Place · Old Market & Pub Street
Wat Damnakវត្តដំណាក់
A working pagoda compound ten minutes from Pub Street: go in the cool early morning or the late afternoon for a quiet courtyard and monks.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 25–40 min
- p95 60 min
- Price
- Free; a donation is welcome
- adult, 2026 estimate
- Hours
- unknown
- see note below
- Best time
- 07:00 or 17:00
- desk crowd estimate
- 28″ bags
- Painful
- Old Market & Pub Street: painful
- Getting there
- Walk from the Old Market, about 10–12 min
- Free
- Working pagoda
- Quiet
- Free entry
- Shoes off inside
- 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.
Map & directions
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
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Quietest around 07:00 or 17:00
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: Free; a donation is welcome
- Time to spend
- 25–40 min · up to 60 min if you linger
Know before you go
- A living Buddhist compound, not a museum: monks live and study here.
- Dress modestly and speak softly.
- A pagoda hall with murals; ask before entering.
- Free entry; a small donation is welcome.
- Quiet before 09:00 and after 16:00.Quiet before 9:00 AM and after 4:00 PM.
Best time of day
Plan 25–40 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate; busier on Buddhist holy days
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
15min
Worthwhile
25min
Typical
40min
p95
60min
Opening hours are not printed until verified for your date; confirm locally.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- No ticket needed.
- Entry: Gate
- Free to enter; a small donation is welcome.
- Free entry.
- Dress code
- Shoes: Off in the prayer hall.
- Bags & lockers
- Day bags fine.
- Photos
- Allowed outdoors; ask in the hall and for monks.
- Not appropriate.
- What's closed
- WeeklyOpen through the week.
- CeremoniescheckThe hall may close for a ceremony.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Where to buy | Skip-the-line reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free; a donation is welcome | Gate | — |
Inside, in order
Main pagoda hall
10 minMural paintings and a Buddha image; remove shoes.
Courtyard and stupas
10 minShaded paths and small stupas.
Monks' quarters (view only)
5 minDo not enter living areas.
Plan this visit
- Crowd on arrival
- quiet
- Worst while inside
- quiet
- Leave by
- 08:408:40 AM
- Closing buffer
- 500′
Good window: go.
- Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 17:00. Open through the day; monks' hours vary.
- Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.
How to do it well
- 1Walk from the Old Market; cover shoulders and knees.
- 2Remove shoes before the prayer hall.
- 3Leave a small donation if you wish.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Walk from the Old Market, about 10–12 min
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- unknown
- Shoes
- Shoes off inside prayer halls; shoulders and knees covered.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Quiet all day; busy on holy days and at ceremonies.
- Sensory load
- 1/5
- Exposure
- medium
Bailouts
heat
om-c
rain
om-c
Nearest rescue anchor: C — Wat Damnak courtyard
Step-free check
Step-free route
- 1Paved compound; a few steps to the main hall.
Combine with
- 5 minRiver path
- 10 minOld Market · eat — A short walk north-west.
- 12 minPub Street
- 12 minFish amok dinner · eat — A sit-down dinner near the centre.
Walk the Old Market & Pub Street 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Courtyard in morning light | Early morning | Ask before photographing monks; no flash in the hall. |
Red lines
- Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off in prayer halls.
- Women do not touch monks or hand things directly to them.
More on the groundFacilities · Seasons · Who it suits · Skip it if · Rules on site · With kids
Rules on site
- food
- No eating in the hall.
With kids
- with kids
- Calm, shady and safe; teach children to be quiet and respectful.
- child price
- Free
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | limited | Small facilities; carry tissues. |
| Drinking water | no | Bring your own. |
| Seating | yes | Shaded benches in the courtyard. |
| Café or food | no | Cafés along the road nearby. |
| Card or IC payment | no | Donations in cash. |
Seasons, festivals and night openings
| When | What happens | Effect on your visit | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep–Oct | Pchum Ben | Many families bring offerings; the pagoda is busy and the mood is festive. | check |
| 13–16 Apr | Khmer New Year | Ceremonies and crowds. | 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 | ok | A quiet look at a living pagoda. |
| Budget travellers | good | Free. |
| Families with small kids | ok | Calm; keep voices low. |
| Wheelchair users | ok | Mostly paved, with a few steps. |
Skip it if
- You want big sights: the temples of Angkor are the reason to come.
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
Is it quiet?
Yes, apart from holy days and ceremonies.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is Wat Damnak free?
Yes. A small donation is welcome.
How long do I need?
20–30 minutes.
What should I wear?
Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off inside the hall.
Can I take photos?
Outdoors yes; ask inside the hall and before photographing monks.
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
- ClusterOld Market & Pub Streetnearest point: Wat Damnak courtyard10 m · 1 min walk
- Sleep areaWat Damnak & the river's east bank110 m · 2 min walk
- EatOld Market food stalls370 m · 6 min walk
- EatKhmer restaurant for fish amok (confirm locally)380 m · 6 min walk
- Sleep areaOld Market & Pub Street440 m · 7 min walk
- EatNight market street food900 m · 15 min walk
Sources
- officialMinistry of Tourism of Cambodia