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Angkor and Siem Reap

A suggested itinerary based in Siem Reap. Allow 3 days.

A suggested route for your own trip, inspired by the Journal’s locations. It is not a record of Andy’s personal itinerary.

Allow3 daysBaseSiem ReapRoute6 planned stages

Editorially reviewed 16 September 2026 · confirm live access before travelling.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap Cambodia — photograph from Andy’s Journal

Your suggested route

The times below are suggested allowances, not live opening hours or transport schedules. Adjust the order for your arrival time, bookings and conditions.

  1. Day 1 · Morning · Angkor Wat

    Begin with Angkor Wat and allow around three hours for the approach, galleries and courtyards. Sunrise is optional: choose it only if an early start suits you, then have breakfast afterwards. A licensed guide can explain the carvings and history more effectively than racing between photographic positions.

  2. Day 1 · Afternoon · Siem Reap

    Return for lunch and a substantial break. Spend the afternoon in a museum, a craft workshop or a café according to current openings, then have dinner in town. Do not make your first day a dawn-to-dark temple marathon.

  3. Day 2 · Morning · Angkor Thom

    Enter Angkor Thom and prioritise Bayon, then explore the terraces as energy allows. Budget three hours with transport and shade breaks. Keep to permitted areas: restoration and access restrictions can affect which parts of a temple are available.

  4. Day 2 · Afternoon · Ta Prohm

    After lunch, visit Ta Prohm for 90 minutes or more, following the managed route through the tree-root and stone setting. Let the visit unfold without blocking narrow passages for photographs. Return to town before adding another temple out of habit.

  5. Day 3 · Morning · Preah Khan

    Give Preah Khan a quieter, unhurried morning, allowing around two hours. Add one nearby open site only if you still want more architecture. The third day is an opportunity to look closely, not an obligation to complete an entire grand circuit.

  6. Day 3 · Afternoon · A personal choice

    Choose a Khmer cooking class, a longer town meal or rest before onward travel. If Banteay Srei is your priority, substitute a dedicated driver-led outing for the morning and allow for its greater distance. Keep it separate from a crowded central-temple schedule.

Where to pause for food

Ask your accommodation to arrange breakfast if leaving before dawn. Plan shaded, seated lunches and Khmer dinners in Siem Reap; amok and other local dishes can be starting points. Carry water for the temple visits instead of relying on an uncertain stop between sites.

Getting around

Hire a tuk-tuk or car with an agreed daily route and return plan. A guide and driver are different services, so check both. Keep the same Siem Reap base for these days; changing hotels adds little to this itinerary.

For a shorter day or different weather

For one day, choose Angkor Wat and either Bayon or Ta Prohm. If steps or heat are challenging, ask a guide to tailor the accessible sections and shorten the afternoon. Sunrise can be omitted without diminishing the cultural visit.

Before you go

Purchase the appropriate pass from Angkor Enterprise and check its validity and site coverage. Confirm individual temple access and clothing requirements. The broad Cambodia tag is served by this Siem Reap-based recommendation, not a claim that the whole country fits into three days.

Visitor information and further planning

Use these destination, attraction and operator resources to check current access and arrangements before booking.

Places from the Journal

Explore the original Instagram posts from this destination.

For more travel and everyday moments.

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