Last updated on October 29th, 2023 at 03:54 pm

There were two things high on my Asia bucket list – the Great Wall of China and Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap. I’m thrilled to say that I have successfully checked one off my list. But also a little embarrassed to say that I knew very little about Siem Reap until I reached there.

As always, we don’t want you to feel the same way, so here I am, happy to help. In this Siem Reap itinerary blog post, I’ll share the top Siem Reap attractions we visited. In order to avoid overdoing temples in Siem Reap, we mixed our 3 or possibly 4 days itinerary with a few other local points of interest.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

What to Know Before Traveling to Siem Reap

Before we begin, I humbly ask request you to be aware of the tragic past this country has faced. Despite knowing a bit about the sad history prior to my visit, I learned a lot more from talking to the locals.

Less than 40 years ago, a massive genocide took place in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot’s leadership. Over 25% of the Cambodian population – roughly 2 million people – lost their lives. 

Why?

Because the Khmer Rouge wanted to turn Cambodia into an agrarian republic. If you were either literate or just not strong enough to do physical labor, then you were executed on the spot or sent to the killing fields.

Learn more about Cambodian history before you travel there.

Siem Reap Travel Tips

Here is some basic information to use while planning your Siem Reap trip.

Cambodia Tourist Visa Information

A tourist visa is mandatory for visitors from most countries and allows a 30-day max stay with a single entry. This means that you can only enter the country one time within those thirty days.

Visa on arrival is easy to obtain when traveling by air or land as long as you have all the documentation in place. We got our tourist visa in less than 20 minutes at the Siem Reap International Airport. You can also get them at the Phnom Penh international Airport and land border crossings between Cambodia and Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

The documentation should include:

• Completed visa application form given on the airplane
• a valid passport with more than 6 months before expiry and 2 open pages
• a digital (.jpg or .png) passport size photo (4×6 cm)
• your recent bank statements
• proof of your return journey
• the visa fee of USD $30

On the other hand, if you want to skip the lines at the airport then you can get an online e-visa ahead of time. Here is the official website to apply for Cambodia e-visa online for USD $36.

It is highly recommended to go this route to guarantee your visa is in hand before you arrive in Cambodia. Visas are good for three months from date of issue, so plan to apply for your online visa about a month before your trip.

TIP: Keep US Dollars handy since it is very commonly used in Siem Reap. Most businesses will charge you in USD rather than local Khmer currency.

Best Time to Visit Siem Reap

May to October is the monsoon or rainy season in Cambodia, so most people prefer to visit Siem Reap in the winter or the dry season from November to March. We visited in the middle of January, but let me tell you, the heat and humidity at that time almost felt like the middle of summer.

How to Get Around Siem Reap

Airport Transit: The ride from the airport is taken care of by most hotels in Siem Reap as a complimentary service. Make sure your accommodation offers this and take advantage!

Tuk-tuk: Ask your hotel to arrange a reliable tuk-tuk, one of the most popular modes of transportation, for your excursions. Cambodian tuk-tuk is nothing but a passenger carriage attached to a regular motorcycle. Don’t hesitate to negotiate on the bundled price for multiple days. We paid roughly $27 per day, and the tuk-tuk driver escorted us from sunrise to sunset.

If you are on a budget you might want to consider hiring a tuk-tuk on the streets for a cheaper fare.

Motorcycle or Bicycle: If you feel comfortable navigating yourself then renting a scooter or a bicycle is another alternative.

Car: If you are not a fan of traveling in an open-air vehicle then ask the hotel to arrange an air-conditioned car. We were quoted a rate of $45/day for the car.

PS:  Most hotels can also help arrange a temple guide which I’d highly recommend if you do not know much about Hindu mythology or Cambodian aka Kamboj history. TIP: You really do not need to book any private tours to visit Angkor Wat temples.

Siem Reap Itinerary 4 Days

Alright, let’s get to our favorite points of interest and activities in Siem Reap

Day 1: Explore the City Center

We landed in Siem Reap from Bangkok in the morning and reached our hotel just in time for brunch. Our tuk-tuk driver was ready for us in an hour after requesting one at the hotel. With only half day left, we decided to visit the things in close proximity to the city center.

Support Artisans d’Angkor 

Artisans d’Angkor offers a FREE tour of their handicraft workshop. You get to learn about their crafts from stone carving to woodwork to making silk to traditional paintings. In the end, you have a choice to support them by buying one of their beautiful handmade products. I picked up a brass trinket box.

The overall visit will only take about an hour so I highly recommend visiting Artisans d’Angkor to empower the local artisans of Cambodia.

Visit Wat Preah Prom Rath 

This very peaceful and serene Buddhist temple is located in the heart of Siem Reap city center. Inside the temple, you’ll find the sleeping Buddha statue at the very back. TIP: Cover your shoulders and knees before entering the temple out of respect.

Purchase Angkor Wat Tickets 

In order to avoid wasting time buying the tickets on day 2, we decided to pick up our tickets in advance, which are required to see all temples and structures in Angkor Archaeological Park.

TIP: Angkor Wat entrance tickets are not sold online. You are required to be present at the ticket counter for a photo on your admission ticket. However, we saw some people showing photos on their phones to jump hoops. Read important ticket regulations including timings on the official Angkor tourism website. 

The Angkor day pass prices are as follows:

• 1-day pass costs $37
• 3-day pass costs $62 where you can visit temples any 3 days within a period of 10 days
• 7-day pass costs $72 where you can visit temples any 7 days within a period of 1 month

We went for the 3-day pass but only visited the temples for 2 days.

Pray for Peace at Wat Thmey Pagoda

Wat Thmey in Siem Reap was one of the many killing fields in Cambodia’s disturbing past. If you are not planning to visit other such sites in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh then this pagoda would be a good place to stop to learn the harsh reality and offer a little peace prayer.

Explore the Nightlife and Night Markets 

As with any other Asian city popular with the western tourists, there is a section of the town catering to them. In Siem Reap it’s the Pub Street, or Street 8 in the city. There is a popular Apsara dance performance that was recommended to us but we passed it for a street stroll instead.

On a serious note, if you find yourself listening to local Khmer musicians affected by landmines playing on Pub Street, please be kind enough to offer them a donation.

Besides the loud music on Pub Street, the city center has a few night markets, which are fun for some thrift shopping. We ended up buying some lightweight cotton bottoms to help us beat the January heat. Oh, and the best part around here was the $3 body & leg massage parlors, much needed after a long day. 

Other Local Activities to Do in Siem Reap

• Take a cooking class with a local chef & guide
• Copper metal bracelet making workshop
• Join a Cambodian pottery class
• Take a classical Apsara dancing class
• Visit the Angkor National Museum

Find more fun things to do in Siem Reap on Get Your Guide:

Day 2: Visiting Angkor Temples 

Did you know that Angkor Wat is just one of the many temples in Siem Reap? We got up at the crack of dawn for a full day covering a total of four temples.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat 

You can read our in-depth tips on seeing sunrise at Angkor Wat but in short, we picked up our breakfast packets and left the hotel at 4.30am. If you are wondering how to get to Angkor Wat then it is roughly 30 minutes tuk-tuk ride from the city center.

After sunrise explore the interior of Angkor Wat temple where you can also go all the way on top of the central tower. There are many cafes in the temple grounds to take a break and have your breakfast.

Bayon (Angkor Thom)

After Angkor Wat explore the neighboring temple complex called Angkor Thom. Bayon, the biggest temple in Angkor Thom, is one of my favorites with unique Buddha faces carved all over the temple towers.

In reality, we didn’t get to spend quality time here since it was as crowded as a New York subway on a Monday morning.

Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of Leper King (Angkor Thom)

Also in the complex of Angkor Thom are two other ancient sites named the Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of Leper King. We walked by these terraces in search of our tuk-tuk driver as it was getting late and we wanted to get to Banteay Srei. 

Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei Temple is about an hour drive from the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is very popular amongst tourists. If you are visiting Banteay Srei the same day as the above temples then head out there at around noon.

This temple is a masterpiece, the most intricate stone carvings you’ll find in Siem Reap temples. There are a few good Khmer restaurants on the way to stop for lunch.

Ta Prohm

We ended our second-day sightseeing at Ta Prohm temple which is also popularly known as the Tomb Raider temple. Ta Prohm is one of the few temples where you get to witness the true power of natural forests. Age-old tree’s roots have been crushing these temples over thousands of years. 

A few other lesser-visited temples with similar overgrown trees are Preah Khan and Ta Som if you are interested in visiting.

It was also a proud moment when we saw the signboards of Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs helping Cambodia with restoration efforts of Ta Prohm. 

Day 3: Lesser Visited Temples and the Floating Village

To avoid overdoing temples and to shake things up, we added a floating village to our day three itinerary. Since we were going farthest away from Siem Reap, we also added a few lesser-visited temples in Cambodia along the way.

Prasat Bakong Vishnu Temple

Prasat Bakong was one of the most tranquil temples we visited in Cambodia. We shared the entire complex with maybe a handful of others which was quite a contrast to Angkor Wat. 

Preah Ko Shiva Temple

Very close to Prasat Bakong is the Shiva temple of Preah Ko. Another temple in close proximity to Prasat Bakong is Prasat Prei Monti which we skipped in order to ensure that we reached the floating village on time for sunset.

Kampong Phluk Floating Village 

There’s a small community of Cambodian people living in houses built on stilts on a tributary of Tonle Sap Lake. We visited the lesser-known of the villages – for more information read our post on how to visit the floating village of Kampong Phluk. The ticket for a boat ride is about USD $25/person.

The peaceful boat ride ended with an insane sun dipping into Tonle Lake. Just the kind of ending we needed for our trip.

Day 4: Kulen National Park and Shiva Lingas Under the River

Unfortunately, we found out about the Kulen Mountains on our way back to the airport. Since we missed this gem, we had to share our findings with you guys!

In Phnom Kulen National Park there are apparently thousands of Shiva Lingas placed along the river at Kbal Spean, an Angkor archeological site. I would’ve loved to explore this site if I knew about it earlier.

TIP: Kulen Mountains is in the same direction as Banteay Srei so it’s best to combine those two on the same day. If time allows, add a stop at the Beng Mealea Temple, as well. You can also consider taking this day-tour to Kulen from Siem Reap which is $54/person.

If You Have More Than 4 Days in Cambodia

Consider adding these sites to your itinerary:

• Phnom Penh – The capital city with museums that will walk you through the severe impact of genocide in this country. Here’s a great guide on how to spend 2 days in Phnom Penh.
• Battambang
• Sihanoukville aka Kampong Som
• Koh Rong – Island off of Sihanoukville is worth visiting for pristine white sand beaches, the coral reef, and even better to see the magical bioluminescent plankton effect.
• Kampot

In fact, if you have a couple of weeks then consider visiting both Cambodia and Laos in 2 weeks. Or if you have more than 2 weeks then you should check out this Southeast Asia itinerary.

Where and What to Eat in Siem Reap

My favorite Cambodian dish was the Khmer Amok curry (can be made with meat, fish or vegetarian) and chicken Lok Lak. You will find plenty of good Cambodian and other world cuisine restaurants in Siem Reap City center near the pub street and night markets.

Where to Stay in Siem Reap

We stayed in Khmer Mansion Boutique Hotel in the heart of the city center so we could be walking distance from the night markets. Based on our experience with the hospitable staff and a delicious spread of traditional and continental breakfast, we can happily recommend this place to you all.

Other budget-friendly boutique hotels & resorts in Siem Reap city center area:

• Golden Temple Boutique Hotel 
• La Rivière d’ Angkor Resort 
• J7 Hotel 
• Lynnaya Urban River Resort 
• Anantara Angkor Resort 
• Sarai Resort & Spa
• Udaya Residence

I do hope this extensive information helps you to plan a wonderful trip to Siem Reap. If you still have any questions drop us a comment below and don’t forget to share this planning guide. 

Happy Traveling!