Angkor and Siem Reap itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days at Angkor from Siem Reap, the base town for the temples, day by day: sunrise at Angkor Wat, the stone faces of the Bayon, the Baphuon and the Terrace of the Elephants in Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, the tree-wrapped ruins of Ta Prohm and sunset from Pre Rup; then, over two days, Neak Pean, the Angkor National Museum and the evening Old Market and Pub Street in Siem Reap, sunrise at Angkor Wat on the second morning, the pink carvings of Banteay Srei, and Banteay Kdei and Srah Srang. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Angkor and Siem Reap in 1 day
Day 1
Angkor Wat
The largest religious monument in the world, a twelfth-century temple with five lotus towers and long galleries of carved reliefs, magical at sunrise.
Bayon
The temple at the centre of Angkor Thom, crowded with towers carved with serene smiling faces, best in the soft morning light.
Baphuon
Eleventh-century temple-mountain beside the Bayon, rebuilt stone by stone by restorers, with a vast reclining Buddha on its west side.
Terrace of the Elephants
Long royal viewing platform in Angkor Thom, its walls carved with life-size elephants and the procession scenes of the old court.
Preah Khan
Twelfth-century temple of long corridors, doorways and trees growing over the ruins, quieter than Ta Prohm and as atmospheric.
Ta Prohm
Jungle temple left much as it was found, with huge silk-cotton and strangler fig roots gripping its walls and galleries.
Pre Rup
Tenth-century temple-mountain of brick and laterite, a classic place to watch the sunset over the rice fields and palms from its top.
Angkor and Siem Reap in 2 days
Day 1
Bayon
The temple at the centre of Angkor Thom, crowded with towers carved with serene smiling faces, best in the soft morning light.
Baphuon
Eleventh-century temple-mountain beside the Bayon, rebuilt stone by stone by restorers, with a vast reclining Buddha on its west side.
Terrace of the Elephants
Long royal viewing platform in Angkor Thom, its walls carved with life-size elephants and the procession scenes of the old court.
Preah Khan
Twelfth-century temple of long corridors, doorways and trees growing over the ruins, quieter than Ta Prohm and as atmospheric.
Neak Pean
Small temple on a round island in a former reservoir, reached by a causeway, with pools once believed to have healing water.
Angkor National Museum
Museum in Siem Reap on Khmer history and the Angkor kings, with statues from the temples and a hall of Buddha images; cool and shaded.
Old Market and Pub Street
Siem Reap's old covered market of food, silk and souvenirs, and the street of bars and restaurants beside it, liveliest after dark.
Day 2
Angkor Wat
The largest religious monument in the world, a twelfth-century temple with five lotus towers and long galleries of carved reliefs, magical at sunrise.
Banteay Srei
Small tenth-century temple of pink sandstone north-east of Angkor, famous for the finest and most delicate carvings of all the temples.
Banteay Kdei and Srah Srang
A rambling Buddhist temple of courtyards and corridors, facing the large royal bathing pool of Srah Srang across the road.
Ta Prohm
Jungle temple left much as it was found, with huge silk-cotton and strangler fig roots gripping its walls and galleries.
Pre Rup
Tenth-century temple-mountain of brick and laterite, a classic place to watch the sunset over the rice fields and palms from its top.
When to go to Angkor and Siem Reap
The cool, dry season from November to February is the most pleasant and also the busiest. March to May is very hot, and April is the hottest month, with Khmer New Year in mid-April. The rainy season, from about June to October, brings green fields, full moats and fewer visitors, with heavy showers that usually pass quickly.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Angkor and Siem Reap on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Angkor and Siem Reap on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Angkor and Siem Reap on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Cambodia from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Angkor and Siem Reap
- You need an Angkor Pass (one, three or seven days) to enter the temples: buy it at the official ticket centre or online before you set off, and keep it with you, as it is checked at the sites.
- Angkor Wat opens at 05:00 for sunrise: be at the reflecting pools in front of the west entrance by then, well before the sun comes up, as the crowd gathers early.
- Cover shoulders and knees: the temples ask for modest dress, and the steep top level of Angkor Wat is strict about it and closes on Buddhist holy days.
- It is hot all year: see the temples early and late, rest at midday in Siem Reap, and carry plenty of water, a hat and sun cream.
- The temples are spread over a large area: hire a tuk-tuk or a car with driver for the day; Banteay Srei is about an hour out.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Angkor National Museum: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images, but please mention me as the author and may send me a message. (สามารถใช้ภาพได้อิสระ แต่กรุณาใส่เครดิตผู้ถ่ายและอาจส่งข้อความบอกกล่าวด้วย) Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved.Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author.Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract., CC BY 4.0
- Angkor Wat: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Banteay Kdei and Srah Srang: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Banteay Srei: Tsui, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Baphuon: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bayon: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Neak Pean: Wetstew, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Market and Pub Street: Peazapata, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pre Rup: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Preah Khan: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ta Prohm: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote . Feel free to use any of my images, but please mention me as the author and may send me a message. (สามารถใช้ภาพได, CC BY 4.0
- Terrace of the Elephants: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
