Although I touched down at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Angkor Wat was actually what inspired my very first trip to Southeast Asia almost 15 years ago. The time I would need to spend in Thailand, I thought, would simply be icing on the cake.
The existence of this website (and the fact that I haven’t even purchased the CambodiaStartsHere.com domain name) shows how accurate that thought ended up being.
But is Angkor Wat worth visiting at all? This is a controversial question, but it’s definitely one that merits probing, paerticularly if you’re on the fence about going.
Angkor Wat is the Disneyland of Temples
Is Angkor Wat worth it? Well, judging by the number of other people you’ll see when you’re there, it certainly seems that this is the case. Even at 4 AM as you wait for the sun to rise (more on that in a second), it isn’t uncommon to see hundreds or even thousands of other tourists waiting. As you explore the massive complex, you assume there will be a place that isn’t completely inundated.
But you never find it. The good news, of course, is that Angkor Wat isn’t the only temple near Siem Reap, and definitely not the only one in Cambodia. Of course, if you’re like most tourists, the touch-and-go trip you’re probably planning won’t account for this possibility, leaving you only to explore the “Disneyland of temples” and, as a result, leave Cambodia disappointed. I’m here to give you an alternative option.
5 Things to Know Before Booking Your Angkor Wat Trip
It’s not a day trip from Thailand
Even if you take an early flight from one of Bangkok’s airports to Siem Reap, it’s almost impossible to visit Angkor Wat as a day trip. For one, you have to go in-person to buy tickets to the park, which is an ordeal in and of itself. Indeed, it’s a park: Angkor Wat, as I’ll explain in a few paragraphs, isn’t a single temple you can visit in an hour.
(Or a one-night trip)
I would actually argue that your Angkor Wat itinerary should be two nights, given that you’ll want to watch at least one (and probably two—again, more on that later) sunrises and sunsets here. Plus, given how crowded it is, you’ll want to give yourself breathing room, to minimize your stress.
It isn’t one temple
Angkor Wat is but one of many temples in the Siem Reap area; others include Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm, the latter of became famous due to its inclusion in Tomb Raider. While you might not end up being like Angelina and adopting kids or settling down here, you do want to give yourself time to explore all the area has to offer.
Sunrise can be amazing—or a huge disappointment
To drill in to why you shouldn’t try to see Angkor Wat from Bangkok in a day, sunrise is an essential experience at the temple. Or at least it can be. Unfortunately, I know first-hand that grey sunrises are as common as colorful ones, to say nothing of how you’ll almost certainly get eaten alive by mosquitoes as you wait.
Cambodia doesn’t end there
Whether you head to a city like Phnom Penh (nearby which there are other Angkor-era temples) or to the underrated island of Koh Rong, Cambodia is much more than its most famous attraction. I encourage you to look into planning an entire trip to Cambodia, assuming you have enough time in Southeast Asia overall.
Alternatives to Angkor Wat
Turned off of Angkor Wat? While I’d still suggest going there to see what the hype is about, the good news is that there are other worthwhile complexes throughout Southeast Asia:
- Sukhothai: Thailand’s original capital, this ancient wonderland is a bit difficult to reach, but is very worth the trouble.
- Bagan: If Myanmar ever again achieves a semblance of political city, this “lost city” is always great to find on your itinerary.
- Hue Imperial Citadel: While not a temple complex and not as old as the others on this list, I nonetheless find this Vietnamese treasure to be one of the most impressive places in Southeast Asia.
- Borobudur: A highlight of any trip to the city of Yogyakarta, which itself is something like the Siem Reap of Indonesia.
Other FAQ About Visiting Angkor Wat
Is Angkor Wat really worth visiting?
Angkor Wat is an incredible destination that, at least on its face, lives up to the hype. However, it’s extremely crowded and spread out over a large area, which means that in addition to requiring more time than you might be prepared to spend, it can also be a more stressful experience overall.
Should I skip Angkor Wat?
If you plan to spend a lot of time in Southeast Asia and expect to visit Cambodia anyway, I think Angkor Wat is a place you shouldn’t skip. On the other hand, there are places you can visit in other countries (and, frankly, with less hassle) that can serve as equally-satisfying substitutes, including Thailand’s Sukhothai and Indonesia’s Borobudur.
Is it enough to see Angkor Wat in one day?
You can see the main temple of Angkor Wat in one day, assuming you start at sunrise and end at sundown—in other words, you slept in Siem Reap the night before, and will sleep there the “second” night as well. However, you cannot see Angkor Wat on a day trip from Bangkok or anywhere else in Thailand—it’s simply not feasible.
The Bottom Line
Is Angkor Wat worth visiting? Yes, although in my opinion, it won’t be a highlight of your Southeast Asia itinerary. On one hand, it’s difficult to deny the appeal of the Angkor complex, which is ornate and also massive—it’s literally an entire ancient city, on the scale of Pompeii or Machu Picchu. On the other hand, it’s extraordinarily crowded, to the extent that I think of it as the “Disneyland of temples,” and to a degree that it can be difficult to enjoy time to yourself as you explore. The good news? Angkor Wat isn’t the only option when it comes to temples in Southeast Asia. The better news? You can enlist my expertise to plan a custom itinerary for you.
