Angkor Wat – The Ultimate Guide
Anyone who loves adventure will have a field day exploring these ancient temple ruins Angkor Wat has over 1,000 temples and there is so much to know before visiting, like when is the best time to go to avoid crowds, prices, must-see temples, and the attire to enter the temples.
In this post, you’ll find the ultimate guide to Angkor Wat, including my tips for making the most out of your visit.
ANGKOR WHAT?
If you’re interested in visiting Cambodia I’m sure you already know what Angkor Wat is, but for those who are unaware, Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and one of the largest religious monuments in the world. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple and is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. It contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Plus, it is considered the 7th wonder of the world.
MUST-SEE ANGKOR WAT TEMPLES
As I previously mentioned, Angkor Wat consists of over 1,000 temples so it’s not possible to visit them all, unless you’re a professional temple seeker and that’s your goal. For the majority of us who visit for two-three days, all we want to see are the most unique and most popular temples.
Before I continue I must address attire. Temples are sacred sites where many go to pray to a higher source, with that said anyone who decides to visit MUST respect the culture and dress appropriately. Shoulders must be covered at all times, so if you’re wearing a tank top because it’s hot outside I don’t blame you but make sure to pack a scarf that you can throw over your shoulders when you enter a temple. Long pants, long shorts or long skirts that go below the knee are mandatory.
Now onto the must-see temples at Angkor Wat:
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor. The three-tiered pyramid is crowned by five lotus-like towers rising from the ground. The best time to grab a gorgeous picture of the temple of Angkor Wat is sunrise or sunset. I saw plenty of gorgeous pictures of Angor Wat before visiting, but nothing prepared me for the actual experience of seeing this temple in person, it was Magnificent.
Bayon temple
The Bayon temple is my favorite temple because of all the smiling faces, 216 to be exact were originally carved onto the giant towers. The temple has 37 towers and almost every one of them has four carved faces. Today, about 200 smiling faces remain as a few have toppled over.
Preah Khan
Preah Khan originally served as a Buddhist monastery. The overgrowth of the trees and the amazing photo opportunities makes this place one of the highlights.
Ta Som
A small temple far away from the main temples makes Ta Som relatively quiet. It is unique for the massive and impressive tree, stamping its dominance on the temple.
Ta Prohm
You might recognize the Ta Prohm temple from Tomb Raider. It is bound by the massive roots of huge trees and is one of the most popular temples.
ANGKOR WAT TICKET PRICES:
Like many big attractions around the world, Angkor Wat has a fee to enter.
One day: $37 USD
Three days: $62 USD (valid for 3 visits in a 7 day period)
One week: $72 USD (valid for 7 visits in a 1 month period)
EXTRAS:
STEPS: Angkor Wat is ancient and therefore some of the structures are in build with very narrow steep steps, also some of the structures are not in the best condition, so watch your steps.
WATER: Angkor Wat get super hot, especially mid-day so lots of sunscreen and plenty of water is good to travel with.
CHILDREN SELLING: Children will be selling different items or food around Angkor Wat. Their beautiful faces will wheel you in, but avoid buying from them because it’s basically organized begging, and it devalues education. The children will not go to school because they feel like they can make money selling.
MONEY: Cambodia has its own currency, but U.S. dollars are used everywhere, you can even withdraw U.S. dollars from the ATMs.
MOST IMPORTANTLY:
The majestic temples of Angkor Wat are the top of most peoples to do lists when visiting Cambodia. With so much to see and explore, take your time to visit and have fun!
Have you been to Angkor Wat? Do you have any tips?
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If you’ve been to Angkor Wat, share a photo and hashtag us #explorethe6 — We love to see your pics on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @explorethe6
29 Comments
Bindu Thomas
This place looks great and interesting. I would love to visit there someday. Thanks for sharing.
explorethe6
Angor Wat is filled with history and very interesting 🙂
simplysensationalfood
This place is on my bucket list so I will definitely book mark this post to refer too so that I can visit all these amazing sights.
explorethe6
Awesome
Gideon Akachukwu Okorie
I so much love Adventures and am also learning about this temples for the first time.. would love to visit in future.
explorethe6
You should visit in the future if you get a chance 🙂
Eloise
1000 temples, my goodness that’s a lot! i would love to dive into the history and see some of the temples in person… you’re so lucky!
awesome pix!
explorethe6
Yes, so much history in this place
Sundeep
Wow! This place looks interesting and amazing too. Would love to visit this place asap. I am adding this place to bucket list.
explorethe6
Awesome
Rosey A
I used to want to visit Angkor Wat, just because it seemed so very different from anywhere I’d been before. I know people who have been and loved it.
explorethe6
Yes, I absolutely loved it
lattelindsay
I had no idea a place like this existed. I’ll will have to put Angkor Wat on my travel list, this is too amazing to miss out on.
explorethe6
Yes, its a must 🙂
Kelsey Harmony
Wow, what a cultural experience! This was a very interesting read.
explorethe6
Thank you, glad you enjoyed 🙂
Jess
This was a very informative post! I had no idea what Angkor was so this was great for me
explorethe6
Thanks for taking the time to read 🙂
Alexithymia_Shubhi
Seriously 1000 temples! No wonder there must be so much to explore history and architecture.
explorethe6
There’s soooo much to explore and it’s awesome to see
Lyosha Varezhkina
awesome guide! It is not just complete, it is totally complete! Ultimate in its best! So useful it makes me want to head to Cambodia at once!
explorethe6
Thank you!
Lakatwoman
I love seeing all the details in the buildings — so interesting! Seeing this in person would be such a dream. Def on my bucket list!
explorethe6
It was such an awesome experience
Vivienne
I have never been to Cambodia, but would love to visit someday! It looks really pretty and mystical (or maybe I’ve watched the original Tomb Raider too much! Lol). The temples do look really amazing!
explorethe6
LOL. The Temples are amazing!
Rain Shalom
I have not been to this place but i think it would be nice to try it out. I don’t think buying things from those children is a bad idea. It’s not begging. They are exchanging a product for money. At least they didn’t try to pick your pocket. Parents are the ones responsible for sending their children to school. The children shouldn’t be blamed for the ignorance of their parents. Some of these people are so poor, those things they sell will provide a meal for them and their families. Thanks for this post
Emma & Nathan’s Travels
Wow. Great post 😊
explorethe6
Thank you