Sun Rise at Angkor Wat Small Group Day Tour from Siem Reap

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. It was built in the 12th century. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it’s the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation. We will enter the great temple in darkness from the little-visited eastern side. We continue our journey on foot and creep through a jungle path to the North ancient library pool where we will wait for the Sun Rise. Listen to the explanations of your expert guide, then spend time venturing into the central chambers of the temple, where your local guide will reveal the history, myths and stories depicted on the stone bas-reliefs (the longest stretch of bas-reliefs carvings in the world) then you will venture deep into the central chambers of this truly great temple. Your knowledgeable guide will ensure that your visit to Angkor Wat leaves you with a rich understanding of the history and purpose of the great temple, and also of the mighty Angkorian civilization.

   2 h

2. The South Gate is one of the five gates of Angkor Thom (the Ancient Capital City of the Khmer Empire). The gate flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side was the entrance to the fortified city of Angkor Thom. At the height of its greatness, Angkor Thom had a population of more than one million people and was larger in size than the city of London. It is one of the most popular tourist spots in the Angkor Wat area.

   30 min

3. The Bayon is a richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the 13th century as the state temple of King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital. The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and smiling stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. You'll see its beautifully crafted central towers, covered in more than 200 enormous faces. The temple has two sets of bas-reliefs, which present a combination of mythological, historical and mundane scenes. The outer wall of the outer gallery features a series of bas-reliefs depicting historical events and scenes from the everyday life of the Angkorian Khmer. The inner gallery bas-reliefs depict mythological events.

   1 h

4. Hidden Gem: Your guide will take to you a place that most tourists have never seen it. Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.

   10 min

5. The famous Terrace of the Leper King. The U-shaped structure is thought by some to have been used as a royal cremation site. It was built in the 13th century under King Jayavarman VII, though its modern name derives from a 15th-century sculpture discovered at the site. The statue depicts the Hindu god Yama, the god of death.

   40 min

6. The 350 m long Terrace of Elephants was used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king's grand audience. Some local Khmer residents call it “the Ancient Khmer Stadium”. It was built in the 13th century under King Jayavarman VII.

   40 min

7. Secret stop: A majestic place that set the tone for the day’s adventure. Don’t listen to what they say, go to see. All journeys have secret destinations of which the travelers are unaware.

   10 min

8. The jungle-enveloped Ta Prohm (Tomb raider temple)– one of the most atmospheric of all temples in Angkor. Ta Prohm was built in the 13th century. Unlike the most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found, the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors. UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region. Ta Prohm was a religious temple located in the centre of the Ancient Khmer University during the 12th and 13th century.

   1 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 16 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Siem Reap

• Its from-price is 77% below the median of the 2414 experiences we list in Siem Reap.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 422 of 2414.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Siem Reap

Siem Reap is the riverside town beside Angkor, Cambodia's vast complex of Khmer temples, with night markets, river walks and a relaxed centre.

Angkor Wat, often called the largest religious monument in the world, rises above its moat in a silhouette of lotus-bud towers that is breathtaking at sunrise. Nearby, the walled city of Angkor Thom holds the Bayon, with its more than two hundred serene stone faces, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Baphuon, while Ta Prohm is gripped by the roots of giant silk-cotton and strangler fig trees.

Top-ranked sights in Siem Reap: Angkor Thom, Tonlé Sap, Kampong Phluk.

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