A Weekend Itinerary in Siem Reap Cambodia
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap Cambodia 2024’
The largest religious site in the world. Shouldn’t need to say much more to persuade you for an expedition to Siem Reap Cambodia.
Below I’m going to give you a full itinerary as for how you can prepare for a weekend stay in Siem Reap Cambodia. This itinerary will be based on the assumption that you’ll be spending between 2-3 full days total in the area.
Notes Beforehand:
I will note; it’s detrimental to bring crisp dollars of your own currency to Cambodia upon arrival unless you’ve already completed your visa online ahead of time. When arriving to Siem reap the closest airport is Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) which is easy to navigate. You’ll be immediately greeted by customs and the process to getting your visa which can become complex if you don’t have an exchangeable currency readily available. The process took under 30 minutes for myself, but can depend on your time of arrival i’m sure.
Ensure you’ve got plenty of bugspray and sunscreen. This is one of the hottest and humid area’s I visited while in South-East Asia.
There are vans that offer transport for roughly $25 USD to and from the airport, and if you can split the cost with another set of travelers as we did it can reduce the total price. The drive itself will take about one hour from downtown Siem Reap, and can be easily booked through the grab app as well.
I recommend staying somewhere on the outskirts of town to avoid surfacing traffic noise. Here is the hotel we booked for multiple nights which gave us a fantastic experience. The staff was outgoing, and made us a complimentary breakfast each morning. Our room was clean and quiet with no major complaints. It’s location was easily accessible to downtown Siem Reap via Tuk-Tuk which can be ordered on grab, or arranged via the reception desk. The host Chenda was exceptional, and was receptive to our every need. LINK LISTED BELOW
Day 1:
Morning: Upon arrival, check into your hotel, airbnb, or hostel. Afterwards enjoy time at a local cafe, or a breakfast nearby.
Mid-Morning: Explore Siem Reap town. This is a walkable area but can get quite hot during the day, and with it’s sandy streets I’d wear durable shoes. The town itself is a host to grand selection of fantastic restaurants, numerous markets, and has a charming rural feel. The people are quite helpful/welcoming as we sat down on multiple occasions and met owners who were overjoyed and hosted fantastic traditional meals.
Optionally visit the Angkor National Museum to get an introduction to the history and culture of the Angkor region.
Afternoon: Head to Wat Preah Prom Rath to explore a beautiful Buddhist temple.
Enjoy a relaxing stroll along the Siem Reap River and maybe take a boat ride.
Evening: Dinner at a local restaurant (Here’s a list of highly recommended restaurants I found useful) https://greenwanderlust.org/slow-travel-blog/best-food-in-siem-reap
Spend the night wandering pub street and enjoying meeting locals/ other travelers. This street radiates exuberant energy and it’s hard not to take full advantage of. It holds a sense of opportunity rivaling other cities I’ve visited in the past. Finish the night sitting beneath the stars speaking to strangers about the lengths they’ve traveled to see the temples of ancient past. Pub street is one for the books and I myself had too much fun at Temple Bar amongst many others.
Bayon Temple 24’
Day 2:
Morning: What better way to start your adventure than sunrise at Angkor Wat. Wake up early to witness the sun peak through the conjoined tree line that meets the temples tops. This is considered the largest religious site in the world with an deepened history rooted in Hindu and Buddhist culture. In full transparency, the mornings can be a bit overcrowded for sunrise, and sunset may be a more appealing draw for those looking for less commotion. A tuk-tuk can be called via grab to get you here, while it’s recommended you set this up the night prior. You can preset a ride through the app, hotel accommodations, or rental motorbikes. I’d spend at least an hour to two here, you really could spend an entire day wandering the grounds but there’s more beauty to see!
Mid-Morning: Segway down the road 15 minutes to explore Ta Prohm Temple. This temple is the host site to famous film Tomb Raider featuring lora croft played by Angelina Jolie. It’s worth a deep exploration as enormous silk cotton and thitpok trees portrude from the cracks of the temple walls.
Afternoon: Angkor Thom home to Bayon temple resides closer to Angkor Wat and is a non-negotiable amongst this list. The temple greeted us to an abundance of macaques (monkeys) which was an added surprise. You can find them littered amongst the temples, and it’s increasingly important to give them space unless you’re looking for monkey fever. Noteworthy sights in the area include Bayon’s enigmatic stone faces, the Terrace of the Elephants, and the Terrace of the Leper King.
Bayon Temple - Monkeying Around 24’
Evening: Highly recommend sitting atop Phnom Bakheng as the golden sunlight caramelizes the treetops. This temple is formed as a mountain… Ironically on the top of a mountain. Sandwiched between Bayon temple and Angkor Wat this site offers panoramic views and overlooks Tonle Sap Lake with seating for large audiences as the sun fades below the horizon.
- Visiting the night market should also be held high upon everyone’s list. Siem Reap’s old market has something to offer everyone from clothing brands, souvenirs, watches, jewelry, artwork, and even fried bugs you can try.
Other Noteworthy Activities:
Phare the Cambodian Circus
Visit The Floating Village
Explore Tonle Sap Lake
Cambodian Cooking Class
Countryside Bike Tour
Street Found Tour
Apsara Dance Show
Artisans Angkor
Other Noteworthy Temples:
Banteay Srei Temple
Preah Khan
Banteay Kdei
