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 factor	EFFORT	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	★★★☆☆	☺☺☺☺☺ flat & easy	15 minutes	● map ● Bridge with a row of statues on either side, leading up to gate with giant 4-sided faces
Bayon	★★★★★	☻☻½☺☺ some steps	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
Baphuon	★★★☆☆	☻☻☺☺☺ some steps	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
Phimeanakas	★★★★☆	☻☻☻☺☺ steep steps	½ hour	● map ● 10th century tiered pyramid Hindu temple. Less than 5 minutes to walk here from Baphuon
Terrace of the Elephants	★★★½☆	☻☺☺☺☺ easy steps	15 minutes	● map ● 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	● 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
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	★ 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
Phnom Bakheng	★★★★½	☻☻☻☻½ uphill hike + steep steps	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
Prasat Kravan	★★½☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk	≤ 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
Banteay Kdei	★★★★☆	☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk	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
Sras Srang	★½☆☆☆	☺☺☺☺☺ no effort	5 minutes	★ map ★ 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	★ map ★ 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	★ map ★ 10th century tiered pyramid temple mountain with sandstone towers. Near Ta Prohm and Thommanon
Thommanon	★★★☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk	20 minutes	★ map ★ 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	■ map ■ Small temple with 4 brick towers
Preah Ko	★★★☆☆	☻☺☺☺☺ easy walk	20 minutes	■ map ■ Small temple with 6 brick towers
Bakong	★★★★☆	☻☻☻☺☺ some steps	½ hour	■ map ■ Sandstone temple mountain with elephant statues
SITE	WOW factor	EFFORT	TIME needed	brief INFO
Banteay Srei	★★★★☆	☻☺☺☺☺ easy	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
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
Tonlé Sap	★★½☆☆	☺☺☺☺☺ no effort	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