Siem Reap Travel Guide 2026: What to Know
Siem Reap exists because of Angkor. The town sits next to the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the former capital of the Khmer Empire, and almost everything a visitor does here orbits the temples a few kilometers away. This guide covers what actually changed recently, what the temple tickets cost, and how many days to give the place.
Getting there
The airport situation changed in 2023. The old in-town airport (REP) closed to commercial traffic, and all flights now land at the new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI), roughly 45-75 minutes southeast of town depending on traffic. Budget for that transfer time when booking a same-day temple visit. A pre-booked taxi runs about $30-35; a shared van is closer to $8-9.
If you’re coming from Bangkok, fly rather than bus. The Thailand-Cambodia land border has been closed since June 2025, so overland routes from Thailand aren’t an option right now. Flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap run normally. From Phnom Penh, it’s a straightforward overland trip of about 5-6 hours by bus, roughly 315km.
On safety: Cambodia sits at US State Department Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution), which is a routine rating, not a warning to stay away. A 2025 border clash between Thailand and Cambodia near Preah Vihear, about 150km from Siem Reap, has held under a ceasefire since December 2025. It has no practical effect on a trip to Angkor, which sits outside every restricted zone.
Entry requirements
Apply for the e-Visa at evisa.gov.kh only ($36, about 3 business days processing) - there are copycat sites that charge more for the same visa, so double-check the URL. Visa-on-arrival is also available for roughly $30-35 cash. Both cover a 30-day tourist visa. Your passport needs at least 6 months of validity and a blank page.
Money
Cambodia is dollarized: prices are quoted in US dollars, and ATMs dispense USD. The Cambodian riel (around 4,000 to the dollar) only shows up as small change for amounts under a dollar. Bring clean, undamaged bills - torn or heavily marked notes get refused by vendors and even some banks. Some ATMs now dispense mostly $100 notes, so break large bills at a hotel or bank rather than a market stall. Budget travelers can get by on $25-35 a day; a comfortable mid-range trip runs $60-100 a day. Tipping isn’t mandatory but is appreciated: around $5 a day for a guide, $2.50 for a driver.
The Angkor Pass
Every temple visit runs through one ticket system, sold only by Angkor Enterprise - either at their office or through ticket.angkorenterprise.gov.kh. It is not sold at the temples themselves, and resellers offering “skip the line” passes should be avoided. As of this writing: a 1-day pass is $37, a 3-day pass (usable on any 3 days within a 10-day window) is $62, and a 7-day pass (any 7 days within 30) is $72 - confirm current pricing before you go, since fees have shifted before. A photo is taken at purchase and printed directly on the pass, since it doubles as your ID at the gates. Children under 12 get in free with a passport as proof of age.
The must-see temples
Angkor Wat is the anchor of the whole park - the largest religious monument in the world, built in the 12th century under Suryavarman II, its five towers reflected in a moat at sunrise. The upper level, the Bakan, enforces a genuinely strict dress code: shoulders and knees need to be covered by actual sleeves and hemlines, not a scarf draped over bare skin, and there’s a visitor cap on that level.
Angkor Thom is the last walled capital of the Khmer Empire, and its centerpiece, the Bayon, is famous for 216 giant carved faces spread across 54 towers. Walk through the South Gate, past the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King, and stop at Baphuon on the way out.
Ta Prohm is the temple most people recognize from photos even if they don’t know its name - strangler-fig and silk-cotton tree roots left deliberately draped over the stonework rather than cleared away.
Further out, Banteay Srei (about 37km, still covered by the Angkor Pass) is carved from pink sandstone and widely considered the finest carving in the whole park. Preah Khan is a large, atmospheric former monastery-university; Neak Pean is an island shrine that looks completely different wet-season full versus dry-season empty; Ta Keo is an unfinished temple worth a quick stop. For sunset, Phnom Bakheng is the classic hilltop spot but caps at 300 visitors on the summit - arrive by 4pm in peak season or you won’t get up. Pre Rup is a solid lower-key alternative, though it’s a sunset spot, not a sunrise one - don’t confuse the two. The Small Circuit (about 17km) covers Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm in a day; the Grand Circuit (about 26km) covers the outer temples. The Roluos Group, the empire’s earliest 9th-century temples, is included on the standard pass.
Three sites require separate tickets, not covered by the Angkor Pass: Beng Mealea (about 65km out, a jungle-swallowed temple, around $10), Koh Ker (about 110km, a striking 7-tier pyramid, around $15, often paired with Beng Mealea in one long day), and Phnom Kulen (the mountain considered the birthplace of the Khmer Empire, with a waterfall and reclining Buddha, around $20 - the road up is one-way and only runs in the morning).
Siem Reap town
Pub Street is the nightlife strip, and Psar Chas (the Old Market) next to it is the place for souvenirs and street food - haggling is expected. The Angkor National Museum gives useful context before or after visiting the temples themselves. Phare - The Cambodian Circus is worth booking ahead: it’s staffed by graduates of an NGO arts school for at-risk youth, and the acrobatics are genuinely excellent, not just a feel-good add-on (around $18-35, nightly). Artisans Angkor runs free workshop tours showing the Khmer-craft revival behind its products.
Two sites handle Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge and landmine history with real weight. The Cambodia Landmine Museum was founded by Aki Ra, a former child soldier who was forced to lay mines as a teenager and has spent decades since clearing them; entry is around $5 and funds ongoing demining and support for child survivors. The APOPO Visitor Center (around $8) shows the “HeroRATs” trained to detect landmines by scent. Both are worth an hour of quiet attention, not a quick photo stop.
Tonlé Sap floating villages
Southeast Asia’s largest lake changes dramatically by season - it swells to roughly 4-5 times its dry-season size when the Tonlé Sap River reverses flow in the wet months, then shrinks back to houses on stilts over mud in the dry season. Of the three main villages, skip Chong Khneas, the closest one: it’s worn down by scams, including fake-orphanage donation requests and inflated boat-tour detours. Kampong Phluk and especially Kampong Khleang (about 50km out, the least touristy of the three) are better choices with a reputable operator.
Food
Start with fish amok, the national dish - a coconut-fish mousse steamed in a banana leaf. Lok lak is stir-fried beef over salad; kuy teav is a noodle soup; bai sach chrouk, grilled pork over broken rice, is the classic breakfast. Prahok (fermented fish paste) shows up as a background flavor in a lot of dishes and is worth trying rather than avoiding. For a sit-down meal, Marum is a training restaurant for an NGO alliance, Malis does upscale Khmer food, and Khmer Kitchen is a reliable casual option near Pub Street - confirm hours before you go, since restaurant schedules shift.
Where to stay
The Old Market / Pub Street area is the walkable, central choice for nightlife and dining. Wat Bo is quieter with a trendier gallery scene. Wat Damnak sits along the riverside for a calmer base. Most visitors book near the Old Market and arrange a tuk-tuk driver for the temple days rather than staying out near the airport.
Getting around
Tuk-tuks are the classic way to see the temples - a full-day circuit with a driver waiting between stops runs about $20-25. Grab and PassApp (there’s no Uber in Cambodia) are the ride-hailing apps for cars and tuk-tuks around town, useful for avoiding fare haggling. The temples are spread out enough that a driver is worth it for anything beyond the closest sites, and heat makes early starts worthwhile.
When to go
November through March is dry season and the busiest stretch, with the clearest skies for sunrise photos and the biggest crowds in December and January. March through May gets brutally hot, into the mid-30s Celsius. June through October is wet season - genuinely worth considering, since the reflecting pools are full, crowds thin out, and prices drop, even with afternoon downpours.
How many days
Two to three days is the sweet spot for most visitors - enough for the Small Circuit, the Grand Circuit, Banteay Srei, and one sunrise. A single day feels rushed. Four to seven days lets you add the far temples, a Tonlé Sap village, and Siem Reap town itself at a slower, heat-adjusted pace.
Read more: 3 Days in Siem Reap: First-Timer Plan covers the sweet-spot pace in detail, and Angkor Wat: What to See and How to Visit goes deeper on the temple itself.