Angkor Ruins

There are so many sites--you might not have time to see it all. To better plan a trip for a traveller who simply wants to enjoy the amazing sights, this simple chart serves to give you an idea of what it's really like to help you decide which sites you would like to see, not to undermine the beauty and culture of it all...

SITE	WOW	EAS E	TIME needed	brief INFO
Angkor Thom			½ day total	12th century 9 km² capital city of the Khmer empire filled with the following sites. It's within a 15-minute drive from Siem Reap
West Gate	★★★☆☆	☺☺☺☺☺	15 minutes	● map ● Bridge with a row of statues on either side, leading up to gate with giant 4-sided faces Effort : ☺☺☺☺☺ flat & easy
Bayon	★★★★★	☻☻½☺☺	1 hour	● map ● Climb steps to get close to 12th-century Buddhist / Hindu rock towers puzzling together multiple giant 4-sided faces. Tomb Raider! Your driver will likely drop you off here and wait for you in the parking lot while you walk thru all the sites Effort : ☻☻½☺☺ some steps
Baphuon	★★★☆☆	☻☻☺☺☺	½ hour	● map ● 11th century tiered Hindu temple mountain at the end of a long bridge. Less than 10 minutes to walk here from Bayon Effort : ☻☻☺☺☺ some steps
Phimeanakas	★★★★☆	☻☻☻☺☺	½ hour	● map ● 10th century tiered pyramid Hindu temple. Less than 5 minutes to walk here from Baphuon Effort : ☻☻☻☺☺ steep steps
Terrace of the Elephants	★★★½☆	☻☺☺☺☺	15 minutes	● map ● Terrace with stone elephants and statues popping from the walls. Less than 5 minutes to walk here from Phimeanakas Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺
Prasat Suor Prat	★★½☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺	≤ ½ hour	● map ● 12 sandstone towers visible across the Terrace of the Elephants. It only takes a minute to walk over. The parking lot where your driver will likely wait is right beside Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps
North Kleang	★★★½☆	☻☺☺☺☺	½ hour	Photogenic structure right beside the Prasat Suor Prat towers Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps
SITE	WOW	EAS E	TIME needed	brief INFO
Angkor Wat	★★★★★	☻☺☺☺☺	2 hours	★ map ★ 12th century big Buddhist / Hindu temple complex on the Cambodian flag. Cross the moat to see magnificent galleries and many decorating bas-reliefs. It's only a few-minute drive from Angkor Thom Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps
Phnom Bakheng	★★★★½	☻☻☻☻½	1½ hours	★ map ★ 9th century tiered Hindu temple mountain with multiple towers. Hike up then climb up large blocks of steep stairs to catch a view of Angkor Wat up top. Watch the sunset here. It's only a few minutes drive from Angkor Wat Effort : ☻☻☻☻½ uphill hike + steep steps
Prasat Kravan	★★½☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺	≤ ½ hour	★ map ★ 10th century small temple with 5 brick towers. Go inside a tower and look up! Close to Sras Srang (man-made lake) and Banteay Kdei Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk
Banteay Kdei	★★★★☆	☻☺☺☺☺	1 hour	★ map ★ 12th century Buddhist temple with sandstone galleries and towers. Feels like walking through a maze! Between Prasat Kravan and Ta Prohm, close to Sras Srang Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk
Sras Srang	★½☆☆☆	☺☺☺☺☺	5 minutes	★ map ★ 10th century 700 x 350 m bathing pond for the king. A few minutes walk across from Banteay Kdei Effort : ☺☺☺☺☺ no effort
Ta Prohm	★★★★½	☻☺☺☺☺	45 minutes	★ map ★ 12th century Buddhist temple with trees growing out of the ruins. Tomb Raider! Between Banteay Kdei and Ta Keo Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk
Ta Keo	★★★★☆	☻☻☻☻☺	45 minutes	★ map ★ 10th century tiered pyramid temple mountain with sandstone towers. Near Ta Prohm and Thommanon Effort : ☻☻☻☻☺ steep steps
Thommanon	★★★☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺	20 minutes	★ map ★ Small 11th century Hindu temple. Intricate carvings! Near Victory Gate of Angkor Thom Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk
SITE	WOW	EAS E	TIME needed	brief INFO
Roluos Group			1½ hours total	9th century Hindu temples of the first capital city of the Khmer empire. It's 13 km from Siem Reap
Lolei	★★☆☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺	10 minutes	■ map ■ Small temple with 4 brick towers Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk
Preah Ko	★★★☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺	20 minutes	■ map ■ Small temple with 6 brick towers Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk
Bakong	★★★★☆	☻☻☻☺☺	½ hour	■ map ■ Sandstone temple mountain with elephant statues Effort : ☻☻☻☺☺ some steps
SITE	WOW	EAS E	TIME needed	brief INFO
Beng Mealea	★★★★★	☻☺☺☺☺	2 hours	12th century Hindu temple that's a cross between Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat, with overgrown trees and the most beautiful rubble. It's 77 km from Siem Reap Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy
Banteay Srei	★★★★☆	☻☺☺☺☺	½ hour	♦ map ♦ 10th century Hindu sandstone temple with elaborate carvings. It's 30 km from Siem Reap. Combine visit here to visit to Kbal Spean as it's in the same general direction. There are some short natural trails with lush greenery from the site to the parking lot Effort : ☻☺☺☺☺ easy
Kbal Spean	★★½☆☆	☻☻☻☻☺	1½ hours	Hike up the trail to see Hindu stone carvings in the river (referred to as "River of 1000 Lingas"). A small waterfall is also along the way. It's a nice hike if you are looking for a change of scenery (no more temple-hopping). Wear the right shoes and bring a bottle of water with you. Bathrooms, along with a few restaurants, can be found at the entrance / parking area. It's 50 km northeast of Siem Reap Effort : ☻☻☻☻☺ uphill hike
SITE	WOW	EAS E	TIME needed	brief INFO
Tonlé Sap	★★½☆☆	☺☺☺☺☺	1½ hours	♦ map ♦ Get a boat ride on the river to the lake. There are locals living in floating villages. It's 16 km from Siem Reap Effort : ☺☺☺☺☺ no effort