Angkor temples: a quick guide to help you plan your visit 

The Angkor temples are a wonder of architecture and art, so it is not surprising that come up in many bucket lists. Planning its visit, however, can appear a bit overwhelming. How many temples are there? Which are the most important? How do I move around? This is a quick guide to help preparing a visit to the Angkor temples.

Is Angkor one temple, or several? 

 Let’s start from the beginning: Angkor Wat is one temple, the biggest one, among the Angkor temples, but there are many others.

The temples were part of the ancient city of Angkor, the capital of the old Khmer empire. Most of them are located within a few kilometers from Siem Reap, which is the ideal base to explore, but some of them are further away, at 30 or even 60 kilometers.

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Tickets and cost

• 1-day pass: 20$.
• 3-days pass: 40$, valid for one week.
• 7-days pass: 60$, valid for one month.

Note: if you buy a 3-days or 7-days tickets after 5pm, you can enter the complex to see the sunset for free.

Important: the tickets office is located half way between Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. I saw people arriving by bicycle at Angkor Wat and being told they had to go back 4km to buy the ticket.

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How to chose which Angkor temples to visit

The most typical way of visiting the Angkor temples is to do the so-called small loop the first day, the big loop on the second, and visit some further temples on the last day (see the list of the main temples below).

Another option is to do it yourself: check in advance which temples you are more interested in and skip the others; alter the order or concentrate on the further temples to avoid the crowds.

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How to visit the temples: transport

According to how and which Angkor temples you wish to see, and your budget and energy, there are several ways to visit the temples:

• Organised tour: all tour agencies offer daily tours to the temples in buses or mini van.
  • Price: from 13-15$
  • Advantage: meet other people; reasonable price; comfortable.
  • Disadvantage: you cannot chose how long to stay in each temple nor avoid the crowds.

• Moto, tuk tuk or taxi.
  • Price for a tuk tuk: 6-8$ for buying the ticket & watching the sunset; from 12-15$ for the small loop; from 15$ for the big loop; from 20-30$ for the further temples. Moto with driver is cheaper than tuk tuk, taxi is more expensive.
  • Advantage: you chose how long to stay in each temple.
  • Disadvantage: prices are not fixed so you have to negotiate; most drivers are used to the small loop/ big loop order, and are not flexible in mixing them; more expensive than other options.

• Bicycle.
  • Price: 1-2$ for one day.
  • Some places open at 5 or 5:30am, others allow to take it in the evening so you can start early morning.
  • Advantage: cheapest option and total freedom, you can visit the temples in any order, and spend there any time you want.
  • Disadvantage: it requires some energy, since the weather is very hot and the temples are quite far (the small loop is about 27km and the big loop 36km). That said, the road is flat and mostly in good state.

• Motorbike: in Siem Reap foreigners are not allowed to rent a motorbike, but it is possible to rent it in another city and ride to Siem Reap.

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The Angkor temples

The Top 3

• Angkor Wat:
  • the largest religious building in the world.
  • when to go: most people go there to see the sunrise and sunset, the most quiet time is from 1:00 to 3:00 pm approx.

• Bayon (inside Angkor Thom):
  • Bayon is placed at the center of the Angkor Thom complex, and it is known for its many faces.
  • when to go: very early in the morning (7:00am), when most people are still in Angkor Wat.

• Ta Prohm:
  • the most famous of the “jungle temples”, that is, a temple being covered by the trees (the one featured in Tom Raider film).
  • when to go: very early in the morning (7:00am), when most people are still in Angkor Wat.

Small Loop

• Ta Keo: “pyramid temple”, that is, a temple constructed as a pyramid, with very steep steps.

• Ta Prohm: “jungle temple”, part of the top 3 (see above).
• Banteay Kdei: quite big monastic complex.

• Sras Srang: terrace pond (tip: looks nice right after the sunrise).

• Prasat Kravan: brick towers.

Big Loop

• Preah Khan: quite big, good combination of nice carvings and “jungle temple”.

• Neak Pean: tower in the middle of a pond.

• Ta Som: small “jungle temple” in Bayon style (note: there is only one tree, at the furthest gate from the entrance).

• East Mebon: “mountain temple”, which means constructed in several levels. Steep steps.

• Pre Rup: “mountain temple”. Steep steps.

Farther Angkor temples 

• Banteay Srei (32 km from Siem Reap): very detailed carvings
• Others: Roulos group (13km), Kbal Spean (50km), Phnom Kulen (50km), Beng Mealea (65km).

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The reality of Cambodia

Cambodia is a country with a dark period in its recent history. The Khmer Rouge rule is over, but there are still people suffering from the landmines that they left behind. Some victims have created music groups that play nearby the temples to earn money.

Even though some people live comfortably in Cambodia, a lot are still struggling to survive. It is heartbreaking to see kids as young as 5 years old selling postcards and magnets instead of going to school. Child protection organizations recommend not to buy from them, because that helps keeping them out of school.

In one month in Cambodia I received hospitality, help and smiles from its people, and Siem Reap was no exception. Once I tried to negotiate the price of a mango, since it was double than the usual price. I did not negotiate hard though, everywhere in the world prices are higher next to the touristic attractions, so I paid what the woman asked me for. She then asked me if I had gone there by bicycle, and gave me three bananas for free. Do negotiate and beware of scams, but do not be too hard, most people are nice and welcoming.

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More information: Slightly Astray wrote a Hopping guide for dummies with a lot of humor, and Never Ending Voyage an interesting Lightweight’s guide to the temples to avoid temple burn out. 

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