is a lot more to this UNESCO World Heritage Site than just the main temple, with more than a thousand ruins in various states of preservation scattered over 400 acres. With such a large area to cover, it can be a bit overwhelming to figure out the best way to see the highlights in a short space of time. This Angkor Wat/Angkor Archaeological Park guide will help you plan out an amazing two days at one of South East Asia’s most beautiful locations, especially if you’re solo and on a budget!

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Read more: Two Weeks In Cambodia – a first-time itinerary

Getting around Angkor Wat

Your experience visiting Angkor Wat will depend on how you choose to get around the massive park. You have a few options for transport here:

• If you’re a confident scooter driver, you can rent one for your time in Siem Reap. This is ideal because you have total freedom for when and where you go, and you can use the scooter to have a total DIY experience for both the Small and Grand Circuits. However, if you’re not confident, I would avoid this, because the traffic around Siem Reap and at rush hours in the park can be crazy. There are also new restrictions on vehicular traffic around the entrances to the main Angkor Wat temple, so keep that in mind.
• Rent a bicycle. This is the cheapest option, but also the most tiring and time-consuming way of seeing the temples. If you rent a bike in Siem Reap, you will need to cycle the 7km from the city to the park before you even start the Small or Grand Circuits. But, I also think this is one of the most fun ways to see Angkor Wat!
• Hire a tuk-tuk driver to bring you there and wait while you see each temple. You can do this just for sunrise, or else hire one for the whole day to take you around the park to the other temples. While again, this gives you some freedom, if you’re travelling solo then it’s not quite as budget-friendly. You can also hire a guide to accompany you around Angkor Wat, though this will make it more expensive.
• Though I generally prefer to go DIY when I travel, sometimes a guided tour is the best option. I decided to go with one for sunrise and the Small Circuit because it was a similar price to the tuk-tuk hire, but it came with a guide, meaning a deeper insight into what I was looking at, especially at Angkor Wat itself. Downsides here include a lot of time in the morning is picking up other passengers, there’s no chance to go off-trail and you may get too little or too much time at each location depending on your liking. Still, these tours are a great option because they go to the most popular sights and take all the hassle out of your day. Keep in mind that if you’re doing a sunrise tour, it will bring you back to Siem Reap around lunch time, so unless you head back into the park in the afternoon, you’ll miss sunset. Looking back, I wish I’d used that free afternoon to see more temples!

Day 1 at Angkor Wat: Sunrise and the Small Circuit guide

One of the most popular things to do is visit the main Angkor Wat temple for sunrise. Be prepared for an extremely early wake-up call (usually around 3.45am) and some of the most insane crowds you’ll ever see. This experience can either be incredible or very mediocre, mostly depending on the weather. Sometimes, the sunrise simply doesn’t cooperate, with thick clouds and no colour (which is pretty much what I got). Even so, watching that iconic silhouette appear slowly from the darkness is truly unforgettable. Before the sun had even risen, it was incredible to walk through the dark over the ancient stone bridge, flickering torch lights reflecting in the water of the moat as the first sign of sunrise began in the distance. Once you’ve reached the sunrise area, try to get a spot by the pool so you can see the reflection of Angkor Wat in the water.

Angkor Wat was originally built in 1150 CE as a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Vishnu, but became a Buddhist temple soon after. It is the most well-known example of Khmer architecture. Once the sun has risen, it’s time to head inside the temple itself. The carvings in the long galleries are outstanding, the bas-relief friezes depicting huge scenes from Hindu mythology, including hundreds of figures in battle. The reliefs are amazingly preserved, and if you’re in Angkor Wat with a guide (definitely recommend), the stories are fascinating.

Once you’ve seen the reliefs and galleries, make your way to the central tower, which you can climb to get an amazing view over the temple complex. Give yourself at least an hour and a half (two hours is better) to see the full temple.

More temples on Angkor Wat’s Small Circuit

Once you’re finished at the main temple, leave via the Eastern Entrance, unless you’ve got your own transport, in which case you’ll need to return to the Western Entrance and drive/cycle around the temple. One of the great things about visiting on a tour or hiring a driver is that they can meet you around the other side so you don’t have to backtrack. The Small Circuit is 18 kilometres in length, so if you’re cycling, be prepared for some decent exercise!

Banteay Kdei Temple

Your next stop is Banteay Kdei, a Buddhist temple built a short time after Angkor Wat. Currently under reconstruction, it doesn’t take too much time to walk through the site. Though not as impressive as some of the other temples, it’s generally quieter, with less crowds, so it’s an enjoyable stop.

Ta Prohm

From a quiet temple to one of the busiest, Ta Prohm is a highlight of Angkor Wat and the Small Circuit. This is the famous ‘Tomb Raider’ temple, with the ruins taken over by towering Tetrameles trees, their roots taking hold in cracks between stones, while they themselves are taken over by strangler figs. It’s an incredible sight, the ruins and the jungle becoming a single entity in a maze of stone piles, narrow doorways and faces carved into the walls. Unlike many of the other temples at Angkor Wat that have been restored, Ta Prohm was deliberately left as it was found.

Ta Keo

Very different to Ta Prohm, this is a large pyramid temple on more open ground. There’s not a huge amount of detail to take in here, but it’s impressive enough to warrant a short stop. If you have the energy, it’s cool to climb to the top to see the surrounding jungle.

Victory Gate

Not exactly a temple, but this impressive gate with its huge stone face is a cool stop along the Short Circuit. One of five entrances to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the road leading to the gate is lined with statues of angels and demons from Hindu mythology.

Bayon Temple

Sitting at the heart of Angkor Thom, the last capital city of the Khmer Empire, Bayon is one of the most famous temples in Angkor Wat, and a definite stop if you’re on a tour with a guide. Its most distinctive features are the many stone faces carved into its towers, some better preserved than others. Each tower has four faces, each facing a different cardinal direction. This was one of my favourite temples to explore, with a new tower and face – surprisingly serene in expression – around every corner.

There are several temples and terraces to the north of Bayon that you can explore if you’re travelling independently. Otherwise, save them for tomorrow.

Southern Gate

Like Victory Gate, this is another entrance into the ancient city, and is arguably the most impressive and beautiful. With intricate designs carved into the pointed towers of the arch and lines of stone gods and demons flanking the bridge over the moat, this is an unforgettable stop on Angkor Wat’s Short Circuit. Stop at the far end of the bridge to take in the view and the beautiful reflection in the water before walking back along the statues to see the details in the carvings.

The temple of Phnom Bakheng is also a popular spot on the Short Circuit, particularly at sunset. However, many guided tours don’t stop here. If you’re doing the circuit with a driver or by bicycle, then you can head here after the Southern Gate, or else save it for tomorrow.

Even if you have limited time or budget and so just get the 1-Day Pass, the Small Circuit is still an amazing experience that covers some of the most beautiful and significant temples in the park. However, if you have more time/budget, then I highly recommend sticking around for a second day (or more!).

Day 2 at Angkor Wat: The Grand Circuit guide

Ready for another day of exploring insanely beautiful temples? Start early, because at 26 kilometres long, you’ll need the whole day (or you could start later, like me, cycle past your physical limits, die for the second half of the day, rush through temples and miss sunset. Your choice). When following the Grand Circuit, you’ll be starting just south of Angkor Wait, before heading east. The first and last parts of the Grand Circuit merge into the Small Circuit, so there’s a bit of overlap. This means that any temples you missed yesterday, you can visit today, if you have the time. I recommend making your first stop at Prasat Kravan, a small temple that’s good for a quick breather after cycling all the way from Siem Reap.

When writing this guide, I realised that my biggest regret of the two days I spent at Angkor Wat is that I didn’t go back to the main temple during the day or in the afternoon to see it in full sunlight. I would definitely recommend a second visit here!

Pre Rup

This imposing temple is one of the earliest temples in Angkor, built around 200 years before Angkor Wat. Built from sandstone, it’s a bit more crumbling than some of the others. Take about half an hour or so to wander the galleries before going up the staircase to the upper level to see the towers up close.

East Mebon

In the centre of the now-dried up East Baray reservoir, the main reason to stop here is to see the cool elephant statues at each corner of the main platform. You don’t need a lot of time here.

Ta Som

One of the best things about the Grand Circuit is the quiet nature of the road you cycle/drive down. With little traffic, it’s peaceful and beautiful, and I had such a lovely time cycling between East Mebon and Ta Som. Aside from Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, this was my favourite temple in the park. Much quieter than many of the others, it’s possible to feel completely alone within the stone ruins and surrounding trees. It’s one of the most atmospheric temples in Angkor.

Neak Poan

This is one of the most unique temples in the park, surrounded by a huge, man-made reservoir and accessed by a long bridge that cuts through the lily-covered water. Once you reach the island in the centre, you can walk around multiple pools with temples in the centre, through incense smoke wafting gently from numerous offerings. The water in the pools is so calm it makes for some beautiful reflections.

Preah Khan 

Not giving myself more time to explore Preah Khan is one of my biggest regrets of the day I cycled around the Grand Circuit. With the sun quickly dipping towards the horizon, I was worried about missing the sunset (which I did anyway), so I quickly walked through about half of the temple before running back to my bike. Similar to Angkor Wat, this temple is in the centre of a perfectly square area, surrounded by a moat. The jungle is thick here, the light dappling through the trees. This temple felt different to the others, with tall walls, massive piles of stone and lots of columns, giving parts of it an almost Grecian feel to it.

Most people enter through the Northern Entrance, then keep going around the west side of the temple down to Angkor Thom. However, if you’re cycling and want a little bit of an off-road adventure, I accidentally discovered another route! Not realising it was just a rough sand track through the jungle, I tried to take a short cut down the eastern side of Preah Khan to Victory Gate. If you want to give it a go, then look for the Tree Farm on Google Maps, although I recommend using Maps.Me as it’s more accurate away from the main roads. It was a fun little side quest that absolutely didn’t save me any time.

Phnom Bakheng

While technically on the Short Circuit, since many Angkor Wat tours with a guide tend to skip Phnom Bakheng, going there as the end point of your Grand Circuit works well, especially if you time it right for sunset. From Preah Khan, you’ll need to cycle the whole length of Angkor Thom, skirting around Bayon and leaving through the Southern Gate. If you have time, this is also a good opportunity to visit some of the ruins to the north of Bayon, if you didn’t get a chance yesterday.

Phnom Bakheng is one of the most popular places in Angkor Archaeological Park for sunset, and there is a limit on the number of people allowed on the top of the temple where the best view is, so make sure to arrive in plenty of time to get a spot. Bear in mind that from the parking area there is a fifteen-minute walk uphill to the temple itself, so factor that in to your planning. Once sunset is finished, there will be a huge crowd of people leaving the area at the same time, so traffic will be crazy.

Getting Your Tickets

You can get your tickets to Angkor Wat either in person at the official ticket office, or online. There are pros and cons to both.

• While getting them at the office means you have a cool souvenir after, it does mean dealing with long lines, or having to go the day before if you want to visit for sunrise on your first day (during peak season, the queue when the ticket office opens at 4.30am can be 50 people long). The main office, located here, is also a bit of a detour if you’re heading from Siem Reap city centre to the park.
• Buying online is far easier, through the official website. There are no authorised resellers for Angkor Wat tickets, so definitely use the government website. It’s recommended to buy your tickets a few days in advance, as you need to upload photos, giving you plenty of time to do so.

There are three different ticket options depending on how much time you’re going to spend at Angkor Wat: 1-Day (US$37), 3-Day (US$62) and 7-Day (US$72). The 1-Day ticket must be used immediately, but you can use the 3-Day ticket on any three non-consecutive days within a ten-day period, while the 7-Day ticket can be used on any ten non-consecutive days over a month. I highly recommend getting the 3-Day ticket, as it’s cheaper than getting two 1-Day tickets.

Keep your ticket handy, as you’ll be asked to scan it at the entrance to each temple.

Note: as of 2024, you don’t have to bring your passport when visiting Angkor Wat, though your guide may ask you to. Having your ticket (with its photo) either printed or in digital form is sufficient for any check. Still, I always find its good to have a photo of your passport ID page on your phone, for travel in general.

Where to stay in Siem Reap

Where I stayed: Gecko Hostel. I really liked this hostel, with its comfy beds and really nice swimming pool (which I used every single day because of the heat and exercise!). The staff are amazing, always happy to help organise tours and transport, and the location is great because it’s on a quiet street but still just a short walk to the centre of Siem Reap.

Looking for private and/or luxury accommodation in Siem Reap? Since this is one of Cambodia’s top destinations, there is a huge range of hostels, hotels and guesthouses to choose from. Check booking.com or Expedia to see what’s available.

Tips for cycling/driving around Angkor Wat

Bring a reusable water bottle

Five free water refill stations have been installed around the park this year, aiming to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable tourism, which is fantastic news. Beautifully, these stations reflect an ancient Khmer custom, where villagers would place large water jars outside their homes for guests or passing travellers to drink from. You can find them at Phnom Banteay Srey, near the Victory Gate and the Phnom Bakheng parking area. Plans are in place to expand to more locations around the park. Since you’ll be cycling all day in the heat, it’s really important to stay hydrated, so keep that bottled filled whenever you get a chance!

Start early in the day

I made the mistake of sleeping in and not starting my day cycling the Grand Circuit until late in the morning. This meant I started out while it was hot and had to rush through the last few hours to try to make sunset, pushing really close to my limits physically and impacting my day. I also missed sunset. So don’t make my mistake and get on your bike as early as you can!

Take advantage of the freedom

The best thing about being on a bike is that you have total freedom where to go and when to stop. See an interesting-looking temple in the forest? Pull over, lock the bike and go explore! Bicycles can also go places that scooters and tuk-tuks can’t, especially around the main Angkor Wat temple.

Mind the traffic

Like anywhere in South East Asia, a popular tourist site means high visitor numbers, which means crazy traffic. Cycling or driving out of Siem Reap means manoeuvring through multiple lanes of traffic, and road rules you may not be familiar with. If you’re not used to it, it can be quite nerve-wracking, so just keep your wits about you. Once you reach the park, the traffic will ease significantly, just bear in mind that just after sunset will get crazy again as everyone leaves at roughly the same time.

Download your map

Though it’s always a good idea to stay connected while travelling (eSIMs from companies like Airalo are great!), stay safe and on track with an online map. Maps.Me is particularly useful at Angkor Wat if you’re planning to head off the main roads.

Don’t forget to check out my full two week itinerary for Cambodia to help you plan your trip!

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