Angkor Wat Itinerary: 4 Days In Siem Reap Cambodia

2.6K

As a gateway to the famous Angkor Wat temples, Siem Reap is the cornerstone of Cambodia’s tourism and it’s definitely one of the best travel destinations to put on your Cambodia itinerary.

You could easily spend a week or two exploring everything in the Siem Reap area, but the top highlights can be seen with 3 or 4 days in Cambodia if you’re limited on time.

This Angkor Wat itinerary will guide you through some of the very best Angkor temples to see, along with a few of the most interesting sights in Siem Reap town itself.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas for what to do in Cambodia for 4 days!

 

✈ Where To Start

This entire Angkor Wat itinerary takes place in and near the small town of Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Fly to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI), which is serviced by a bunch of budget friendly airlines with good ratings. Among other places, there are flights from Singapore (SIN), Bangkok (DMK), or Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Siem Reap for as low as $40 USD.

You can shop for flights to Siem Reap at Skyscanner.

When you arrive in Siem Reap, take an airport transfer to your hotel. You can book this in advance on Klook for $11 by private car, or $5 by tuk tuk.

Check in to your hotel, and get rested up to explore some ancient temples for 4 days in Cambodia!
 
 

• Day 1: Angkor Wat Sunrise + Small Circuit

○ Angkor Wat Sunrise

Wake up early and start your Cambodia itinerary with the incredible Angkor Wat sunrise on the pond. Afterwards, explore the main temple area, which is huge.
 

○ Baksei Chamkrong

This is one of my favorite temples in Angkor. It’s a small, barely known pyramid temple near Angkor Thom. You might have to ask your driver to stop here, because most tours don’t include it in the normal itinerary. It’s a hidden gem!
 

○ Angkor Thom Gate

This is a gate on the south side of the Angkor Thom temple complex, right next to Baksei Chamkrong. It’s in poor shape, but you can still drive or walk through it, so it makes for some cool photo ops.
 

○ Bayon

Bayon is one of the most important temples in Angkor Thom, and it has some of the best wall carvings in the area. This is also where you can see the famous stone faces that you’ve probably seen in lots of Cambodia photos.
 

○ Thommanon

This is one of the less known temples in Angkor Thom, and most tour groups don’t seem to go here. The carvings and doorways are good to explore.
 

○ Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm is the famous ‘Tomb Raider temple’ used in the 2001 Angelina Jolie movie. There’s an incredible tree here that is growing on top of one of the temples. It’s a must see.
 

○ Banteay Kdei

More incredible trees and temples! The tree roots at Banteay Kdei are absolutely massive, and they’re taking control of the buildings.
 

 

• Day 2: Angkor Wat Grand Circuit

○ Preah Khan

Tour the Angkor Wat again (grand circuit this time), starting with Preah Khan. Most of the main temple is ruined, but it’s cool to see how nature is reclaiming what’s left of it.
 

○ Neak Pean

This is an island temple in the middle of a little pond. It looks better right after the rainy season. Late in the dry season there’s not much water left.
 

○ Ta Som

This is a smaller temple, but the best part is the stone doorway being consumed and held in place by a strangler tree.
 

○ East Mebon

This temple is not in great shape, but the highlight here would have to be the elephant statues in each corner of the temple.
 

○ Pre Rup

This is a big temple near the end of the grand circuit. Funerals were done here, so that may be why the temple looks so creepy. The buildings at the top of the pyramid are in the best shape, so be sure to take a look up there.
 

○ Bantei Srei Temple

This temple is a 1 hour drive from Siem Reap, but it can be combined with a grand/small circuit tour if you pay your driver a bit extra. The red sandstone colors are nice, and it’s known for having some of the best stone carvings out of all the Khmer temples.
 

 

• Day 3: Day Trip To Koh Ker Temples & More

○ Koh Ker Temple

Hire a driver for the day and head over to Koh Ker, a group of remote temples about 2.5 hours drive from Siem Reap. The main building is a 7-tier pyramid in the forest, and a stairway leads to the top where you can get a nice view of the whole area.
 

○ Prasat Pram Temple

This is an incredible spot that’s part of the Koh Ker area. These are ancient temples being swallowed up by huge strangler trees and you must see them while you’re nearby.
 

○ Beng Mealea

This is another remote temple you can visit on the way back to Siem Reap. The temple is mostly ruined, but that’s part of what makes it cool!
 

○ Roluos Group

Last but not least, you’ll find the Roluos temples just 30 minutes east of Siem Reap. These date back to the 9th century, making them some of the oldest Khmer temples in Cambodia (you may have to pay your driver a little extra to pack so many sights into a 4 day Cambodia itinerary like this, but it’s worth it).
 

 

• Day 4: Siem Reap Town

○ Bugs Cafe

Start out Day 4 by exploring the many interesting restaurants and shops in Siem Reap town. If you really want a unique experience, head over to the Bugs Cafe. This place serves fried tarantulas, scorpions, and other bugs to eat! It was started by a French expat and a Khmer chef, and it’s a fusion of local culture as well as the influx of tourism.
 

○ Wat Thmey (Killing Fields)

Make a culture & history stop at Wat Thmey, a Cambodian temple that’s also notable for being used as a killing field during the Khmer Rouge communist rule in Cambodia during the 1970s. There is a stupa memorial filled with skulls and bones from the victims of the genocide.
 

○ Siem Reap Market

The riverside markets in Siem Reap are great for souvenir shopping, street food, and street photography. The stalls have all kinds of items for sale, from paintings and clothing, to fridge magnets and postcards.

 

More Angkor Wat Travel Tips

I hope this Angkor Wat itinerary was helpful for planning your own Cambodia trip.

These are just a few ideas of what to do in Cambodia for 4 days. You could easily spend longer in Siem Reap exploring all of the nearby temples, and enjoying the restaurants and markets.

Don’t forget to check out my full Angkor Wat Travel Guide with free tips, maps, photos, and more!
 

Best Angkor Wat Tours

If you're looking for a good Siem Reap driver/guide to show you around, Klook has shared day tours starting from $12 USD.

If you plan to do the sunrise tour, which I highly recommend, they also have a private Angkor Wat sunrise tour by tuk-tuk for $19 USD or a shared sunrise tour for $12 USD.

We've used Klook for lots of tours and activities around the world, and they're great! Highly recommended.

Book Now: Angkor Wat Shared Tour / Private Tour

       
 
 

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the 4-star La Residence Blanc D'Angkor in Siem Reap. It was $18 USD per night for a clean double room with cold A/C, work desk, refrigerator, wardrobe, and more. There's also an on-site restaurant and pool.

The staff there is amazingly friendly, and I love the epic wall art showing scenes from the Angkor Wat. It sets the mood for exploring some Cambodian temple ruins.

Prices may fluctuate from time to time, so just keep an eye out for a good deal.

 
 

See Also

• Angkor Wat Cambodia Temple Guide & How To Visit
• Cambodia Travel Guide: Tips, Photos, & Blog