Comparison · Luxor vs Siem Reap · Egypt / Cambodia
Luxor vs Siem Reap
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Roland Unger, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Choose Luxor for Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings; choose Siem Reap for Angkor Wat, Bayon faces, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife. Siem Reap is generally less expensive, and the two are about 7,507 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 7,507 km
- Less expensive
- Siem Reap
- Best time for Luxor
- October–March
- Best time for Siem Reap
- November–February
Side by side
| Luxor | Siem Reap | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Egypt | Cambodia |
| Known for | Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings and Luxor Temple | Angkor Wat, Bayon faces and Ta Prohm tree roots |
| Best time to visit | October–March | November–February |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $80–$170 | $60–$130 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Very affordable |
| Warmest month | June, 41°C (106°F) | April, 36°C (97°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 23°C (73°F) | December, 30°C (86°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 2 | 4 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | LXR | SAI |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Luxor for…
Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings. Luxor stands on the site of ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt's New Kingdom, and holds a concentration of pharaonic monuments found nowhere else. On the East Bank, the town wraps around Luxor Temple and the vast temple complex of Karnak, joined by the 2.7-km…
Choose Siem Reap for…
Angkor Wat, Bayon faces, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife. Siem Reap is the small riverside town that serves the Angkor Archaeological Park, whose temples — Angkor Wat, the faces of the Bayon, the tree-gripped Ta Prohm — begin about 6 km north of the centre. Most visitors spend two to four days touring the temples…
Top sights compared
| # | Luxor | Siem Reap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karnak Temple | Angkor Wat |
| 2 | Luxor Temple | Bayon and Angkor Thom |
| 3 | Avenue of Sphinxes | Ta Prohm |
| 4 | Valley of the Kings | Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King |
| 5 | Temple of Hatshepsut | Baphuon |
Food compared
| Luxor | Siem Reap |
|---|---|
| Ful medames | Fish amok |
| Ta'ameya | Lok lak |
| Koshari | Khmer noodles |
| Aish shamsi | Pork and rice |
Which is cheaper?
Siem Reap is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $60–$130 per person there, against $80–$170 in Luxor (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Siem Reap on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 7,507 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 8 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Luxor or Siem Reap cheaper?
Siem Reap is usually less expensive: about $60–$130 a day mid-range against $80–$170 (estimates).
+Is Luxor or Siem Reap better for a first trip?
Pick Luxor for Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings, or Siem Reap for Angkor Wat, Bayon faces, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife.
+How far is Luxor from Siem Reap?
About 7,507 km in a straight line.