Siem Reap is a small provincial city that exists, for most travellers, because of what lies about 6 km to its north. The Angkor Archaeological Park holds the remains of the Khmer Empire's capitals, including Angkor Wat, the Bayon in Angkor Thom and the jungle-wrapped Ta Prohm. The park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, and it is a working place of worship as much as an archaeological site.
The town itself is easy and low-rise, with a market, a river, cafes, a night-time Pub Street and a good circus and arts scene. About 245,000 people lived in the city at the 2019 census. For a family it works as a base because hotels, doctors and restaurants are close together, and the temples are a short tuk-tuk or car ride away.
The best way to plan Angkor is to treat it as an early-morning activity. Heat builds quickly, and the temples that are lovely at 7 am can be punishing at noon. Most visitors do a temple circuit in the morning, return to the hotel for lunch and rest, and go out again late in the afternoon or in the evening. Three days is a comfortable length; one day covers the headline sights but is tiring.
For Indian travellers the practical points are simple: you need an e-visa or a visa on arrival, an Angkor Pass bought from the official source, and clothes that cover shoulders and knees at the temples. Vegetarian food is available but is not the default, so a little planning helps. Travel insurance matters here, because private hospitals are good but expensive.
Before you plan
Siem Reap at a glance
- Best months
- November to February is dry and…November to February is dry and comfortable; March to May is hot, and June to October is the wet green season with the heaviest rain in September.
- Ideal trip length
- 3 days for a relaxed pace3 days for a relaxed pace; 1 day covers Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Ta Prohm but is tiring
- Airport
- Siem Reap-Angkor International AirportSiem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI), opened in October 2023, about 50 km east of the town; allow roughly an hour by road
- Railway station
- No useful passenger train service…No useful passenger train service reaches Siem Reap; use flights, buses or private cars
- Getting around
- Tuk-tuks and private cars with…Tuk-tuks and private cars with drivers are the usual choice for temples; short rides in town are cheap by tuk-tuk or motorbike taxi
- Daily budget
- Roughly US$40 to US$120 per person…Roughly US$40 to US$120 per person per day excluding hotel, for food, transport and guides; the Angkor Pass is extra and prices change, so check the official site
- Senior comfort
- Good with planning: town and museum…Good with planning: town and museum are level, temples involve heat, stone steps and uneven ground, and midday rests are essential
- Language
- KhmerKhmer; English is widely used in hotels, restaurants and at major sights
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Siem Reap: January, February, November, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Siem Reap itinerary
One good day
1 day in Siem Reap
Buy or collect your Angkor Pass at the official ticket office the day before if possible. Start early with Angkor Wat, either at sunrise or after the sunrise crowd has gone, then continue to the Bayon in Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. Break for lunch and a rest at the hotel in the hottest hours. In the evening, go to Phare, The Cambodian Circus, or walk around the Old Market and have dinner away from the busiest part of Pub Street.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Siem Reap
Visit Angkor Wat early, then the Bayon and Ta Prohm in the morning. Return to town for a long lunch and rest. In the afternoon visit the Angkor National Museum, which is cool and level and gives context for what you have seen.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Siem Reap
Angkor Wat in the morning, the Bayon and Angkor Thom gates in the late morning, a long rest after lunch, and the Angkor National Museum in the afternoon.
Day-by-day plan →
