Angkor wat temple photo
Cambodia

Essential Angkor Wat Guide for First-Timers: Must-See Temples, Photo-Perfect Clothing, Sunrise/Sunset Spots, Best Tour and More

Last Modified: 11/07/2024

Angkor Wat is the iconic travel destination in Cambodia, renowned for its rich history and incredible architecture, attracting travellers and photographers from around the world. This article provides essential Angkor Wat guide for your smooth and enjoyable visit to Angkor Wat Cambodia (Angkor Archaeological Park), covering topics such as dress code, clothing suggestions for stunning photos, transportation, must-see temples in Angkor Wat, sunrise/sunset spots, the best months to visit & for Angkor Wat Equinox, where to purchase entrance tickets and how much and more.

1.Angkor Wat Dress Code

Angkor Wat dress code

As Angkor is a sacred place, it is recommended that all visitors wear modest clothing, such as long pants, t-shirts, or shirts. According to the code of conduct at the entrance of Angkor Wat,  tourists need to be mindful to avoid clothes that expose your shoulders or skin below the knees. 

2.Ideal Clothing Colours for Captivating Angkor Wat Photos

Angkor wat monks photo
Angkor wat monks image

From my personal experience of enjoying the views and capturing photos at Angkor Wat, I’ve discovered that the bright orange clothing worn by monks stands out the most and enhances the overall aesthetics of the photos in Angkor Archaeological Park. As the rocks, walls, and architecture at Angkor Wat (Angkor Archaeological Park) are relatively dark, the shining and saturated orange colour complements them perfectly.

If you prefer not to wear orange, then yellow or other bright colours are also very nice options for taking your Angkor Wat photos.

3.How to Get to Angkor Wat?

Bayon temple image

Due to the vast size of Angkor Wat (Angkor Archaeological Park), the distances between temples usually require some form of transportation to reach. After parking, there is often a short walk to each individual temple. Therefore, upon arriving in Siem Reap, Cambodia, you will need to start finding the most suitable method to get to Angkor Wat for you.

There are various options for tourists visiting Angkor Wat. Some people prefer exploring independently by driving scooters(moped) by themselves, while others opt for tuk-tuks or hire a scooter(moped) with a driver to take them there.

For me, in the sweltering heat of Cambodia, I thoroughly enjoyed our chosen option and highly recommend it to you too: join this guided tour with a professional guide explaining the detailed history of Angkor Wat and Cambodia. And travel in comfort in an air-conditioned van driven by a professional and safe driver.

If in the end you decide that you want to visit Angkor Wat in a smooth, time & energy efficient way, while learning the detailed history of Angkor Wat and Cambodia, I’d suggest you choose this guided tour too.

4.Tips for Choosing the Best Guided Tour of Angkor Wat

As there are diverse options for Angkor Wat tours, with varying quality, I suggest carefully checking the reviews, itinerary, duration of the tour, and the tour operator (which is also very important) when making your choice. All these criteria will significantly impact your experience.

If you are a first-time visitor looking to explore Angkor Wat for just one day, and you prefer not to wake up early, enjoying the sunset rather than the sunrise (like me), I highly recommend joining this hassle-free, time- and energy-efficient Angkor Wat sunset tour. You will be guided by a professional tour guide to three of the most iconic temples—Angkor Wat Temple, Ta Prohm Temple, and Bayon Temple—in Angkor Archaeological Park. The tour also includes a visit to the famous sunset point, Phnom Bakheng (Hill Temple), at the end. 

Having experienced it myself, I think it’s a worthwhile and satisfying tour in which I got to learn a lot of history, stories of Angkor and Khmer Empire. For a detailed review of what to expect from this Angkor Wat tour, you can find my full review here.

If you want to see the famous sunrise and want to go to Angkor Wat for just 1 day, this sunrise tour from the same operator from the sunset tour I joined is a great option.

If you are planning to visit Angkor Archaeological Park for 2-3 days, this 2-day tour with sunrise and sunset is highly recommended and rated. It offers a chance to gain a deeper understanding of Angkor Wat’s history and explore in comfort

Note: all tours for Angkor Wat Cambodia do not include entrance fee, so you have to buy it separately.

5.Where to Buy Official Angkor Wat Entrance Tickets?

The only place to purchase official and valid entrance tickets for the Angkor Archaeological Park is from the official site (online or offline), and there will be 2 USD donated to children’s hospital from each ticket purchased from official site.

Based on my personal experience, it is better to buy the tickets while booking your tour online.

Angkor Archaeological Park Angkor Wat entrance official ticket

Upon purchasing your tickets from the official site, you will receive an e-ticket with your photo on it. This e-ticket must be shown when passing through each entrance of Angkor Archaeological Park, so it is important to keep it safe. 

6.Official Angkor Archaeological Park (Angkor Wat) Entrance Ticket Prices

As the Angkor Archaeological Park is huge, the time needed to explore it can range from 1 to 7 days. This depends on the duration of your stay in Siem Reap and how thoroughly you wish to experience Angkor Archaeological Park. Personally, a full day tour to see the main temples was good enough. 

Below are the ticket prices for Angkor Archaeological Park based on the number of days you plan to explore it.

1 day: 37 USD

3 days: 62 USD

7 days: 72 USD

If you decide you are going to do a 1 day tour, I genuinely recommend this tour.

If you want to explore deeper and take a 3 or 7 days ticket, I think it is still great if you go with this very informative and professional tour for the first day, or 2-day Angkor Wat sunrise and sunset tour, and then once you know more about how it works and the directions, you can tour by yourselves for the rest of the days. You can even ask suggestions from the tour guide. 

7.Best Month to Witness the Angkor Wat Equinox

Sunrise at Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia is one of the most popular scenes for tourists and photographers from around the world to capture. And some are even looking to witness the unique solar phenomenon Equinox-when the sun rises at the centre of the Angkor Wat Temple. 

According to our local guide, the Angkor Wat Temple was meticulously designed and constructed with precise calculations. Each month, the sun rises in a specific direction from Angkor Wat Temple. In order to capture the Angkor Wat Equinox (sunrise at the centre of the temple), it is suggested that you visit Angkor Wat Temple in March and September. March is especially the best month for it because it is in dry season.

8.Best Months to Visit Angkor Wat

Ta Prohm Temple photo

In Siem Reap, there are two main seasons: the dry season and the wet season. The dry season, which runs from November to April, is the peak season for travelling to Angkor Wat. Since April and May in Cambodia can be quite hot, the best months to visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia are from November to March.

If you prefer to avoid crowds, you can consider visiting during the wet season (May to October). I went to Angkor Wat, Cambodia in October (wet season), and it was raining about 50% of the time, but there were significantly fewer tourists. So, it ultimately depends on your preferences.

9.Most Famous and Must See Temples at Angkor Archaeological Park

1. Angkor Wat Temple: the most important and iconic temple in Cambodia and Angkor Wat Archaeological Park, and it’s shown on Cambodia’s flag.

Opening hours: 05:00 to 17:30

Angkor wat temple images

2. Ta Prohm Temple: one of the most famous attractions in Angkor for tourists and photographers. It is known as “Angkor Wat tree temple” and “Tomb Raider tree temple” as you can see trees growing out of the temples & ruins here and it’s one of the filming locations for the movie Tomb Raider (2001). 

Opening hours: 07:30 to 17:30

Angkor wat tour Ta Prohm Temple

3. Bayon Temple: a temple located in Angkor Thom, built by king Jayavarman VII- Bayon Temple. It is a well-known attraction where you can see over 200 famous stone faces.

According to the information presented at the Angkor National Museum, “Angkor Thom is considered a microcosm of the universe. And Bayon Temple stands as the symbolic link between heaven and earth”. It also mentions that  “Jayavarman VII is a great king of Khmer Empire, known for his compassion and charity, bringing peace, prosperity and harmony to his people”. 

Angkor Archaeological Park Bayon temple photo
Cambodia Bayon temple image

Regarding the stone faces, our tour guide told us that “some believe that these faces are crafted to resemble the face of the Buddha, while others think that these faces are artistically sculpted to capture the look of King Jayavarman VII, and the expressions convey his concern and compassion towards his people”. These stories of king Jayavarman VII and incredible carved stone faces made Bayon Temple my favourite place of the Angkor Wat day tour. 

Opening hours: 07:30 to 17:30

10.In which Cambodian city is Angkor Wat located, and which airport is the closest?

Angkor Wat (Angkor Archaeological Park) is situated in Siem Reap, a stunning city with aesthetic, cultural vibes in the northwest of Cambodia. 

The nearest airport for visiting Angkor Wat is Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI), the newest airport that opened in 2023 to replace the previous airport Siem Reap International Airport (REP). 

For the address of new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI): click here

Please note that compared to REP airport, the new airport SAI is further from the city centre, so it would take approximately 1 hour to reach Angkor Archaeological Park and the city centre instead of 15 mins. If you need to plan anything right after you arrive, don’t forget to count the transportation time too.

Easiest way to go to the city from SAI airport will be ordering a taxi/tuk tuk via the Grab App by yourself or you can arrange a transfer by car with air conditioner in advance here.

11.Hotels nearby Angkor Wat

There are many hotels in Siem Reap with aesthetic, cultured vibes and I really love them. 

The price is also very affordable, you can check the availability and price here.

12.Best Spot to See Sunset at Angkor Archaeological Park

Perched on the hill, Phnom Bakheng (Hill Temple) is the most renowned spot to witness the Angkor Wat sunset, offering a higher and wider perspective of Angkor Wat Temple and Angkor Archaeological Park. 

Some sunset tours will bring you here at the end of the day tour, allowing you to relax and enjoy the unique sunset experience. 

If you want to join a guided tour(local lunch included), I highly suggest this one that I joined and am very satisfied with the service and itinerary. 

13.Best Spot to See Sunrise at Angkor Archaeological Park

The best and most popular spot for Angkor Wat sunrise is indeed at the Angkor Wat Temple area. If you want to capture photos of Angkor Wat Temple and its reflection during sunrise, head to the pond area near the Southern Library. 

If you want to join the sunrise 1 day tour, I suggest this tour from the same operator that i joined for sunset. Their service is excellent, and this includes breakfast.

However if you are planning to visit and deep explore Angkor Archaeological Park for 2-3 days, and want to experience both sunset and sunrise, then this 2-day tour with sunrise and sunset will be a great option for you.

14.What to Bring When Visiting Angkor Wat

As the weather in Siem Reap can be really hot, if you’re exploring Angkor Wat on your own, I highly recommend bringing a litre of water with you to avoid dehydration. Also sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and camera are very useful.

As you are going to walk a lot, wearing comfortable shoes is needed. If you visit during the wet season, a raincoat is highly recommended! I used it a couple of times when exploring Angkor Archaeological Park in October.

15.Where to Get More Knowledge and History of Angkor Wat and Khmer Empire?

Usually, when you join a professional Angkor Wat guided tour like this, you can gain great knowledge about the history and stories of temples at Angkor Archaeological Park and Khmer Empire.

However, if you want to take some extra time and delve even deeper, here’s a tip for you: before visiting Angkor Archaeological Park, explore the Angkor National Museum first! It provides in-depth information about Buddhas, Angkor Wat temples, the shape of stones, history, stories of Khmer, its kings, and more.

This way, you can gain a deeper understanding of what you’re going to see at Angkor Wat and each temple. While professional tour guides will provide history during your visit, having prior knowledge allows you to ask more questions and learn additional stories.

Entrance ticket to Angkor National Museum price:

Adult: 12 USD

Kid (6-11 year old): 6 USD

For more information about Angkor National Museum, you can visit the official site here. 

16.Is Angkor on UNESCO World Heritage List?

Yes it is. You can check more detailed information on the UNESCO site here. 

17.Where Can You Buy Paintings of Angkor Wat Temples?

If you’re looking to buy paintings of Angkor Wat temples, you can explore various options in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Here are some places I’ve been and found many arts that I like:

1. Made in Cambodia Market: an artistic market where you can find many Cambodian local crafts, paintings, jewelleries, photographs, handmade products and more. I really like this market, and recommend it to you if you want to take home some art as your mementos. 

Exact location: click here 

Angkor Wat painting

2. Siem Reap Art Center Night Market: this is another of my happy finds in Siem Reap! There are more than three painting shops here, and you can witness artists creating live paintings. There are plenty of options in terms of sizes and styles for you to choose from. If you can’t take a canvas home, they will roll it and put it in a bamboo box for you.

Exact location: click here 

Angkor Wat painting in Siem Reap

Hope this Angkor Wat guide helps you explore Angkor Wat (Angkor Archaeological Park) smoother, and I wish you a great journey 🙂

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