I mentioned it in the previous article marking the return to Cambodia 7 years later , but this new stay in Angkor turned out to be better than I would have thought, given the feedback I had received.
As I had also mentioned, I was inspired by the good advice of Tugdual (who had the site Visapour.fr, now defunct… for the anecdote, Tugdual was a candidate during a season in Ko Lanta!). He is the one who gets most of the credit for the following article, but I wanted to make it my version, firstly to demonstrate that yes, it is entirely possible to visit Angkor without having this impression of being a sheep lost in the jungle, and secondly because I had to adapt the program according to moods etc.
But the result is there, visits without too many people and an appreciation of the places much better than my first stay here!
3-day pass for the temples of Angkor
There are actually 3 packages offered to visit the temples depending on the length of time you want to spend there.
Note that there has been a significant price increase since my last visit; the entrance fees to the Angkor Historical Park have almost doubled…
| Ticket | Old rate | New rate |
| 1 day | $ 20 | $ 37 |
| 3 days | $ 40 | $ 62 |
| 7 days | $ 60 | $ 72 |
Note that there is no discount for students or seniors, however, it remains free for children under 12 (you must show your passport as proof of good faith).
3-day tour program
Three days is the minimum to see the main temples, typically including one day at Tonlé Sap Lake; four days in Siem Reap is a good average. Note that the pass is valid for one week, meaning you don't have to visit for three consecutive days.
Spending a full week there might seem like a lot, but if you're a fan of ruins and the unique atmosphere of Angkor, it leaves plenty of time to explore the more distant sites. And in that case, the 7-day pass is valid for a month! So, for those who really like to take their time, it's ideal.
In our case, the program was as follows:
1st day
- Bayon
- Baphuon
- Phimeanakas
- Prasat preah palilay
- Leper's Terrace
- Elephant Terrace
- Preah khan
- Phnom Bakheng
2nd Day
- Kbal Spean
- Banteay Srei
- Banteay Samre
- Pre Roup
3nd Day
- Your Prohm
- Angkor Wat
- Banteay Kdei
- Your Keo
- Thommanon
- Chau Say Tevoda Temple
Anticipating tourist flows
The aim is usually to get up early in order to arrive before the buses full of Chinese, Japanese, and other " arrive/photo/leave " enthusiasts unload. While getting up early is essential, the idea is also to move around according to the flow of tourists.
Day 1: Big day
To illustrate what I'm just saying, when we left the Bayon on the first day, it was starting to get quite crowded, so it was time for us to anticipate the influx and go somewhere else. In this case, we went to see the nearby temples, to put it simply, until we returned to the terrace.
It was still a bit early (around 11 am), so people were still visiting, while for us it was lunchtime! That way, when we left, most of the groups were heading back to Siem Reap for lunch, while we set off for other temples. One to the north and one to the south, just to avoid staying in the same area ( Preah Khan and Phnom Bakheng, in that order ). We were finishing the day early enough to avoid the groups rushing to the temples for sunset (the last one of the day, Phnom Bakheng , being popular for that).
Day 2: We bide our time.
The next day we literally left at dawn to go to the most distant temples, the tuk tuk driver still advised us to see the sunrise on the way and indeed it was worth it.
While most people stayed in the area to visit the temple opposite the reservoir ( Banteay Samre ), from which the photos above were taken, we headed straight for Kbal Spean . Another wise choice, as we were the only ones in the forest and the first visitors of the day. In fact, on our way back, we passed Fram buses full of French tourists arriving – there was still time to leave!
For the next one, Banteay Srei , things went almost perfectly. Upon arrival, there were still quite a few people milling around the new souvenir shops (next to a large parking lot that made the place unrecognizable compared to seven years ago). We hesitated to eat, but faced with the exorbitant prices (despite the guy offering us a "special discount"), we resigned ourselves to going. And in the end, it was fine; there were people, certainly, but not a huge crowd.
The rest of the day was spent visiting two temples which turned out to be relatively empty even in broad daylight, Banteay Samré and Pre Rup , the latter being a little less "spectacular" and therefore quite ignored.
Day 3: Saving the best for last
Ta Prohm is one of the most famous temples in Angkor. With its towering trees and unique atmosphere in the heart of the forest, it's almost essential to arrive early to fully appreciate it. Note that it's currently undergoing renovations, so some parts are inaccessible. But the worst part is some truly bad news.
The temple's iconic trees are apparently dead and threatening to collapse; according to reports, they're going to cut down four of the large trees around and inside the temple in order to preserve the rest! This is understandable, of course, but a large part of the place's charm is at risk of disappearing…
We continued with the temple next door, still as calm, and continued in the area for "secondary" temples like Ta Keo , before passing by the duo Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda , the 2 temples facing each other.
We ended our third and final day at Angkor Wat , and according to my travel companions, it wasn't the most impressive. At the time we were there, we were able to indulge in the "luxury" of a nap in the temple, given how peaceful it was. It was just early afternoon; most people in Siem Reap were still digesting their lunch, and it was still too early for those who wanted to see the sunset (which casts magnificent colors on the frescoes surrounding the lower level).
In summary, a relatively hairy program, certainly we were out of season (mid-August) but it is clear that there were groups. We managed to get around the problem thanks to the tips in this article, and once again, thanks to Tugdual for these tips at the base!
If you visited Angkor, did you have people? Tempted to come back?
