KH
Siem Reap
The relaxed riverside town that is the gateway to the temples of Angkor
The relaxed riverside town that is the gateway to the temples of Angkor
At the centre of the walled city of Angkor Thom, built under Jayavarman VII around 1200, the Bayon is known for its towers carved with more than 200 serene stone faces.
Photo: Photo Dharma, CC BY 2.0
A Buddhist monastery temple left partly in the grip of the jungle, with giant silk-cotton and strangler fig roots spilling over its walls.
Go early or late to avoid the crowds.
Photo: No(0)GoodNamesLeft, CC BY-SA 4.0
A small 10th-century temple about 35km north of town, built of pink sandstone and covered with exceptionally fine carvings. It is included in the Angkor pass.
Photo: Uwe Aranas (CEphoto), CC BY-SA 3.0
Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake swells hugely in the wet season. Stilt and floating villages such as Kampong Phluk can be visited by boat.
Choose community-run boat tours; some trips near town are overpriced.
Photo: Anandajoti, CC BY-SA 3.0
The town’s centre of restaurants, bars and night markets, a few blocks from the Siem Reap river and the Old Market.
Photo: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0
Try fish amok (fish steamed in coconut curry), lok lak (stir-fried beef), num banh chok (rice noodles with fish curry) for breakfast and fresh fruit shakes.
Several restaurants in Siem Reap train young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and are good places to eat.
Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport (SAI), which opened in 2023, is about 40km east of town; allow around an hour by shuttle bus, taxi or tuk-tuk. Buses link Siem Reap with Phnom Penh in about six hours.
Most visitors need a visa. You can apply online for an e-visa (US$30 for a tourist visa since January 2025) or get a visa on arrival at international airports. Citizens of ASEAN countries are exempt. Check current rules, including any online arrival form, before you travel.
The Angkor pass is the biggest expense: about US$37 for one day, US$62 for three days within ten days, and US$72 for seven days within a month. Buy it only at the official ticket centre or online. Cambodia’s currency is the riel, but US dollars are used everywhere for prices above a few dollars, and ATMs dispense dollars. Small change is often given in riel.
Plus the Angkor pass.
Plus the Angkor pass.
Angkor’s highlights at a comfortable pace.
See sunrise at Angkor Wat, then explore the Bayon, the Terrace of the Elephants and Ta Prohm.
Visit Banteay Srei and the “grand circuit” temples such as Preah Khan and Neak Pean.
Take a boat trip on the Tonle Sap, then visit the Angkor National Museum and the night market.
Cover shoulders and knees to enter the temples.
Visit popular temples early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid heat and crowds.
Carry your photo pass; it is checked at each temple.
In rural areas of the province, stay on marked paths; landmines and unexploded ordnance remain in places.
Quick answers for planning time in Siem Reap.
Most visitors do. You can get an e-visa online or a visa on arrival at international airports; ASEAN citizens are exempt.
About US$37 for one day, US$62 for three days and US$72 for seven days. Check current prices before you go.
Two to three days covers the main temples comfortably.
Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport is about 40km east, around an hour by road.
At the time of writing, land border crossings with Thailand are suspended after border clashes, so fly between the two countries and check the latest advice.
Khmer is the national language; English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Cambodia travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.