Siem Reap: Angkor Temples & Phnom Bakheng Sunset Tour

Five Angkor temples in one day, ending where the light turns gold

You're picked up from your hotel and driven to the Angkor Ticket Office to purchase park entry, then guided through Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan with an English-speaking Khmer guide. The day ends at Phnom Bakheng temple for sunset over the Angkor complex. Hotel drop-off follows, with air-conditioned transport and water included throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full-day Angkor temples and sunset

• Meet guide and driver in minivan
• Stop 15 minutes at Angkor Ticket Office
• Visit Pre Rup temple
• Visit East Mebon temple
• Visit Ta Som temple
• Visit Neak Pean island shrine
• Visit Preah Khan temple
• Watch sunset at Phnom Bakheng

The experience

"How early do we start?" someone always asks in the hotel lobby, and the answer is simple: your guide arrives 30 minutes before the official tour time, which means you're in the minivan heading toward the Angkor Ticket Office while most of Siem Reap is still asleep. That stop takes 15 minutes (you'll buy your own park entry there, not included in the tour price), and then the real day begins. Your English-speaking Khmer guide knows these temples the way you know your own street. The passion for the history comes through in how they point out a carved detail or explain why a particular king built something 900 years ago.

The route moves through five sites without feeling rushed. Pre Rup comes first, a brick temple that catches the morning light in a way that makes the stone look almost warm. Then East Mebon, where you're walking through what used to be an island in a vast reservoir. Ta Som is the one everyone photographs. It's overgrown in that deliberate way, vines and roots claiming the stone, and it's quieter than the bigger temples because fewer groups make it there. Neak Pean is smaller, a shrine on an island, and Preah Khan is the 12th-century temple built by King Jayavarman VII for his father, which means the scale and the detail are both enormous. Your guide will explain the layout, the inscriptions, what each courtyard was for. You're not just walking through. You're reading the place.

The minivan has air conditioning and chilled water, which matters when you're moving between sites in the Cambodian heat. The driver knows the routes and the timing, so there's no scrambling or confusion about where to go next. By late afternoon, everyone heads to Phnom Bakheng, a temple built on a hill that overlooks the whole Angkor complex. You climb up in the golden hour, and if the light cooperates (and it usually does) you'll watch the sun drop behind the distant temples while the stone around you turns orange, then red. It's not a manufactured moment. It's just what happens when you're standing on top of a 10th-century temple at the right time of day.

The tour wraps up after sunset, and your guide drops you back at your hotel. You'll have walked maybe three or four kilometers across the day, stopped at five different temples, and heard the story of how Angkor was the greatest city in the world when London was still a village. Book this if you want the main temples without arranging transport, tickets and timing yourself. The fixed route is what keeps all five sites inside a single afternoon.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned minivan, an English-speaking Khmer guide, a driver, and bottled water throughout.
• You'll visit Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan temples, ending at Phnom Bakheng for sunset.
• Angkor Park entry tickets are purchased separately at the Ticket Office during a 15-minute stop at the start of the tour.

Information

Lasts 8h, runs every day at 10:30, from US$ 20.47 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:30Another time? ›

GroupUp to 151 private ›

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to1h before

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Angkor Wat Shared Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want five major Angkor temples in one day without arranging your own transport, buying tickets in advance or timing the sunset yourself: the guided route and fixed schedule handle all three, leaving you to focus on the temples and the light.

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Top questions

What time does the tour start?

Your guide picks you up 30 minutes before the official tour start time from your hotel, so you're heading to the Angkor Ticket Office while it's still early morning.

Are park tickets included?

No. You purchase your own Angkor Park ticket at the Ticket Office, which is a 15-minute stop at the beginning of the tour. The cost is separate from the tour price.

How many temples do we visit?

Five: Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan. The tour ends at Phnom Bakheng for sunset.

How long is the full tour?

Around 8 hours from pickup to drop-off, including the ticket office stop and all temple visits.

Is the guide English-speaking?

Yes. Your guide is a local Khmer speaker who conducts the tour in English and has expertise in Angkor's history.

What's included in the tour price?

Minivan transport with air conditioning, English-speaking guide, driver, chilled water, and hotel pickup and drop-off. Park entry tickets are purchased separately.

Can I do this tour if I'm not very fit?

The tour involves walking between temple sites across the day: roughly three to four kilometers total. You'll move at a relaxed pace with stops, and the guide can adjust based on your comfort.

What if the sunset is cloudy?

The tour goes to Phnom Bakheng at the scheduled time regardless of weather. Sunset visibility depends on cloud cover on the day, but the temple itself and the views across Angkor are worth the visit either way.