Angkor Wat and the other amazing Angkor temples are the main reason why people visit Siem Reap and you will understand why once you have visited them. Angkor is one of mankind’s amazing achievements built from around 800 to 1200 AD by the Khmer Empire. Over 200 of the temples have been restored in some way to allow visitors to imagine what it must have been like living during that period of time. There are actually over 1,000 temple sites of Angkor, but most of them are now barely standing, if even standing at all.
For information about Angkor tours, please visit our Angkor Tours section. If you would like us to recommend an Angkor tour for you then please email us at firstname.lastname@example.org to receive a suggested itinerary.
Who manages the temples?
The Apsara Authority are the organization that preserve, maintain, restore and take care of the day to day maintenance of temples. The Apsara Authority is an organization set up by the government after King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and the World Heritage site asked the Cambodian government to set up an organization to manage and protect the Khmer heritage site.
The sales of tickets are controlled by a Cambodian Company. The ticket sales are shared between the Government, Apsara Authority and Cambodian with the Government getting the biggest slice of the pie.
Admission Fees to Angkor Temples
Children under the age of 12 years can enter the temples for free.
There is no need for a passport photograph any more, because your picture will be taken by a webcam when you buy your ticket at the ticket booths and then your picture is put onto to your ticket.
ANGKOR TOURS & GUIDES
We use some of the best Angkor tour guides in Siem Reap for all of our Angkor Tours and Day Tours. If you are looking for an Angkor tour guide for your visit to Siem Reap then why not use our Angkor tour services? Please email us at email@example.com for more information.
Banteay Prei was built in the late 12th to early 13th century and it is a temple which receives a small amount of visitors, but the Apsara and lintel carvings are in quite good condition. This is a smaller Angkor temple but if you are really interested in the architecture then is worth adding to your Angkor tour itinerary.
East Mebon was built in the late 10th century on an island in the middle of the East Baray and it was dedicated to Shiva in honour of the King's parents. Although East Mebon is a nice Angkor Temple, we would recommend you only add this to your Angkor tour itinerary if you have plenty time in Siem Reap.
Koh Ker was once the capital of the Khmer Empire. Koh Ker is a large complex located around 110km from Siem Reap. However, due to its location not many tourists make the journey to this distant Angkor temple. If you are real enthusiast then we would recommend making the effort to go out to Koh Ker as it has some very impressive Prasats.
Kulen Mountain is a huge plateau which is around 70km from Siem Reap town. Kulen Mountain is a main attraction to many Cambodians as it is probably the most sacred mountain in Cambodia in the eyes of many Cambodians and it is often used as a place of pilgrimage during the weekend and public holidays. There is small Wat at the bottom of the mountain where there is a large reclining Buddha carved from sandstone. Nearby there is a nice waterfall especially during the rainy season and there a bathing pools which have carvings in the riverbed of a number of Lingas. Kulen Mountain gets very busy at the weekend with Cambodians, but it is a fun place to go. The trip takes a while and you will need to go by taxi or mini bus as the road conditions are not that good plus you also have to get up the mountain which a tuk tuk will struggle to do. The entrance fee is US$20.
Neak Pean was built in the late 12th century. Neak Pean is best visited in the wet seasons as the pools that surround it are full of water, so are ideal for taking pictures. We would recommend adding this Angkor temple.
Phimeanakas was built in the late 10th and early 11th century. The carvings here are not very good, but it is the tallest temple which you can climb in Angkor Thom, so well worth climbing just for the views at the top.
Phnom Krom was built in the late 9th and early 10th century. The 3 towered temples are in poor condition, but the view from the top is good one of the Tonle Sap Lake and countryside. If you are going to visit one of the floating villages, then you can see this at the same time as it is out towards the lake. Phnom Krom is a nice place to take photographs of the lake.
Prasat Suor Prat
Prasat Suor Prat were built in the early 13th century and they are 12 more or less identical towers which are more or less opposite the Terrace of Elephants. They are not much to look at close up, but are picturesque from the Terrace of Elephant and make some nice photo shots.
Preah Khan was built in the late 12th century. Preah Khan is a huge complex with many carvings and passages and this is a temple well worth seeing. Preah Khan is a one of the nicest Angkor temples of on the Grand tour and it is best photographed in the early mornings or late afternoons. We recommend Preah Khan is included in one of your Angkor tours.
Bakong is the main Angkor temple of the Roluos group and it was built in the late 9th century by Indravarman I, dedicated to the Hindu God. Bakong is the most impressive Angkor temples of the Roluos group, but other nice temples include Preah Ko which was the first Angkor temple to be built in the Roluos group and Lo Lei which was built in the middle of a Baray. The Roluos Group is about 13km from Siem Reap heading south towards Phnom Penh. The Roluos group temples are best photographed in the late afternoons.
Srah Srang was built in the mid 10th and late 12th century. Srah Srang is in poor condition on an island in the Baray, but it is an alternative place to see sunrise other than Angkor Wat. Sras Srang is a great place for early morning photos.
Ta Som is a very nice Angkor temple on the Grand tour circuit and the best time take photographs of this temple is around 10:00am in the morning.
Terrace of Elephants
Terrace of the Leper King
Terrace of the Leper King was built in the late 12th century. Terrace of the Leper King is next the Terrace of Elephants which have carvings of Demons and Nagas, but the carvings are not as good as the carvings in the terrace of Elephants. The Terrace of Leper Kings is part of the Angkor Mini tour.
Wat Athvea was built in the late 11th century. Wat Athvea is not in the main temple area but around 8km south of Siem Reap and is a quite a good place to see the sunset.
West Mebon was built in the late 11th century. West Mebon are basically ruins on an island on the West Baray where it once stood. You can visit West Mebon by boat on a visit to the West Baray.