All hotels are located in Siem Reap Town. With the exception of Roluos 13km east, the most important temples lay 6-25km north, the closest being Angkor Wat. To visit the temples you will need to decide how long to stay, purchase an admission pass, arrange transportation and obtain a guidebook or tour guide.

Admission / How Long to Stay

You must possess an admission pass to visit the temples and sites in the Angkor Archaeological Park. Passes may be purchased at the main entrance on the road to Angkor Wat. One-day tickets only can be purchased at the secondary tollgate on airport road entrance near Angkor Wat and at Banteay Srey.

Passes are sold in one-day ($20), three-day ($40) and seven-day ($60) blocks. (A $3 increase to $23/$43/$63 was announced just before time of printing. It had not taken effect yet at time of printing.) A one-day visit allows you to see the highlights of the most famous temples but very little more. Three days is sufficient to visit all of the major temples once, a few of the minor ones and have a little extra time at your favorites. Seven days is enough time to really explore some of your favorite ruins and visit many of the minor structures as well. One passport-sized photo must be provided at time of purchase of three and seven day passes. Free photos are provided at the main entrance, though this can be a time consuming process at peak entrance hours. Visiting hours are 5:00AM - 6:30PM. Angkor Wat closes at 6:00PM, Banteay Srey closes at 5:00PM and Kbal Spean at 3:00PM. Always carry your ticket. It will be checked upon each park entry and at major temples. There is a significant fine for not possessing a valid ticket inside the park. A regular admission ticket is not required to visit Phnom Kulen or Beng Melea, but there is a separate entrance fee of $20 and $5, respectively. 

What to Bring

Wear light, airy, covering clothing to protect yourself from the sun and mosquitoes. The sun can be intense so bring a hat, sunglasses and perhaps sunblock. Consider buying a traditional Khmer scarf (krama) to keep the sun off your neck. Carry a raincoat during the wet season, though you will probably only need it in the afternoon. You should have mosquito repellent for sunrise and sunset hours. Wear practical shoes for climbing narrow steps and walking on uneven surfaces. 

Photographers should prepare for very bright light outdoor, and heavily shadowed indoor photography. Bring very low and high ASA films, a lens sun shield, and a couple of extra batteries. Consider bringing a macro lens for the carvings and a tripod for the artsy shots. For serious temple explorers, a flashlight, notebook and compass can come in handy. Books, refreshments, trinkets, postcards and film are available from small vendors throughout the temple complex.

Transportation to the Temples 

The temples are too far apart to make foot travel
practical (though some hearty visitors are hiking between temples). Transportation options include motorcycle taxi, ($6-$8/day), two-person motorcycle trailers ($8-$14/day, averaging $10-$12), car taxis ($20-$25/day), and bicycles ($2-$3/day). Prices go up for distant temples (e.g. Banteay Srey, Phnom Kulen, Kbal Spean). Bicycling around the temples is becoming more popular. If you have the time to spare, the roads are good and the distances are about right for a bicycle. Your hotel or travel agent can arrange transportation

Tour Guides

Whether you use a guidebook or hire a tour guide, it is essential to have some sort of guide lest the temples become just so many impressive piles of rocks. Tour guides are particularly helpful in explaining the bas-reliefs and history of the temples.

You can either hire a tour guide and transport separately or book a guided tour through a travel agent in town such as ATS, Neak Krorhorm, VLK and Data Sight Travel. Guided tours remove many of the hassles, and depending on your requirements, cost about the same or less than doing it yourself, especially for the lone traveler. On the other hand, you do lose some freedom and a bit of the adventurous atmosphere of Angkor.

Tour guides can be hired through most hotels and travel agents. Most guides ask $20-$25/day, more for distant temples.