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Things to do in Angkor Thom

Our most recommended things to do in Angkor Thom

From Siem Reap: 2-Day Small Group Temples Sunrise Tour

1. From Siem Reap: 2-Day Small Group Temples Sunrise Tour

Day 1 – Full Day Banteay Srei Temples and Grand Circuit Temple   Start your 2 days with pick-up from your hotel around 8:00 AM, you’ll head off to visit the most interesting temples outside Angkor Thom city. Your first stop is Pre Rup Hindu Temple, built in 961 or 962, which combines laterite and sandstone construction. Then, drive to the intricately carved and well-preserved Banteay Srei – the detailed reliefs on this smaller sandstone structure are regarded as the finest and most skilfully crafted in Cambodia.   On the return journey, visit Neak Pean, a Buddhist temple on a circular artificial island within Jayatataka Baray, then continue to Preah Khan temple, a ruined but highly atmospheric mélange of tree roots and crumbling stone structures. Construction was commissioned by the prolific temple builder Jayavarman VII in honor of his father and a visit to this smaller site makes for an interesting contrast with the more imposing Angkor Wat. Preah Khan is currently being restored by the World Monument Fund and in places is in remarkably good condition. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to Siem Reap after a memorable day of exploration. Day 2 – Temples of Angkor with Sunrise   Spend your day temple-hopping with your local guide to make the most of your visit to the world-famous Angkor complex, a site full of temples built between the 19th and 13th centuries. Begin with pre-dawn departure (between 4:15 and 4:40 AM) from your hotel to catch the sunrise outside of Angkor Wat. Then, explore the interior of the great temple, spending a thorough 2 hours discovering its corridors, central chambers, and upper terraces. Your expert guide will decipher the myriad of stories behind the bas-relief carvings and give you insight into life during the height of the Khmer Empire. End your visit to Angkor with breakfast just outside the temple.   Continue the morning with a visit to the Southern Gate of Angkor Thom, flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side – gods to the left and demons to the right – and the fortified city of Angkor Thom. See its beautifully crafted central towers, covered in more than 200 enormous faces, before exploring the famous central terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of Elephants. Finish your day with a visit to the temple Ta Prohm, once home to almost 3,000 monks. Return to your hotel at approximately 1:00 PM.  

Siem Reap: Private Guided Day Trip to Angkor Wat with Sunset

2. Siem Reap: Private Guided Day Trip to Angkor Wat with Sunset

Follow the footsteps of holy Hindu men, Buddhist rulers, and Khmer kings on a guided day trip from Siem Reap to see the highlights of the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park. You will need a temple pass (1 or 3 days), which you can purchase online or have your guide take you to the ticket office before the tour begins. With occasional food and rest breaks, visit Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, and Tah Prohm. Walk around and inside each temple, with information from your guide, so you will understand what you see. After your entry fee, it only makes sense to pay a little more for a registered guide, so that you're not simply looking at the stones. The small group is never more than 13 people, so you will be in good company with other explorers. Get a feel for the 12th-century Khmer empire and stand amongst the magnificent monuments of Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world; educate yourself in a most enjoyable way. Know the rich history from one of the most enduring architectural achievements ever. Admire the stone figures that greet you at the southern gates of Angkor Thom and stroll towards the Bayon Temple to see the etchings of smiling faces at its central peak. Visit the Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of the Elephants. At Tah Prohm, soak up the atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings. After a full day of exploring Angkor's highlights, climb the steps to the temple mountain of Phnom Bakheng, the state temple of the first Khmer capital in the region, to watch the sunset. Then, make the return journey to Siem Reap and be dropped off at your hotel.

Siem Reap: Angkor Wat Sunrise Guided Day Tour

3. Siem Reap: Angkor Wat Sunrise Guided Day Tour

Experience the beauty and power of Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most visited attraction. The UNESCO-listed archeological site has a long, rich history and still looks magnificent, even more so beneath the glow of a rising sun. On this small-group tour, become part of its story, rise early to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat, and then benefit from the cooler weather and fewer crowds of the morning to explore the surrounding temples. You can purchase your temple pass in advance online or at the ticket office after your guide collects you from your accommodation. Once everyone is on board, you will first make your way to Angkor Wat, then walk around, inside the galleries, out the other side, and back in the vehicle to the next stop. As the day progresses, you will discover other temples, taking occasional rest and food breaks. Angkor Thom, the well-known jungle temple, famous both for its past and its more recent feature in the Tomb Raider movie; Bayon, home to the large smiling faces made popular in professional photography; and some of the lesser-known but still outstanding temples, some of the best in our world, like the Buddhist temple of Banteay Kdei, the pyramid temple, largely unrestored and used by monks. Ta Keo is a mountain temple built in the 10th century, which you will walk up, treading between the ancient and modern eras. Simply put, visit Angkor Wat and, step by step, see, feel, and learn more along with your guide for the day. It's a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Angkor Wat: Highlights and Sunrise Guided Tour

4. Angkor Wat: Highlights and Sunrise Guided Tour

Discover the magic and history of the Angkor Wan on a guided sunrise tour from Siem Reap. Get around this vast temple complex easily with a airconditioned bus or van. Have the option to choose from a group or private tour. See sights like the Ta Prohm and Bayon temples.  Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from your accommodation early in the morning. Arrive at Angkor wat and admire the glow of the sunrise on the ancient temple complex and surrounding jungle. Explore the interior of the great temple at Angkor, from its corridors and central chambers to the upper terraces. Hear stories behind the bas-relief carvings, and gain insight into life during the height of the Khmer Empire. Continue to Angkor Thom City and the Bayon Temple. At the end of the afternoon, visit the jungle-enveloped Ta Prohm, one of the most atmospheric of all the temples in Angkor. Return to your accommodation in Siem Reap at the end of your tour.

Siem Reap: Angkor Wat Small-Group Day Tour and Sunset

5. Siem Reap: Angkor Wat Small-Group Day Tour and Sunset

You will be picked up from your hotel at between 8:00 a.m to 8:30 am and head directly to purchase the Angkor pass. Afterward, we head to one of Cambodia's jewels, the impressive Angkor Thom, which was the fortified "Great Royal City" built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. At the South Gate, we can see the imposing statue of Avalokiteshvara, which appears in the Tomb Raider movie. Next visit is Bayon temple, in Buddhist style and adorned with hundreds of faces made of stone, and also explore the Terrace of Elephants, former Royal Palace, Phimeanakas, Terrace of Leper King, and Baphoun temple, It is considered the largest Hindu temple in Angkor Thom city. Then, we drive to Ta Prohm temple, which has been left in its original state and is partly overgrown with trees and huge roots. It was also used as a backdrop for the film Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie. Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant cooked by local chief and then visit the most authentic village"Phum Preah Dak" where you can learn how the local people make palm cake and palm sugar. In the afternoon, start to visit to the fascinating Angkor Wat, the largest sacred building on the planet and an icon of the Khmer civilization. It was built by King Suyavarman and is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It contains hundreds of decorations that cover the walls and the longest bas-relief in the world. It is surrounded by a giant moat, and its five towers are part of the Cambodian flag, and from the top you can see the impressive and dense jungle. Climb up mountain of the Phnom Bakheng for sunset and then transfer you back to your hotel.

Angkor Wat Private 2-Day Temples Tour with Sunset & Sunrise

6. Angkor Wat Private 2-Day Temples Tour with Sunset & Sunrise

Day 1: Angkor Thom, Bayon, Neak Pean, Bantreay Srei, Banteay Samre, and Bakheng Mountain Visit the Southern Gate of Angkor Thom, flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side - gods to the left and demons to the right – and the fortified city of Angkor Thom. At ‘The Bayon’, you will see its beautifully crafted central towers, covered in more than 200 enormous faces, then explore the famous Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of Elephants. Move to Neak Pean, an artificial island with a Buddhist temple. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the intricately carved and well-preserved Banteay Srei. The detailed reliefs on this smaller sandstone structure are regarded as the finest, most skillfully crafted in Cambodia.  One the way back, enjoy a brief stop at the well-preserved Banteay Samre, a laterite structure that once featured internal moats. End your discoveries with an ascent for sunset at Bakheng mountain. Day 2: Angkor Wat at sunrise, Preah Khan, Ta Nei, and Ta Prohm Temple  Begin with a pre-dawn departure for sunrise outside of Angkor Wat. Enter the great temple in darkness (please bring a torch) from the little-visited eastern side, and creep along hoary cloistered corridors past the longest stretch of bas-relief carvings in the world.  End your touring at Angkor with breakfast outside the temple. Continue by moving on to Preah Khan temple, a ruined but highly atmospheric mélange of tree roots and crumbling stone structures. At the end of the morning, have lunch at a local restaurant. Next, drive to Ta Nei, a late 12th century stone temple located in Angkor. Move on to the jungle-enveloped Ta Prohm, one of the most atmospheric temples in Angkor that was once home to 2,740 monks.

Siem Reap: Angkor Wat Small-Group Sunrise Tour & Breakfast

7. Siem Reap: Angkor Wat Small-Group Sunrise Tour & Breakfast

You'll be picked up from your hotel lobby before sunrise at between 4:30 am to 5:00 am and continue to the watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat temple. This is truly unforgettable experience. After the sunrise, We may spend about 1-hour and 30 minutes to explore the whole entire building of Angkor Wat temple before the crowds arrive and get some amazing pictures and then have short break in the village for breakfast with local food & dessert that you can enjoy of taste authentic Cambodian breakfast like Khmer noodle soup with traditional desserts like palm cake and steam rice dumplings with palm sugar. Before we continue our temple tour, we take to see an interesting local market and walk in between food stalls to look for the best Cambodian specialties, where you can try Cambodian dishes such as sticky rice, cakes, fruits, egg After that, we continue to visit Pre Run temple, the jungle temple of Ta Prohm, which has been left in its original state and is partly overgrown with trees and huge roots, and then go to visit Bayon temple and the Victory gate of Angkor Thom, which has become a world-famous landmark and was built by King Jayavarman VII, who was also a Mahayana Buddhist. Bayon temple is also the only monastery that has survived to this day and was used as a place for worship, education, and administration. Transfer you back to your hotel.

Angkor Region: 3-day Private Tour of Top Temples

8. Angkor Region: 3-day Private Tour of Top Temples

Day One:  Get picked up from your accommodation at 8:00 am by your driver and tour guide and travel directly to Beng Mealea, a sprawling jungle temple that covers over one square kilometer. Enjoy the adventurous and mysterious feeling of exploring a temple complex largely overrun by vegetation and off the beaten tourist path. Discuss your lunch preferences with your guide before stopping at a local restaurant. Afterwards, head to the floating village Kampong Phluk on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia. Enjoy a guided boat trip through the floating village. Then get dropped off back at your accommodation. Day Two:  Get picked up again at 8:00 am and purchase a 3-day temple pass before heading to the ancient city of Angkor Thom. Visit some small temples, including Chau Say Tevoda, Thommanon, and Ta Keo. Then head to the jungle temple Ta Prohm where the movie Tomb Raider was shot. Refuel afterwards with lunch at a local restaurant. Then make your way to the Buddhist temple of Banteay Kdei. Gain insight into the history of the powerful Khmer Empire before heading to Phnom Bakheng to see a gorgeous sunset. Day Three:  Get an early start at 5:00 am on the final day of the tour. Get picked up and see the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Following this, you can choose to visit more temples including Pre Rup and Banteay Samre. Then head to Banteay Srey, arriving before most of the crowds. Marvel at the most intricately carved temple in all of Angkor. Afterwards, see a traditional Khmer village and learn about palm sugar production. If you are interested, visit the Landmine Museum and learn how decades of conflict, foreign occupation, and brutal civil war and genocide have impacted Cambodia.  Afterwards, stop for lunch at a local restaurant. On the way back, stop at a few more temples such as East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, and Preah Khan, a fascinating vast monastic complex. The return trip will take you through many beautiful villages and provide you with great photo opportunities. Get dropped off back at your accommodation at the end of your day.

Siem Reap: Full-Day Small Group Temples Tour

9. Siem Reap: Full-Day Small Group Temples Tour

Embark on a guided tour to the Angkor Wat temple complex, departing from Siem Reap. Admire the spectacular architecture of the Khmer civilization as you explore the Angkor Wat, the southern Gate of Angkor Thom, the Bayron Temple, the Terrace of Elephants, among other notable buildings. Start with pickup in the early morning from Siem Reap. Travel to the complex by bus and enjoy a day of exploring the spectacular temples of Angkor. Admire the famous Angkor Wat, which is the world’s largest sacred building and an architectural masterpiece. Built in the 12th century, the temple took 30 years to complete and represents Khmer civilization at its peak. Visit the southern gate of Angkor Thom, which is flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side (gods to the left and demons to the right), and the fortified city of Angkor Thom. Discover the Bayon Temple, and its beautifully crafted central towers covered with more than 200 enormous faces. Pass by the famous Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of the Elephants. Following lunch and a rest break, set out to see the jungle-enveloped Ta Prohm, one of the most atmospheric of all temples in Angkor. Once home to 2,740 monks, Ta Prohm today looks much as it did in the early 1850s, when French explorer Henri Mouhot rediscovered this crumbling site. After exploring the maze-like interior of Ta Prohm, travel back to your hotel where you’ll be dropped off in the mid-afternoon.

Angkor Wat: Small-Group Tour with Balloon Ride and Lunch

10. Angkor Wat: Small-Group Tour with Balloon Ride and Lunch

Start your day with a pick-up from your hotel at 8:00 AM where you will be transferred to the Angkor Wat ticket office to purchase your Angkor Pass (at your own expense), before setting off to Angkor Wat, one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. Spend the day exploring the temples of Angkor National Park. Begin with the Angkor Wat Temple, considered as one of the seven wonders of the world. Explore the massive Angkor Wat and be captivated by its complexity, intricately carved walls, columns, and chambers. With the help of your professional guide, discover the symbolic meanings of its carvings and architecture, and gain a deeper appreciation of Khmer culture. Next, you will be driven to the fortified city of Angkor Thom. Enter through the South Gate as you walk in the middle of a causeway flanked from side to side by symbolic statues of demons and gods. The entire length of the causeway contains a total of 108 mythical creatures serving as guards to the fortified city. Then, visit the majestic Bayon Temple, one of the most popular temples within the Angkor Thom Complex. Be mesmerized by over 200 large faces carved on 54 towers, which at that time represented the 54 provinces of the Khmer Empire. Continue your exploration at the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon, proceed to the ethereal Ta Prohm Temple, built in AD 1186 by King Jayavarman VII and witness how the trunks of trees seem to devour the temples. After your tour of the temples, and weather permitting, you’ll have the opportunity to rise 200 meters over the site by a tethered helium balloon to admire the sun setting over the temple and jungle. This tour concludes with drop off at your hotel in the city.

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What people are saying about Angkor Thom

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 3,067 reviews

This experience was an incredible two days of discovery. Sok, our tour guide, was absolutely amazing. He knew everything about the temples and also shared information about Cambodia. He knew how to lead us to each location, answered all our questions and also made us laugh. Lunch stops were great. They gave us cold wet towels and water throughout the day, which was good because it was so hot! Make sure you dress with shoulders and knees covered. Sok took a ton of pictures of us. This tour takes you to all the important temples. This is a must-do tour!

Amazing tour of Angkor Wat! if you are lucky enough to get Sean you're in for a treat! he's knowledgeable and funny as well as an excellent photographer. Seeing these temples was a dream come true, and it was wonderful to have a guide explaining every single detail. It was great for a history nerd like me. I highly recommend this tour & Sean. He went out of his way to ensure I was having a great experience.

We had two wonderful days exploring the Angkor Temple complex. Our driver, Nehru, got us from place to place safely and always had a cool tool and water waiting for us after each stop. Our guide, Pi, was so knowledgeable about each temple, stories that went with the carvings, who built the temples and so much more. We opted for a private tour, so we could go at our own pace, and would highly recommend it.

See the Temples in person, nothing compares I promise you. Our guide Narith was so kind and super knowledgeable. The best day out in Siem Reap.

The tour was enjoyable and everything went smoothly