Unforgettable Angkor Wat Sunrise: Insider Tips and Tricks for Travelers
This free guide has everything you need to know for a magical sunrise experience at Angkor Wat. Learn when, where and how to go and make the most of your visit to Cambodia's iconic temple complex.
The most important thing to do in Siem Reap, Cambodia is, of course, to visit Angkor Wat! Angkor Wat was originally a Hindu temple, today a Buddhist temple, and it’s part of Angkor Archaeological Park, which “contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century" (UNESCO).
Angkor Wat is a world-famous spot for witnessing magnificent sunrises. So, I had to check it out for myself… and bring my parents along for the very early-morning ride! We loved it and collected some tips to help you make the most of your trip to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat.
Top tips for seeing the sunrise at Angkor Wat
☀️ Don’t miss out! This is definitely a worthwhile experience in Siem Reap.
⏰ Leave early. This is non-negotiable to enjoy the best moment of the day.
🧣 Be prepared for a chilly morning and a very hot mid-morning.
🎟 You need tickets to enter any Angkor Park site, and you cannot buy them at Angkor Wat. Get a ticket in advance online, at the ticket sales office in Siem Reap or through your tour provider.
⛅️ Set your expectations. Sunrises are definitely better some days than others, and we can do nothing to control that. Make the most of the experience in any case.
👥 Expect crowds. This spot is popular for good reason. Don’t be afraid to walk away from crowds to explore a different, more peaceful view.
When to go for sunrise at Angkor Wat
Brace yourself for an early wake-up call! Angkor Wat opens at 5 AM daily.
Check the time of the sunrise for the day you’re going and remember that the time of sunrise tells you when the sun will be up - but the magic really happens in the thirty minutes leading up to that. If you’re staying in central Siem Reap, you’ll probably want to leave about one hour before you plan to be basking in the sunrise.
The reflecting pools in front of the temple are the most popular spot for photos at Angkor Wat.
Getting your Angkor Pass
This is important! You need to have tickets in advance to enter any Angkor Park site. You can get them online or at the official sales office (~4km from Siem Reap) at least one day before. Find full details on getting your tickets in my Angkor Park guide.
Getting your guide & transportation
Since you’ll be leaving super early, you should pre-arrange pick-up by tuk-tuk (recommended for the full experience!) or car. You can do this through your hotel, a travel agency or directly with a driver. Alternatively, you can contact me and I can connect you directly with a great tuk-tuk driver and/or guide in Siem Reap for a good price.
Note that once you arrive at the Angkor Wat gate, you still need to walk about 15 minutes to the temple. There are a few entrances to choose from, and as a general rule, I recommend choosing a different one from where you see everyone entering. This will allow you a bit of space and quiet.
After you enjoy a serene sunrise over Angkor Wat, you’ll have the chance to explore the grounds inside and out. I strongly recommend paying a guide to join you in exploring Angkor Park. It’s inexpensive and will allow you to appreciate the history and cultural significance of the sites, including Angkor Wat, still standing after nearly 900 years.
Peeking down at another building from the main tower at the centre of Angkor Wat. After sunrise, you should take full advantage of your time here to explore this ancient wonder with your guide!
Breakfast
I don’t know about you, but food is always top-of-mind for me. I couldn’t wake up at 4 AM without knowing I’d get something to eat! If you’re staying at a hotel that includes breakfast, ask about the possibility of them preparing a packed breakfast for you.
The wonderful Metta Hotel & Residences did this for us, and we ate in our tuk-tuk on our way to Angkor Wat. If that’s not offered, be sure to pack yourself something to eat because after sunrise you’ll want to explore the Angkor Wat grounds, and it will probably be around 10 AM by the time you’re done. We were ready for lunch at that point!
What to wear
Angkor Wat is a temple, so dress respectfully and wear layers. During the tuk-tuk ride and while waiting for the sun to rise, it will be a bit chilly! I suggest pants or a long skirt, a cardigan or long sleeves, and a light scarf. That said, make sure you can adjust (keeping it “temple PG”) for when the intense sun comes out. It can get seriously hot by around 11 AM! We were using our scarves to cover our heads at that point because the sun was so intense.
Lastly, trust me, you want to wear comfortable and practical shoes at all Angkor Park sites. There are a lot of steps and uneven ground, and in most cases, you’ll be out exploring for many hours. Wear trainers or other comfortable walking shoes.
Dress warmly for the early morning breeze, with layers you can remove for the intense heat by 10 AM! Remember to dress appropriately for a temple.
Setting expectations: crowds & weather
As with any beautiful site, there will be many tourists at Angkor Wat at all times of the day every day throughout the year. The Angkor Wat website says they’ve already sold nearly 156,000 Angkor Passes to foreigners in the last two months, and tourism from China hadn’t even resumed yet.
This is another reason why having a good guide is helpful. Beyond sharing the history and significance of sites, your guide knows the best time to go to which place and can really improve your overall experience. But no matter what, you should expect to be patient with crowds, lines and photos especially.
The crowds weren’t crazy when we went (late January 2023) but I’m told this is only lucky timing with the recent resumption of tourism, so expect more people than you see in my photos.
As for sunrise, we sat on steps at a lesser-used entrance and loved the view. There were very few people there, as most went thru the main entrance and watched from around there or the reflecting pools closer to the main temple. I’m sure that’s also a great view, but I prefer a more peaceful experience personally.
Angkor Wat is a very popular tourist site - and for good reason - so expect crowds.
What to do during sunrise
Take this as a meditative, introspective experience. Sitting at a temple nearly 900 years old during the most beautiful time of day, you can quietly admire the stars and hold out for what will hopefully be a great sunrise between 6-7 AM.
Sit and enjoy the starry sky as you wait for the sunrise at Angkor Wat.
You will definitely want to capture the moment, so if you have camera gear, this is the place to bring it. Otherwise, check the settings on your smartphone to optimize for low light and be sure to snap some photos and/or videos from this iconic Southeast Asian landmark. Kind reminder to help out a solo traveller by offering to take a couple of photos for them - it’s good karma ;)
Most importantly, enjoy the moment and take in this beautiful ancient temple!
We watched sunrise from farther away - which was super beautiful and peaceful - and came closer later for a different view.
What to do after sunrise
Once the sun is up, go explore the grounds! You can walk all around and take the stairs up to explore the central part, which will give you a perspective on the surrounding area.
A view from the back of the central building in Angkor Wat temple, Angkor Park, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Don't miss the ground-level corridors where you'll find detailed carvings telling stories from Hindu mythology. We learned a lot here through interesting tales from Hinduism depicted on the walls. We all agree that we wouldn’t have understood so much without our guide.
After sunrise, our guide did a great job walking us through the corridors and explaining Hindu mythology through stories carved on the walls.
You'll probably be done here around 9-10 AM latest and it will likely be really hot at this point! So find yourself something to eat and drink, and enjoy the rest of your day in beautiful Siem Reap.
Wishing you an amazing sunrise experience at Angkor Wat! Learn all about visiting the other sites of Angkor Archaeological Park in my guide with all the highlights: 48 Hours in Angkor Park: Explore the Best of Cambodia’s Ancient Marvels.
The heat at Angkor Wat gets very intense as early as 10 AM! Mom and I were happy to have our scarves, a gift from our driver, to shield us from the sun.
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Did I miss something important? Do you have questions about visiting Angkor?
I would love to hear from you!