3 Days in Siem Reap: First-Timer Plan
Three days is the sweet spot for a first Angkor trip - enough time for both circuits, Banteay Srei, and a slower morning in town without feeling rushed. Buy the 3-day Angkor Pass ($62, usable on any 3 days within a 10-day window) from Angkor Enterprise before you start, not from anyone selling tickets outside the temple gates.
Day 1
Start at Angkor Wat for sunrise, then spend the morning inside the temple itself. If you want to reach the Bakan, the upper level, wear sleeves and long pants or a skirt - a scarf over bare shoulders won’t get you past the guards there. From Angkor Wat, move to Angkor Thom: walk through the South Gate, take in the Bayon’s 216 carved faces, then pass the Terrace of the Elephants.
Lunch runs $5-10 near the Angkor Thom gates. In the afternoon, visit Ta Prohm, where the tree roots draped over the stone are original to the site’s condition when it was found, left that way on purpose. For dinner, budget $15-25 on Pub Street, then walk the street itself before heading back.
Day 1 tip: hire a tuk-tuk driver for the full day rather than negotiating separate short rides - a day rate runs about $20-25 and includes waiting time between stops.
Day 2
Head out early to Banteay Srei, about 37km from town, for the pink sandstone carving that’s widely considered the finest at Angkor. On the way back, work through the Grand Circuit: Preah Khan, Neak Pean, and Ta Keo. Lunch near the Grand Circuit temples runs $5-10.
In the afternoon, spend time in Siem Reap town itself. The Angkor National Museum is worth an hour for context on the Khmer Empire before or after the temple days. If you’re interested in Cambodia’s more recent history, the Cambodia Landmine Museum, founded by former child soldier turned deminer Aki Ra, is a dignified stop that funds ongoing demining work (around $5 entry) - it deserves quiet attention, not a rushed photo.
For sunset, choose between Phnom Bakheng, which caps at 300 visitors on the summit and needs a 4pm arrival in peak season, or Pre Rup as a lower-key alternative. Dinner near Pub Street runs $15-25.
Day 2 tip: if evenings are open, book Phare - The Cambodian Circus ($18-35) ahead of time - performances by graduates of an NGO arts school for at-risk youth sell out in peak season.
Day 3
Use your last day for a slower pace and the town’s craft side. Visit Artisans Angkor for a free workshop tour showing the Khmer-craft revival behind their products, then browse Psar Chas, the Old Market, for souvenirs - haggling is normal here.
If you haven’t used all three days on your Angkor Pass, this is a good day to revisit Angkor Wat at a quieter hour or catch a temple you rushed past earlier. Lunch and an afternoon of shopping or a spa visit round out the day before your departure.
Day 3 tip: confirm your departure transfer the night before - flights now leave from the new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI), 45-75 minutes from town, not the old in-town airport, so leave more buffer than you’d expect.
Read more: the full Siem Reap Travel Guide 2026: What to Know covers the Angkor Pass mechanics and when to go, and 5 Days in Siem Reap: First-Timer Plan shows what to add with two extra days.