Luxury hotels in Siem Reap

Siem Reap guide

Angkor Wat at sunrise, and the temples beyond

How to see the world's largest religious monument, Bayon's faces and Ta Prohm's trees well.

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world and the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the reason most travellers come to Siem Reap; sunrise over its towers, reflected in the pond, is the most cited moment. A private guide and a car let you then visit the main temple before the crowds return from breakfast.

Angkor Thom, with the smiling faces of the Bayon, and Ta Prohm, where trees grow through the ruins, complete the classic circuit; Banteay Srei's pink sandstone carvings are worth the drive. Allow at least two or three days, and November to March is the best season.

Tonlé Sap: the floating villages

The Tonlé Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, swells several times in size during the rainy season, and its floating and stilted villages are the most cited excursion from Siem Reap after the temples. Kampong Phluk, with houses on stilts up to ten metres high, is the most authentic.

A small boat through the flooded forest, best from about August to December when the water is high, is magical in the late afternoon. We choose responsible operators, as some of the most visited villages have become tourist traps.

Phare, the Cambodian circus, and Siem Reap by night

Phare, The Cambodian Circus, is the most cited evening experience in Siem Reap: an hour of acrobatics, theatre and live music under a big top, performed by young artists trained by a social enterprise. Shows usually run every night, and seats near the ring are worth booking.

Earlier in the evening, a performance of classical Apsara dance, recognised by UNESCO, recalls the carvings of Angkor. A Khmer cooking class with a market visit and dinner in the quiet lanes near the Old Market complete a day after the temples.