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Are you looking for the best tours to experience Angkor Wat? Below I go over the 5 best ones you can book.
Officially recognized as the eighth Wonder of the World, Angkor Wat is the most incredible temple complex I have ever seen. There’s a ton to see here and even more to learn. We have visited Angkor Wat multiple times and know that to make the most of it, you need a guide.
We took the tours below and can personally recommend all of them for different reasons. So keep reading for the best Angkor Wat Tours in Siem Reap to figure out which is best for you!
Important note: You need to purchase your Angkor Wat Temple Pass on the day of the tour or online beforehand for each of the tours below. While time is scheduled into tours to purchase your ticket the day of, I highly recommend buying them online beforehand for a stress-free experience. It’s the same price and means you don’t have to wait in line! Passes are sent via email and don’t need to be printed.
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Tour
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our personal FAVORITE tour is this sunrise tour of Angkor Wat. It’s available daily as a private or shared tour where you’ll see multiple temples and also have nice extras like an English-speaking guide and an air-conditioned vehicle.
This tour is VERY popular and you can check out the 6,800+ reviews and book it here!
Tip: Reserve this tour early to guarantee your spot and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go!
1. Small-Group Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour in Air-Conditioned Minivan
- Price: $19 USD (or upgrade to a private tour for $60 USD)
- Duration: 8 hours
- Time: 4:30 am
- Highlights: See Angkor Wat Temple at sunrise, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm Temple, Banteay Kdei Temple
- Inclusions: English-speaking guide, round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water
- Pickup from: All Siem Reap hotels
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 6,800+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
We absolutely loved everything about this Angkor Wat sunrise tour. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable, we got to see all of the best temples, and it has an unbeatable price point. If you’ve only got one day to experience the magic of Angkor Wat consider booking this tour immediately.
Our day started at 4:15 am when our guide, Chanty, picked us up from our hotel in Siem Reap. After a short drive to Angkor Wat, our group stood in awe as the pink and purple light of the sun started to come up over the 900-year-old temple. Trust me when I say getting up early is worth this moment!
Afterwards, we followed Chanty into the main temple as he showed us around its impressive interior explaining the details of this once-powerful kingdom. Fun fact, it’s one of the few ancient empires that allowed its people to worship Buddhism and Hinduism simultaneously. In fact, Angkor Wat is a Hindu temple and not Buddhist! It’s knowledge like this we got everywhere as Chanty took us to other temples like Bayon, Ta Prohm, and Banteay Kdei.
Cambodia is hot, so having an air-conditioned minivan was a lifesaver. It’s big things like that down to little things like a cold towel at every stop that made this a 5-star experience. Visiting here is one of the best things to do in Siem Reap, so you want to do it right!
This tour is also budget-friendly at only $19 USD, but you can also upgrade to a private tour for only $60 USD which is a great deal. Seriously, if you want to make the most of your visit to Angkor book this tour!
Book our FAVORITE Angkor Wat tour easily here!
2. Private Full-Day Angkor Wat Tour
- Price: $60 USD
- Duration: 8 hours
- Time: 4:30 am
- Highlights: See Angkor Wat Temple at sunrise, private tour of Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm Temple, Banteay Kdei Temple
- Inclusions: Private English-speaking guide, round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water
- Pickup from: Any hotel in Siem Reap
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 1,500+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
Some experiences are better on a private tour and Angkor Wat is one of them. That’s why I recommend this private tour for anyone who wants to squeeze every last drop of history and wonder out of these amazing temples.
A private tour means private transportation, which makes getting up early to see Angkor Wat at sunrise far less of a hassle. It also means guides can take you to lots of lesser-known spots for amazing photo opportunities of the temples you couldn’t get in a group tour. And when it comes to Angkor at sunrise, there are definitely better spots to see it than others.
What we love about going to temples like Bayon, Ta Prohm, and Banteay Kdei with your own guide is that you can linger at each one longer and ask tons of questions. The ancient Khmer (Cambodian) Empire was the most powerful in the world during its peak and we learned so much more about it during a one-on-one experience.
This is also a great opportunity to learn more about modern culture with your guide and trust me when I say that Khmer people have one of the most beautiful cultures in the world. If you like to know the story behind the countries you visit, do yourself a favor and take this private tour.
Book this private tour here to reserve now and pay later!
Related Read: Before you go, our tips to know before visiting Angkor Wat will come in handy!
3. Private 2-Day Angkor Wat Tour (15 temples!)
- Price: $148 USD
- Duration: 2 days (approximately 8 hours each day)
- Time: 8 am on the first day, 5 am on the second day
- Highlights: Visit 15 temples over 2 days, take a boat ride on West Baray one of the world’s largest hand-cut reservoirs, sunrise at Angkor Wat Temple, sunset at Phnom Bakheng the highest temple in the region
- Inclusions: Private English-speaking guide, round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water
- Pickup from: Any hotel in Siem Reap
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 330+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
While most one-day tours visit the same temples, I love that this two-day tour takes you to some seriously hidden spots that are off the main tourist track. It’s also the perfect way to get a deep dive into Cambodia’s fascinating history! If you want to feel like Indian Jones and explore ancient temples few people see, this is the tour for you.
Immediately what made this tour stand out is that you not only get to see the sunset from Phnom Bakheng, a gorgeous mountaintop temple, but also the sunrise at Angkor Wat. These are both unforgettable experiences, but far fewer people experience the sunset. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen!
Over the course of two days, we saw so many temples and learned so much history I don’t even know where to begin. Our guide, Vanna, was certified by the government and let me tell you he knew his stuff! It was also so nice getting to know Vanna personally over two days and having a Cambodian friend!
But when it comes to adventure, my favorite was taking a boat out to an ancient temple on West Baray. West Baray is the oldest (1,000 years!) and one of the largest hand-cut reservoirs in the world. If you want to experience everything the Kingdom of Wonder has to offer, don’t hesitate to book this tour!
Book this 2-day tour here to access FREE cancellation!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
4. Small-Group Angkor Wat Sunrise Bike Tour
- Price: $79 USD
- Duration: 9 hours
- Time: 5 am
- Highlights: Sunrise at Angkor Wat Temple, bike to Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm Temple, Srah Srang Temple
- Inclusions: English-speaking guide, round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, breakfast and lunch, bicycle and helmet (can upgrade to electric bike)
- Pickup from: Any hotel in Siem Reap
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 470+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
I’m a huge fan of this Angkor Wat bike tour because pedaling from temple to temple is such a fun and unique way to see the area. If you enjoy a little physical activity and a more immersive experience, don’t overlook this tour!
The day starts with hotel pickup at 5 am and you’ll be driven to Angkor Wat to meet your guide and get your bike. After witnessing the stunning display that is sunrise at the main temple, you’ll have a delicious breakfast and then continue the journey!
What I love about biking from place to place is how much more you see and hear. The jungle surrounding the temples is gorgeous and has tons of wildlife that’s easy to miss when in a vehicle.
The whole area is flat, so getting from place to place isn’t too difficult, but upgrading to an e-bike is a good choice if you’re unsure. But Cambodia is hot, so be ready to sweat regardless! It’s all worth it though and seeing Bayon, Ta Prohm, and Srah Srang Temple with your guide is an experience you’ll never forget.
I will admit that the massive tree growing out of Ta Prohm Temple is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen and will blow your mind. So if you enjoy movement and are after a one-of-a-kind Angkor Wat experience, I highly recommend this tour!
Book this bike tour easily here!
5. Private Full-Day Angkor Wat Temple Tour by Tuk-Tuk
- Price: $26 USD (for a group of 4 people)
- Duration: 8 hours
- Time: Flexible start time
- Highlights: Guided tour of Angkor Wat Temple, Bayon Temple, Ta Keo Temple, Ta Prohm Temple, and Banteay Kdei Temple by tuk-tuk
- Inclusions: Private English-speaking guide, round-trip transportation, bottled water
- Pickup from: Any hotel in Siem Reap
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 145+ reviews here)
- Free cancelation: Yes
A tuk-tuk is the most iconic mode of transportation in all of Southeast Asia! This is why I loved this Angkor Wat tuk-tuk tour that has you going from temple to temple in style. And for only $26 USD, you and your group (of up to 4) can save money and still have a great time!
Besides our guide having the fun nickname of “Geko” and a sweet tuk-tuk, what makes this tour stand out is that he has been doing this for over 20 years. He knows just about everything there is to know about these temples as well as some unique photo spots. He’s also just a super cool guy and loves sharing stories about Cambodia and teaching you about the culture.
Going temple running in a tuk-tuk is such a local experience and other Cambodians will undoubtedly smile and wave as they see you go by. I also love that tuk-tuks aren’t closed off from the outside, so it’s a more immersive mode of transportation. As for the temples, I think each you’ll visit is incredible, but Bayon Temple is one of the most unique with its massive stone faces that sit on the top.
What’s even better is that you can start this tour whenever you want. So if you’re after a fun, cheap, and flexible experience this is the tour for you!
Reserve your tuk-tuk tour in advance here!
Related Read: If more tuk-tuk travel is in your future, check out our guide to renting a tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
I hope amongst all these tours of Angkor Wat, you found the right one for your time in Siem Reap! This temple is spectacular, but I found I enjoyed it so much more when all the logistics of transport and a guide were taken care of. Plus, all these tours have some great extras included!
While you’re traveling, have a look through all our blogs on Asia for more ideas and inspiration. Or the blogs below might also be helpful!
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