12 Handy Tips for Visiting Angkor Wat

HELPFUL TIPS & HANDY ADVICE FOR YOUR VISIT

The “City of Temples”, or better known in Khmer as Angkor Wat, is a beautiful complex of temples situated in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Before your trip, we’ve given you 12 handy tips to know before you go, including types of passes, the dress code, and transportation.

Which pass?

For Angkor Wat, unless you’re Cambodian or under 12 you have to buy a pass. You can buy a 1 day pass for $37, a 3-day pass for $62, or a 7-day pass for $72. We decided to go for the 3-day pass. Because of the heat, it was good to break up the days instead of doing one full day in the heat. Bringing us on to number 2.

2. Drink!

Take plenty of water with you, as it gets really hot walking around the temples. You can buy food and water when you’re there but it’s expensive and sparse.

3. Location?

You can buy your pass in one location at the official Angkor ticket center. This opens at 5 am and is located about 4km away from Siem Reap town.

4. Transport

The Angkor Wat complex is spread over 400 acres so booking transport is a must if you want to visit as many temples as possible. You can book a bike, tuk-tuk or private car.

We booked our transport to the temples via our hotel so check with your accommodation to see if they can arrange this for you. They arranged the time the tuk-tuk could pick us up, in time for the sunrise. Our hotel also provided breakfast, lunch, and water for us too and we could use the tuk-tuk to leave items in there while we explored each temple (nothing of value though).

We would definitely recommend booking a tuk-tuk or car for your visit. Because of the heat and the amount of walking, a ride in between temples gives you a well-needed rest in the shade.

5. Which route to take

We read there was a general route that every tuk-tuk took while showing the visitors the temples. So we asked our driver to go the opposite way and start from the other end. This was the best decision we made as for the first few temples we were the only people there and we never experienced huge crowds of people at any temple.

6. Extra access

The Angkor Pass is also valid for some other monuments in the Siem Reap area such as Phnom Krom, Wat Athvea, and the Roluos group temples. So if you want to extend your trip and get the most for your money, we’d recommend visiting these too.

7. Is the sunrise worth it?

A lot of people advised us “don’t bother going for sunrise as it’s too crowded”. This is true, it was very crowded but we’re still so happy that we came for sunrise and it was one of the highlights of our experience. We’d say it’s definitely worth the 4 am wake-up call!

8. Keep your pass close

Always keep your ticket with you. It might be checked at the entrance to the temples. There is a fine for not possessing a valid ticket inside the park. The penalty can be up to $300 if it’s lost.

9. Beware of the monkeys

Be wary of the mischievous monkeys. They may look cute but they can be violent and may try to steal your food if you have any.

10. Dress code

Dress appropriately and modestly. Regarding the dress code, your knees and shoulders should be covered. Also, we’d suggest you bring a hat, sunglasses and a lot of sun cream to prepare for the sun.

11. Check your money

Cambodia seems to use two currencies, the US dollar ($USD), and the Cambodian riel (៛KHR). Sometimes you’ll pay in dollars and they’ll give you half the change in Riel, which can be confusing. So watch out for this when you pay for something and check the change you’re given.

12. Elephants

There were 14 elephants that were forced to work around the temple complex giving rides to tourists. But Cambodia announced in June 2019 that they would ban elephant rides in early 2020. These elephants have now been transferred to a conservation and breeding center.

The Change.org petition which was involved in the decision said this on the matter - “There is no such thing as cruelty-free elephant rides”, “Tourists may think that riding an elephant on holiday does not cause harm - you often can't see the cruelty - it's hidden from view. What you don’t realise is that a ‘once in a lifetime’ or 'bucket list item for you, means a lifetime of misery for wild animals.”

So before you ride an elephant or visit a sanctuary in Asia, please do your research on the matter and make a wise decision.