Home in the World

Last Updated on February 20, 2026 by Home in the World

It is no exaggeration to say that Angkor Wat is one of the most stunning places I have ever visited. While not officially named one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World, it was a finalist – and it absolutely deserves to be right up there.

Cambodia is a wonderful travel destination that is home to the loveliest people and a whole host of treasures to explore, but if there’s only one thing you see when you’re there, it really needs to be Angkor Wat.

Read on for my complete Angkor Wat guide – to find out all you need to know about this majestic site before you go and while you’re there.

You can also download my free quick guide to Siem Reap, which concisely summarises all the most important info about visiting Cambodia, and Siem Reap specifically.

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Tickets

While you can buy tickets from the on-site ticket office when you get there, I recommend buying them online beforehand to save time. Your best option is to use the official website, which I found to be very user-friendly and informative.

It offers various types of passes, from 1-day to 7-day, depending on how much you want to explore – because the Angkor temple complex is much more than just Angkor Wat itself (more on that later). At the time of writing this, a 1-day pass cost USD 37.

I bought my tickets through the aforementioned website before I even left Australia, and it worked perfectly.

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What to wear

As this is a religious site, modest attire is required. Both men and women should ensure their shoulders (a scarf or wrap can be handy for this) and knees are covered. Ideally no baseball caps either. I did see a few people there who had not done any of this and they were still allowed into the temples, but I do not recommend trying it, as it is important to honour local requirements and show respect.

Given it is almost always warm (if not hot) and humid in this part of the world, it is also advisable to wear loose, lightweight, breathable clothing. Think long pants, long skirts and T-shirts or long-ish sleeves. Not only will this comply with the modest dress code, but it will also protect you from the sun and mosquitoes. A win on every level!

Also ensure you are wearing sturdy, comfortable shoes, as you will be doing a fair amount of walking and many of the temple areas are uneven and rubbly. Some roads are quite dusty too.

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Best time of day and year to visit

The best time of year to visit is of course whenever your schedule and budget allow it, but if you do have the luxury of choosing, I would recommend coming between November and February.

This is the high season – and for a reason. You’ll have the best weather: no rain, lower humidity and as mild temperatures as you are ever going to get in this part of the world (spoiler: it’s never really cool). Being the dry season, there are also much fewer mosquitoes around. And, in a place where dengue fever can be an issue, this is definitely a bonus.

I visited in January, and temperatures were around 30°C (86°F), skies were clear and sunny and there were no mosquitoes. It was honestly perfect. Yes, there were obviously quite a lot of people, but the complex is so big that you can surprisingly still get some great people-free photos and enjoy quieter corners, especially at the other Angkor temples.

The middle of the year is when things start to get hotter and rainier, with a greater dengue risk. But it is also low season, so if you do visit at that time, you will likely have fewer crowds to contend with.

In terms of the best of time day to visit, the general consensus is sunrise, because it’s cooler, quieter and you get the stunning silhouetted view of the temple’s spires against the dawn sky. Sunset provides a similarly dreamy feel, bathing the temple in golden light.

But if you can’t make it at either of those times, don’t fret; the temple is strikingly beautiful no matter when you visit it. The park is open from 5 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily. I particularly liked the soft light and shadows that came around 9am. The structures were more visible in the daylight, but still had a freshness about them.

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How long to spend there

As mentioned above, you can buy 1-day, 3-day or 5-day passes to the Angkor temples park, depending on how much time you want to spend exploring the archaeological site. For more people, this will likely just be 1 day – either in 1 solid block or going early to see the sunrise, returning to the hotel for a break and then heading back to the park later after the peak of the crowds and heat has passed.

If you’re planning to visit Angkor Wat and a couple of the other main temples, I would recommend allowing at least 5-6 hours. Angkor Wat itself is worth around 2 hours.

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Getting around the park

Spanning some 400 sq km (154 square miles), the Angkor Archaeological Park is huge, and home to dozens of temples beyond the famous Angkor Wat.

It is not possible to get between all of these on foot (unless you want to spend most of your day walking), so the best option is to take a tuk tuk or have a private driver, as this will allow you to travel between temples within just a few minutes, giving you more time to enjoy the temples themselves.. There are plenty of tuk-tuk touts waiting at the entrance and exits of each individual temple, or you can arrange a private driver beforehand, like I did.

I cannot recommend our driver enough; he was so obliging and professional, always waiting for us at the appointed locations and times in his comfortable air-conditioned van with cool bottled water on hand. It made the whole experience so much more streamlined.

Tour operators like him can also pre-arrange a guide for you, or there are also guides you can book at the entrance to the temples. As you would expect, there are a particularly large number at the entrance to Angkor Wat.

Hiring a guide will enable you to better understand the history and symbolism of the temple, most notably the Hindu and Buddhist mythological motifs. But if you prefer to explore independently, you can absolutely do that too (you will still need transport between the temples though).

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Health, safety & toilet facilities

As mentioned earlier, the climate in this part of the world is rarely going to be cold. Even during the mildest month (December/January), temperatures are around 30°C (86°F). As such, it is highly recommended to ensure you remain well hydrated to combat the humidity, and use sun cream and/or wear covered clothing to protect against the sun.

Covered clothing will also protect you against mosquitoes if you are coming during the wet/dengue season (approximately May-Oct).

And speaking of the mosquitoes, I would recommend using a repellent spray and/or patches too, especially if visiting between May and October. Even when I was there in January, a month with minimal mosquitoes, I still used repellents just to be on the safe side.

Also be aware that some parts of Angkor Wat and the other temples involve steep steps, high thresholds and rubbly sections, so watch your step to avoid tripping. If you have accessibility issues, there may be some sections that you will unfortunately not be able to visit.

There are also some monkeys and bats in the area (I saw monkeys on the grounds of Angkor Wat and heard bats in other temples like Bayon). As long as you don’t antagonise the monkeys or get too close, they will leave you alone.

Regarding toilet facilities, yes, there are good-quality restrooms near the main parking area at Angkor Wat, as well as semi-decent options near the car parks of the Ta Prohm and Bayon temples, but I did not use any of these personally.

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Food & drink

There are numerous vendors and stalls around Angkor Wat and throughout the Angkor Archaeological Park. They sell cold bottled water and simple street-food snacks for around US$ 2-5. There are also some larger restaurants where you can enjoy a sit-down meal of traditional Cambodian food for around USD$ 6-8. Some of these are air-conditioned, others are not. Once again, I did not personally eat inside the park, so I cannot vouch for any of the eating facilities.

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Beyond Angkor Wat

The Angkor Archaeological Park is home to dozens of temples beyond Angkor Wat. Some are bigger and grander than others, but all undoubtedly have their own charm and rich history.

If you’re only at the park for one day and only have time for the ‘big 3’, then concentrate your focus on Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Bayon. These are usually covered by the ‘Small Circuit’.

Ta Prohm is the famous ‘Tomb Raider temple’, where ancient tree roots drape over the temple ruins in a unique fusion between nature and architecture; you’ve probably seen photos of it on travel sites or social media.

I absolutely loved this temple. While you cannot compare it to Angkor Wat, it was definitely one of my favourites. And it’s also much more than just the ‘tree root’ sections. There are plenty of other fascinating structures and chambers to explore, filled with mythological carvings. It’s also quite shady, so even on a hot day, it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.

Bayon is the third of the ‘big 3’, famed for its many serene, smiling faces of Hindu deities carved into the temple’s stonework. There was hardly anyone there when I visited, making it a perfect opportunity to get some great photographs. You can hear (and smell!) the bats in its labyrinthine chambers, and it really felt like I had stepped into an ancient, primeval world.

Other temples to consider, depending on your schedule, are Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Keo, Angkor Thom, Ta Som (a smaller, less crowded version of Ta Prohm) and Pre Rup. Many of these can be visited on the ‘Grand Circuit’.

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Getting to Siem Reap and where to stay

Angkor Wat is located in Siem Reap, which opened a brand new airport (SAI) in 2024 with a view to catering to increased tourist numbers. It is about a 50-minute drive from the town, and is serviced by major airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways. You can find suitable flight connections by searching on  Skyscanner or Trip.com to find and compare the best fares.

You will probably need an e-visa to enter Cambodia. As an Australian, I did, but it was a very quick and easy online process. The best place to check this is through the official Cambodian government website. I do not recommend looking anywhere else, as they are likely to be scam sites. You can also get visas on arrival, but I personally think having it all organised beforehand is better.

In terms of accommodation, Siem Reap has options to suit every budget, from ultra luxury to backpacker hostels. I personally stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort and cannot recommend it highly enough. You can read my full review of it here. Otherwise, you can find another property meeting your needs by using the search box below.

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Angkor Wat guide: Final thoughts

I hope you have found this Angkor Wat guide helpful. I have tried to cover as many aspects as I could think of, but if there’s something I missed or you have other questions, feel free to either leave a comment below or contact me and I will be happy to answer them.

You absolutely will not regret visiting Angkor Wat or any of the other temples you choose to visit at the Angkor Archaeological Park. The whole complex is a true wonder, and you’ll now hopefully have all the information you need to make your visit extra enjoyable.

Angkor Wat left a big impression on me, as did Siem Reap and Cambodia in general. It’s definitely somewhere I would love to return to sometime. If you do end up going, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

** This post, like everything else on this website, has been written entirely by me. No ChatGPT or any other AI tool has been used. It takes longer to create, but I value 100% human-generated content and I hope you do too! **

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Before you go…

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Visiting Phnom Penh as well? Read my post about some of its cultural and art treasures.

For more Siem Reap travel inspiration, you may want to consider some of these tours:

For more Asia travel content, feel free to check out my other posts from Cambodia, as well as  Japan, South Korea and China, plus my older travel memories (more narrative style than blog style) from Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore.

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