SITE | WOW factor | EFFORT | TIME needed | brief INFO |
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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 | ★★★☆☆ | ☺☺☺☺☺ flat & easy | 15 minutes |
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Bridge with a row of statues on either side, leading up to gate with giant 4-sided faces |
Bayon | ★★★★★ | ☻☻½☺☺ some steps | 1 hour |
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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 |
Baphuon | ★★★☆☆ | ☻☻☺☺☺ some steps | ½ hour |
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11th century tiered Hindu temple mountain at the end of a long bridge. Less than 10 minutes to walk here from Bayon |
Phimeanakas | ★★★★☆ | ☻☻☻☺☺ steep steps | ½ hour |
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10th century tiered pyramid Hindu temple. Less than 5 minutes to walk here from Baphuon |
Terrace of the Elephants | ★★★½☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps | 15 minutes |
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Terrace with stone elephants and statues popping from the walls. Less than 5 minutes to walk here from Phimeanakas |
Prasat Suor Prat | ★★½☆☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps | ≤ ½ hour |
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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 |
North Kleang | ★★★½☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps | ½ hour | Photogenic structure right beside the Prasat Suor Prat towers |
SITE | WOW factor | EFFORT | TIME needed | brief INFO |
Angkor Wat | ★★★★★ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps | 2 hours |
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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 |
Phnom Bakheng | ★★★★½ | ☻☻☻☻½ uphill hike + steep steps | 1½ hours |
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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 |
Prasat Kravan | ★★½☆☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk | ≤ ½ hour |
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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 |
Banteay Kdei | ★★★★☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk | 1 hour |
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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 |
Sras Srang | ★½☆☆☆ | ☺☺☺☺☺ no effort | 5 minutes |
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10th century 700 x 350 m bathing pond for the king. A few minutes walk across from Banteay Kdei |
Ta Prohm | ★★★★½ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk | 45 minutes |
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12th century Buddhist temple with trees growing out of the ruins. Tomb Raider! Between Banteay Kdei and Ta Keo |
Ta Keo![]() | ★★★★☆ | ☻☻☻☻☺ steep steps | 45 minutes |
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10th century tiered pyramid temple mountain with sandstone towers. Near Ta Prohm and Thommanon |
Thommanon | ★★★☆☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk | 20 minutes |
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Small 11th century Hindu temple. Intricate carvings! Near Victory Gate of Angkor Thom |
SITE | WOW factor | EFFORT | 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 | ★★☆☆☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk | 10 minutes |
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Small temple with 4 brick towers |
Preah Ko | ★★★☆☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk | 20 minutes |
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Small temple with 6 brick towers |
Bakong | ★★★★☆ | ☻☻☻☺☺ some steps | ½ hour |
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Sandstone temple mountain with elephant statues |
SITE | WOW factor | EFFORT | TIME needed | brief INFO |
Banteay Srei![]() | ★★★★☆ | ☻☺☺☺☺ easy | ½ hour |
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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 |
Kbal Spean | ★★½☆☆ | ☻☻☻☻☺ uphill hike | 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 |
SITE | WOW factor | EFFORT | TIME needed | brief INFO |
TonlĂ© Sap | ★★½☆☆ | ☺☺☺☺☺ no effort | 1½ hours |
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Get a boat ride on the river to the lake. There are locals living in floating villages. It's 16 km from Siem Reap |
Angkor Thom's West Gate ♦ Bayon ♦ Baphuon ♦ Phimeanakas ♦ Terrace of the Elephants ♦ Prasat Suor Prat ♦ North Kleang |
Angkor Wat ♦ Phnom Bakheng ♦ Prasat Kravan ♦ Banteay Kdei ♦ Sras Srang ♦ Ta Prohm ♦ Ta Keo ♦ Thommanon |
Roluos Group's Lolei ♦ Preah Ko ♦ Bakong ♦♦♦♦♦ Banteay Srei ♦ Kbal Spean ♦♦♦♦♦ TonlĂ© Sap |