Ultimate Siem Reap Itinerary – How to spend the most amazing 4 days in Siem Reap, Cambodia

No trip to Cambodia would be complete without spending at least 3-4 days in Cambodia’s cultural hotspot, Siem Reap. And, in this 4-Day Siem Reap Itinerary, we will show you exactly how you can do just that!

Find out the most ideal sightseeing route to visiting the Angkor Archaeological Park over the span of three days, as well as what other intriguing activities not to miss out on when constructing your personal itinerary for your time in Siem Reap, Cambodia!

How to spend 4 days in Siem Reap – A Siem Reap Itinerary

Before we start, a few things about this itinerary:

The main point of interest for most travellers in Siem Reap lies in exploring the magical ruins and temples that constitute the Angkor Archaeological Park. And rightly so. They are the highlight of Siem Reap for a very good reason😉.

Therefore, this 4-Day Siem Reap Itinerary focusses for the most part on visiting Angkor, i.e. you will be spending the better part of three days exploring various parts of the Angkor Archaeological Park.

However, the sightseeing route that you’ll find in this post was crafted in a way as to not burn you out too quickly from visiting temple after temple. We can attest to that, because this is the exact route that we took as well!

To give credit where credit is due: While deciding on the route we wanted to take, we consulted with the wonderful tuk-tuk driver that we hired to take us around Angkor, so, much of it was based on his suggestions to our requests.

Finally, we also share our favourite unique activities and sights to see and do in Siem Reap apart from Angkor. These are great options to fill up your time spent away from the Angkor temples. However, we highly suggest also planning some time to simply relax by the pool of your hotel after a busy day exploring!

How to get to and around Siem Reap

The best way to get to Siem Reap will depend on where you are travelling from. As a rule of thumb:

• Are you travelling from further overseas? Fly into Siem Reap* via Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia or Singapore.
• From Bangkok, Thailand, via land? We crossed the Thai-Cambodian border via land with Travel Bus Asia*!
• From another Cambodian city? Travel to Siem Reap from e.g. Phnom Penh by bus or private car*.

Now that you know how to get to Siem Reap, the next question you’ll have to answer is: How do I best get around? Because, Siem Reap is quite vast. Especially when it comes to visiting Angkor and its temples. Which are quite literally sometimes located kilometres apart!

So, what are your options?

1. You can either rent a bike/scooter and drive around yourself.
2. Or, hire a tuk-tuk driver to take you around. The latter can be done for a single ride to simply get you from A to B, which is most easily done via the App Grab. Alternatively, you can also hire a driver for a half-day, day or even multiple days!

Best Things to do in Siem Reap – 4 days in Cambodia’s cultural capital!

Now, let’s get into this Siem Reap Itinerary, shall we?

Day 1: Arrival + Get a glimpse into Khmer Cuisine and Culture!

Your first day in Siem Reap is going to be a bit more of a relaxed one. You’ll have time to arrive, get settled and get a first glimpse into Khmer culture and food!

🚌 Arrival in Siem Reap

Ideally you arrive in Siem Reap before noon or at the very latest before 2 p.m., which shouldn’t be a problem if your are travelling from Battambang or Phnom Penh by bus* or fly into Siem Reap airport* from one of the neighbouring countries.

However, if you decide to travel from Bangkok to Siem Reap via land*, we would recommend planning a whole day solely for the Thai-Cambodian border crossing. The journey takes about 8 hours and we wouldn’t add the stress of having to arrive at a certain time of day to an already long day! So, if this is you, either arrive a day early or dedicate this first day solely to arriving in Siem Reap.

🛏️ Check-in to your hotel

The first thing you’ll want to do when arriving in Siem Reap is probably checking in to your hotel. We stayed at The Urban* and can wholeheartedly recommend you to stay here as well! You can read more about why we liked this hotel so much in our Siem Reap Travel Guide.

Of course, Siem Reap is home to quite a number of stunning hotels, a lot of them with pools, great reviews and at varying price points. So, whether you decide to go with The Urban* or another accommodation, you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding great hotels in Siem Reap*!

Tip: When searching for a hotel in Cambodia, always make sure to check how recent the good reviews are! We have a story to tell here, but we do so in our Phnom Penh post (coming soon) where it took place😆.

Now that you are settled, there is one important task left that you should take care of on your first day in Siem Reap:

🎟️ Get your Angkor Pass if you haven’t already!

In case you do not have an Angkor Pass yet, or prefer to get yours on-site instead of online, now is the best time to do so! You can easily book a tuk-tuk driver via Grab to take you to the official ticket office, which is located a few kilometres outside of Siem Reap.

Personally, we would recommend applying for an Angkor Pass via the official online platform a few days in advance. The process is quite straightforward and saves you a trip to the ticket office.

No matter what you decide to do, make sure to:

• Book a 3 Day Angkor Pass for this itinerary!
• Only book via the official online website or ticket office! There are a lot of fake websites around respectively agencies that demand ridiculous processing fees. Your 3-Day Angkor Pass should not cost more than 62$!

🧑‍🍳 Do a Khmer Cooking Class

The main reason why we insisted on you arriving in Siem Reap at the very latest at 2 p.m. is because at 3:30 p.m. you will be heading to a more rural part of Siem Reap for the most amazing local cooking class*!

Your transport to the cooking class is included in the experience so you simply need to wait at you hotel to get picked up. And possibly, this might even be your first, certainly not last, tuk-tuk ride of this Cambodia trip!

So, what can you expect from this experience?

• First, you will be going to the nearby local market to accompany your guide while she buys some of the ingredients you will need when cooking. In the process she will tell you a lot about Cambodian everyday life.
• Then the cooking part starts! You will be cooking a three course meal and for each course you can choose between a variety of typical Khmer dishes.
• Of course you will also be eating said dishes afterwards😉.
• At the end of the class you will be given a PDF containing all the recipes from her cooking school to recreate and try back home!

We truly loved the Khmer Cooking Class at a local’s home*! It is still one of our fondest memories of our Cambodia trip and a really nice experience to kick-start your time in Siem Reap!

🥡 Explore Siem Reap Night Market & Pub Street

Most certainly you won’t be very hungry after completing the cooking class and eating all the food! However, if there is still some energy in you, head out once more to stroll around Siem Reap Night Market or go for a drink in Siem Reap Pub Street!

Siem Reap Night Market is actually quite a broad name for a number of different night markets as we understand it. For instance, you have Night Market Street, Old Market and Siem Reap Art Center Night Market. You will find quite a number of shops where you can buy souvenirs and your typical elephant pants (yes they exist in Cambodia as well). However you will also find street food. Siem Reap Pub Street is mostly filled with restaurants and bars.

Truthfully, we cannot give you too many recommendations here. When we visited it was rainy season and there were not many tourists in Siem Reap. This was of course very nice for visiting Angkor, however it also meant that there was not much going on at the night markets.

🍛 Where to eat in Siem Reap:

We did find a really great restaurant in Siem Reap that ended up becoming our go-to restaurant nearly every night (and sometimes even for lunch):

It is called Khmer Taste Restaurant (located on Sok San Road). Expect to pay between 2-5$ for the most amazing Khmer food! Highly recommend!

Day 2: Explore Angkor Thom + Visit APOPO’s heroic Landmine Rats

And now, finally the day has arrived! On your second day in Siem Reap you will finally start exploring Angkor! Ask your driver to make for the temples relatively early. We usually were on our way around 8 a.m., that way we were able to make good use of the cooler morning hours before the heat eventually kicks in around noon!

We wrote a whole guide about visiting Angkor Archaeological Park and in there you can find a number of useful information that we won’t be repeating all in this itinerary.

What information you may ask? Well for starters, you will find a map with all the temples mentioned in this post, a bit of info about each one and whether they are a must-see or not. Furthermore we also tell you what essentials to bring, scams to watch out for as well as more details about hiring a tuk-tuk driver for your time in Angkor. So we highly recommend you to give it a read as well!

⛰️ Climb to the top of Phnom Bakheng

Your first stop within Angkor is going to be the small temple of Phnom Bakheng. Not Angkor Wat? Well, no. Trust us, it is worth it to save the best for last😉.

However, you will get your first glimpse of Angkor Wat from the top of Phnom Bakheng! The latter is located on a hill and a great way to get a first impression of just how vast the whole site is. Granted, you will mostly see treetops.

Next, make your way to Angkor Thom. The latter is among the most well-known sites inside the Angkor Archaeological Park and the most popular after Angkor Wat. This former capital of the Khmer empire is rather big and home to a number of stunning temples which are surrounded by a big moat and impressive 8-metre tall walls.

Enter Angkor Thom via its Southern Gate, also known as Tonle Om Gate. After a quick pit stop at the gate itself, head straight to the centre of Angkor Thom where you will find the stunning Bayon Temple.

🛕 Marvel at Bayon Temple

Bayon is quite a big structure and there are so many stunning nooks and side alleys to explore! The temple walls are adorned with quite intricate carvings. Plan some time for this one!

🐘 Explore Baphuon & the Terrace of the Elephants

Around the corner from Bayon, located inside Angkor Thom as well, you will find Baphuon Temple. This one is apparently often skipped. We really do not understand why though because it ended up being one of our favourite ones! The walkway and views from its top alone are quite worth it.

While there, you can also explore a number of other structures, all in walking distance from each other. As such you will find Phimeanakas Temple, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King as well as a number of lovely ponds and towers.

Visiting the temples of Angkor Thom should take the better part of your morning. We were roughly on the road from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and made our way back to Siem Reap in time for lunch and the heat to kick in!

🪷 Take a boat ride through lotus fields at Lotus Silk Farm

This one might not yet be on many peoples radars, but it sure is an activity worth checking out. Especially if you love learning about local traditional crafts and getting to try them for yourself!

About the farm: Lotus Silk Farm is a social enterprise in Cambodia that produces lotus-based fabrics with minimised environmental impact. Their work focusses on preserving traditional craftsmanship and empowering local communities.

They offer a variety of different packages from a simple Guided Tour at Lotus Silk Farm* to their Lotus Silk Farm Boat Ride & 3 DIY crafts tour*. The latter also includes said guided tour, a boat-ride over lotus-covered waters and a workshop where you can learn 3 handicrafts yourself and then take home with you afterwards!

We would suggest booking the slot at 2, 3 or 4 p.m. depending on how much buffer time you would like to leave after your morning activity. Also note that they do not offer pick-up. So you will have to hire a tuk-tuk (e.g. via Grab or your hotel) to get you there. Lotus Silk Farm is located 8,5 kilometres (~15min ride) away from Siem Reap.

Day 3: Drive the Angkor Grand Circuit

On your third day in Siem Reap you will be visiting the lesser known temples and ruins of the Grand Circuit inside the Angkor Archaeological Park. However, less-known does not equal to unimpressive, on the contrary, the Grand Circuit has some really unique temples!

🌴 Explore Preah Khan

After pick-up, you will be making your way to Angkor Thom again, past all the temples you have been exploring on the previous day! However, this time you are headed towards the North Gate of Angkor Thom. The latter is a bit more overgrown than the Southern one which makes it even more stunning in our opinion!

From here it is only a short drive further until you reach Preah Khan. This temple is surrounded by its own moat, which as you might grasp from the picture above is a true beauty! The temple itself is also quite overgrown and the ruins are left unrestored for the most part. This gives you a true sense of what it might have felt like to rediscover these stunning sites after such a long time. We really liked Preah Khan because of that!

Another nice thing about Preah Khan is that you can enter the temple on one side and then, after exploring, exit on the opposite side of the entrance. Your driver will pick you up there.

🪷 Cross Neak Pean Bridge

This next temple is quite special since it is so drastically different from all the temples you have seen up until now. Neak Pean Temple is built on an artificial island within one of the barays of Angkor. The latter are huge man-made rectangular water reservoirs that have been built at the same time as many of the temples of Angkor!

Since Neak Pean is built on an island, you will have to first cross a bridge over the baray. The bridge in on itself is pretty awesome. The site of the main temple is rather small, but well worth a visit though!

🛕 Ta Som – The one with the tree gate

Further down the Grand Circuit, you will reach Ta Som Temple. This one is quite similar to Preah Khan and Ta Phrom (which you will visit on the next day), albeit quite a bit smaller. It is a lovely temple nonetheless and also rather quiet, which we liked a lot.

At the back of the temple you will find a gate that is overgrown in a way where the tree roots themselves form some sort of gate over the actual stone gate of the temple.

🐘 Visit Eastern Mebon & Pre Rup Temple

And just like that, we have reached the last two temples you will be visiting on your second day exploring the Angkor Archaeological Park! When compared to the temples you have visited before, both the Eastern Mebon and Pre Rup temple are quite different. The reason we grouped them together is because when compared to each other, they are strikingly similar.

If you want to visit both, by all means, go for it. However, if at this point you are already a bit fatigued from visiting so many other temples, it is also very much alright to just visit one of the two.

🐀 Visit APOPO’s Landmine Rats

In the afternoon, after relaxing for a bit it is time to head out again. This time to visit something that has more to do with Cambodia’s more recent history when compared to the centuries old ruins from your morning excursions. You will be visiting the APOPO Visitor Center, which you can easily get to via Grab.

Here you can meet Cambodia’s HeroRATs, rats that have been trained to detect landmines and unexploded remnants from the country’s gruesome past. Over the last 25 years they have literally made the world a safer place with their work. Which is why we think it is awesome to be able to meet the furry heroes and learn more about as well as support this really great cause!

The visitor centre is open every day from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. You will be taken along on an hour long guided tour where you can meet these sweet animals and learn all about their training and the important work that they do. More information can be found on the official APOPO Visitor Center website.

Day 4: Sunrise at Angkor Wat & finish the Angkor Small Circuit

Since we saved the best for last, your forth and last day in Siem Reap will be quite the highlight: You are finally going to explore Angkor Wat!

🌄 Visit Angkor Wat at sunrise

While your last day in Siem Reap will be a real highlight, it is also going to be an early one. Depending on the month of your visit, you can witness sunrise at Angkor Wat somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30 am. Arriving at least half an hour early on site is crucial if you want to secure a good viewing spot. Let’s just say, even during low season there was a crowd gathering to view the sunrise, we can’t imagine what high season must look like.

The best sunrise viewing spot is located in front of the southern pond (see map down below for exact spot). From there you can see the reflection of Angkor Wat and the sunrise in the water. It is truly magical! However, don’t be fooled, this is no hidden gem, everyone will be there😉.

If you are not yet sure whether seeing Angkor Wat at sunrise is worth it for you, we wrote a few words on the topic here: Angkor Wat at sunrise, worth it or not?. In case you decide to not view the sunrise at Angkor Wat, simply make your way to the temple complex first thing in the morning.

After watching the sunrise, take your time to explore the temple of Angkor Wat itself. Personally, we lingered a little longer near the pond to view the sun further rise than most other tourists. This had the advantage that, when we eventually made it to Angkor Wat, some of the sunrise tourists were already at the end of their tour and started to leave while the day tourists had not yet arrived. So we ended up having whole sections of Angkor Wat basically to ourselves at times! Low season probably played a role here too though😉.

Since we didn’t have breakfast yet, our driver took us to a local café (Angkor Chey Coffee if I’m not mistaken) just down the road from Angkor Wat for a cup of coffee before we continued our explorations of the day.

🌳 Feel like Lara Croft (from Tomb Raider) at Ta Phrom Temple

Continue on the short circuit, again making your way past Angkor Thom (this time leaving through the East Gate), until you reach Ta Keo Temple. The latter is not a must, however a nice addition if you are not quite done with visiting temples just yet😉.

Further down the road you will eventually reach Ta Phrom. This one we highly recommend not skipping since it is truly one of the most stunning temples inside the whole Angkor Archaeological Park! Which is probably the reason why they chose Ta Phrom to be featured in Tomb Raider.

Ta Phrom is only partially restored, but that is actually what makes its charm. The temple is overgrown with huge trees and since Ta Phrom is not that small, you’ll have the time of your life making your way through the ruins and exploring the various alleys and passageways that come up as you venture deeper into the temple.

🪨 Explore Banteay Kdei

In case you do not feel like you are quite done with the temples of Angkor yet, there is one last site on the Small Circuit for you to explore. Banteay Kdei is quite similar to Ta Phrom when it comes to layout and design. It is definitely smaller and not quite as striking, nonetheless worth a visit. Especially if you are looking for a quieter temple to end your day after having visited the busier Angkor Wat and Ta Phrom before.

If you end up visiting Banteay Kdei, make sure to also head to Srah Srang. The latter is a baray, which is located on the opposite side of the road from the East Gate of Banteay Kdei. You will find a small viewing platform from where you can get quite awesome views over the baray, a great way to end your time in Angkor!

⛱️ Relax by the pool and take it easy for the rest of the afternoon

After making your way back to your hotel, take it easy for the rest of the afternoon. You could simply relax by the pool, do some last minute souvenir shopping or if you stay in the same hotel as we did*, make sure to enjoy their complementary afternoon tea. We always went for the ginger tea and the little snacks are great too!

On to your next destination!

Once your time in Siem Reap comes to an end, head to your next destination. If you decide to explore Cambodia some more your next stop is likely either going to be Phnom Penh or Battambang. The latter is a favourite of ours, so do make sure to check it out if you haven’t considered to do so before!

That concludes this 4-day Siem Reap Itinerary! We hope this post gave you some good inspiration for your time in Siem Reap. And, as always: Safe and happy travels!🍀