Angkor Wat in a Day

The sunrise (very crowded) and sunset at Angkor Wat (equally crowded)

Quick Tips:

Do some homework. You will get a LOT more out of the visit if you do some background reading beforehand.

Best Way To Get Around:

Traveling solo, book a motorcycle taxi for the day ( to , depending on the distance). If you're going with two to three people, book a tuk-tuk ( to , depending on the distance). Always book ahead through your hotel and insist on a helmet.

They offer clean rooms for cheap ($6 to $8 for a fan room) in a very quiet area of Seim Reip just off the beaten path. My favourite thing about this place was that with only two floors you don't have to worry about climbing up 5 flights of stairs. All the rooms feature 10 ft ceilings and gorgeous solid wood furniture. There is a little communal balcony on the second floor that makes a perfect place to chill out with a beer after a long day hiking around Angkor. Staff was very friendly and spoke excellent English. The restaurant food was only okay, but the portions were very generous and the menu had a decent selection. They offer the usual services (laundry, tour bookings etc..) but you have to go down the street for Internet access. While I was there, they arranged my moto driver for me and he was just great. He spoke excellent English and was ready to go anywhere I wanted but still made suggestions if he thought I might enjoy something else or was overlooking something. The one complaint I heard about then was that the Guest House they recommend in Phnom Phen is not nearly as nice, I haven't stayed there but a couple I met first at the European and again in Phnom Phen were so disappointed that they switched hotels the next day.

I had a chicken and cashew stir-fry that was so good, I went back the next day and tried the amok (a traditional fish curry); both meals were amazing. The service and decor were on par with what I would expect from a mid-range restaurant or better. They were good about little details, like providing mosquito coils, which you usually have to forgo at a budget restaurant. I didn't see anything on the menu for over $5, and it actually had a good variety--not the standard five flavors of rice and ten of noodles.

Things to keep in Mind: Broadly speaking, there are two types of temples around Siem Reap, monastic complexes and temple mountains. Try to include both types in your itinerary. Also, some temples have been restored and some have been left basically as they were first discovered. Again, try to visit examples of both. Finally, the temples were built over a 400-year period, and the building style and materials evolved over this period, so try and visit both early and late period examples. Angkor Wat and Bayon (in Angkor Thom) are both unique in their own right and are must-see's, no matter what your planned route. Try and include any sights that are dependant on the weather as early on in a multi-day visit as possible. i.e. don't leave a sunset climb of Phnom Bakheng until the last day just to have it rained out. Try and visit the temple mountains early in the day, when it’s cooler. Steep climbs are required, and there is little shade at the top. Visiting the monastic complexes can be done through midday as there is plenty of shade.

Before you go: Pick up a guidebook that details the bas-relief carved at Angkor Wat and Bayon; it will be invaluable. If you decide to use a guide, speak to them first. The level of English fluency and knowledge varied dramatically among the ones I saw at the temples. Also, when booking a driver, make sure he understands your itinerary, as they may expect additional money to visit some of the farther out temples or for a very long day that goes from before sunrise to after sunset.

Considering all the above factors, my ideal route (and close to the one I followed) would be: Start the day at Angkor Wat to watch the sunrise from the north lotus pond. Move immediately on to Angkor Thom (you’ll comeback to Angkor Wat in the afternoon, when the bas-reliefs are better lit.) for a quick walk along the Terraces and chance to admire the South Gate. After that, head out to Banteay Srey, stopping at Ta Keo, Pre Rup, and East Mebon on your way out. Then come back towards Angkor Thom and do a long walk From Sras Srang through Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm. This should take a couple of hours and carry you through the midday heat. Have your driver meet you at the west end of Ta Prohm so that you don’t have to walk back. From here, move to the bas-reliefs at Bayon and Angkor Wat, but still take the time to enjoy the temples in their own right. Then end the day with a climb up Phnom Bakheng to watch the sun light up Angkor Wat as it sets.

Definitely worthy of an entry of their own entry, the carvings at Angkor Wat and surrounding temples are a sight to behold. Although many of the carvings have had some of their detail worn away by the elements, there are still lots of examples that look like they might have been carved only a few years ago. While most of the temples now house statues of the Buddha, they were originally built at a time when the Khmer Empire was dominantly Hindu. Consequently, almost all of the carvings are representations of the Hindu pantheon and/or scenes from Hindu mythology. Even a little effort to learn about the Hindu gods and the classic myth "The Ramayana" will be rewarded with a much richer understanding of the carvings.

For most Westerners, some sort of guide or guidebook will be essential. I picked one up right outside the Temple for $6 from a street vendor and referred to it almost constantly while I was moving through the temples. I did some background reading from the guide on history, culture, building methods, materials, etc., and I found that it significantly improved my appreciation and understanding of the carvings on the second day. One thing to remember is that lighting can make a huge difference. Angkor Wat has over 2,000 Devatas, and I particularly enjoyed noting the difference it made to view them in the shade, the morning/evening light, and the bright midday sun.