Visiting one of the oldest temples in the world, this place definitively rocks. Seeing the influences from all over the world in one place is pretty astonishing. Moreover, it’s a beautiful place to visit. Thousands of people gone down to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat.
While travel Southeast Asia for a month, one of our destinations was Siem Reap. More specifically, to visit Angkor Wat as it was on our bucket list.
During our visit to Siem Reap, we stayed for three days and two nights which was more than enough time for the area. In this city, there are only a few major things to visit. This is our itinerary to visit
Itinerary
- Day 1
- Arrive at the airport
- Hotel Shuttle
- Check-in hotel
- Grab lunch
- Visit Fishing Village – Tonle Sap Lake
- Far drive
- Day 2
- Tour or Self Guided – Favorites
- Angkor Wat – During Sunrise
- Bayon Temple
- Ta Prohm Temple
- Temple Gate
- Visit Shopping Area
- Pub Street
- Psar Chas
- Tour or Self Guided – Favorites
- Day 3
- Phnom Kulen National Park
- Waterfalls
- Temple Mountain
- Fly Out – Later
- Phnom Kulen National Park
Ultimately, it’s a busy schedule. We would recommend skipping the waterfall and the fishing village because of the time it takes to travel there as well as the cost of it. It’s considered pretty expensive for locals. Nonetheless, taking the time to visit these areas is definitely worth it. You may also spend 4 days instead of 3 days here if time allows.
Fishing Village – Tonle Sap Lake
The fishing village is very interesting if you haven’t seen one before. The Tonle Sap Lake is the biggest freshwater lake in Asia. It is home to several fishing villages that rely on the resources of the lake for their livelihood. Some of the villages are built on stilts which is incredible.
Be aware that some tours take advantage of the interests of the fishing for their own profit. Our suggestion would be to find a tour that gives back to the fishing villages.
Temples
Cambodia is full of temples and Angkor is home to so many as well as one of the oldest temples in the world. Additionally, this is why you come to Cambodia. Find marvelously built temples that each have there own unique traits and history. Also, some are used for movie scenes like in the movie “Tomb Raider.”
Note, there were plenty of other temples to visit. I’ve just noted the ones that I enjoyed walking through or areas that I liked seeing. We have seen so many that we lost count as well as templed out.
Find the official list of temples all the temples here: https://www.tourismcambodia.com/attractions/angkor.htm
Here are the top temples and areas to visit in my opinion
- Bayon temple
- Beng Mealea, Ruins in Beng Mealea Temple
- Angkor Wat
- Ta Prohm
- Prasat Thom pyramid temple at Koh Ker, Cambodia
- Preah Khan
- Churning of the Ocean of Milk
- Angkor Thom South Gate
- Phnom Kulen
- Kbal Spean, Carving of reclining Vishnu at Kbal Spean
Angkor Wat
This is the most popular temple in Cambodia. Definitely a beautiful place full of history. Find the sunrise one of the most epic places to ever see as well as every other tour in the area. You will be faced with hundreds and hundreds of people looking for the same space as you for the sunrise. It’s tour guide heaven even at 6 AM. Be prepared for that.
As you walk through the temple, find each stone carved with inscriptions or drawings. It’s amazing how big and detailed each piece is. Everything has a meaning to the temple and you can tell by the details here.
At the center, you will find a tower to walk up which is very steep. At the top, there are good views on each side. Ultimately, it’s very busy at this tower but worth the time to view it.
There is a lot more to say about this place but I think visiting here is the best way to understand this place. It’s huge and amazing yet beautiful and delicate in its own way.
Bayon Temple
My favorite temple as the structures of the temple is buddha heads. Each with different faces and meanings. Words really describe the place is interesting; however, small.
Walking around here is fair fast but it is busy like all the other temples in the area. It’s a good place to see.
Ta Prohm – Tomb Raider Scene
This temple is popular because of the Tomb Raider movie. That shouldn’t bee the reason why you visit this temple. It’s a marvelous temple with trees growing through areas of it. The trees are beautiful as they became one with the temple.
Temple Gates
A quick stop as it’s a great place to take photos. I liked how the buddha heads are arraigned as well.
Angkor Wat Details
- Park tickets cost $37for a day, $62 for 3 days, and $72 for 7 days.
- View most recent prices here:
- Note: If you buy a ticket after 4.45 PM, entry into the temples that evening is free.
- The visiting times are 5:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
- Make sure you wear covered shoes. Red sand and dust cover the floors of most temples.
- Carry water with you since it gets very hot during the day.
- Pack breakfast and lunch; our hotel provided that for us.
Pub Street
You will find markets, food vendors, street vendors, and everything else here. This is the spot for parties at night and shopping during the day. There are plenty of options but we found this place super touristy. Expect to pay a little more for food and merchandise.
I enjoyed the street food here because I felt like it helped the locals more. Also, the food to me was more authentic than the restaurants, in my opinion. Draft beer is cheap here as well. The canned beer is more expensive.
Ultimately, it’s a great place to check out but we wanted something more authentic. We try to avoid touristy areas; however, in this area, most are touristy.
Psar Chas – Market
This market is a neat area with a lot of things to see. Lots of vendors with good prices here and there. There are a lot of locals here buying produce and other things. Some vendors have a lot of touristy things we avoid. Definitely, check this market out if you are near Pub street.
Phnom Kulen National Park
This is considered Cambodia’s most sacred mountain. This national park is also near Siem Reap. It is a long distance from the city but has a lot to offer. There are waterfalls that lead up to temples at the top of the mountain. If you have time, definitely visit this place and love being in the outdoors.
At this park, you can visit the following:
- Phnom Kulen Waterfalls
- Reclining Buddha
- The River of A Thousand Lingas
Information can be found here: https://www.tourismcambodia.com/travelguides/provinces/siem-reap/what-to-see/78_phnom-kulen-national-park.htm
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