Essential Angkor Trip

Upon your arrival in Siem Reap, your guide and driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel downtown. Take a short break, and we will set out to Angkor Thom.

Angkor Thom, the last Angkorian capital, was constructed by King Jayavarman VII, surrounded by five city gates and dotted with several temples in its 9-square-kilometer (3.5-square-mile) area. The must-see is the Bayon Temple in the center, the only Angkor temple to worship Buddhism and the last state temple of the Khmer Empire (802-1431). It is widely known for the “Khmer Smile”- smiling four-faced Buddha statues modeled on the face of Jayavarman VII carved on each pagoda.Head west and you will see Baphuon Temple, the most spectacular temple of the Angkor Dynasty (802-1431) in its heyday, constructed long before Angkor Thom. The restoration of Baphuon Temple requires reassembling 300,000 blocks, which has been described as the world's most giant jigsaw puzzle. Unfortunately, the drawings recorded during the first restoration in 1960 were destroyed during the Khmer Rouge regime, causing the renovation to be completed after 51 years. Nearby is the Terrace of the Elephants, where the king used to review troops, known for its exquisite elephant carvings on the 350-meter-long and 2.5-meter-high wall. If time allows, we can also visit the Terrace of the Leper King, named after a non-gender statue of the Leper King on its top. The walls here are carved with nagas, demons, and mythical beings.

► Tips 
1. Get dressed with shoulder-covered and over-the-knee clothes. It is recommended to wear bright, solid colors, such as yellow and peacock blue, for better photographs, instead of too fancy clothes.
2. Wear comfortable, dirt-proof shoes since you will walk on the red earth roads and climb temples.
3. Wear sunscreen cream or sun-proof clothing to prevent sunburn.
4. Carry mosquito repellent and preferably ice water in a thermos bottle, or it will turn warm quickly in the sizzling weather.

► Unmissable Touristy Spot for Your Free Time: Riverside Night Market
The night market is along the river by the Old Market Bridge, taking a 10-minute taxi ride from our selected 5-star hotel or a 5-minute taxi ride from the 4-star hotel. Cambodian snacks like fried rice noodles, fried rice, Amok, and fruit shakes await your taste. It is superior to Pub Street for the much cheaper food and more local vibe.

Meal: Lunch
Accommodation: Anantara Angkor Resort (5 stars) or Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars)

Before dawn, your guide and driver will pick you up and send you to watch one of the world’s most fantastic sunrise at Angkor Wat, the grandest temple that took hundreds of thousands of people for about 30 years to build in Angkor Thom. The sun rising slowly behind the five pagodas of Angkor Wat captivates each tourist. Angkor Wat will usher in the most special sunrise on the spring and autumn equinoxes (around Mar. 21 - Mar. 23, Sep. 21 - Sep. 23) every year because the sun will rise right behind the middlemost pagoda. After sunrise, your guide will show you around Angkor Wat so you can appreciate its well-preserved architecture and meticulous reliefs.★ Considerate Service: Flexible Sunrise Viewing Day & Breakfast Picnic
What if the weather is too bad to view the sunrise? Don’t worry because your guide will flexibly arrange a sunrise viewing time for your days in Siem Reap according to the weather. We can also bring breakfast from the hotel and enjoy it in the sun, accompanied by Angkor Wat temples.

We’ve visited some temples northwest of Angkor Wat yesterday, and now let’s go for those in the northeast. Banteay Kdei, a small temple where the royal family rested after swimming at that time, has many Aspara fairies carved on its walls. A kapok tree with massive roots has become its symbol in every tourist's photos. The interior wing has collapsed several times, and you may encounter repairs when visiting, so pay attention. Then we’ll get to Ta Prohm, a famous location of the Hollywood movie Tomb Raider, manifesting in an unrestored impressive appearance of tree roots intertwined with ancient temples. Next to it is Ta Keo Temple, made of stones - cut out of boulders - stacked on each other. The construction was unfinished despite spanning two dynasties; otherwise, Ta Keo would have been competitive to earn the reputation of the prettiest temple in the Angkor Wat complex. Head east to East Mebon, once built on an artificial lake and only accessible by boat; now, it looks particularly tall since the lake is completely dry. The stone lions and the stone elephants carved from a whole sandstone are not to be missed.At the end of today’s itinerary, we will climb up Phnom Bakheng Mountain to admire the sunset at Bakheng Temple, where you can overlook the whole of Angkor Thom in the jungle. It gets dark quickly after the sun drops, so stay close to your guide for safety. Finally, we will drive you back to the hotel or send you directly to your selected restaurant for dinner.

► What’s for Dinner and Free Time in Siem Reap?
Kroya by Chef Chanrith, a 10-minute taxi ride from the 5-star hotel or a 5-minute taxi ride from the 4-star hotel, is an air-conditioned fine dining restaurant serving fusion dishes of French and Cambodian cuisines, costing about $35 per person. Pork Ribs and Amok Fish are recommended.

After dinner, you can walk to the Made in Cambodia Market, 100m west of the restaurant. It is not large but uncrowded, filled with shops full of Cambodian characteristics, some of which are run by native designers or disabled people. The hand-made, ingenious products packaged in environment-friendly newspapers cast a spell on each customer.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Anantara Angkor Resort (5 stars) or Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars)

We will drive for nearly 1 hour and ensure we arrive at Banteay Srei between 9:00 am and 10:00 am because it’s the best time to take pictures of the brightly colored temple. Unlike most temples in Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei was dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva and was the first building to have mythological stories carved on pediments in the history of Khmer architecture, called the “Diamond of Angkor Art.” Thus, keep an eye out for the reliefs, which are second to none in Angkor temples for their engraving techniques, exquisite patterns, and charming colors.

Continue to Beng Mealea, temple ruins hidden in the tropical rainforests, after another 1-hour drive. Like the first person who discovered Beng Mealea, you will gasp at how desolate but spectacular it is. The sandstone-built temples are too dilapidated to be restored, and people are much into such mysterious vibes, attracting many directors for movie shooting. Wandering in the massive ruins mingled with luxuriant plants, follow your guide closely, or you may get lost in the labyrinthine collapsed walls and broken pillars.It’s the end of our 3 days Siem Reap tour itinerary, and we will drive you to the airport. If you are willing to visit more Angkor ruins like Prasat Thnom, Sambor Prei Kuk, and Roluos Group of Temples, or travel to other cities in Cambodia, please feel free to contact our travel consultant for tailor-made trips!

Meals: Breakfast