Things to do in Siem Reap

No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Cambodia

Angkor Archaeological Park

9.2

4.5/5

97 reviews

Angkor Archaeological Park is a vast complex of structures left by the Khmer Empire, scattered across the jungles and fields north of Siem Reap. It covers a vast area, encompassing dozens of temple ruins and ancient city remains. The core of the park consists of two main parts: Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Angkor Wat is the best-preserved structure in the entire site, originally a Hindu temple that later incorporated Buddhist beliefs. Five towers rise above layers of galleries, the inner walls of which are covered in bas-reliefs depicting scenes from Hindu epics and the history of the Khmer dynasty, featuring extensive narratives and numerous figures. The silhouette of this building is also used as the design on the flag of Cambodia. Angkor Thom is the site of the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire. The stone bridges outside the city gates are lined with statues of devas and asuras churning the Ocean of Milk. Bayon Temple at the center of the city is famous for its dozens of towers with four-faced Buddhas, each face carved with a serene, smiling expression, known as the "Smile of Khmer." Ta Prohm is renowned for its unique view of giant tree roots intertwined with stone structures.

Siem Reap · 6.5km from downtown

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Cambodia

Angkor National Museum

5.8

Siem Reap · 1.4km from downtown

1.2k reviews

• Explore the history, culture, and lifestyle of the Golden Age of the Khmer Empire. • Admire the artistic treasures of the Angkor period. • Appreciate the unique architectural styles. ▴The Angkor National Museum mainly exhibits cultural relics and works of art from various periods of the Khmer dynasty, including stone carvings, images of Buddha, multimedia images, etc. The collections are vast and precious. ▴The exterior shape of the museum is uniquely designed and the roof has the charm of the ancient tower of Angkor Wat. The promenade, the doorway and the window are inspired by the design of Angkor Wat. Modern elements are also blended in, making it more magnificent and spectacular.

No. 1 of Activities in Cambodia

Sunrise Sightseeing in Siem Reap

5.5

The sunrise in Siem Reap is a gentle prelude to the interweaving of the remains of the Angkor Dynasty and modern travel memories. It slowly unveils the mysterious veil of the ancient land of Southeast Asia in an almost sacred manner. Standing on the top of Bayon Temple or on the wall of Angkor Thom, a breathtaking picture unfolds before your eyes: the sky gradually turns white, the mountains in the distance are looming in the morning light, and the nearby Angkor ruins are more simple and solemn under the reflection of the sunrise. Every stone and every mark seems to be telling a thousand-year story, weaving a dialogue across time and space with this new sunlight. In the glory of the sunrise, people can feel the magic and greatness of nature, and also experience the thickness and vicissitudes of history. This quiet and passionate atmosphere is unforgettable.

Cambodia · Siem Reap

No. 2 of Activities in Cambodia

Sunset Sightseeing in Siem Reap

5

At sunset in Siem Reap, the afterglow of the setting sun fills the earth, dyeing the sky into gorgeous orange-red or pink-purple. This color change casts a mysterious and romantic veil over the entire city. As the sun gradually sinks, the light becomes soft and warm, making the ancient buildings and natural landscapes more vivid and charming. Under the reflection of the setting sun, the outlines of ancient monuments such as Angkor Wat become clearer, showing a beauty of harmonious coexistence of history and nature. Phnom Bakheng is one of the popular places to watch the sunset in Siem Reap. Climbing to the top of the mountain, you can overlook the magnificent scenery of the entire ancient city of Angkor, especially when the sunset and the spires of Angkor Wat complement each other, it is even more beautiful. Pre-Reap Temple is also a good place to watch the sunset, with fewer people than Phnom Bakheng. Here you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the sunset and the surrounding ruins of temples and lakes, and feel a quiet and profound historical atmosphere. In short, watching the sunset in Siem Reap is not only a visual enjoyment, but also allows people to feel the profoundness of ancient civilization and find inner peace and satisfaction.

Cambodia · Siem Reap

No. 2 of Night Attractions in Cambodia

Phare, The Cambodian Circus

4.9

4.8/5

105 reviews

TheCambodiaCircus, the original crew of the popular circus in Battambang has come to Siem Reap. With unrepeatable passion and touching folk stories, this star team created by a French NGO is working hard to revive Cambodia's traditional circus performance. There are neither collars nor animals, and the show combines high-level drama, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion to take you on an emotionally exciting journey into contemporary Cambodia. When you are in it, you can't help laughing, and you will be amazed by the excessive performance of the artist.

Siem Reap · 1.7km from downtown

No. 7 of Best Things to Do in Cambodia

Angkor Thom

4.7

4.7/5

698 reviews

Angkor Thom, also known asAngkor Thom, was the last capital of the Khmer Empire. It was destroyed by war and rebuilt several times, serving as the "heart" of the Angkor monuments, with a population reaching over one million at its peak. Today, the moat bridges, city gates, and ruins within the city, such as Bayon Temple,Bayon Temple, and Phimeanakas Temple, are the main attractions. It is square in shape, with city walls 14 km in circumference and surrounded by a moat 100m wide. The city has 5 gates, each topped with four-faced Buddha statues facing the cardinal directions, and a large bridge spanning the moat outside each gate. The South and North gates were for daily public use, the East gate was used for funerals, and the West gate was for criminals; all 4 gates lead to Bayon Temple in the center of the city. Visitor guide: Generally, you enter from the South Gate. On both sides of the moat bridge outside the gate are 27 stone statues, each approx. 2.5m tall, in a kneeling position, holding the Naga King "Vasuki," which represents the legendary Hindu myth of the "Churning of the Ocean of Milk." Walking north from the South Gate to the center of Angkor Thom, you will see Bayon Temple, the most magnificent and important building in the city. The top of its stupa features the "Khmer Smile," and the reliefs on the gallery walls are also worth a close look. It is recommended to spend more time exploring this area. To its northwest isBayon Temple. This common three-tiered platform structure in Angkor was once the center of the old royal city; the base is carved with various animal statues, but the top has collapsed. To the north is Phimeanakas Temple. Although named a palace, it is actually a temple within the royal palace area. A golden tower was once built on the top platform, but it is no longer visible. The actual royal palace is approx. 200m northeast of Phimeanakas Temple. Because it was a wooden structure, it no longer exists, and only the entrance remains. Directly east of the original palace location, there are the symmetrical Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. If you enter Angkor Thom from the Victory Gate and walk straight ahead, you will see them. The Terrace of the Elephants was the king's viewing platform and the site for celebrations and elephant fighting tournaments; the surviving giant elephant stone carvings are its greatest feature. The Terrace of the Leper King was the site of the royal crematorium at that time and is named after a gender-neutral "Leper King" statue on the top of the platform. In addition to these well-known ruins, there are other buildings such as Suor Proat Temple. If you have enough time, you might want to visit them one by one. It takes a long time to visit this attraction in one go; you can bring your own food to eat in the city, and please take your trash with you afterward. Of course, you can also enter and exit multiple times, visiting a portion of the attractions each time, which will be more relaxed.

Siem Reap · 9.4km from downtown

No. 8 of Best Things to Do in Cambodia

Apsara Theatre

4.7

4.7/5

63 reviews

Built in a traditional semi-colonial style, the Apsara Theatre is imbued with a grandiose energy. From its original wooden exterior to its antique décor and marquee lights; the magic of the old theatre is alive and well. On evenings, the Apsara Theatre opens its doors to showcase Cambodia's rich cultural heritage, traditional performing arts. Dancers, singers and musicians will perform 3 classical and 2 village dances to the music of the traditional orchestra. The performance will be preceded by a beverage service and an authentic meal.

Siem Reap · 473m from downtown

No. 16 of Best Things to Do in Cambodia

Bayon Temple

4.3

4.8/5

1.5k reviews

Bayon Temple is the center and the essence of Tongwang City (that is, Greater Angkor). It was built at the end of the 12th century as a temple built by King Jayavarman VII for himself. Not only can you find the famous "Khmer Smile" here, you can also admire the rich and vivid reliefs on the cloisters. Many people choose to watch the sunrise at the Bayon Temple in the morning, so there are often crowds in the morning. In fact, the Bayon Temple in the evening is also worth visiting, not only to appreciate its relatively quiet side, but also to watch the sunset here. The entire Bayon Temple building is divided into three floors, the lower two floors are square, and the walls of the cloister are engraved with reliefs; the top floor is circular, with large and small pagodas erected. Originally there were 49, but now there are only 37 left. The larger stupa in the middle is about 40 meters high, and the others are surrounded by stars like the moon. The over 100-meter-wide corridor originally had a wooden roof, but now only broken walls and huge stone pillars can be seen. On the walls of the existing cloister, you can see very rich reliefs. The inner layer is mainly about myths and religious stories, such as stirring the sea of milk and the image of God Vishnu. The outer layer is based on real life, ranging from ancient war accounts to ordinary People's life, the scenery of Tonle Sap Lake, etc. These vivid reliefs seem to be telling a distant story, and they are precious historical relics that must be seen. The top of the pagoda is engraved with a huge four-faced Buddha. The four sides of the Buddha statue represent compassion, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and they all have a peaceful smile. If you look closely, you will find that these smiles have subtle differences, and the slightly upturned corners of the mouth can't tell whether they mean tolerance or ridicule, as if there is a secret that the world will never understand. And this is the "Khmer Smile" that makes Angkor Wat famous in the world.

Siem Reap · 9.6km from downtown

No. 2 of Night Attractions in Siem Reap

Pub Street

4.5

Siem Reap · 58m from downtown

274 reviews

In the vibrant Old Quarter of Siem Reap, next to the Old Market, lies a street that keeps visitors coming back: Pub Street. As the name suggests, there are many bars on this street, but unlike traditional bars, they also function as restaurants. During the day, you can dine at the restaurants on the street, and at night, you can grab a drink at a bar to experience the unique nightlife of Siem Reap. Pub Street is incredibly lively. In addition to bars, there are bookstores selling English books and postcards, as well as shops selling handicrafts. The Red Piano, Temple Club, and others are very famous bars here.

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Experiences you can't miss in Siem Reap

Featured Day tours in Siem Reap

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Angkor Wat Small Group Sunrise Tour with Breakfast from Siem Reap

4.9/5

· 140 reviews· 509 booked

Duration: 9 hrs

English

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79 consecutive positive reviews

From₹ 2,043.39

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Angkor Wat Small Group Tour and Sunset with Lunch included

5.0/5

· 47 reviews· 184 booked

Duration: 9.5 hrs

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47 consecutive positive reviews

From₹ 2,043.39

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Classic Angkor Wat Full Day with Sunset Private or Small Group Tour

4.9/5

· 13 reviews· 153 booked

Duration: 9.5 hrs

English

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

From₹ 1,398.11

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Siem Reap: Kulen Mountain with Beng Mealea and Tonle Sap Floating Village Full Day Tour

5.0/5

· 44 reviews· 148 booked

Duration: 8.8 hrs

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44 consecutive positive reviews

From₹ 4,194.31

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Kampong Pluk Floating Village with Sunset Boat Tour

5.0/5

· 22 reviews· 253 booked

Duration: 5 hrs

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22 consecutive positive reviews

From₹ 1,935.84

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Kulen Mountain Waterfall Tour with Picnic Lunch from Siem Reap

4.9/5

· 9 reviews· 21 booked

Duration: 6.8 hrs

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From₹ 4,194.31

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Classic Angkor Wat Sunrise Full Day Private or Small Group Tour

5.0/5

· 20 reviews· 136 booked

Duration: 7.5 hrs

English

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

From₹ 1,398.11

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Siem Reap Half Day City Tour : Old Market , Royal resident , Pagoda

4.0/5

· 1 review

Duration: 4 hrs

English

Free cancellation

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From₹ 1,505.65

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Featured Culture & history in Siem Reap

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Angkor Wat e-pass | Access to 50+ temples | 1-day/3-day/7-day pass optional

4.6/5

· 11 reviews· 188 booked

Duration: 7 hrs

English

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From₹ 4,324.41

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Angkor Wat Sunrise Small Group Tour with Bayon & Ta Prohm

Duration: 7.1 hrs

English

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From₹ 884.89

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1-day private charter tour of Angkor Wat small circuit in Siem Reap, Cambodia [Angkor Wat + Bayon Temple + Phnom Bakheng]

4.8/5

· 121 reviews· 142 booked

Duration: 9.5 hrs

English

Free cancellation

95% of travelers recommend

From₹ 4,253.51

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Khmer Village and Fish Farm ATV Tour

5.0/5

· 2 reviews

Duration: 2 hrs

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From₹ 2,808.37

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Dinner with Traditional Apsara Performance in Siem Reap with transfers from hotel

27 booked

Duration: 2.5 hrs

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5% off

Limited-time sale

From₹ 2,693.89₹ 2,835.68

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Featured Outdoor & sports in Siem Reap

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Quad Bike Tour with Villages, Rice Fields & Off-Road Trails Plus Free Hotel Transfers

4.0/5

· 1 review

Duration: 1 hr

English

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From₹ 2,983.25

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Siem Reap: Private 1-day tour of Kbal Spean, Banteay Srei Temple and Prasat Beng Mealea [attraction admission ticket not included]

Duration: 8.5 hrs

English

Free cancellation

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From₹ 12,367.82

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Siem Reap Kulun elephant forest in Cambodia | Rainforest trekking to feed elephant herds + immersive up-close elephant interaction

Duration: 5 hrs

English

Free cancellation

From₹ 12,293.29

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Angkor Zipline Eco-Adventure Canopy Tour

4.9/5

· 14 reviews

Duration: 1–2 hrs

Free cancellation

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From₹ 5,116.45

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Siem Reap: Countryside Bike Tour

Duration: 5 hrs

Free cancellation

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From₹ 3,300.83

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Handicraft tour/rice paper,/rice wine/bat cave Sun Set

Duration: 4–10 hrs

English

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From₹ 1,135.69

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A day tour through Battambang/Local area and landmarks

4.8/5

· 37 reviews

Duration: 2–10 hrs

Free cancellation

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97.3% of travelers recommend

From₹ 1,519.22

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More things to do

Private Tours in Siem Reap

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Group Tours in Siem Reap

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2D1N • 2 Days Guided Historical Tour in Angkor

5/5

848 reviews

From INR 3,682

7D6N • 7 Days Vietnam - Cambodia

5/5

1 review

From INR 69,448

7D6N • 7-Day Ho Chi Minh & Siemreap (HCM Mekong Cu Chi Siem Reap Angkor)

From INR 77,856

2D1N • Angkor Wat 2 Day Sunset & Sunrise Tour

5/5

1 review

Max. 14 peopleEnglishNo mandatory shoppingGroup Tours

From INR 4,638

2D1N • 2-Day Angkor Wat, Kulen Mountain, Beng Mealea and Tonle Sap

Marvel at the smiling faces of Bayon Temple and Angkor Thom · Take a boat to the floating village of Kampong Phluk at Tonle Sap Lake · Visit the jungle-enveloped temple of Ta Prohm and Beng Mealea

From INR 6,191

2D1N • Siem Reap: 2-Day Temple Highlights with Sunrise and Sunset

Beat the heat with air-conditioned round-trip hotel transfers · Enjoy stunning views of Angkor Wat at sunrise · Learn about Khmer history and religion from your licensed guide

From INR 4,661

2D1N • 2-day Bike : Day1 Sunrise Angkor wat – Day2 Countryside ride

Max. 8 peopleEnglishNo mandatory shoppingMini Group

Day1. Sunrise cycling at Angkor Wat and villages trial. · Day2. Cycle countryside and floating villages · Explore Bayon and Ta Prohm by bike and lunch included.

From INR 8,001

6D5N • 6-Day 5-Night Group Tour of Cambodia: Phnom Penh + Siem Reap | 9-person VIP small group | Arrive in Phnom Penh, depart from Siem Reap | No shopping | Expert Chinese-speaking guide | In-depth tour of the Royal Palace of Cambodia | Small Circuit | Grand Circuit | Outer Circuit | Tonlé Sap Lake

Max. 9 peopleMandarinGuaranteed departureNo mandatory shoppingTour guide includedFree cancellationArr. & dep. transfers incl.Deposit acceptedMini Group

24-hour online WeChat concierge service, with driver and tour guide providing attraction commentary during the trip (2 service staff members). · Madame Butterfly Trendy Cambodian Restaurant, Cambodian-style roasted free-range chicken restaurant, Chinese restaurant. · Official 4-diamond hotel, hotel with swimming pool, electric kettle, hair dryer, and toiletries provided free of charge, 2 bottles of mineral water provided per room daily.

From INR 58,423

Siem Reap Today's weatherCloudy 24-32℃

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Free things to do in Siem Reap

Pub Street

4.5

Siem Reap · 58m from downtown

274 reviews

Pre Rup Temple

3.5

4.3/5

411 reviews

Siem Reap · 11.4km from downtown

Royal Independence Gardens

3.2

4.4/5

44 reviews

Siem Reap · 1km from downtown

Royal Residence

3