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Angkor Wat
2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

Angkor Wat

9.2
4.8/5
3.6k reviews
Angkor Wat is located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Built in the early 12th century as the state temple and mausoleum for Khmer King Suryavarman II, it took over 30 years to complete. While earlier Angkor kings primarily worshipped Shiva, this temple was dedicated to Vishnu. Later, it gradually transformed into a Buddhist monastery and remains one of the few Angkor monuments where religious functions continue today, with monks still visiting. The entire complex is modeled after Mount Meru from Hindu mythology, featuring a wide moat and outer walls enclosing three elevated concentric galleries, with five central towers arranged in a quincunx pattern—the silhouette depicted on Cambodia's national flag. Unlike most temples in Angkor, Angkor Wat faces west, creating its iconic sunrise scene: at dawn, standing by the pond in front of the west gate, visitors watch the sun rise behind the five towers, their reflections mirrored on the water. The outer gallery walls are adorned with extensive bas-reliefs, including the awe-inspiring Churning of the Ocean of Milk depicting gods and asuras pulling a giant serpent. Scattered across the walls are over a thousand apsara carvings, each with unique hairstyles, attire, and dance poses worth examining closely. Enter through the west gate via the causeway and follow the central axis inward—this layered progression offers deeper immersion than a hurried visit. Arrive early to secure a prime sunrise photography spot by the pond. Note that temple steps are steep, some with narrow risers, so wear comfortable, slip-resistant shoes. As a religious site, visitors must cover shoulders and knees and avoid climbing or leaning on carvings. △ Experience the true stories and mysterious legends of Angkor Wat, with every spot being a great photo opportunity. △ Today, Angkor Wat remains mysterious and magnificent, attracting thousands of travelers from around the world.Siem Reap · 6.5km from downtown
Angkor Thom
No. 7 of Best Things to Do in Cambodia

Angkor Thom

4.7
4.7/5
698 reviews
Angkor Thom, also known asAngkor Thom, was the last capital of the Khmer Empire. It was destroyed by war and rebuilt several times, serving as the "heart" of the Angkor monuments, with a population reaching over one million at its peak. Today, the moat bridges, city gates, and ruins within the city, such as Bayon Temple,Bayon Temple, and Phimeanakas Temple, are the main attractions. It is square in shape, with city walls 14 km in circumference and surrounded by a moat 100m wide. The city has 5 gates, each topped with four-faced Buddha statues facing the cardinal directions, and a large bridge spanning the moat outside each gate. The South and North gates were for daily public use, the East gate was used for funerals, and the West gate was for criminals; all 4 gates lead to Bayon Temple in the center of the city. Visitor guide: Generally, you enter from the South Gate. On both sides of the moat bridge outside the gate are 27 stone statues, each approx. 2.5m tall, in a kneeling position, holding the Naga King "Vasuki," which represents the legendary Hindu myth of the "Churning of the Ocean of Milk." Walking north from the South Gate to the center of Angkor Thom, you will see Bayon Temple, the most magnificent and important building in the city. The top of its stupa features the "Khmer Smile," and the reliefs on the gallery walls are also worth a close look. It is recommended to spend more time exploring this area. To its northwest isBayon Temple. This common three-tiered platform structure in Angkor was once the center of the old royal city; the base is carved with various animal statues, but the top has collapsed. To the north is Phimeanakas Temple. Although named a palace, it is actually a temple within the royal palace area. A golden tower was once built on the top platform, but it is no longer visible. The actual royal palace is approx. 200m northeast of Phimeanakas Temple. Because it was a wooden structure, it no longer exists, and only the entrance remains. Directly east of the original palace location, there are the symmetrical Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. If you enter Angkor Thom from the Victory Gate and walk straight ahead, you will see them. The Terrace of the Elephants was the king's viewing platform and the site for celebrations and elephant fighting tournaments; the surviving giant elephant stone carvings are its greatest feature. The Terrace of the Leper King was the site of the royal crematorium at that time and is named after a gender-neutral "Leper King" statue on the top of the platform. In addition to these well-known ruins, there are other buildings such as Suor Proat Temple. If you have enough time, you might want to visit them one by one. It takes a long time to visit this attraction in one go; you can bring your own food to eat in the city, and please take your trash with you afterward. Of course, you can also enter and exit multiple times, visiting a portion of the attractions each time, which will be more relaxed.Siem Reap · 9.4km from downtown
Bayon Temple
No. 14 of Best Things to Do in Cambodia

Bayon Temple

4.4
4.8/5
1.5k reviews
Bayon Temple is the center and the essence of Tongwang City (that is, Greater Angkor). It was built at the end of the 12th century as a temple built by King Jayavarman VII for himself. Not only can you find the famous "Khmer Smile" here, you can also admire the rich and vivid reliefs on the cloisters. Many people choose to watch the sunrise at the Bayon Temple in the morning, so there are often crowds in the morning. In fact, the Bayon Temple in the evening is also worth visiting, not only to appreciate its relatively quiet side, but also to watch the sunset here. The entire Bayon Temple building is divided into three floors, the lower two floors are square, and the walls of the cloister are engraved with reliefs; the top floor is circular, with large and small pagodas erected. Originally there were 49, but now there are only 37 left. The larger stupa in the middle is about 40 meters high, and the others are surrounded by stars like the moon. The over 100-meter-wide corridor originally had a wooden roof, but now only broken walls and huge stone pillars can be seen. On the walls of the existing cloister, you can see very rich reliefs. The inner layer is mainly about myths and religious stories, such as stirring the sea of milk and the image of God Vishnu. The outer layer is based on real life, ranging from ancient war accounts to ordinary People's life, the scenery of Tonle Sap Lake, etc. These vivid reliefs seem to be telling a distant story, and they are precious historical relics that must be seen. The top of the pagoda is engraved with a huge four-faced Buddha. The four sides of the Buddha statue represent compassion, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and they all have a peaceful smile. If you look closely, you will find that these smiles have subtle differences, and the slightly upturned corners of the mouth can't tell whether they mean tolerance or ridicule, as if there is a secret that the world will never understand. And this is the "Khmer Smile" that makes Angkor Wat famous in the world.Siem Reap · 9.6km from downtown

Experiences you can't miss in Siem Reap

Featured Food & drink in Siem Reap

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Siem Reap Morakot Angkor restaurant [Khmer traditional Apsara dance]
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4.6/5
· 31 reviews· 286 booked
Duration: 2 hrs
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90.3% of travelers recommend
From€ 18.69
Khmer Cooking Class at a Local's Home
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5.0/5
· 3 reviews
Duration: 3 hrs
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Siem Reap Amazon Angkor Restaurant buffet [Apsara dance performance]
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4.9/5
· 8 reviews· 87 booked
Duration: 3 hrs
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Devi Theater : Apsara Performance with Dinner
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5.0/5
· 6 reviews· 21 booked
Duration: 2.2 hrs
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Siem Reap Street Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk
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Duration: 4 hrs
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Explore five Khmer flavors and local market walking tour in Siem Reap, Cambodia
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Duration: 3 hrs
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Siem Reap Cooking Class at Baitang Siem Reap with transfers from Hotel
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Siem Reap Neary Khmer restaurant | Enjoy your choice of lunch or dinner
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Featured Culture & history in Siem Reap

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Angkor Wat e-pass | Access to 50+ temples | 1-day/3-day/7-day pass optional
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4.6/5
· 11 reviews· 183 booked
Duration: 7 hrs
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Classic Angkor Wat Full  Day with Sunset Private or Small Group Tour
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4.9/5
· 13 reviews· 153 booked
Duration: 9.5 hrs
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Classic Angkor Wat Sunrise Full Day Private or Small Group Tour
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5.0/5
· 20 reviews· 136 booked
Duration: 7.5 hrs
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Koh Ker & Beng Mealea Remote Temples Full-Day Tour
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Duration: 8.7 hrs
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Angkor Wat Sunrise Small Group Tour with Bayon & Ta Prohm
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1-day private charter tour of Angkor Wat small circuit in Siem Reap, Cambodia [Angkor Wat + Bayon Temple + Phnom Bakheng]
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4.8/5
· 121 reviews· 142 booked
Duration: 9.5 hrs
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95% of travelers recommend
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Full Day Banteay Srei Beng Mealea and Koh Ker Tour from Siem Reap
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5.0/5
· 3 reviews
Duration: 11.1 hrs
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Dinner with Traditional Apsara Performance in Siem Reap with transfers from hotel
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Featured Outdoor & sports in Siem Reap

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Quad Bike Tour with Villages, Rice Fields & Off-Road Trails Plus Free Hotel Transfers
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From€ 28.09
Siem Reap: Private 1-day tour of Kbal Spean, Banteay Srei Temple and Prasat Beng Mealea [attraction admission ticket not included]
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From€ 116.42
Angkor Zipline Eco-Adventure Canopy Tour
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4.9/5
· 14 reviews
Duration: 1–2 hrs
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Siem Reap: Countryside Bike Tour
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Duration: 5 hrs
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Handicraft tour/rice paper,/rice wine/bat cave Sun Set
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Duration: 4–10 hrs
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A day tour through Battambang/Local area and landmarks
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4.8/5
· 37 reviews
Duration: 2–10 hrs
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97.3% of travelers recommend
From€ 14.30

Featured Day tours in Siem Reap

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Angkor Wat Small Group Sunrise Tour with Breakfast from Siem Reap
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4.9/5
· 140 reviews· 509 booked
Duration: 9 hrs
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79 consecutive positive reviews
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Siem Reap: Kulen Mountain with Beng Mealea and Tonle Sap Floating Village Full Day Tour
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5.0/5
· 44 reviews· 148 booked
Duration: 8.8 hrs
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Kampong Pluk Floating Village with Sunset Boat Tour
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5.0/5
· 22 reviews· 253 booked
Duration: 5 hrs
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Angkor Wat Small Group Tour and Sunset with Lunch included
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5.0/5
· 47 reviews· 184 booked
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Kulen Mountain Waterfall Tour with Picnic Lunch from Siem Reap
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4.9/5
· 9 reviews· 21 booked
Duration: 6.8 hrs
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What travellers say about Siem Reap

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_TT***905 October 2026
4.0
Worth visiting at least once. The scale of Angkor Wat is impressive, and seeing the temples up close feels very different from just seeing photos online. Go early if you can, especially for sunrise, and be prepared for quite a bit of walking. The heat can also be intense, so bring water and wear comfortable shoes.

Angkor Wat

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徐徐霞客Rr5 August 2022
5.0
Angkor Archaeological Park is a very nice place. If you love history, you will definitely be interested in it. In addition to some historical buildings, there are also some religious buildings that are very novel, and the vegetation here is also very ancient.

Angkor Archaeological Park

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Mackyaj1 October 2026
4.0
It's a roomy and spacious museum that was a pleasure to stroll through. Written explanations in English were useful. There was some repetition of the exhibits but that's the reality!

Angkor National Museum

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_TI***f116 July 2026
5.0
Everyone needs to see this circus when in Cambodia! The story telling, the act, the performance, everything was amazing, and worth every penny!

Phare, The Cambodian Circus

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Lsh7898 September 2026
5.0
Business Hours:Address:Tips:Reasons to Recommend:Reasons to Recommend:Angkor Thom siem reap province

Angkor Thom

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M62***3125 October 2026
5.0
I don't know why so many people say it's not delicious, but I thought it was really good and I wanted to have another serving. The sets inside and outside the theater were very gorgeous, the restrooms were very clean, and the mythological dance was superb.

Apsara Theatre

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E38***0523 July 2026
5.0
The smiling faces of Bayon Temple are its most captivating feature, with over 200 massive stone countenances carved into 54 towers. Scholars believe these serene, enigmatic smiles represent Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, or the powerful King Jayavarman VII himself. As you walk through the upper terrace, these giant faces look down on you from every angle, creating a surreal and deeply spiritual atmosphere. The daytime sun casts beautiful shadows across the stone features, bringing their calm expressions to life. It is an unforgettable sight that forms the creative heart of the entire temple experience.

Bayon Temple

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bongchroungh8 June 2026
5.0
Pub Street is a vibrant and lively area with plenty of restaurants, bars, and entertainment. The atmosphere is fun and welcoming, making it a great place to spend an evening in Siem Reap. While busy and tourist-focused, it offers a good variety of food, drinks and nightlife option

Pub Street

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Frequently asked questions

What are the must-do things in Siem Reap?

Don't miss these attractions in Siem Reap: Angkor Wat, Angkor Archaeological Park, and Angkor National Museum. If you like Food & drink, try Siem Reap Morakot Angkor restaurant [Khmer traditional Apsara dance]. If you enjoy Culture & history, try Angkor Wat e-pass | Access to 50+ temples | 1-day/3-day/7-day pass optional.

You can give Siem Reap Morakot Angkor restaurant [Khmer traditional Apsara dance] and Khmer Cooking Class at a Local's Home a try. Before you go, please check their opening hours and menus online. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours.

When choosing a tour, start with how much time you have and the kind of experience you're looking for. Trending options right now include Angkor Wat Small Group Sunrise Tour with Breakfast from Siem Reap, Siem Reap: Kulen Mountain with Beng Mealea and Tonle Sap Floating Village Full Day Tour, and Kampong Pluk Floating Village with Sunset Boat Tour. Check the real-time availability and itinerary before you book.

As of 5 November 2026, the reference price for day tours and activities in Siem Reap is around EUR 18.23 – EUR 39.49. Rates vary by duration, group size, transport, tickets, meals, and any special admission requirements. Before you book, please confirm the billing currency and whether the price is quoted per person or per group.

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