Place · Angkor Wat

Angkor Watអង្គរវត្ត

Sunrise or late afternoon, not midday: buy the Angkor pass at the official office the day before, dress covered, allow two hours, and leave by 09:30.Sunrise or late afternoon, not midday: buy the Angkor pass at the official office the day before, dress covered, allow two hours, and leave by 9:30 AM.

go at hour · at sunriseadmission: unknownNot field-verified

Add to a day →

Key facts

Time on site: 90–150 min; p95 210 min
Price: US$37 or more; adult, 2026 estimate
Hours: 05:00–?5:00 AM–?; typical, check
Best time: at sunrise; quietest window
28″ bags: No; Angkor Wat: forbidden
Getting there: Tuk-tuk or car to the west causeway

Sunrise 05:30
Shoulders and knees covered
Pass from the ticket office
Go at sunrise
Crowded at peak
Queue: switch at 30 min

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 05:00

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 05:00Usually Opens 5:00 AM
Crowds: Quietest around 14:00–15:00 · go at sunrise
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: 90–150 min · up to 210 min if you linger

Directions Add to a day →

Know before you go

Buy the Angkor pass the afternoon before at the official ticket office; the sunrise queue at the gate is not where to buy it.
A tuk-tuk or car leaves town around 04:45 for a 05:30 sunrise; the west causeway is dark, so bring a torch or phone light.A tuk-tuk or car leaves town around 4:45 AM for a 5:30 AM sunrise; the west causeway is dark, so bring a torch or phone light.
Shoulders and knees must be covered; the guards check at the gate to the central enclosure and turn people away.
The upper level (Bakan) has a limited-entry system with queues and age limits; closed on some days (check).
Sunrise crowds gather at the reflecting pond; walk the outer galleries or leave by 09:30 for quieter light.Sunrise crowds gather at the reflecting pond; walk the outer galleries or leave by 9:30 AM for quieter light.
Water and small notes: drinks stalls sit at the east gate and at the entrance road; prices are higher than in town.

Best time of day

Go at sunrise. Plan 90–150 min inside.

quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary dry-season day; the wet season and low season are lighter, and Chinese New Year and Christmas weeks are heavier

Weather here, next 7 days

Loading forecast…

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

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

60min

Worthwhile

90min

Typical

150min

p95

210min

Opening hours, the sunrise entry time and the pass office hours are not printed until verified for your date.

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: Buy the Angkor pass the afternoon before at the official ticket office; the sunrise queue at the gate is not where to buy it.
The upper level (Bakan) has a limited-entry system with queues and age limits; closed on some days (check).
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; hats off in the sanctuary.
What to wear: dress-code checker
Bags & lockers: Small day bags fine; big bags will be refused at the causeway (check).
Lockers or cloakroom (no) Leave big bags at the hotel.
Photos: Allowed outside and in galleries; no flash on carvings; drones need a permit and are usually banned.
Drones banned without a permit; tripods only where they do not block the path.
What's closed: WeeklyOpen every day.
Upper levelcheckCloses on some Buddhist holy days, in very hot or wet weather, and for repairs.
Khmer New Year, Pchum BencheckPass office and some services may close or run short hours.
Inside: Central sanctuary and upper levelcheckSteep stairs to the towers; limited entry and age limits (check).
“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

120 min without detours

West causeway and gate
15 min
The 200 m stone causeway over the moat; nagas (serpent balustrades) and the first view of the towers.
Reflecting pond
20 min
The classic sunrise photograph; arrive before 05:15 for a good position.The classic sunrise photograph; arrive before 5:15 AM for a good position.
Outer galleries and bas-reliefs
40 min
Eight panels of carved stories, including the Churning of the Sea of Milk and the Battle of Kurukshetra.
extra ticket
Central sanctuary and upper level
30 min
Steep stairs to the towers; limited entry and age limits (check).
extra ticketcheck
Libraries and east gate
15 min
Quieter side; drinks stalls and the exit road.

Plan this visit

saved in this browser only

I reach the gate at

Time inside

Crowd on arrival: heavy
Worst while inside: heavy
Leave by: 10:3010:30 AM
Closing buffer: 420′

Workable but crowded. The quietest start that fits is 13:00 (busy at worst).Workable but crowded. The quietest start that fits is 1:00 PM (busy at worst).

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

How to do it well

1Buy the pass the afternoon before and carry your ID.
2Leave town 04:45; walk the west causeway in the dark.
3Sit at the pond for sunrise or skip the crowd and walk into the galleries as they open.
4Leave by 09:30; return in the late afternoon if you want another look.

On the ground

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

Getting in

Stop: Tuk-tuk or car to the west causeway
Exit: —
Ticket: on site · official site
Stairs: unknown
Shoes: Shoes on; no shorts or sleeveless tops; hats off in the sanctuary.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock: Sunrise crowds on the west causeway and at the pond; quietest after 09:30 and late afternoon.Sunrise crowds on the west causeway and at the pond; quietest after 9:30 AM and late afternoon.
Sensory load: 4/5
Exposure: high
Queue rule: Switch if the queue passes 30 min; come back when under 10.

Bailouts

heat
Drinks stalls by the east gate
crowd
Walk the outer galleries and return at 15:30

Nearest rescue anchor: A — Central galleries courtyard shade (field-verify)

Step-free check

Accessible toilet: check · checkConfirm; rare at temples.
Ramps: yes · yesBring a wheelchair with large wheels and a helper; wooden ramps have been added in places (check).

Step-free route

1A ramped route runs from the moat entrance to the west causeway; ask the driver for the nearest drop-off.
2The causeway and central courtyard are level stone; the central tower is steep steps only.
3Bring a wheelchair with large wheels and a helper; wooden ramps have been added in places (check).

Combine with

nearest first

0 minBayon and Angkor Thom — A 15–20 min tuk-tuk ride north.
0 minTa Prohm — A 15 min tuk-tuk ride east.
0 minPhnom Bakheng (sunset hill) — A 10 min ride; queues in the late afternoon.
6 minDrinks and noodle stalls at the gate
6 minGate stalls · eat — Breakfast after sunrise, before the heat.
—Angkor National Museum — Air-conditioned midday break.

Walk the Angkor Wat 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
Pond and the five towers at dawn	Before sunrise, 05:15–06:30Before sunrise, 5:15 AM–6:30 AM	Do not block the causeway; tripods are fine at the water edge if space allows.
West causeway, looking back	Late afternoon	Stay behind the barriers.
Gallery corridor light	Mid-morning	No flash on carved panels.
East gate with lawns and monks	After 09:30After 9:30 AM	Ask before photographing monks; never pose on the temple walls.

Red lines

Shoulders and knees covered; guards turn people away.
Do not climb on fenced structures; steps at the upper level are steep and closed at times.

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: No eating inside the sanctuary; snacks at the stalls.

With kids

kids: caution

with kids: The moat and causeway are fun; the steps to the upper level are steep, so hold hands and set a time limit.
child price: Free under 12 (carry ID, check)

Facilities on site

What	Status	Where / note
Toilets	yes	Near the west gate and the entrance road; small fee at some.
Accessible toilet	check	Confirm; rare at temples.
Lockers or cloakroom	no	Leave big bags at the hotel.
Café or food	yes	Drinks stalls and small cafés near the moat and the east gate.
Drinking water	limited	Bottled water at stalls; carry a refillable bottle.
Seating	limited	Steps and low walls in the shade; benches near the west gate.
Card or IC payment	check	Assume cash for stalls; the pass office takes cards (check).

Seasons, festivals and night openings

When	What happens	Effect on your visit	Dates
Nov–Feb	Dry-season peak	Sunrise crowds of hundreds; go on a weekday or skip the pond and walk the galleries.	check
Mar–May	Hot season	Above 35 °C by 10:00; leave by 09:00.Above 35 °C by 10:00 AM; leave by 9:00 AM.Above 95 °F by 10:00; leave by 09:00.Above 95 °F by 10:00 AM; leave by 9:00 AM.
Jun–Oct	Wet season	Fewer people, wet steps, cloud over sunrise; still worth going early.
13–16 Apr	Khmer New Year	Local families visit; the site is busier than usual.	check

“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 headline sight; done in the cool of the morning.
Photographers	good	Dawn at the pond and low light in the galleries.
Families with small kids	caution	Steps and heat; go early and stay outside.
Wheelchair users	poor	Steps everywhere; the causeway and outer galleries only.
Visitors who dislike crowds	caution	Sunrise is the peak; late afternoon is quieter.

Skip it if

You can only visit between 11:00 and 15:00 in the hot season.You can only visit between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM in the hot season.
You cannot cover shoulders and knees.

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated

Can I buy the pass at the temple?

No. Only the official ticket office sells it; touts and gate sellers are not official.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

Is there shade?

Only inside the galleries and under a few trees; carry a hat and water.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

What time does Angkor Wat open?

The park opens around 05:00 and closes about 17:30 (check the official hours). Sunrise entry needs the pass in hand.The park opens around 5:00 AM and closes about 5:30 PM (check the official hours). Sunrise entry needs the pass in hand.

Where do I buy the ticket?

Only at the official Angkor ticket office on the road to Angkor. You cannot buy it at the temple gate.

How long do I need?

About 2–3 hours for the galleries and a walk in the central enclosure; add 1 hour for the sunrise pond.

Is sunrise worth it?

For the light and the cool, yes; for space, no. Go if you like a crowd; otherwise arrive at 07:00 when the crowd has left.For the light and the cool, yes; for space, no. Go if you like a crowd; otherwise arrive at 7:00 AM when the crowd has left.

What should I wear?

Shoulders and knees covered; a scarf in your bag solves it. Guards turn people away at the central enclosure.

Can I climb to the top?

The upper level has limited entry and age limits, and closes at times; check the day. The steps are steep.

How do I get there?

A tuk-tuk or car from town takes 20–30 minutes; a day hire is cheaper than single rides.

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