10 Best Things to Do
Siem Reap is the starting point for Angkor’s temples, from the towers of Angkor Wat to the carved faces of Bayon and the roots wrapped around Ta Prohm. Give the city time too. Cambodian restaurants, craft workshops and contemporary circus performances add another side to the trip. Beyond town, Tonle Sap’s stilted villages and the sacred landscapes of Phnom Kulen make rewarding outings. Plan temple visits around the heat and leave space for slower afternoons.
Angkor Wat
Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia
Angkor Wat rewards a slow visit. Cross the broad moat, then explore galleries whose carved stories lead towards the temple’s five towers. Built in the early twelfth century for King Suryavarman II, it began as a Hindu temple and later became a Buddhist place of worship. A knowledgeable guide helps make sense of the reliefs and layout. Wear clothing suitable for a sacred site and leave enough time to look beyond the familiar sunrise view.
Angkor’s monumental architecture
Bayon
Angkor Thom, Cambodia
Bayon stands at the centre of Angkor Thom, its towers carrying the calm stone faces that make it one of Angkor’s most recognisable temples. At ground level, the carved galleries reward close attention, with scenes that add texture to the monument’s royal and religious history. Built under Jayavarman VII, the complex has a dense, sometimes confusing layout. Follow the marked visitor route and use a guide if you want help reading the stone reliefs.
Face towers and carved everyday scenes
Ta Prohm
Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia
At Ta Prohm, great roots run over walls and doorways, turning the relationship between forest and stone into the main attraction. Jayavarman VII founded the Buddhist temple in the late twelfth century in honour of his mother. Look beyond the famous root-covered corners for carved figures and quieter passages. Conservation work has stabilised parts of the complex, so follow the current route through the site and avoid climbing the masonry for a photograph.
Tree roots and temple passages
Banteay Srei
North of Angkor, Cambodia
Banteay Srei is smaller than Angkor’s grand royal temples, but its intricate carving makes the journey north worthwhile. Dedicated to Shiva in the tenth century, the sanctuary has finely worked pediments, decorative bands and mythological scenes that invite close looking. Allow time to study the details rather than treating it as a quick stop between larger monuments. Arrange transport in advance and combine the visit with nearby countryside only if your schedule leaves room.
Exceptionally detailed stone carving
Phare, the Cambodian Circus
Sok San Road area, Cambodia
Phare combines acrobatics, live music, theatre and dance in performances built around Cambodian stories. The artists train through the Phare Ponleu Selpak arts school in Battambang, and the enterprise helps support its education programmes. The intimate circus setting puts the physical skill of the performers close to the audience. Book a performance that fits your evening and compare seating sections before paying, since views differ. Arrive early enough to settle in before the show begins.
Contemporary Cambodian performance
Angkor National Museum
Charles de Gaulle Road, Cambodia
Angkor National Museum provides useful context for the monuments outside Siem Reap. Galleries introduce Khmer civilisation, religious traditions, royal history and the sculpture associated with Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Take time with the carved figures and inscriptions, then carry those details into your temple visits. The museum also offers a manageable indoor outing between longer days outdoors. Check the current opening hours and give yourself enough time to move through the galleries without rushing.
Understanding Khmer art before the temples
Artisans Angkor city workshops
Chantiers Écoles, Stung Thmey Street, Cambodia
The city workshops at Artisans Angkor offer a close look at Cambodian craft skills, from stone and wood carving to lacquer and other decorative work. Guided visits help explain how raw materials become finished objects, while the showroom lets you compare techniques and styles afterwards. This listing is for the central Siem Reap workshops, which are a convenient stop between other city visits. Check the current guided-visit arrangements and allow time to watch the work in progress.
Watching Cambodian craftspeople at work
APOPO Visitor Center
Koumai Road, Trapeang Ses, Cambodia
At APOPO’s visitor centre, a guided tour explains how trained African giant pouched rats help teams detect landmines. A demonstration shows the animals searching a prepared area and signalling a find, while staff discuss the wider impact of explosive remnants on Cambodian communities. The visit offers an engaging introduction to a serious subject without taking visitors into an active minefield. Book through APOPO’s own system and allow time for the presentation and questions.
Learning about humanitarian mine detection
Kampong Phluk
Tonle Sap, Prasat Bakong district, Cambodia
Kampong Phluk’s tall wooden houses reveal how village life adapts to Tonle Sap’s changing water levels. During the wetter months, boats travel through waterways beside the houses and into flooded forest; the dry-season landscape looks very different. Choose a locally run visit and confirm what the fare includes before setting out. Treat the village as a living community, ask before photographing residents and check current water conditions when deciding how to plan the trip.
Life around the lake’s changing waters
Phnom Kulen
Kulen plateau, Siem Reap province, Cambodia
Phnom Kulen combines forest, waterfalls and sacred sites on a plateau beyond Angkor. The reclining Buddha at Preah Ang Thom and the carved riverbed are among its best-known stops, but the area also holds traces of the early Khmer capital of Mahendraparvata. Plan a full outing with reliable transport and a local guide for routes beyond the main visitor areas. Ask about community-led visits, and check access and water conditions before setting off.
Sacred landscapes and waterfalls