Place · Bayon & Angkor Thom

Bayonបាយ័ន

Go at first light or after 15:30: the carved faces work best in low sun; 60 minutes on the terraces, then the Baphuon on foot.

go at hour · at openingadmission: unknownNot field-verified

Add to a day →

Key facts

Time on site: 50–75 min; p95 110 min
Price: US$37 or more; adult, 2026 estimate
Hours: 07:00–?7:00 AM–?; typical, check
Best time: at opening; quietest window
28″ bags: No; Bayon & Angkor Thom: forbidden
Getting there: Tuk-tuk or car to the south gate of Angkor Thom

About 200 faces
Go early or after 15:30
Go at opening
Queue: switch at 20 min
Works with kids

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 8Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…Angkor temples enforce a dress code

Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
Cambodia ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal; lookalike sites charge extra. Some nationalities can also get a visa on arrival.
Cambodia ↗Angkor Wat and other active temples enforce a dress code: shoulders and knees covered, or you are turned away at the gate.
Cambodia ↗US dollars are used for most tourist prices; carry clean, undamaged small notes and some riel for change under one dollar.
Northwest Cambodia ↗Shoulders and knees covered at every Angkor temple; guards check at the main gates.
Siem Reap ↗Angkor temples enforce a dress code: shoulders and knees covered; carry a scarf or light shirt in your day pack.
Siem Reap ↗Buy the Angkor pass only at the official ticket office in town, not from touts or at the temple gates; carry it and your ID, it is checked at every temple.

Actions

Usually Opens 07:00

Map & directions

Google Maps Apple Maps Street View

Directions

From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

Go now?

hours and prices: check on the day

Open: Usually Opens 07:00Usually Opens 7:00 AM
Crowds: Quietest around 06:00 or 16:00 · go at opening
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Quietest Tue–Thu · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
Tickets: Child: Free (carry a passport copy; check)
Free under 12 (carry ID, check)
Time to spend: 50–75 min · up to 110 min if you linger

Directions Add to a day →

Know before you go

The Angkor pass covers the Bayon and all of Angkor Thom; carry it and your ID.
Go at opening for the softest light, or after 15:30 when the tour buses have left.Go at opening for the softest light, or after 3:30 PM when the tour buses have left.
Dress code applies: shoulders and knees covered.
The upper terrace is reached by steep steps; the faces are best seen from the third level.
Drinks stalls at the east entrance; shade is limited at midday.

Best time of day

Go at opening. Plan 50–75 min inside.

quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary dry-season day; tour buses arrive 09:30–11:30

Weather here, next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

30min

Worthwhile

50min

Typical

75min

p95

110min

Opening hours are not printed until verified; entry needs the Angkor pass.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board

Where to buy: Buy at the entrance on the day.
Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
Angkor pass, 1 day: Official Angkor ticket office, cash or card (check)
Angkor pass, 3 days (valid within 10 days) or 7 days (valid within a month): Same office
Children under 12: Same office
Tour-operator "skip-the-line" bundle: Marketplaces and touts
Official site ↗
Queues: Go at opening for the softest light, or after 15:30 when the tour buses have left.Go at opening for the softest light, or after 3:30 PM when the tour buses have left.
Arrive at opening or after 15:30.Arrive at opening or after 3:30 PM.
Tour-operator "skip-the-line" bundle: The pass is not sold at the temple gates; the ticket office is the only source.
Dress code: Shoes: On; no shorts or sleeveless tops.
What to wear: dress-code checker
Bags & lockers: Day bags fine.
Lockers or cloakroom (no) Leave big bags at the hotel.
Photos: Allowed; no flash on carvings; no drones.
Drones banned without a permit; tripods not on the terraces.
What's closed: WeeklyOpen every day.
RepairscheckParts of the upper terrace close for restoration in some years.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.

Ticket	Price	Where to buy	Skip-the-line reality
Angkor pass, 1 day	US$37 or more (2026 estimate; the price has been rising, check)	Official Angkor ticket office, cash or card (check)	Buy the afternoon before: the office sells next-day entry from late afternoon (check hours).
Angkor pass, 3 days (valid within 10 days) or 7 days (valid within a month)	About US$62 and US$72 in earlier years (check current)	Same office	A multi-day pass saves money if you also want Ta Prohm and Banteay Srei.
Children under 12	Free (carry a passport copy; check)	Same office	—
Tour-operator "skip-the-line" bundle	Tour price, not the pass	Marketplaces and touts	The pass is not sold at the temple gates; the ticket office is the only source.

Inside, in order

65 min without detours

Outer gallery bas-reliefs
20 min
Scenes of war and daily life: markets, boats, cockfights, in a single row.
Terraces and inner gallery
20 min
Stairs up to the faces; watch the steps.
The upper terrace with the faces
25 min
About 200 stone faces on 37 towers (approximate); the most photographed area.
extra ticket
Baphuon (a short walk)
20 min
An 11th-century temple-mountain to the north; a quieter follow-up.
optional

Plan this visit

saved in this browser only

I reach the gate at

Time inside

Crowd on arrival: heavy
Worst while inside: packed
Leave by: 09:159:15 AM
Closing buffer: 495′

Workable but crowded. The quietest start that fits is 16:00 (light at worst).Workable but crowded. The quietest start that fits is 4:00 PM (light at worst).

Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 17:30. Around 17:30; check for your date.
Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.

How to do it well

1Arrive at opening or after 15:30.
2Start at the outer gallery, then climb to the terraces.
3Walk on to the Baphuon or exit at the east entrance for drinks.

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work

Getting in

Stop: Tuk-tuk or car to the south gate of Angkor Thom
Exit: —
Ticket: on site · official site
Stairs: unknown
Shoes: Shoes on; no shorts or sleeveless tops.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock: Tour buses 09:30–11:30; quieter early and late.Tour buses 9:30 AM–11:30 AM; quieter early and late.
Sensory load: 3/5
Exposure: high
Queue rule: Switch if the queue passes 20 min; come back when under 8.

Bailouts

heat
Drinks stalls at the east entrance
crowd
Baphuon first, return at 15:30

Nearest rescue anchor: A — Bayon east entrance drinks stalls (field-verify)

Step-free check

Step-free route

1The outer gallery is largely level; the upper terraces are steps only.
2Ask the driver to drop you at the east entrance for the shortest walk.

Combine with

nearest first

0 minTa Prohm — A 10 min tuk-tuk east.
8 minBaphuon
15 minTerrace of the Elephants — A long carved terrace north of the Bayon.
—Angkor Wat — Do it the day before at sunrise.
—Angkor National Museum — Air-conditioned midday break.
—Baphuon, a few minutes' walk

Walk the Bayon & Angkor Thom area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Best photo time today

Sun times for today load in your browser.

Spot	When	Rule on the spot
Faces on the upper terrace	First light or 15:30–17:00First light or 3:30 PM–5:00 PM	Do not lean on the stone; no climbing on fenced walls.
Outer gallery reliefs	Any time; softer light in the morning	No flash on carvings.
South gate causeway	Early morning	Stay behind the barrier.

Red lines

Shoulders and knees covered.
Do not climb on fenced structures or touch the carvings.

More on the groundFacilities · Seasons · Who it suits · Skip it if · Rules on site · With kids6 parts

Rules on site

enforced at the gate or by guards

food: Not on the terraces.

With kids

kids: ok

with kids: Children like looking for faces; steps are steep, so hold hands.
child price: Free under 12 (carry ID, check)

Facilities on site

What	Status	Where / note
Toilets	yes	Near the east and south entrances; small fee at some.
Café or food	yes	Drinks stalls at the east entrance.
Drinking water	limited	Bottled water at stalls; carry your own.
Lockers or cloakroom	no	Leave big bags at the hotel.
Seating	limited	Low walls and shaded steps around the terraces.
Card or IC payment	no	Cash at stalls.

Seasons, festivals and night openings

When	What happens	Effect on your visit
Nov–Feb	Peak season	Tour buses fill the terrace by 10:00; go at opening.Tour buses fill the terrace by 10:00 AM; go at opening.
Mar–May	Hot season	The stone holds heat; go at first light.
Jun–Oct	Wet season	Fewer visitors, wet steps.

“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.

Who it suits

Traveler	Fit	Why
First visit to Siem Reap	good	The faces are the other must-see at Angkor.
Photographers	good	Low sun on the faces.
Families with small kids	ok	Shorter than Angkor Wat; steep steps on the terraces.
Wheelchair users	poor	Outer gallery only.

Skip it if

You have only 45 minutes and want a shady walk: choose Ta Prohm.
You cannot cover shoulders and knees.

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated

Are there shaded rest spots?

Only limited: low walls in the terrace shade and drinks stalls at the east entrance.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

How long do I need at the Bayon?

45–75 minutes for the reliefs and the terrace; add 30 minutes for the Baphuon.

When is the best light?

First light in the morning, or after 15:30 when the sun is low and the stone glows.First light in the morning, or after 3:30 PM when the sun is low and the stone glows.

Is the Bayon covered by the pass?

Yes. Carry the pass and your ID; it is checked at the gate.

How do I get there?

A tuk-tuk from town takes 25–30 minutes; from Angkor Wat 15–20 minutes.

Do I need a guide?

Not required, but a licensed guide helps with the reliefs; agree the price first.

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources

officialMinistry of Tourism of Cambodia
officialUNESCO — Angkor