Day trips and short excursions from the cities of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
Excursions · From Siem Reap
Angkor at sunrise, then the small circuit
A pre-dawn pickup, sunrise at Angkor Wat, then the galleries, the Bayon inside Angkor Thom and the root-wrapped walls of Ta Prohm, finishing in the early afternoon when the heat peaks. The drive is short; the walking and the stairs are not.
The day in numbers
- Length
- 1 day, 9–10 hours
- Pickup
- 04:30–05:00, Siem Reap
- Road each way
- 20–30 min, our planning time
- Walking
- 6–8 km with stairs
- Back at hotel
- 13:30–15:00
- Price
- On request
Who this day is for
This is the first day at Angkor for travellers who have one or two days in Siem Reap. Angkor was inscribed by UNESCO in 1992 and covers about 400 km² of Khmer capitals built from the 9th to the 15th centuries; no one sees it in a day. The small circuit picks the core: Angkor Wat, which alone spreads over 162.6 hectares; the Bayon at the centre of Angkor Thom; and Ta Prohm.
The official ticket seller, Angkor Enterprise, lists the park entry from 05:00. That is what makes the sunrise possible. Sunrise itself moves through the year from roughly 05:30 to about 06:20, so we set the pickup from the date. Buy the pass online the evening before and you skip the ticket stop on the way.
Sources: UNESCO — Angkor; Angkor Enterprise — available tickets; Angkor Enterprise — explore · checked .
Hour by hour
Day 1
Siem Reap – Angkor Wat – Angkor Thom – Ta Prohm – Siem Reap
The first 30 minutes after the Bakan opens, before the queue forms
04:30–05:00. Pickup with torch light. We allow 20–30 minutes to the Angkor Wat causeway in the dark. The guide walks you to the north pond, where the towers reflect; the west causeway is the alternative when the pond is low.
Sunrise to 07:00. Watch the light come up behind the towers. Breakfast follows — packed or at a stall outside the moat.
07:00–09:30. Angkor Wat itself: the bas-relief galleries on the first level, the courtyards, and the upper sanctuary (Bakan), which guide sources list as open 07:40–17:00. The Bakan stairs are steep, hats come off, and it closes on Buddhist holy days. Children under 12 and pregnant women are not admitted to that level.
09:45–11:45. Angkor Thom through the South Gate and its causeway of stone figures. The Bayon's carved faces, the Baphuon, and the Terrace of the Elephants. Most of this is in full sun.
11:45–12:45. Lunch and shade. 12:45–14:00. Ta Prohm, where the trees grow through the walls. 13:30–15:00. Back at your hotel.
Sources: The Map Cambodia — Angkor Wat (guide source) · checked .
What we cut first if the day runs late
The Baphuon goes first, then part of Ta Prohm. Angkor Wat and the Bayon stay. If the Bakan is closed for a holy day or has a long queue, we use that time for the outer galleries instead. If the heat is heavy by noon, we finish after lunch and keep Ta Prohm for a late-afternoon visit on another day.
Season and weather
Cambodia has a dry season from about November to April and a wet season from about May to October. The coolest mornings are November to February; March to May are the hottest weeks of the year, which is when finishing by early afternoon matters most. In the wet season the moats are full and the stone is dark and green; showers usually come later in the day than this plan runs.
3 cool and dry · 2 dry and very hot · 1 wet. General climate pattern for Siem Reap, not a forecast.
Price
| Your party | Price for the excursion |
|---|---|
| Private car and guide, 1–2 travellers | On request |
| Private car and guide, 3–6 travellers | On request |
| Tuk-tuk and guide, 1–2 travellers | On request |
The pass is personal, so you buy it yourself from the official seller: USD 37 for one day, USD 62 for three days used within seven, USD 72 for seven days used within thirty (Angkor Enterprise, read on the date below; check before you travel). A guide source reports that children under 12 enter free with proof of age.
See the pricing page for the car versus tuk-tuk difference.
Sources: Angkor Enterprise — available tickets; The Map Cambodia — Angkor Wat (guide source) · checked .
Included and not included
What the price includes
- Private air-conditioned car with driver, or a tuk-tuk, for the day
- Licensed English-speaking Angkor guide
- Packed or stall breakfast and lunch
- Cold water and towels in the vehicle
What it does not include
- Angkor Pass (bought by you, in your name)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Travel insurance
- Cambodia visa
- Drinks with lunch
Who this excursion is NOT for
- Anyone who cannot manage steep, narrow stone stairs. The Bakan stairs and parts of the Bayon are steep; we can skip them, but the day loses its spine.
- Families with children under 12 who want the upper level. They are not admitted to the Bakan.
- Travellers who do not do early starts. A 9:00 start meets every coach in Siem Reap at the same temples.
- People who dislike crowds at sunrise. Angkor Wat at dawn is shared with many others; the reflection is worth it, the solitude is not on offer.
What to wear and bring
- Shoulders and knees covered — required for the upper level and expected throughout.
- A hat for the open ground, removed on the Bakan.
- Closed shoes with grip for worn stone.
- A head torch for the pre-dawn walk.
- Your passport photo-page details for the online pass purchase.
Photos from the day
Booking this day
Send the form with your Siem Reap hotel and the date. If you have three days, ask for the pass that covers them and we plan the big circuit and Banteay Srei on the other days — the Siem Reap page shows how they fit. Booking steps are on the how to book page.
Plan your trip
A day at Angkor?
Tell us your hotel and date; we set the pickup from the sunrise time.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
What time does Angkor open for sunrise?
The official ticket seller lists park entry from 05:00. Sunrise falls between roughly 05:30 and 06:20 depending on the month; we set the pickup from your date.
Is the Angkor Pass included?
No. It is personal and you buy it in your own name from the official seller, online or at the ticket office. We tell you which length suits your days.
Can children go up to the upper level of Angkor Wat?
Children under 12 are not admitted to the upper level (Bakan), according to guide sources. The rest of the circuit is fine for children who can walk several kilometres.
Car or tuk-tuk?
A car is cooler and better before dawn. A tuk-tuk is more open and fine for short hops in the dry season. Both are private to your party.
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Siem Reap as a base: Angkor passes for 1, 3 or 7 days, the 05:00 opening, Banteay Srei, and the hot months.
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Plan
Day-trip planner
The planner table: one-way travel times, pickup and return windows and seasons to avoid, with sources.
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Excursions · Prices
Prices
How excursion quotes are built: party size, boat type, pickup time and the entrance fees inside them.
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Excursions · Booking
How to book
The booking steps: what to send, what you get back, and what happens on the morning.
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Excursions
Excursions
All excursions in one table: length, pickup window, travel each way, return time.
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Start planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.