{"id":27864,"date":"2018-06-29T01:00:33","date_gmt":"2018-06-28T15:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=27864"},"modified":"2025-07-17T02:26:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T16:26:19","slug":"angkor-wat-guide-cambodia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/angkor-wat-guide-cambodia\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Angkor Wat? Here&#8217;s everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>There are few experiences in all my travels that I recall with greater clarity or fondness than the magical time I spent exploring the Angkor Archaeological Park.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I remember waking up in the earliest part of the morning when there was still a thick layer of fog. I remember getting into a tuk-tuk with my partner, Briana, and arriving just as the sun was keen to peak out its knowing head. I remember being entranced by the famed spiraled towers of Angkor Wat, and I stood there, completely in awe, with nothing to do but soak in the sun\u2019s rays and the temple\u2019s majesty. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visiting <strong><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\">Cambodia<\/a><\/strong>&#8216;s Angkor Wat is like being granted the keys to another world for a short period of time. While I was there, I often imagined in my head that, like a certain CS Lewis novel, I must have walked through a closet and into another realm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27884\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-cambodia_angkor-wat_temple.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor War guide Cambodia sunrise\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-cambodia_angkor-wat_temple.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-cambodia_angkor-wat_temple-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-cambodia_angkor-wat_temple-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-cambodia_angkor-wat_temple-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a>So, what is it really like to visit? What are the can&#8217;t-miss sights and the lesser-known gems? What time of day and year should you visit, and what is there to do after you&#8217;ve had your fix of this beautiful temple complex? Worry not because all these questions, and more, are about to be answered.<\/p>\n<h3><b>What is Angkor Wat anyhow? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angkor Wat is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prized temple and showpiece of what is now known as the Angkor Archaeological Park. The city of Angkor itself was built in the 12th century to be an unparalleled Khmer capital for King Suryavarman II. When built, the ancient city extended over 400 kilometres, which makes it the largest pre-industrial city in history. While guesses about the city\u2019s population vary wildly, some prominent historians suggest that the population could have been as high as one million people. Mysteriously, archaeologists are still unsure of what actually happened to this vast empire and its people. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What I didn\u2019t know when I visited, but learned after through further reading, is that the Angkor Archaeological Park shouldn\u2019t really be conceptualized as a collection of disparate temples and monuments in a jungle. This was a fully functioning, complex city that was well-connected, and these temples were just a part of that burgeoning city.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27870\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3327.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3327.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3327-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3327-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3327-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><b>When is the best time to visit Angkor Wat?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally speaking, November to February is going to be your best window for a visit. I had the pleasure of getting some input from Channa, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an incredible intrepid leader with a <\/span><strong><a href=\"\/adventures\/channa-intrepid-leader-cambodia\/\">remarkable story<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and she wholly concurs because, \u201cit is not too hot, and there\u2019s no rain.\u201d Now, it\u2019s worth noting that because you\u2019ve got this window without the aggressive humidity and rainfall, you\u2019re going to have more tourists, so it\u2019s going to be quite a bit busier. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As far as timing for visiting, the Angkor Archaeological Park is open most days from 5am until 6pm. I would very strongly recommend getting there for sunrise. Most people who are visiting Angkor Wat will be staying in Siem Reap, and that means if you want to do this right, you\u2019re in for an early morning. The tuk-tuk ride takes approximately 30 minutes, so factor that into your plans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the park opens, you\u2019re going to want to head straight to Angkor Wat to get the famous sunrise picture. The full breadth of the sunrise usually occurs between 5:30-6:00, so have your camera ready. And prepare for crowds.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_27869\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27869\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27869\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3197.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide crowds\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3197.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3197-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3197-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3197-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-27869\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prepare for crowds!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might be tired, but I always joke to my fianc\u00e9e (who in all likelihood is getting tired of my jokes) that it\u2019s always worth it to get up extra early or stay up extra late because fatigue is temporary, but a picture lasts forever. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trust me, Angkor Wat at sunrise is something to behold, do yourself a favour and get up to appreciate it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><strong>VISIT ANGKOR WAT ON A SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE WITH INTREPID\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>What should I wear to Angkor Wat? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to note that at Angkor Wat, there is a dress code that must be abided by. You\u2019ll need to wear clothing (preferably light) that covers your shoulders and knees. The sun is likely to be quite strong, so it makes sense to bring a hat, and you should be wearing good-quality walking shoes. Lastly, you might want to carry around or pack a thin raincoat as weather can be a touch erratic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27877\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3473.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3473.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3473-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3473-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3473-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><a href=\"\/adventures\/what-to-do-in-cambodia\/\"><strong>READ MORE: 4 MUST-HAVE EXPERIENCES IN CAMBODIA (THAT AREN&#8217;T ANGKOR WAT!)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>What do you need to see if you\u2019re short on time? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you haven\u2019t got much time, you\u2019re going to want to make the most of every moment. The good news is that you can cover a lot of ground in just a little bit of time if you\u2019ve planned with purpose. There are some places that you simply <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">need <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to see if you\u2019re visiting the Angkor Archaeological Complex, and they are, in my humble opinion, the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firstly, the Angkor Wat temple itself. I\u2019d recommend taking in the views of Angkor Wat at sunrise, then going directly after to explore the famed temple. Angkor Wat is the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the complex, and the postcard picture you\u2019ve seen a million times.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_27873\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27873\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27873\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Angkor-Wat-4-e1529611089919.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide sunrise\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-27873\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The iconic Angkor Wat<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its pointed towers rising up from the base structure are a classic example of Khmer Architecture of the 12th century, and, based on its prominence, some suspect that this structure was actually constructed by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suryavarman to be his final resting place. Angkor Wat, in short, is a temple like you\u2019ve never seen, on a scale you couldn\u2019t have anticipated. It doesn\u2019t disappoint.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angkor Thom, known as the Bayon Temple, is also an absolute must. Technically Angkor Thom is a city built by the ruler Jayavarman VII and the Bayon Temple is within it, but they\u2019re often thought of as synonymous. Before I move forward describing what the Bayon Temple <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you should note that there\u2019s no need to be intimidated by the distances between temples as you can take a tuk-tuk between sights to save time if you\u2019ve only got a day.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_27867\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27867\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27867\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3430.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3430.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3430-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3430-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3430-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-27867\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bayon Temple<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bayon Temple is a very impressive temple built towards the end of the 12th century, and it\u2019s beyond photogenic. What makes it unique is the smiling faces which jut out of the rocks and greet you with their warm disposition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Insider tip from top Intrepid guide in Cambodia, <a href=\"\/adventures\/channa-intrepid-leader-cambodia\/\">Channa<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>My favourite spot in the whole park is Bayon Temple, one hour before sunset. There are fewer tourists, it&#8217;s cooler and when sun rays hit the faces it is just magic.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, you\u2019d be remiss to leave without spending some time at Ta Prohm Temple, which was constructed roughly around the same at Angkor Thom, and commissioned by the same ruler. Ta Prohm\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was constructed to be a monastery and university, and what is perhaps most impressive is that it\u2019s still in remarkable condition considering when it was constructed. What makes it truly famous, however, is the way the jungle has grown into and straddled the structure. It\u2019s an example of what happens when a man made structure is essentially given back to nature. To me, this is the most unique spot to snap a photo.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_27876\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27876\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27876\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Ta-Prohm-4-e1529611264484.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide Ta Prohm\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-27876\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ta Prohm<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><b>What should you see if you\u2019ve got time to spare? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sights listed above will astonish you, but they\u2019re far from the only sights to see. Preah Khan is also dazzling in its own right, and it\u2019s not too far away from Ta Prohm and other more famous temples. Preah Khan was also built by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jayavarman VII (12 century), but, in this case, to honour his father. It served as a massive administrative headquarters of sorts, but is now famous because of the overgrowth that has added a layer of mystique. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jayavarman VII also built a small temple known as Ta Som. It\u2019s a temple dedicated to his father, Dharanindravarman II, and it\u2019s not far from Angkor Thom, which makes it well worth checking out. It\u2019s a single-level shrine that has been left unrestored, and also exists in congruence with growth of the jungle. This is a nice temple to check out if all the other more popular temples seem a little crowded.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_27868\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27868\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27868\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3434.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3434.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3434-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3434-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Thom_Ryan-Bolton3434-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-27868\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Intrepid traveller exploring Angkor Wat<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps the unsung hero is Banteay Srei, which you wouldn\u2019t be able to fit into a short visit, but is certainly worth fitting into an extended visit. It\u2019s about 25km away from the more well-known temples, but it often receives rave reviews from tourists due to the fact that there are less crowds, and it\u2019s build with red sandstone. It\u2019s not large and imposing, but it\u2019s gorgeous, ornate, and offers something a little different. Not to mention, it was built in the 10th century, so it predates much of what you\u2019ll see elsewhere!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"\/subscriptions\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-34706\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Blog-Banner-Option-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Blog-Banner-Option-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Blog-Banner-Option-1-425x159.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Blog-Banner-Option-1-768x288.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Blog-Banner-Option-1-585x219.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><b>What can you do in Siem Reap? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019m not going to lie, when I was staying in Siem Reap, I likely stayed out on Pub Street a touch longer than I needed to the night before heading to the Angkor Archaeological Park. Now, while I wouldn\u2019t recommend that, I also can\u2019t say I regret it. Siem Reap is a fun place to be.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_27872\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27872\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27872\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3561.jpg\" alt=\"Angkor Wat guide Pub Street\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3561.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3561-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3561-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3561-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-27872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pub Street<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That being said, Siem Reap is a lot more than just \u201cPub Street,\u201d that\u2019s for absolute sure. The food in Siem Reap is just remarkable, and it\u2019s a good place to dive into Cambodian cuisine which, in my opinion, deserves just as much respect as Thai or Vietnamese. I personally love Fish Amok, which is essentially a fresh fish curry (usually served in a banana leaf), but I\u2019m also a fan of Lap Khmer which is more or less beef salad. I\u2019d also say that you\u2019re safe trying most curries, especially red curries, as they\u2019re to die for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/cambodian-food-guide\/\"><strong>READ MORE: A GUIDE TO CAMBODIAN DISHES AND MUST-VISIT RESTAURANTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the more unique experiences that I had in Siem Reap was taking one morning to go out to the Tonl\u00e9 Sap Floating Villages (explore them on <strong>this <\/strong>day tour). It was fascinating to see how people lived seasonally when the lake flooded, and the communities that formed more or less on stilted houses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What to do in Siem Reap according\u00a0to top Cambodian Intrepid guide, <\/b><a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" href=\"\/adventures\/channa-intrepid-leader-cambodia\/\">Channa<\/a><b>:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/pharecircus.org\/\">Phare <\/a>(a circus with dance, theatre and live music that tells Cambodian stories). Go to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.artisansdangkor.com\/\">Angkor Silk Farm<\/a>. Go shopping, visit local villages and monasteries, and try a cooking class.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_27886\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-27886\" class=\"size-full wp-image-27886\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3133.jpg\" alt=\"Siem Reap night Angkor Wat guide\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3133.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3133-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3133-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Siem-Reap_street-night-Ryan-Bolton3133-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-27886\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Siem Reap, by night<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><b>So, why go? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ve been to the Angkor Archaeological Park, but I\u2019m yearning to go back because it\u2019s just that special. I\u2019ve always been a creative and imaginative person, and I feel like visiting this place unlocked doors I didn\u2019t know existed for me. It was like watching fact and fiction blur together before my eyes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s what makes this place so unbelievable, it\u2019s the idea that, unless you go, you just can&#8217;t imagine being there. I look around today at the skyscrapers that populate the skylines of most metropolitan cities, and I just can\u2019t imagine them being around for too long. Then you have the Khmer temples which have endured centuries, and will still be there long after the skyscrapers are gone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ready to experience this awe-inspiring site for yourself?<a href=\"\/cambodia\" data-wpil=\"url\"> Check out Intrepid&#8217;s range of tours in Cambodia.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><em>(Image credits from top to bottom: Intrepid Travel x5, Chris Mitchell, Intrepid Travel, Chris Mitchell, Intrepid Travel x3.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Visiting Cambodia&#8217;s Angkor Wat is like being granted the keys to another world for a short period of time. While I was there, I often imagined in my head that, like a certain CS Lewis novel, I must have walked through a closet and into another realm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16010,"featured_media":27871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1313],"tags":[407,180,43,1659,257],"class_list":["post-27864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-angkor-wat","tag-asia","tag-cambodia","tag-siem-reap","tag-travel-tips-2","ipf_region-cambodia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.3.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Ultimate Angkor Wat Guide: Everything You Need To Know | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What are the can&#039;t-miss sights and the lesser-known gems? 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While I was there, I often imagined in my head that, like a certain CS Lewis novel, I must have walked through a closet and into another realm.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/angkor-wat-guide-cambodia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Good Times by Intrepid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intrepidtravel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-06-28T15:00:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-16T16:26:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3371.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chris Mitchell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Intrepid_Travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Intrepid_Travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chris Mitchell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/angkor-wat-guide-cambodia\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/angkor-wat-guide-cambodia\/\",\"name\":\"The Ultimate Angkor Wat Guide: Everything You Need To Know | Intrepid Travel Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/angkor-wat-guide-cambodia\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/angkor-wat-guide-cambodia\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Intrepid-Travel-Cambodia_Ankgor-Wat_Ryan-Bolton3371.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-06-28T15:00:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-16T16:26:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/0102083d2f0efa69e5ad1e7133134119\"},\"description\":\"What are the can't-miss sights and the lesser-known gems? 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