Spending three days in Siem Reap, Cambodia merely scratched the surface of what there is to see there. We truly only got a taste of what this incredible city has to offer. But we experienced a variety of flavors. From deep exploration of a myriad of ancient temples, to the eye-opening communities on the Tonle Sap, we made the most of our three days here. I instantly fell in love with this mystical city, and I’m sure that it will capture your heart as well.

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3 Incredible Days in Siem Reap Cambodia

In This Article
When to Go to Cambodia
What to Wear in Cambodia
Where to Stay in Siem Reap
Angkor National Museum, Pub Street, Floating Village Tour
Angkor Wat Sunrise and Small Circuit Temple Tour, Pub Street
Banteay Srei, Koh Ker, Beng Mealea, Phnom Bakheng
Angkor Wat Temple and Head Home

A street vendor selling potatoes outside Angkor Wat

When to Go to Cambodia

There are basically two seasons in Cambodia, wet season and dry season. From May to October, the southwest monsoon causes heavy rain during the wet season. There are less crowds during this time and it’s a lot greener. But with the rain also comes more mosquitos and risk for illness. Dry season is typically from November through April, with the best months being December to March. The landscape is less green and lush, but there is minimal rain. The best part? Less mosquitos, which means lower risk for mosquito-borne illness.

We went during February and although crowded, there was barely any rain. We also didn’t see many mosquitos except within the cities. The weather was still hot and humid, but tolerable. If you want to visit an elephant sanctuary in Mondulkiri Province, we recommend to go during dry season. With risks of malaria, it’s definitely the safer bet.

Family photo on the Tonle Sap boat tour

What to Wear in Cambodia

Let’s be honest, Cambodia can get very hot and humid. Like any other tropical climate, it’s best to wear loose fitting clothes. I practically lived in maxi skirts and t-shirts there. I also brought a lot of harem pants, and yoga pants which were so airy and comfortable in the heat. Loose boho style summer dresses are also great.

For our daughter we brought along a lot of summer dresses, loose tops, and capri leggings. We definitely made sure to bring a sunhat as well. For men it’s fairly simple, just t-shirts and shorts! There is also a lot of suitable clothing to buy in the markets, but make sure to check the quality of them as they can rip easily. We actually packed minimally and ended up buying some items while there.

More Tips: How to Prep for Travel to Cambodia.

The entrance to Mane Village Suites in Siem Reap

Where to Stay in Siem Reap Cambodia

Siem Reap is full of hotel options within a wide range of prices. For our trip, we decided to splurge a bit more here. I wanted to have comfortable haven to come back to after a long and tiring day out in the temples.

In the end I booked Mane Village Suites, a beautiful place located within a quiet street not far from Pub Street. Since there were five of us, we chose the family suite and it was so spacious with lots of room to enjoy. There’s a pool surrounded by gorgeous flowers and plants, and a relaxing outdoor dining area. They also have a restaurant with amazing food, both local and western cuisine. Free breakfast is also included with your stay.

The relaxing pool area surrounded by greenery

The lush and green restaurant with relaxing outdoor dining

We absolutely loved the service here. They always had cold bottled water ready upon our return, and we received complimentary foot massages during our stay. I also loved the daily afternoon tea served with sweets. It was such a great way to wind down after being out in the heat. At night when we went to Pub Street, they offered a free tuk tuk ride there. We highly recommend to stay here while you’re in Siem Reap!

Looking for more options? See more.

Day 1: Angkor National Museum, Pub Street, Floating Village Tour

Since we arrived in Siem Reap at night, we didn’t explore until the next day. But this meant getting up bright and early to make the most of our day!

Portrait of Roben, our tuk tuk driver

Tuk Tuk Driver

I wanted our trip to be as stress-free as possible, so I booked a tuk tuk driver in advance. I found Tuk Tuk Roben on the TripAdvisor forums and decided to book since he got raving reviews. He helped to work out a three day temple itinerary for us which really saved us the burden of planning. Although you can easily find tuk tuks everywhere there, it was so nice to have it all taken care of for you. Anything that makes life more convenient while traveling is a win in my book!

A view from the outside of the Angkor National Museum

Angkor National Museum

It was highly recommended that we visit the Angkor National Museum before we head off to the temples. I’m really glad we did because it really helped give context to everything we saw. We learned about Khmer history, Hinduism, Buddhism and how this all relates to the temples. In addition, we also learned a lot about the various kings, when and why they built the temples. The displays explained more about a lot of details repeated through the temples. For instance the animals, the carvings, and the ancient scenes. It was all very insightful and made more sense as we explored later.

Terra admiring the beauty inside of the museum

There are several rooms to explore, but our favorite was the 1000 Buddhas room. On display were the various Buddhas seen throughout the temples. It also depicted and explained several of the poses and what they mean. If you decide to purchase the audio guide definitely plan for it to take a bit longer. There are also several videos playing throughout the exhibits with deeper insight.

Tip: We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the exhibits, so plan to leave your camera at the hotel.

Views from our table at Amok Restaurant

Pub Street: Lunch

After the museum we headed to Pub street to stroll around and have lunch. There are plenty of options available, but we settled on Amok Restaurant. The ambiance was lovely from our table and we enjoyed views of the little alleyways in between. The food was on the pricey side, but quite delicious. It seemed very geared towards tourists, rather than a place locals would go, but it was still good. Once we finished lunch, we did a little shopping then headed back to our hotel to relax.

The Vietnamese floating village on the Tonle Sap

Floating Village Tour: Siem Reap Cambodia

Separately from the tuk tuk tour, I had booked a floating village tour on the Tonle Sap. After researching, we decided to book the Community First Kompong Khleang tour. If you’re into responsible tourism like us, then this will be the perfect choice for you.

The tour takes you on an adventure through Siem Reap Province. You’ll stop at local roadside vendors and snack on sticky rice, Cambodian donuts and other sweets. Once you reach Kompong Khleang you will get a glimpse of the Bridge of Life school, an educational opportunity for local children that is funded by tour proceeds. The tour ends with a beautiful boat ride to a Vietnamese floating village on the Tonle Sap where you’ll watch the stunning sunset. It was a highlight of our trip and a must see while here. If there is no availability on this tour, this one looks like another great option.

More details on our experience: Kompong Khleang Floating Village Tour.

Day 2: Angkor Wat Sunrise and Small Circuit Temple Tour, Pub Street

Millions of tourists flock to Siem Reap, Cambodia every year to see the Angkor Wat temples. This was of course the main reason why we came here too. Seeing all the temples has been on my bucket list for quite some time, so it was surreal to finally see them.

Before the sun came up at Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat Sunrise

First up is the Angkor Wat sunrise. We recommend to save this for at least the second day of your trip. You may want to recover from travel on the first day, and it’s also easier to have your ticket already purchased. It is quite touristy, but it’s an incredible experience not to be missed. Keep in mind that you’ll have to leave your hotel around 4:30am in order to have the best viewing spot. If you’re not as serious about photography and being in front doesn’t matter as much, then you can afford to go a bit later.

Learn more: How to Capture the Sunrise at Angkor Wat.

A monkey sitting on top the roof of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

After sunrise it’s a perfect time to explore inside Angkor Wat. Most people head straight for the tower queue, however we explored some of the inside. We spent about an hour walking around and admiring the beauty of such an ancient masterpiece. It’s huge, so it can easily take 2-3 hours to really cover it all. Despite the crowds, there were still some quiet areas with practically nobody around. Seeing all the carvings of the scenes we learned about at the museum was pretty amazing. Take the time to really absorb all the details here, it’s mind-blowing.

Unfortunately our time here was cut short since Terra was pretty hungry, so we decided to eat at one of the restaurants nearby. Because the hotel had packed us breakfast boxes, we only had to order drinks.

Approaching the South Gate of Angkor Thom, notice the demon statues along the right?

Siem Reap Cambodia: Small Circuit Temple Tour

The Angkor Wat temple complex generally consists of two tours, the Small Circuit and Grand Circuit. It’s usually recommended to start with the Small Circuit, then continue with the Grand Circuit the following day. You can also add or remove as you choose, combining temples from both if you have less time here.

The common temples included in this tour are Angkor Wat, South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon, The Terrace of the Elephants and Leper King, Phimeanakas in Royal Palace, Ta Prohm, and Banteay Kdei. Some optional stops are Prasat Kravan and Ta Keo. For our tour we decided to remove a few and added a few in. Read more about the various circuits, including detailed maps.

Explore more: 13 Siem Reap Temples You Must See

View from the top of the stairs of Ta Keo temple

The beautiful reddish tones of Pre Rup Temple

Our Customized Temple Tour

Our tour started with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, then moved on to Bayon. We spent a good 1-2 hours exploring Bayon, admiring the famous faces located on the several towers. It ended up being one of our favorites, and we highly recommend coming in early morning when it’s less crowded.

Next up are three temples all located close to one another, Baphuon and Terrace of the Elephants and Leper King. Due to lack of time, we didn’t spend too much time here. They are quite small and easy to explore in less than an hour if you’re rushed.

Along the way to Ta Prohm we decided to stop at Ta Keo and Pre Rup. These are both optional temples in this circuit, but we are glad we added them in. Pre Rup is actually made out of brick and is a beautiful reddish tone. Ta Keo was fascinating to climb, but you have to be pretty careful since the steps are very narrow and rustic. We spent around 30-45 minutes at each of these.

The fascinating roots overtaking Ta Prohm temple

A more quiet escape from the crowds

Before exploring our last spot of the day it was time for lunch. After eating we then headed to Ta Prohm aka the “Tomb Raider” temple. It’s famous for the overgrown trees interweaving throughout and practically taking over the structure. There are large roots in various spots which tend to be photography hotspots. You should take time exploring some of the more quiet parts too, you’ll be surprised to be the only one there. We spent a few hours here just marveling at the power of nature.

Off The Beaten Path Tour
Finding places without the crowds definitely feels refreshing! Heading to some of the more quiet temples in this photo tour is a nice balance from all the touristy spots. You’ll see Banteay Srei (one of the most gorgeous temples), Kbal Spean, and the Roluos group.

Pub Street comes alive at night

Pub Street

With a long day of temple tours behind us, it was a bit difficult to have motivation to go back out. However after some relaxing at the hotel, we felt recharged. Pub Street is a famous nightlife spot located in downtown Siem Reap. It’s filled with night markets, bars, clubs, and other interesting sights. There’s plenty of street food to try, fried rolled ice cream, and you can even get a foot massage from a tank of fish. It’s quite popular to try bugs here, and most people head to Bugs Cafe. Although we didn’t go there, we sampled some from the street. It really comes alive at night here and is a must-see at least once during your visit.

What to Eat

With there being plenty of food options here it can be pretty overwhelming. I usually search Yelp for tips and reviews, so I did a quick search for some pizza. We had been eating so much Cambodian food, that we wanted to try something different. So we checked out Flying Zebra Pizza. Coming from NYC, we tend to have high standards for pizza. But I must say, the place had really cool vibes inside and the pizza was actually decent. It was fresh, wood-fired, and they had some interesting topping options. For families it’s the perfect spot for a quick and cheap meal.

One thing we’d love to do next time is take a cooking class with a local family. This takes you to a rural village where you learn how to make a traditional meal, a wonderful experience and perfect activity with or without kids!

Made in Cambodia Night Market
There are several night markets in Siem Reap, but Made in Cambodia is one of the best. It’s filled with higher quality items, all handmade in Cambodia. If you’re looking for something more artisan made, this is the place to go.

The gorgeous pink sandstone and details of Banteay Srei

The band playing lovely music in the back of Banteay Srei

Day 3: Banteay Srei, Koh Ker, Beng Mealea, Phnom Bakheng

Banteay Srei Temple

While most people continue with the Grand Circuit for the second day, we decided to explore some of the further temples. We started the day quite early, around 8am and first arrived at Banteay Srei. This temple is also called the “Citadel of Woman” and is made out of a gorgeous pink sandstone.

It’s another one of our favorites and worth the longer trip. The details on it are just stunning and it’s truly a wonder to explore. Afterwards you should make sure to check out the band playing right before the exit. They are land mind victims trying to earn money to support their families. It’s a great opportunity to take a short break and listen to some traditional music.

The epic entrance to Koh Ker temple

Koh Ker Temple

Our next stop was Koh Ker, the further temple of the three and located in Preah Vihear. It’s very remote and located within the northern Cambodian jungle. It’s part of a much larger complex, however we only explored the main area. Koh Ker is a seven-tiered structure made out of sandstone. You can climb all the way to the top and enjoy beautiful views of the jungle all around. It takes about 2.5 hours to get here from Siem Reap, and is much less crowded. You may be the only one here if you come in early morning.

Totally immersed within the jungle, Beng Mealea felt quite untouched

Beng Mealea Temple

After exploring Koh Ker, we headed straight to Beng Mealea. The vibes here were pretty similar to Ta Prohm, but more quiet and untouched. There hasn’t been much restoration here, so it’s fairly close to how it was left. There is a lot of crumbling stone, and vines tangled around. It’s immersed within trees with a lot of greenery and moss covering the structure. It’s beautifully mystical and feels like you’ve just discovered it for the first time. It worked out perfectly to combine all three of these temples in one day.

The gorgeous sunset view from Phnom Bakheng temple

Phnom Bakheng

There are several great places to watch the sunset in Siem Reap. One of the most touristy spots is Phnom Bakheng. Ideally you should start lining up for the queue to go to the top around 4pm. Unfortunately, we did not make it there until around 5pm. There was already a long line by the time we arrived, so the earlier you can get here the better. They only allow 300 people up at a time. I was hesitant to go at first due to how touristy it is, but in the end I’m so glad we went. The views are too incredible to miss! Don’t let the popularity of it keep you from going, it’s something you should see at least once.

View of Angkor Wat temple from the back side

Day 4: Angkor Wat and Head Back Home

Depending on how much time you have before heading back home, you may be able to fit one last thing in. We decided to head back to Angkor Wat to explore what we hadn’t seen yet, this time entering from the back gate. Be aware that if it’s a Buddhist holiday, the tower will not be open, so plan around those days. We were quite bummed since we were hoping to see the views. But instead we had a surprise opportunity to be blessed by a monk in the temple. It’s these random occurrences during travel that make it the best sometimes!

Optional Add-On
If you’ve got some extra time in Siem Reap, you could head into the countryside or do a day trip. Doing a motorbike tour of the rural areas outside of Siem Reap will allow you to see more of the authentic side. This tour takes you through villages, remote temples, and rice fields with gorgeous views of Kulen Mountain!

Siem Reap Will Steal Your Heart

We absolutely loved our time in Siem Reap as part of our 10 day Cambodia itinerary. There’s so much rich culture and history here, that it’s hard not to fall in love. Every temple is unique and there is still much more to see beyond just a few days here. We will always remember those hot and sweaty days exploring the temples, followed by the refreshing cool breeze in our tuk tuks during our nights out to Pub Street. The people are so kind, welcoming and exude strength from such a tragic past. We look forward to coming back here again!

Discover: Why You Should Travel to Cambodia

Have you ever been to Siem Reap, Cambodia? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience here!

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Ever since I was in college, I’ve dreamed of seeing the Angkor Wat sunrise. That dream finally became a reality recently during our 10 day Cambodia trip, but it definitely took some effort. This magnificent event draws thousands of people everyday. This means that it can be a rather daunting task taking the perfect shot. I’m here to give some tips and photography basics to help you capture a beautiful memory.

Note: We use affiliate links in this post. This helps us to continue providing great content. For more info you can read our full disclosure here.

Capturing the sun as it was coming up

Angkor Wat Sunrise: Is It Worth It?

“Was it worth the effort?” This was one of the most popular questions I got after seeing the sunrise at Angkor Wat. I think the answer can be very subjective, but my answer is yes. There will definitely be frustrations, and annoyances, from the massive crowds of tourists. It may seem like one of those overrated touristy bucket list items. But I must say that watching the sun rise from beneath such a beautifully ancient structure was incredible. It’ll be a moment you’ll never forget.

Best Time to Go

The most ideal time to go to Cambodia is during the dry season. This is usually from November through March. Overall, you want to make sure to go on a clear day. Keep an eye on the weather before you go, otherwise you may be disappointed with grey skies covering the beautiful colors of the sunrise.

What You Need to Know Beforehand

In order to watch the sunrise and secure a good photo spot, you’ll have to leave your hotel at 4:30am at the latest. We highly recommend having your ticket already. We made the mistake of buying them the day of, and although we still lucked out with a decent spot, you might not be as lucky. If we had the tickets already I imagine we would have gotten an even better one.

Make sure to have a flashlight handy. After entering the gate you’ll have to journey through the dark to find your spot. We actually didn’t scope out the temple the day before to find the ideal place, but did do some research ahead of time and already had an idea. So it would be best to do either of these, so you’re not stumbling around in pure darkness trying to decide.

Another helpful tip is to book your tuk tuk driver ahead of time. We had found Tuk Tuk Roben on the Tripadvisor forums, and booked a full 3 day temple tour with him. You can also book through your hotel or hostel as well.

You could also book a sunrise temple tour this one with transportation included. You’ll have a guide along with you, which could give more insight and tips for taking photos.

Lastly, wear good bug repellent. It’s a must while traveling in Cambodia in general and will protect against sickness that can make you ill for weeks. Better to be safe than sorry!

The Ideal Place for Photographs

While researching, the most common place I kept coming across was the left corner of the left reflecting pond, so we headed straight there. It definitely was the perfect place for those quintessential shots you typically see. Because we had to buy our ticket first, we ended up getting here too late to have first pick. I’d say we got pretty lucky to only end up being behind one person, who was kind enough to duck for a lot of our shots.

We also chatted with a local guide who claimed the most ideal spot depends on what time of year you go. During dry season, the left side is indeed the best. But during wet season, the right side is actually better. This is all due to the positioning of the sun and where it falls within the temple silhouette.

Beautiful rays of sun shining through

Photography Tips to Capture the Perfect Angkor Wat Sunrise

Use a DSLR Camera + Wide Angle Lens

While phones can take some pretty amazing shots these days, there’s still nothing like a good DSLR camera. It’s our trusty travel companion, and the shots always turn out much more epic than the phone. We use the Canon 5D Mark III, although any DSLR will do the trick.

The right lens can make a huge difference. Bringing a wider angle lens will allow you to get some nice shots within the tighter spaces within the temples. It also allows you to fit more within the frame, really highlighting just how grand these structures are. We always bring the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 II lens, it’s perfectly versatile for travel purposes.

Bring a Tripod

Since there will be low light as the sun rises, a tripod will help to keep your photos crisp and in focus. It may be a pain to carry, but if you booked a tuk tuk or car for the day, they can hold onto it as you explore the other temples. Having a tripod means you’ll have to make sure to secure a spot in the front, so nobody can get in front of your shots. We use this MeFoto Travel Tripod, which is lightweight and perfectly compact for travel purposes.

Alternatively you can also choose to bring a monopod instead. You can easily carry it, and also not take up as much space with your whole setup. We don’t have one, but saw a few using them.

Use a Remote Shutter or Set a Delay

Another helpful item is a wireless remote shutter. It allowed us to enjoy the moment more and snap photos with a simple button click. Make sure that you buy one that is compatible with your camera model. It’s important to familiarize yourself with using one before the big day, so make sure to practice at home. Also, check that it’s sufficiently charged the night before, and test so that it’s working properly.

If you don’t have a remote shutter, you can achieve similar results through your camera settings. By setting a few second delay for each shot, it will eliminate any chance of blurry shots from the camera shake.

Setup Your Focus to Infinity

After your camera is all setup on the tripod, you’ll have to focus it. It can be tough to do this in pitch black, but try your best to find something with the most contrast. I focused to infinity on one of the spires, and all of my shots came out crisp. As the light increases it’ll become much easier to focus it.

Familiarize Yourself with Long Exposures

For low light photography, long exposures can give some stunning results. Do a bit of research on it before the actual day of sunrise and practice. Since I’m a more seasoned photographer I put my settings on Bulb, which meant I controlled the aperture and the shutter speed. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to start with Aperture mode, so the camera decides the ideal shutter for exposure.

Camera Settings

In order to have clear shots with no grain, I set the ISO to 100. Being able to do longer exposures will allow you to set a lower ISO. I kept my aperture from between f/8-f/16, and varied it between shots.

While it was still rather dark, I started the shutter speed with 45 seconds and altered based on the exposure. Then I gradually decreased to 30 seconds, then 15, then even less as the sun finally rose. With aperture mode, you will only have to worry about changing that between shots.

Crowds of people all trying to take the same shot

Keep an Eye on Rude Tourists

It’s inevitable that there will be a few rude tourists who will try to get in front of your shots. I definitely spoke up during their attempts. Afterall, I didn’t wake up at 4am to have someone getting in the way of my shots. Speak up and stand your ground, I’m sure you traveled far to get here.

Editing Your Sunrise Shots

I usually use Lightroom to edit my photos and it works great. For more detailed touchups I use Photoshop. Make sure to shoot in RAW format so that you can do more detailed edits with them after. For quick on the fly editing while traveling, I use the Lightroom app.

Stay Around for Awhile

After the sun rises, a lot of people will start heading to the temple or queuing for the tower. We actually stuck around for awhile and kept taking photos since the crowds dispersed. The lighting was quite magical over the temple complex and looked just as stunning. However, if you have limited time in Siem Reap, you may want to head to the tower right away instead. We ended up missing it this trip, so that gives us a good reason to return!

Alternative Sunrise Spots

If you’ve already seen the sunrise at Angkor Wat, you might want to watch it elsewhere. Some of the other great spots to watch are Bayon, Pre Rup and Sra Srang. You could also head up to Phnom Bakheng, we went here for sunset and it was glorious!

See more: 13 Siem Reap Temples Worth Exploring

Exploring the inside of Angkor Wat

Exploring Angkor Wat

Now that you’ve taken those prized photos, head to the temples to explore. It will be during the golden hour and the lighting will be perfect, so take advantage! We headed inside around 7:30am and it was still rather empty. We started noticing big crowds coming in around 8:30ish, so maximize your time right after the sun rises.

Angkor Wat sunrise is definitely one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that won’t be forgotten. What makes it even more memorable is the effort you took to get there. It’s like a rite of passage in a way, something that deserves a huge pat on the back for having achieved.

Have you seen the sunrise at Angkor Wat temple? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comments.

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