Siem Reap: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm Tour

Explore the temples of Angkor on a guided tour from Siem Reap. Visit Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, and more. Learn about the history and myths of the Angkorian civilization.

Depart your hotel at 8:00 AM, and spend the whole day exploring the temples of Angkor. Begin at Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. Built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, it is the best-preserved temple at the site and the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation.

Enter the great temple from the little-visited eastern side. Continue your journey on foot and creep through a jungle path to the north ancient library pool. Listen to the explanations of your expert guide, then spend time venturing into the central chambers of the temple, where your local guide will reveal the history, myths, and stories depicted on the stone bas-reliefs (the longest stretch of bas-relief carvings in the world).

Next, visit the South Gate, one of the five gates of Angkor Thom. The gate, flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side, was the entrance to the fortified city of Angkor Thom. At the height of its greatness, Angkor Thom had a population of more than one million people and was larger in size than the city of London.

Continue to the Bayon, a richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor. Built in the 13th century, the Bayon stands at the center of Jayavarman’s capital city of the Khmer Empire. The Bayon’s most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and smiling stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. See its beautifully crafted central towers, covered in more than 200 enormous faces. The temple has two sets of bas-reliefs, which present a combination of mythological, historical, and mundane scenes. The outer wall of the outer gallery features a series of bas-reliefs depicting historical events and scenes from the everyday life of the Angkorian Khmer. The inner gallery bas-reliefs depict mythological events.

Move to the 11th-century Baphuon temple, a three-tiered temple mountain built as the state temple. The temple adjoins the southern enclosure of the Royal Palace. Its appearance apparently impressed Temür Khan’s late 13th-century envoy Chou Ta-kuan during his visit from 1296 to 1297, who said Bayon was the Tower of Gold and Baphuon was ‘the Tower of Bronze…a truly astonishing spectacle, with more than ten chambers at its base.

Creep to Vimeanakas (celestial temple) built at the end of the 10th century in the shape of a three-tier pyramid as a temple. On top of the pyramid, there was a tower, while on the edge of the top platform there are galleries. Phimeanakas is located inside the walled enclosure of the former Royal Palace of the Khmer Empire.

In the late morning, visit the 350 m-long Terrace of Elephants, which was used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king’s grand audience. Some local Khmer residents call it “the Ancient Khmer Stadium”. It was built in the early 13th century, and we visit the famous Terrace of Leper King. The U-shaped structure is thought by some to have been used as a royal cremation site. It was built in the early 13th century.

In the afternoon, visit the jungle-enveloped Ta Prohm (Tomb Raider temple)– one of the most atmospheric of all temples in Angkor. Ta Prohm was built in the 13th century. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found, the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor’s most popular temples with visitors. UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region. Ta Prohm was a religious temple located in the center of Ancient Khmer University during the 12th and the 13th century. Finish exploring the temple, and return to your hotel after a long but fulfilling day.

• These prices are for the private tour.
• The payment can be settled on the spot.

• English speaking guide
• Tuk Tuk
• Sightseeing as listed above
• Free hotel pick up and drop off
• Bottled of water

This is a private tour, everything is flexible to your need!

• Your tour Guide will meet you in your hotel Lobby to begin the Tour
• Your Tour Guide will send you a Link to purchase a Temple entrance e-ticket days in advance.
• Lunch can be purchased nearby the site, or you can get a recommendation from your local guide.
• Please wear flat shoes that are comfortable for walking.
• The US dollar cash is accepted everywhere in Cambodia.
• To enter some sacred places of the temples, you have to wear clothes that cover your knees and shoulders.