19 best things to do in Siem Reap

At a glance

The 19 best things to do

Religious site · Angkor Archaeological Park

1.Angkor Wat

Built in the first half of the 12th century under King Suryavarman II and originally dedicated to Vishnu, Angkor Wat is the largest monument of the Khmer Empire and appears on Cambodia's flag. A broad moat and causeway lead to galleries of bas-reliefs, including the Churning of the Ocean of Milk on the east side, and steep stairs climb to the central towers of the upper level, the Bakan.

For sunrise, stand by the northern reflecting pool (left of the causeway), then go straight inside while most of the crowd heads to breakfast.

Time needed

3–4 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

Book ahead

Buy your Angkor Pass online or at the official ticket centre before the first morning; it carries your photo and is checked at temple entrances.

• Iconic
• History
• Architecture
• Photo spot
• Couples

Religious site · Angkor Thom

2.Bayon and Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom was the walled capital of King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century, entered through gates such as the South Gate, where rows of gods and demons line the causeway holding a giant serpent. At its centre the Bayon carries more than 200 serene stone faces on its towers, and its outer galleries show scenes of battles, markets and daily life.

Visit the Bayon in the early morning or late afternoon, when side light brings out the faces; climb to the upper terrace to stand among them.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Iconic
• History
• Kids
• Photo spot
• Architecture

Religious site · Angkor Archaeological Park

3.Ta Prohm

Founded by Jayavarman VII in 1186 as a Buddhist monastery, Ta Prohm was deliberately left partly to the jungle when the temples were cleared, so silk-cotton and strangler fig roots pour over its galleries and doorways. Wooden walkways guide visitors through the collapsed courtyards, and several corners became famous after the film Tomb Raider was shot here.

Arrive soon after the temples open or late in the day; by mid-morning tour groups queue for photos at the best-known tree.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Iconic
• Kids
• Nature
• Photo spot

Historic site · Angkor Thom

4.Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King

These two long stone platforms at the heart of Angkor Thom served as royal viewing stands over the city's parade ground. The Terrace of the Elephants is carved with life-size elephants and garudas, while the Terrace of the Leper King hides a narrow inner passage lined with layers of carved deities and nagas.

Walk the hidden inner corridor of the Leper King terrace, where the carvings are crisper because they were buried for centuries.

Time needed

45 minutes

Cost

Mid-priced

• History
• Kids
• Architecture

Religious site · Angkor Thom

5.Baphuon

This 11th-century temple mountain just north of the Bayon was dismantled by French archaeologists and then left as a jumble of numbered stones when war stopped work; the reassembly was finally completed in 2011. A long raised causeway leads to the temple, and the western face is shaped into a huge reclining Buddha added in later centuries.

Walk round to the western side to make out the reclining Buddha, which is easy to miss from the front.

Time needed

45 minutes

Cost

Mid-priced

• History
• Architecture
• Views

Religious site · About 35 km north-east of town

6.Banteay Srei

Dedicated in 967 and built by courtiers rather than a king, Banteay Srei is small but carved in pink sandstone with the finest decoration at Angkor: deep, lace-like lintels and pediments showing scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is included in the Angkor Pass and pairs well with Kbal Spean or the Cambodia Landmine Museum on the same road.

Go first thing in the morning before the tour buses, when the low sun turns the sandstone a deep rose colour.

Time needed

1 hour plus about 45 minutes each way

Cost

Mid-priced

• Art
• Architecture
• Photo spot
• History

Religious site · Grand circuit

7.Preah Khan

Jayavarman VII built Preah Khan in 1191 to honour his father, and it was a vast monastic city as well as a temple. Long, partly ruined corridors run east to west under trees, past the Hall of Dancers with its carved apsaras and an unusual two-storey building with round columns.

Enter at the east and walk the full axis to the west gate; ask your driver to wait at the far side.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• History
• Nature
• Architecture
• Off the beaten path

Religious site · Grand circuit

8.Neak Pean

A small shrine on a circular island in the middle of the Jayatataka reservoir, surrounded by four ritual pools believed to have had healing powers. You reach it along a long wooden boardwalk across the water, which is the main pleasure of the visit, especially when the reservoir is full after the rains.

Combine it with Preah Khan, a few minutes away, and visit in the late afternoon for soft light over the water.

Time needed

45 minutes

Cost

Mid-priced

• History
• Nature
• Photo spot
• Off the beaten path

Religious site · Grand circuit

1.Pre Rup

Built in 961 under King Rajendravarman II, this tall temple mountain of brick and laterite glows orange in the evening and is one of the best sunset spots at Angkor. From the top level you look out over rice fields and palms, with the towers of Angkor Wat visible on clear days.

It is less crowded at sunset than Phnom Bakheng; the stairs are steep, so allow time to come down before dark.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Mid-priced

• Views
• Couples
• Photo spot
• History

Viewpoint · Angkor Archaeological Park

2.Phnom Bakheng

A late-9th-century temple on a hill between Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, reached by a 15–20 minute walk up a forest path. The summit gives a wide view over the jungle canopy towards Angkor Wat and the West Baray, and it has long been the most famous sunset point in the park.

Climb it in the early morning instead of at sunset for the same view with a fraction of the people.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Mid-priced

Book ahead

Numbers on the summit are capped at sunset; arrive well before sunset if you want to get in.

• Views
• Photo spot
• Outdoors

Historic site · Small circuit

3.Srah Srang and Banteay Kdei

Srah Srang is a 10th-century royal bathing pool with a carved landing stage of lions and nagas, and a quieter sunrise spot than Angkor Wat. Across the road, Banteay Kdei is a Jayavarman VII-era monastery of crumbling galleries and courtyards that sees far fewer visitors than Ta Prohm.

Watch sunrise from the Srah Srang landing stage, then walk across into Banteay Kdei while it is still empty.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Couples
• Photo spot
• Off the beaten path
• History

Museum · Road to Angkor (Charles de Gaulle Boulevard)

4.Angkor National Museum

A modern, air-conditioned museum on the road to the temples that explains the Khmer Empire, its kings, religions and architecture before you visit the sites. Its best-known room, the Gallery of 1,000 Buddhas, holds rows of small statues from across the Angkor period.

Visit on your first afternoon to make sense of the temples, or use it as a midday break from the heat.

Time needed

1.5–2 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• History
• Rainy day
• Art
• Kids

Experience · Siem Reap town

5.Phare, The Cambodian Circus

Phare's evening shows combine acrobatics, theatre, live music and dance to tell Cambodian stories, performed in a big top by graduates of the Phare Ponleu Selpak arts school founded in Battambang in 1994. The shows are energetic and family-friendly, and ticket income supports the school.

Book a seat near the front for the acrobatics; arrive early to eat at the on-site café.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

Book ahead

Shows can sell out in the December–February high season; reserve a day or two ahead.

• Kids
• After dark
• Couples
• Rainy day
• Art

Waterfront · West of Angkor Thom

6.West Baray

This 11th-century reservoir, about 8 km long, is still full of water and is where Siem Reap families come to swim and picnic at weekends. Bamboo platforms with hammocks line the southern shore, and boats can take you to the West Mebon temple ruins on an island in the middle.

Rent a hammock hut on the southern shore, order grilled fish and fruit, and watch the sunset over the water.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Kids
• Outdoors
• Off the beaten path
• Food

Market · Old Market and Pub Street

7.Old Market (Psar Chas)

Siem Reap's old covered market by the river sells everything from krama scarves, silk and silver to dried fish, spices and Kampot pepper. The inner food section serves num banh chok, noodle soups and iced coffee to locals, while the outer stalls are aimed at visitors.

Go in the morning to see the fresh-produce section at its busiest, and haggle politely on souvenirs.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Free

• Free
• Shopping
• Food

Garden · Royal Gardens and Riverside

8.Royal Independence Gardens

The lawns in front of the King's Siem Reap residence are where locals gather in the evening. Hundreds of fruit bats roost in the tall trees, and the small Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm shrine nearby, housing two revered Buddha statues, is busy with worshippers offering incense and lotus flowers.

Come around dusk to see the fruit bats take off and the shrine at its busiest.

Time needed

45 minutes

Cost

Free

• Free
• Outdoors
• Kids

Religious site · Wat Bo

9.Wat Bo

One of the oldest active pagodas in Siem Reap, Wat Bo has a prayer hall decorated with 19th-century murals of the Reamker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana, including scenes of daily life. Monks live in the compound, and it is a calm contrast to the temples.

Dress modestly, remove your shoes and ask before photographing monks; late afternoon is usually quiet.

Time needed

30–45 minutes

Cost

Free

• Free
• Art
• History
• Off the beaten path

Experience · Old Market and Pub Street

10.Artisans Angkor

A training enterprise near the Old Market where young Cambodians learn traditional stone and wood carving, lacquerware, silver plating and silk painting. Free guided tours walk you through the workshops, and the organisation's silk farm at Puok, west of town, shows the full process from mulberry tree to woven cloth.

Take the free workshop tour before shopping; prices are fixed and higher than the market, but quality is consistent.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Free

• Free
• Art
• Rainy day
• Shopping

Museum · Road to Banteay Srei

11.Cambodia Landmine Museum

Founded by Aki Ra, a former child soldier who went on to clear thousands of mines, this small museum displays defused mines and ordnance and explains the impact of decades of conflict on rural Cambodia. It sits on the road to Banteay Srei, so it combines easily with that temple.

Read the personal stories on the walls; they make the visit more meaningful than the hardware alone.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Low cost

• History
• Rainy day

Pick by interest

What to book ahead

• Angkor Wat: Buy your Angkor Pass online or at the official ticket centre before the first morning; it carries your photo and is checked at temple entrances.
• Phnom Bakheng: Numbers on the summit are capped at sunset; arrive well before sunset if you want to get in.
• Phare, The Cambodian Circus: Shows can sell out in the December–February high season; reserve a day or two ahead.

Plan the rest of your trip

• Where to stay in Siem Reap
• With kids in Siem Reap
• Day trips in Siem Reap
• Nightlife in Siem Reap

Questions travellers ask