Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the world and the holiest site in all of Cambodia. The sprawling ruins of the former Khmer Empire is an absolute must-visit and you will make it there on day 3 of your 11-day tour with us.
While the temple complex remains open from sunrise to sunset nearly every day, this is one day to wake up with the sun! Here are five reasons why:
Morning View Is The Best View
The sun comes up behind the largest spire of the temple complex as you enter. This is absolute magic with the sunrise glow covering the entire scene. Angkor Wat is very much hidden in a jungle paradise which only adds to the enchantment. At sunset, there is also no view of the sun going down from within the temple so this morning view is much preferred!
Smaller Crowds
This impressive architecture and the sheer size and history of Angkor Wat does draw a crowd. There will be throngs of tourists on large group tours streaming into the temple come mid-afternoon. Queues to enter the viewpoints will be snaking through busy crowds and there will be a lot of competing microphones, in competing languages, and we suggest avoiding this chaos.
Cooler Weather
Cambodia gets hot (find more on the weather here). The steamy conditions can make sightseeing a bit more taxing and just a bit more forgettable when you spend most of the day seeking out shade to avoid sunburn/sweating buckets. The morning hours offer much better sightseeing weather with the real heat not setting in until your half day tour is nearly wrapped up.
Enjoy The Morning Calm
The birds are out in full song, families of monkeys play on the temples before the mid-day heat sets in, orange-robed monks walk the grounds en route to morning prayers, the herds of group tours are still asleep, and you can’t help but imagine what life was like here a thousand years ago. By mid-morning, the tourism madness begins to wind up for the day.
Half Day Left For You
The early bird catches the worm and all that. After a half-day of exploring Angkor Wat, you have some you time. The hotel pool is abutted by a pool bar if that is how you wind down. There is also no shortage of shopping, incredibly affordable massage shops, night markets, and more to do in the bustling centre of Siem Reap. Your tour guide is also always happy to suggest free time activities.
We make it our job to make your Ankgor Wat experience as memorable and simple as possible. Done right, this is an unforgettable journey into Cambodia's past to reveal at how impressive the Ancient Khmer civilisation truly was.
Join us in Cambodia! Get in touch with the team or connect with us on Facebook to start planning.